Vol. XXI, No. 139 [ Business World Online ]
Thursday, February 14, 2008 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES
CEBU CITY/Koronadal City — The Boracay Crown Regency Hotel & Convention Center yesterday refuted the findings of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) that it has encroached on a wetland area in Barangay Balabag in Boracay.
"That is not true. Boracay Crown Regency[’s] property is not a swamp and the project proponent did not reclaim. To reclaim is one thing, backfill is another. Boracay Crown Regency did the usual backfill as part of normal civil works," said legal counsel Deolito Alvarez.
He clarified that the wetland, which is about 5,000 square meters, is located across the hotel property.
"What happened was the residents around the natural wetland diverted the water from the wetland by placing a culvert that cuts across the road and illegally diverted the overflow from the wetland to the hotel property. When Boracay Crown bought the property, it had to close the culvert," Mr. Alvarez said.> > > [ full story ]
