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 by Staff Writers Manila (AFP) Feb 14, 2018
Scores of holiday resorts on the Philippines' famous white-sand island Boracay have been given two months to clean up or face closure, officials said Wednesday, after President Rodrigo Duterte warned tourists were swimming in waters polluted by faeces. The outspoken Philippine leader last week blasted the tiny island's hotels, restaurants and other businesses, accusing them of dumping sewage directly into the sea and turning it into a "cesspool". The Environment Ministry said a total of 300 businesses faced "evaluation" for sanitary or other offences on the 1,000-hectare (2,470-acre) island, of which 51 have already been handed official warnings for violating environmental regulations. Many of these businesses are accused of using the island's drainage system to send untreated sewage into the sea, officials said. "(The ministry) is giving them two months to comply with the law. Otherwise, we will close them," Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said in a statement posted on his agency's website. Officials will also investigate businesses that put up buildings in protected parts of the island. Boracay, 308 kilometres (190 miles) south of Manila, is one of the Philippines' top tourist destinations, attracting some two million visitors each year. It has some 500 tourism-related businesses, although most of the island's supplies have to be shipped in from nearby ports. Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo said island needs a "massive clean-up", adding that the work was "a bitter pill that we have to swallow if we (are) to collectively save and sustain Boracay". Local businesses said Duterte's remarks had yet to have a serious effect on visitor numbers. But Nenette Graf, head of industry association the Boracay Foundation, said there had been "one or two cancellations" since the issue came to light. Local government official Rowen Aguirre conceded that inspectors had often found cases of resort violations concerning waste water discharge and expanding into "no-build" zones, but expressed optimism that the problems could be resolved. "The term 'cesspool' is too strong. You just have to come here and see the situation for yourself," he told AFP.
Once-pristine Thai bay from 'The Beach' to close to boats Bangkok (AFP) Feb 14, 2018 - The once-pristine Thai bay which became a tourist magnet after the 2000 movie "The Beach" will be closed to boats for several months to prevent further damage to its coral, an official said Wednesday. Hordes of tourists flock daily to Maya Bay on Koh Phi Phi Ley for selfies in front of the famed limestone cliffs and blue waters, leading to complaints of environmental damage to the water and sand. But the picture-postcard beach of the Leonardo DiCaprio film will be closed to boats from June to September this year, Worapoj Lomlim of the Phi Phi islands National Parks told AFP. "For around 20 years the bay has welcomed boats to moor in front of the beach... but their engines have damaged coral reefs and caused problems with the sand," he said. "Overcrowded tourist boats have also blocked the view," he added, saying tourists will still be able to reach the beach by foot from an adjacent bay where boats can park. The closure is the latest effort to mitigate damage caused by tourism, a crucial pillar of Thailand's economy with more than 35 million travellers visiting last year. But environmental experts and officials are worried the mass tourism is causing irreversible damage to idyllic beaches, with litter and unchecked development disrupting local ecosystems. Smoking has already been banned on 20 of the country's most famous beaches this high season, with a hefty fine or even jail for those who flout the new rule.
Coal-loving Poland struggles with killer smog Warsaw (AFP) Feb 14, 2018 Smog kills tens of thousands of Poles each year, yet environmental activists say the right-wing government of the coal-loving nation has been dragging its feet on combatting air pollution. On some winter days, a grey haze obscures the lights of the Polish capital's skyscrapers and the air smells like burning plastic. "It's starting again. Warsaw is second on Air Visual, just after Kathmandu, and ahead of Calcutta and New Delhi," says Maria, a Polish mother of three young children, as she checks ... read more
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