By Cai Ordinario, July 3 2019; Business Mirror

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/07/03/boracay-action-plan-to-cost-p25-3b/

Image Credit to Business Mirror

THE national government and the private sector will spend P25.26 billion to implement the medium-term Boracay Action Plan (BAP), according to documents obtained from the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).

In a Cabinet presentation on Monday, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia and Neda Undersecretary Adoracion M. Navarro said the amount includes P7.22 billion from the national government and P15.89 billion from the private sector. The remaining P2.15 billion will be obtained through cofinancing between local governments and the private sector.

The President approved the BAP on Monday. Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and Presidential Spokesman Salvador S. Panelo said the plan “will sustain the efforts of the government after its closure.”

“The total public investment cost amounts to 28.6 percent of the total investment requirement. Majority of the projects will be financed by the private sector amounting to P15.9 billion, or 62.9 percent of the total investment requirement,” Navarro said in the presentation.

Navarro said the bulk of the government share of P7.22 billion is composed of agencies’ regular budget worth P4.89 billion, or 19.4 percent of the total; local government unit funds, P1.95 billion, or 7.7 percent; cofinancing arrangements between agencies and LGUs, P202.17 million, or 0.8 percent. The government still needs to secure financing for P182.24 million, or 0.7 percent.

The bulk of the funds will be spent on putting in place reliable infrastructure facilities worth P3.49 billion or 48 percent of the amount. Another area that will receive a significant share of the pie is pollution control and prevention worth P1.99 billion, or 28 percent of the total.

Spending for enforcement of laws and regulations, as well as responsive social services such as those for health, education and housing, will have a 9-percent share at P635.47 million and P676.66 million, respectively.

Other areas that will receive funds are sustainable economic activities including tourism and livelihood worth P336.43 million or 5 percent of the total; and rehabilitation and recovery of ecosystems worth P96.49 million or 1 percent of the total.

“To monitor the implementation of programs, projects and activities in the BAP, the BIATF [Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force] issued Resolution  2018-31 ‘Creating the Boracay Inter-Agency Rehabilitation Management Group’ [or BIARMG],” Navarro said.

Monitoring

APART from implementing the BAP, the BIARMG will help set up an effective monitoring and evaluation system to keep track of the activities for the BAP.

The BIARMG will also harmonize relevant databases and consolidate all the monitoring reports of departments into one single overall monitoring report.

The Management Group will have a general manager under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The General Manager will be supported by an Assistant General Manager, and Strategic Communication Department and Stakeholder Representatives.

Navarro said the BIARMRG will serve as an interim structure while the government creates an institution tasked to manage Boracay Island on a long-term basis. The creation of the new institution should be done before May 8, 2020.

“Based on the evolving discussion at the Task Force, member-agencies expressed a desire to have an institutional structure that is national government-led and with considerable participation of LGUs, and to enlist the support of Congress in enacting a legislation to that is in line with this,” Navarro said.

“Whatever the final institutional structure is, Neda as the lead agency in crafting this Boracay Action Plan believes that the new entity that will manage Boracay Island must be able to craft and enforce rules that give foremost consideration to the carrying capacity of the Island and must be able to translate the principles for managing Boracay,” she explained.

DOT cheers approval

MEANWHILE, the Department of  Tourism (DOT) welcomed President Duterte’s approval of the BAP to complete the island’s rehabilitation and continue its sustainable tourism development program.

“By essentially institutionalizing the functions of the BIATF with the approval of the Action Plan, we can clearly see the government’s determination to sustain the gains of the initial six-month rehabilitation,” said the DOT statement. The DOT chairs the Thematic Cluster on Sustainable Economic activities including Tourism and livelihood.

“The President’s move assures us of Boracay Island’s sustainable tourism development with the BAP serving as the BIATF’s guide in ensuring sustainable and inclusive growth in the island with continuing opportunities for all stakeholders,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said.

The DOT also gladly noted that the Neda has consolidated and packaged the BAP in line with local and national development plans and directions.