Yahoo News 14 Jan 08;
The Philippine government Monday imposed a six-month building ban on the resort island of Boracay, famed for its powder white sand and crystal clear waters.
The tiny island in the central Philippines draws more than half a million tourists each year, or more than one-sixth of last year's record arrivals in the country, according to official data.
However, the 10.32 square-kilometre (3.98 square-mile) island has drawn bad publicity in recent years due to sewerage contamination of the sea and the dumping of garbage in an open pit near the beach.
Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Joselito Atienza said all construction permits would be withheld until the end of June.
"Rapid growth threatens the viability of Boracay as a tourist destination," Atienza said in a statement.
Aside from the nagging problems of the lack of clean drinking water, overcrowding and waste disposal, the problem of flooding now also haunts Boracay."
He said uncontrolled development was to blame.
"Even the forests in Boracay have been depleted and several residential and tourism facilities have been constructed on mountain slopes. These activities will eventually compromise public safety," Atienza said.
Over the next few months, the department will consult with experts and Boracay stakeholders to craft a master environmental plan that would guide future building activity, he said.
