After reports circulated on a mountain being flattened and a forest being cleared in Boracay amid the closure of the island, a local official said that an integrated resort owned by the Villar family is behind the said construction activities.
In an article published by CNN Philippines, Rowen Aguirre, the Executive Assistant on Boracay Affairs of Malay Municipality said on May 16, Wednesday that Costa de la Vista lacked permits in its construction project. He further said that the local officials already ordered its halt, as the government’s order of closure banned all construction activities except minor renovations of existing structures.
Costa de la Vista, according to its website, is a condominium project under Vista Residences owned by Senator Cynthia Villar’s family.
Vista Land & Lifescapes, Inc. denied that they lacked permits for the project.
“As early as February this year, we have slowed down our development works, and have accordingly reduced the number of equipment and workers in the area,” the firm’s Chief legal counsel Ma. Nalen SJ Rosero said in a statement.
She also stressed that the images circulating online “do not pertain” to their project site.
“The area subject of our development is a developed resort with existing facilities. Moreover, it is our policy to respect and preserve the natural topography of the land. To do so it not only structurally sound but more importantly, environmentally friendly,” she added.
The Inquirer and ABS-CBN earlier reported that a mountain in Barangay Yapak caught the attention of its residents after seeing the forested area’s trees halved and the mountain area flattened.
(Read: Reports say Boracay mountain is flattened, forest cleared)
Some residents who requested for anonymity even noted that these construction activities have been ongoing before the paradise island’s closure on April 26.
A tricycle driver who also wished to not be identified told ABS-CBN that a politician allegedly owned the cleared and leveled area, which will be used for a swimming pool and other amenities.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu issued a statement on Wednesday, saying their field office assured that the flattening of the mountain area in Barangay Yapak stopped before the shutdown.
“I have ordered, with the concurrence of the Boracay inter-agency task force, a total stoppage of all constructions of any kind effective immediately,” he said.
However, residents’ claims and the video that went viral counter this, as said video taken on May 11 allegedly show that the project is ongoing.