THE Hennan Resort Group may still have a long way to go in getting all of its resorts on Boracay Island ready to receive visitors for the Christmas season, considered a peak time for tourists.
In a text message, Environment Undersecretary for Attached Agencies Sherwin S. Rigor told the BusinessMirror only two of the company’s six resorts on the island have been recommended for reopening so far. “Two hotels have passed the inspection review and now with Secretary [Roy A.] Cimatu for approval.” He identified the two resorts as Henann Prime and Henann Lagoon.
He stressed that the rest of the Henann resorts “will undergo inspection too.” Before these properties are allowed to be reopened though, they still have to meet requirements of the Departments of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and of Tourism (DOT).
A report by the DILG’s Beach Tourism Monitoring Team showed, however, Prime and Lagoon, as well as Henann Garden, are still not compliant with said agency’s requirements. All three resorts have yet to secure their building permits, while Lagoon and Garden also lack an occupancy permit with Fire Safety Inspection Certificate from the Bureau of Fire Protection.
The rest of Hennan resorts, however, already passed DILG compliance requirements – Crystal Sands, Palm Beach, and Regency, according to the report, a copy of which was obtained by this paper.
The six resorts, however, are facing charges of assorted environmental violations with the Pollution Adjudication Board. If proven guilty, they may be leveled severe penalties including monetary fines and closure. (See, “100 resorts face sanctions from the PAB,” in the BusinessMirror, November 21, 2018.)
Senate aspirant
This developed as sources in the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) intimated that a candidate in next year’s senatorial elections has been following up with the three Cabinet Secretaries – Cimatu, Eduardo M. Año (DILG), and Bernadette Romulo Puyat (DOT) – chairs and co-chairs of the task force, on the reopening of the Henann resorts in Boracay.
“Looks like someone got a campaign donation,” intimated one source, wryly. “It’s not right for him to call [the Cabinet Secretaries]!” said another source, who requested anonymity, as he was not authorized to speak on the matter. The senatorial candidate is identified with the Duterte administration.
Meanwhile, a DENR official said Henann’s resort in Panglao Island, Bohol, has already demolished its swimming pool, in compliance with the local government’s ordinance for a 30-meter easement along Alona Beach.
“The order to demolish came from the local government,” said Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns Benny D. Antiporda. “As per our information, [Henann] has already demolished its pool,” he said in Filipino.
Another BIATF source confirmed this development, adding the resort itself carried out the demolition: “Henann self-demolished their pool.”
Last October, Antiporda called out the Henann Group for faking its environmental compliance certificate. The fake certificate was submitted to the DOT Boracay office in a bid to get one of its resorts accredited before the reopening of the island last October 26.
The DENR recently ordered the Panglao LGU address its environmental and easement issues “immediately,” a source underscored.
Romulo Puyat, after a recent visit with Cimatu and Año, outed Panglao Mayor Leonila Montero for being a violator herself, as she owns Alona Tropical Beach Resort, which has beach furniture along the no-build easement zone. (See, “Swimming ban slapped on 2 Panglao, El Nido sites,” in the BusinessMirror, November 30, 2018.)
Accredited resorts
In a related development, the DOT has already accredited 268 resorts in Boracay as of December 4. The resorts have a total 9,637 rooms.
Among the establishments with the largest number of rooms are Fairways and Bluewater Resort in Station 1, with 700 rooms; Savoy Hotel in Newcoast (559 rooms); Alta Vista in Sitio Hagdan, Brgy. Yapak (408 rooms), Paradise Garden Resort and Hotel and Convention Center in Station 3 (463 rooms); Azalea Hotels and Residences, Station 2 (284 rooms); La Carmela de Boracay Hotel and Convention Center in Station 2 (281 rooms); Shangri-La Resort in Yapak (219 rooms); Astoria Current in Station 3 (205 rooms); and La Carmela Main, Station 2 (202 rooms).
Majority of the resorts in Boracay have less than 50 rooms, as per the DOT data.
The complete list of accredited resorts may be found on the DOT’s Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/DepartmentOfTourism/posts/2507371939289663