Eskaya denies environmental violations in resort

A five-star resort and spa under construction in Tawala, Panglao town whose owners already spent P150 million in investment and still counting is wondering what violation it has committed when practically all agencies concerned have given their establishment a “clean bill of environmental health”. Speaking through its lawyer Alexander Lim, the Eskaya Resort and Spa brushed aside insinuations that it violated environmental laws.

The resort management was reacting to news reports which appeared in Bohol 's leading weekly The Bohol Chronicle which detailed the alleged violations of the new resort. During last week's edition of Cuentas Claras over Station DYTR, a caller who claimed she is from Panglao attested to the fact that she did not notice any violation being committed by the resort owners. In the same radio interaction, the caller identified the Dejarescos as having complained that they were blocked entry by the resort owner to the family-owned property north of the area if one is facing the sea. It was gathered that in reports from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources provincial office, the Dejarescos reportedly complained that a barangay road leading to their property was blocked shutting them out from reaching the place using their car.

The Dejarescos also owned the Bohol Chronicle which carried the story in its front page last issue detailing the alleged violation of Eskaya. It was gathered that so many times that a team of DENR personnel made personal inspections if indeed the barangay road was blocked but no obstruction was found to prevent barangay folks from going into the sea to fish or gather seashells.

Another object of complaint was a low level rip rap constructed by the Eskaya owners which was designed to prevent soil erosion from onrushing waves during high tide cannot be considered as a violation. According to the resort lawyer, the sand barricade is common in the Alona beach area in order to prevent coconut trees lined up along the shoreline from being uprooted. An ocular inspection in the Eskaya shoreline showed that coconut trees were already uprooted by strong waves during high tide. The pile of uprooted trees along the beachfront property is a mute testimonial of the environmental destruction not caused by man but by the forces of nature. This may explain why the resort owner was constructing the rip rap to abort further environmental damage.

Only yesterday, a team of Panglao policemen responded to a radio report to verify whether the resort owner blocked the barangay road. But it was observed and noticed that no blockade was found in the barangay road. In a police report, the policemen found out that there is an on-going development on the titled lot which presumably be the object of the Dejaresco's complaint that they cannot pass their proprty parallel to the Tawala shoreline. Another certification obtained by the Post was issued by five Community Environment and Natural resources Office personnel and signed by Eusalem Quiwag, Felipe Lanch, Babian Lolong, Ernesto Vitor, Clemente Regis,Jr. and attested by Alipio Llorente, CENRO. The certification said that upon actual measurement of the environmental protection of the Sunrise Beach Resort located in Tawala, Panglao, it was found out that no structure/construction was made inside the 20 meters environmental protection. The inspection was made on March 30,2006 .

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