ISLAND EYE š
Sightings that deserve to be acknowledged or called out for action
By Freida Dario-Santiago
DISCLAIMER: If action has already been taken since the photos were taken, we thank those responsible for their intervention.The community deeply appreciates every effort to keep our island safe, clean, and cared for.
šš¼Ā THUMBS UP
CLEARING OF DISCARDED PONTOON BLOCKS FROM BULABOG BEACH
Before (March 2025) and after (August 2026) šøĀ Freida Dario-Santiago
On August 20 and 21, 2026, we watched as the LGU Malay clearing team hauled garbage from collection areas along the sidewalks and pointed them toward the mountain of discarded and abandoned pontoon blocks, which Boracay Sun NewsĀ has been reporting on since March 2025.Ā
These discarded pontoon blocks had become an eyesore in an otherwise scenic area right next to the loading docks for water activities during the Habagat season along the shores of Bulabog Beach, hailed as the Number One Kiteboarding Beach in Asia.Ā
We have been watching and waiting for this to happen for more than a year, so we are grateful to finally see this eyesore and dumping ground cleared. Maraming salamat po!
šĀ HEADS UP
COCONUT TREE ABUSE?
On August 22, 2026, a Facebook post by Boracay resident and TV host Gil delos Santos caught our eye. Here is the English translation of his post:
THIS IS ETHICALLY WRONG
Boracay, is this how we promote tourism on the island?
If itās forbidden to even touch the coconut trees on the beach and even to put lights there, why do we allow people to TORTURE the trees just for the sake of clicks? To those who are tour guides and bring tourists to Bolabog, it's not cool to promote something that hurts the trees.
At CENRO Boracay, please help. Letās correct this. Maybe we can cordon off the coconut trees to make them inaccessible.Ā Just stay below and don't climb up the trees.
Let's all help each other be responsible. Please share.
The post went viral and drew numerous comments. A tour operator said, āWe respectfully clarify that tour guides were not the ones encouraging tourists to climb the tree. We do not want the entire group of tour guides to be associated with an activity that may not have been encouraged by them in the first place.āĀ
According to Delos Santos, DENR-CENRO (Community Environment and Natural Resources Office) likewise posted a comment saying that it would contact the MDRRMO to put up a sign, and that if nothing happened that week, it would send a letter to the mayor.
On September 1, local radio station Energy FM reported on a touristās complaint that a photographer was charging ā±10 per photo.
On September 8, we went to see for ourselves and observed the following:
There was no signage.Ā
The photographer was wearing a Boracay Photography Association, Inc. āCertified Tourism Frontlinerā shirt. He said a āprofessionalā photo would cost ā±10 per photo.
The tip box was for the girls handing out numbers for the queue, which seemed organized enough, with the thoughtful convenience of a bench. They could also take your photo with your phone without charge, with payment for that āserviceā by donation.
To our dear guests: Be kind to nature and help us take care of the island we all enjoy. How we treat nature has a way of coming back to us.
It takes a village!Ā
We encourage readers to help keep the community informed. If you see something that deserves a nod or demands attention, take a photo and share it with us through Facebook Messenger @boracaysunnews or email to fvds.boracaysunnews@gmail.com, along with the date taken and a brief description. Your vigilance helps keep our community safe, accountable and informed.
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