I Wrote A Letter To Our President.

Yesterday and today is no ordinary day for me, for I have been typing my heart out to reach out for the President of The Philippines.

Incase no one have read my introductory post, I am Kim, 23 and a resident of Boracay Island in the Philippines for more than 23 years now. My grandparents were from here and so our some of our relatives. Long story short, Boracay have been a heaven in earth for most. I have been here when the trees were covering up the sunlight, grasses and wild flowers that almost reached the seashore, aspalt road, mountains full of greeneries.

As years have past, many discovered the island. It reached its time for being famous. Known as one of the most beautiful island in the world, visited by different people from different continents, received awards from different organizations. But as the island grows, the environmental concern decreased. Dirty secrets lies beyond the known beauty of the island. Modern dragons are awakened by greed and money and politics.

On the pictures provided, you’ll see the changes made, and yes, change is good, but it comes with great responsibility.

Buildings had been and are still being build everywhere, nonstop. Most of them doesn’t make proper drainage which causes their neighbor to flood regardless of the lightness of the rain. Trees (mostly coconut) were cut to give space/cool view on each resort and building’s extra space for dinner by the beach and concert or live band stage.

For the past 23 Years, I was here when storms landed direct on our province and on the island. The recent storm (URDUJA) didn’t even landed anywhere in the province yet the whole island was flooded FOR THE FIRST TIME. I’m not even sure if the rumors were true regarding the allegedly announcement that the province had storm signal number two, because all I had ever read from the weather news is signal number one. Yet, you can’t even see a single sign that there’s a road somewhere. All you could ever see was water.

Which leads me to another issue. Roads are always being underconstruction, even if there’s nothing wrong with it, but let’s let that go. My knowledge about this road constructions are limited. Who knows? They might be doing something underneath that road construction thingy. But the construction takes forever, they are leaving the road with huge wholes, which stocks water whenever it rains. The whole process takes forever to the poit where it’s only being fully fixed when election comes.

Speaking of elections and government stuff, actually, the buildings being built, once noticed by the public, they will move to stop the operation. And once the public forgets, the constructions will continue.

Some of our “mountains” here got nothing but asphalt, when it used to be trees. They have to cut everything out to build something they thought were better than having trees.

I could go on with all these, but not everyone loves reading an article from someone not too smart nor educated enough.

Admittedly, all I have were and are observations, based on the complaints on social media and photos that are being published by concerned citizens—which actually, most of them that exposed these kinds of news were being accused bad mouthing about the island, saying that without these developments, without tourism, without buildings, there would be no Boracay; no jobs, no profit, no nothing. With all these, it makes a lot of people question where did all the “environmental fees” being paid by the tourists went. Before you could even reach the island, if you’ve got no proof that you’re from here, even if you speak with the dialect fluently, you must pay the environmental fee. So if you are a resident and you forgot to bring your ID, better say good bye to your (if I’m not mistaken), PHP175, even if you only went to town (2 hours drive) for shopping or an hour appointment.

Boracay community grew not because the natives weren’t aware of Family Planning, it’s growing because of the foreign/people not originally from Boracay choose to settle here. Some to work; do business (souvenirs, fast food and stuff). Boracay was alive even before all these imbalance development rushed through. Everyone is afraid to ask and investigate because government is a huge enemy. We all know what they can do.

The latest photo that went a little viral was the first photo, in which the construction was said to have been stopped two years ago, is now ongoing and occupying almost the whole space on the beach. This broke my heart more.

I have been longing to write to our president about it, you see. Because it hurts to see my home being ransacked by some businessmen/women, but I didn’t know how, and I’m scared, I’m actually scared while typing the message and I didn’t sent the email yet because I am scared. The last time I heard, someone complained about how bad Upon sharing the latest photo, two of my professional friends asked me to write a letter addressed to the President of the Philippines, Rodrigo R. Duterte with the hope that he/they will notice. They asked me because they know I write a lot. They were willing to sign as co-assignatories but since I am sending it through email, I didn’t include their names. Shall the letter be used to put me in jail in the near future, I’m not sure. All I want is to reach out and be a voice to those who are as devastated as I am.

P.S. We don’t have smoke ban nor liquor ban, actually, the rules of the President is invisible in this island. It always feels like Boracay is just another planet with a different set of government officials and a President.

Thanks for reading my sentiments.

Photos all credits to the owners.