Island resorts required to put up mooring buoys

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, 05 December (PIA) -- New City Ordinance No. 498 is requiring all island resorts in Puerto Princesa City to initially install one mooring buoy and thereafter, additional mooring buoy/s that would be proportionate to the number of tourist boat arrival on the island.
The ordinance known as “Mooring Buoy Ordinance” and authored by City Councilor Erwin Edualino shall form part of the requirements for the issuance of a Mayor’s Permit for island resort business establishments.
Installation of a mooring buoy is to primarily prevent anchor damage on sensitive marine areas such as coral reef and seagrass beds and to enhance boat safety.
The ordinance stipulates that the mooring buoys should be at least 150 meters away from the lowest tide as designated by the City Planning Office in consultation with the Philippine Coast Guard, City Agriculture Office, and the DENR.
The minimum carrying capacity for each mooring buoy is 10 gross tons. The island resort shall designate a minimum of ten percent and/or a maximum of twenty percent of the total beach area as beach mooring area.
Penalties for non-maintenance of the mooring buoy is P1,000 for the first offense; P2,500 penalty and suspension of Mayor’s Permit for the second offense; and a penalty of P5,000 and revocation of Mayor’s Permit for the third offense.

(DOS/VSM/pia-palawan)