Save Boracay’s fruit bats, environmentalists appeal to DENR, local officials

Boracay Island- Environmentalists appealed to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the local government of Malay to collaborate and protect the remaining golden-crowned flying foxes or fruit bats (Acerodon jubatus) on Boracay Island.

Their plea underscored a critical juncture for the island’s biodiversity, a natural splendor that once defined what has now become a bustling tourist destination.

The golden-crowned flying foxes are crucial for Boracay’s ecosystem. They help regenerate forests by dispersing seeds and control pests by eating thousands of mosquitoes daily, reducing the risk of mosquito-borne diseases like dengue.

In the 1980s, the skies above Boracay’s beaches were still filled with the majestic sight of fruit bats at dusk. The nightly spectacle was a natural attraction, drawing both locals and tourists.

However, the commercialization boom that accompanied the rise of Boracay’s tourism industry has pushed these nocturnal creatures to the brink. Today, their absence serves as a silent reminder of the cost of rapid development.

Julia Lervik, Friends of the Flying Foxes (FFF) president, said her group has ongoing efforts to safeguard the forest ridges of Barangay Yapak, a crucial habitat for the golden-crowned flying foxes.

In 2018, environmentalists said the DENR pledged to establish these areas as critical habitats. Despite initial mapping and discussions that continued until 2021, the initiative has since stalled, according to FFF.

Frustrated by the lack of response to their official communications, FFF has taken to social media, posting their letters in hopes of restarting public discussions about the dwindling population of the bats.

“Boracay now has only 105 bats, based on recent counts at Balinghai Beach in Yapak,” Lervik said. “Many bats have moved to nearby Pandan, Antique, due to the noise from hotel construction.”

The conflict between development and conservation has become more pronounced in Boracay. In August 2023, the Malay town council endorsed a private company’s excavation project in the same area the DENR had promised to protect.

Lervik said the DENR has not revoked the company’s environmental compliance certificate (ECC), which is necessary to protect the habitat.

“Can we finally declare this forest and its coral reefs as critical habitats?” she asked. “This would ensure that new buyers know the land cannot be developed. The forest ridges and Puka Shell Beach are the last pristine areas of Boracay and are vital for its biodiversity.”

The official endorsement from the municipal government was issued based on the approved plan submitted and recommended by the town council’s committee on land utilization and building construction upon inspection, said Malay Councilor Dante Pagsuguiron, the committee’s vice chairman.

The FFF identified the firm which secured the endorsement as the Golden TW Realty and Development Company.

Livno Duran, former regional director of the DENR, said environment officials in the region may need to study the possibility of revoking the ECC given in favor of the project. Duran retired from the DENR only last June 30. – Rappler.com