Boracay Newcoast sets environment initiatives-The Philippines Star

Even as Boracay Newcoast will host five hotels and welcome thousands of
tourists annually, the environment will be preserved partly through its own
sewage treatment plant and other environment initiatives.
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Manila,  <http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=814991> Philippines
- With hundreds of thousands of tourists flocking to the various hotels on
offer at  <http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=814991> Boracay
Island year-round and their activities undoubtedly having a long-term
impact, actions must be taken to preserve the island's pristine environment
for the enjoyment of more tourists in the future.

This is why the company behind
<http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=814991> Boracay Newcoast, a
new tourism estate along the island's eastern side, has decided to set the
bar for stewardship by instituting key environment-friendly features.

"Boracay Newcoast sets the bar high with our action plans that promote
stewardship of this beautiful island and its preservation," announced
Edgardo Pinga, vice president for Project Development at Global-Estate
Resorts Inc. (GERI).

Sewage is a primary concern, so Boracay Newcoast operates its own sewage and
treatment plant or STP. Not only is the effluent prevented from simply being
discharged into the sea, the sewage treatment also benefits Fairways and
Bluewater Resort and Country Club, which hosts the island's only golf
course, in two ways. First, sludge has become the main source of organic
fertilizer for the golf club's greens and trees. Second, the recycled water
is used for irrigation of the fairways, thus lessening the estate's
dependence of fresh water supply from the main island of
<http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=814991> Panay.

Another environment-friendly feature is the estate's storm drain facility,
which collects rainwater for irrigation. The facility releases excess water
into the sea when needed. Water tanks are located in key elevated areas,
thus preventing the reverse flow of water during high tide and keeping the
views of Boracay Newcoast's private beach coves pristine.

Other environment-friendly features of Boracay Newcoast include
solar-powered street lamps, electric-powered jeepneys and a materials
recovery facility to separate recyclable matter from other waste.

Since Boracay Newcoast covers 14% of the entire island, it hosts thousands
of trees. Thus, GERI is doing its best to preserve old-growth trees and
integrate these natural features into the project's design. The estate's
lush foliage includes a majestic banyan tree guarding a private beach.

"We initiated a meeting with the
<http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=814991> Department of
Environment and Natural Resources to ensure that none of the trees is on the
endangered species list. After they've taken an inventory of our tree cover,
we will perform tree planting and preservation exercises based on their
recommendations," Pinga assured.

With these action plans in place, investors and future residents of Boracay
Newcoast will take comfort in the knowledge that they will become part of a
growing community that injects and practices environmental aspects into
tourism.

The island's first and only integrated tourism estate has been master
planned to include a residential subdivision, Boracay Newcoast Village, a
shophouse district, an area set aside for boutique hotels, five hotels and a
vibrant entertainment center at Newcoast Station, among others.

All components of Boracay Newcoast will be designed in an
environment-friendly manner, Pinga vowed, thus giving a holistic approach to
the tourism estate's environmental stewardship agenda.

For more information on Boracay Newcoast, please call 0915.566.66.81