Apparently, the number of sinkholes in Boracay has increased gradually in the past four years. In 2018, we recall that 789 sinkholes were found in three barangays during a hazard assessment. This was the reason behind its massive rehabilitation and banning of tourists for six months. Later on, the government set a maximum limit of 19,215 tourists at any given time, or 6,405 new arrivals per day for a three-day stay. However, sinkholes in Boracay continued to rise to 801 in 2019 and 815 this year.
Boracay Island is in danger of collapsing, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB). This is due to the increasing number of sinkholes discovered on the world-famous island. As to when structures would collapse, MGB Western Visayas Chief Geologist Engr. Mae Magarzo said that “only time will tell.”
A quick search tells us that a sinkhole is a depression in the ground that may be a result of human error, climate change, or the Earth’s dynamic terrain. Needless to say, these massive holes are a threat to us humans and our livelihoods. There are also sinkholes discovered around the world this year, such as in West Virginia, Chile, and Israel, to name a few.
Engr. Magarzo also explained that sinkholes are very hard to predict because there are no prior indicators. Plus, the ground is made mostly of limestone, which is why the top tourist destination is susceptible to sinkholes.
There are also said to be key areas that are susceptible to erosion like the main beach, which is reportedly showing low erosion. “There is [a] danger if there is overcapacity,” the chief geologist added as she called for the stronger implementation of the resort island’s carrying capacity. Although, Boracay’s new carrying capacity should have reportedly been set since the end of President Duterte’s term last June 30.
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