Tourism industry officials approved the implementation of a project that will divert treated drainage water into a wetland, instead of on a beach in Boracay.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Saturday the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) Board approved the implementation of phase two of the Boracay Drainage Improvement Project.

The second phase will begin this January and shall be completed in 2020, said Roque in a statement. On Saturday, Roque was in Kalibo, Aklan, near the world famous Boracay resort, which stakeholders said was being threatened by flooding.

This prompted President Rodrigo Duterte to order Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu and Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo to fly to Boracay and meet with stakeholders which spelled out problems.

Roque said it was found "some establishments illegally connected to the rainwater line causing the discharge of water to Bulabog beach."

"We are committed to provide improved water quality services while mitigating the island's nperenial flooding problems," said Roque. DMS