The popular tourist destination Boracay Island in the Philippines is to have its natural beauty preserved following building ban.
Attracting around half a million visitors every year, the minute island boasts crystal clear waters, white sands and picturesque undiscovered forests.
However, a six-month building ban has been imposed across the 10 square kilometer location amid fears that its environment is being threatened by an unrestrained build-up of infrastructure.
"Rapid growth threatens the viability of Boracay as a tourist destination," environment and natural resources secretary, Joselito Atienza, explained.
"Aside from the nagging problems of the lack of clean drinking water, overcrowding and waste disposal, the problem of flooding now also haunts Boracay."
The ban, which will see a cessation of building activities until June 2nd 2008, has been imposed pending the implementation of an environmental masterplan.
Such a plan would aim to develop a strategy that maintained air and water quality, with an effective solid waste and flood control management system.
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