Zamboanga.com News & Editorial

Zamboanga City’s So-called “Boat Ramp” is Full of Garbage!

By: Zamboanga.com Editorial  -  May 31, 2003

Filthy, stinking, slimy garbage, that is full of festering bacteria and utter disgust, right next to Fort Pilar - where the Mayor's office is now located!

The Mayor and her office are directly to blame for this FIRST impression of what the city does for its cry to attract more tourists and their money into Zamboanga City.

The city’s total disregard for cleaning up its so called “boat ramp” for those who want to take the trip to Santa Cruz Island is no way to treat its visitors, locals and foreigners alike.  This so called “boat ramp” site is the ONLY place where people are allowed to board their boat to Santa Cruz Island because the beautiful old site where people used to ride these boats was inside of the Lantaka Hotel’s beachside boat ramp.

However, due to a case of the hotel being sued because of an incident that happened to a boat rider, the hotel no longer allows anyone to board these boats anywhere within their premises.  Even though the incident happened away from their hotel property, the fact that they rode their boat within the Lantaka Hotel vicinity made the hotel an accomplice to the crime and therefore could be held liable under Philippine law.

In order for the visitors to board their boat, they will have to wade through this garbage-infested area to get on top of rocks, skipping your way to where the boat can be boarded!  When on board, you are stuck with whatever festering filth you walked through to get to your boat!  Rinsing inside the boat would be ideal, but that would mean taking in water.  Eventually, you find a way to clean up, and curse at the mayor's office for putting people in this unhealthy and unsightly predicament.

The city needs to shut up about needing more tourist money to help build its money coffers, and instead concentrate on cleaning up their filthy, stinking, slimy garbage, that is full of festering bacteria and utter disgust!

Now, even though the boat operators hang out in front of the Lantaka Hotel, people will have to board their boats to Santa Cruz Island in the ONLY place the city gives access to ride them – in front of their filthy, stinking, slimy garbage-infested boat ramp that is festering with Zamboanga bacteria, right next to Fort Pilar - where the Mayor's office is!

The Mayor needs to see the evidence of this disgusting atrocity herself, along with the city’s congressman and tourism officers.  It is hopeful that they will clean up their act right away, and present a positive message, and vision, to their varied visitors that the city cares for them.

We hereby present you with our additional photographic evidence below.  If this evidence appalls or shocks you, then you can help us fix this problem by e-mailing your complaints to the attention of the city mayor’s office at: cityhall@jetlink.com.ph.  Muchas gracias!