For so long, no Panglao mayor, has the political will to demolish the equivalent of urban blight in the famous Alona beachfront area until a two-fisted town executive assumed office. Facing court action courtesy of influential owners of his intended target, Panglao Mayor Benedicto Alcala threw all cautions to the wind and carry out the unthinkable: demolish all illegal structures in the Tawala beach line. Implementing an executive order issued by Gov. Erico Aumentado, Alcala assumed the role of “bad boy” to clear the area of illegal encroachments invoking the20-mweter salvage zone. In the aftermath of the blitzkrieg demolition, 13 illegal structures were torn down including that of two establishments owned by Municipal Councilors. Dennis Hora and Telesforo Mejos.

The two used to be Mayor Alcala's allies but given the present bickering of the executive and legislative departments in Panglao, the chief executive and the two councilors have become mortal enemies. The affected parties sought a legal protection from Presiding Judge Fernando Fuentes III to stop Mayor Alcala from implementing the setback requirement. But after an ocular inspection, no temporary restraining order was issued prompting Mayor Alcala to go on with his assigned task. For showing to his constituents that he was made of sterner stuff, Mayor Alcala earned the lavish praise of the Alona Beach Community association, Inc. Speaking through DM Baillic, president of the association, he congratulated Alcala in behalf of the ABCAI members.

The Alona community president said the demolition effort came at best possible time of the year as June is the start of the five-month tourist low season in Bohol . It also coincided with the start of the education academic year in the Philippines , he added. He further said that all beach side businesses now have very few visitors so that the necessary clean up work can be done by all with the minimum of inconvenience. According to the president, the demolition of illegal structures will allow the entry of tanker trucks needed to undertake the emptying of all septic tanks in those resorts and bars cut off by the road closure as well as provide essential success for emergency vehicles. With the Alona area, cleared of beach line obstructions, next in line are the violators of the 20-meter salvage zone in the Bolod-Tabalong corridor.