Gov’t sets aside P2-B for workers displaced by Boracay closure

The government has set aside P2 billion in calamity funds to help workers who will be displaced by the closure for six months of beach resorts in Boracay, Malacañang said on Thursday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the amount was disclosed by the Department of Finance during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday when Duterte gave his approval to the recommendation of the three government agencies to temporarily close the island to tourists. 

“There will be a declaration of a state of calamity. But the President was insistent that the funds that will be spent will go only to the workers who will be displaced. He will not let any resort owner benefit from any sort of calamity fund,” Roque said at a press briefing.

Roque said the would-be displaced workers may be tapped in the major rehabilitation works to be undertaken in the six months.

"They will just have to change jobs for the time being," he said.

Stakeholders had estimated the impending closure of the prime tourist destination may result in at least P56 billion in foregone revenues and render 36,000 people jobless. The government, meanwhile, estimated the potential losses in gross receipts at P18 to P20 billion.

Citing the President's directive, Roque said among the first things to be done would be a validation on which resorts or hotels in the island are complying with existing environmental rules and regulations.

"And although he did not commit anything as far as the complying resort owners are concerned, he has promised that the validation will be done quickly, and he will see right away what can be done for those who have been validated to be complying with environmental laws," Roque said. 

The Palace spokesman said priority would be given to the construction of new sewage lines, since the existing ones currently being operated by Boracay Island Water Company, Inc. were proven to be insufficient and had caused backflows.

Interior and Local Government Assistant Secretary Epimaco Densing urged all stakeholders to be part of the whole rehabilitation process, saying it was not in the "interest of everybody to go to the full six months."

"We’ve been receiving volunteers outside of Boracay that they want to go into the island and help in the whole rehab process. So if everybody comes into the picture, we can cut the process by at least two months," he said.

"In fact, some of the items that we’ve done in the plan is being done right now by the stakeholders in the provincial government, specifically the dismantling side and the drainage audit. We may be able to have a soft opening [of Boracay] in three to four months," Densing added.

Densing said the guidelines on the ban on local and foreign tourists and identification system for Boracay residents are already being ironed out.

"What will happen is that, this will be implemented by the Philippine National Police and if the President will declare a state of calamity, we may also get as a complimentary support from the Armed Forces," he said.

After Boracay, the inter-agency task force will also check the environmental situation of other tourist destinations such as Puerto Galera, Siargao and Bohol.  

"Remember, Boracay is just a start. The President has already given the inter-agency task force the orders to take a look at all because we want, as I said, the Philippines not only to be a fun place to be in but also environmentally compliant," Tourism Assistant Secretary Frederick Alegre said in the same briefing.

The inter-agency task force is composed of the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Interior and Local Government, and Tourism. —NB, GMA News