Duterte’s proclamation declaring state of calamity in Boracay

President Rodrigo Duterte signed on Thursday the proclamation declaring a state of calamity in Boracay which is undergoing a six-month rehabilitation process to address its environmental woes.

Under Proclamation 475, the President placed under state of calamity the barangays of Balabag, Manoc-Manoc, and Yapak in the town of Malay, Aklan and directed the closure of the holiday destination from April 26 to October 25.

"The state of calamity in the island of Boracay shall remain in force and effect until lifted by the President, notwithstanding the lapse of the six-month closure period," the proclamation stated.

READ: President Rodrigo Duterte’s proclamation declaring state of calamity in three barangays in Boracay and six-month closure of the holiday destination to tourists. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/7ObmLJxMKk

— Virgil Lopez (@virgillopez) April 26, 2018

According to Duterte, the continuous rise of tourist arrivals, the insufficient sewer and waste management system and environmental violations of establishments aggravate the environmental degradation and destroy the ecological balance of Boracay, "resulting in major damage to property and natural resources, as well as the disruption of the normal way of life of people."

"It is necessary to implement urgent measures to address the abovementioned human-induced hazards, to protect and promote the health and well-being of its residents, workers and tourists, and to rehabilitate the island in order to ensure the sustainability of the area and prevent further degradation of its rich ecosystem," the proclamation read.  — Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News