State of calamity in Boracay could be declared around Holy Week — Tourism exec

A state of calamity could be declared in world-famous tourist destination Boracay before or immediately after Holy Week, according to Tourism Assistant Secretary Ricky Alegre.

On CNN Philippines' The Source aired Tuesday, Alegre said that the inter-agency tasked to solve the island's environmental issues has yet to finalize the proposal to be submitted for President Rodrigo Duterte's signature.

"There was a mention before Holy Week, and there was a mention immediately after Holy Week so anytime there," said Alegre.

Holy Week this year starts on March 25 and ends on March 31.

As for the planned shutdown, the assistant secretary said officials are eyeing a later date when there are fewer tourists on the island.

"The suggestion was, can we do it during the lean season? Which is June to September. And we've seen the data. It really goes down. In fact, it's less foreign tourists," he added.

Declaring a state of calamity would enable the national government and local government units to access calamity funds for the relief, recovery, and reconstruction of areas affected.

"The calamity funds can be used for those who are dislocated because of the clean-up. So there will be a fund to help people there," Alegre added.

Although he clarified that the final timeline for a shutdown may not be determined until after the state of calamity is declared, the Tourism official reiterated that Boracay's white beaches will be closed off for the safety and convenience of the public in the onset of the rehabilitation efforts.

"You don't also want to let tourists see that you're doing these things, right? And there will be proper enclosures but you'll be hearing it, you'll be feeling it happening on the ground. And we don't want anybody to get harmed by that," said Alegre, adding there are several tourist destinations in the country to choose from.

In February, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to close down Boracay, which he described as a "cesspool."  He gave government and stakeholders a six-month deadline to solve the island's environmental issues.

The tourism destination known for its pristine beaches hosts at least two million visitors each year.

As the possibility of a shutdown looms, the tourism department said the island's hotels and establishments may have to refund pre-booked customers for the summer.

The DOT also appealed to those in the airline industry for their cooperation and understanding in the possible scenario.

Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Interior and Local Government led a crackdown on establishments illegally operating or discharging waste water in the island.

Ongoing investigations are looking into the criminal liability of local public officials that led to the "environmental crisis." — Margaret Claire Layug/BM, GMA News