San Miguel to retain and pay Boracay Airport workers

San Miguel Corp. said Thursday workers of its Boracay Airport will be retained despite the projected slowdown in passenger traffic and aircraft movement while the prime tourist destination undergoes rehabilitation for six months.

“We will retain all of them to make sure they have steady source of income during the closure,” SMC president and COO Ramon Ang said in a statement.

All workers and regular employees will receive full pay throughout Boracay island’s six-month closure, according to the diversified conglomerate.

On April 4, President Rodrigo Duterte approved a recommendation by the Departments of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources, and Interior and Local Government to close Boracay for six months, starting April 26, to make way for an rehabilitation of the island.

San Miguel would offer workers “a chance to make worthwhile use of their time by helping in the government’s cleanup program,” Ang said.

“If government needs more people to help with cleanups and similar activities where our people can contribute, they will be ready. We are very confident that they would gladly offer their paid time to support the island’s rehabilitation,” he said.

San Miguel also volunteered to let the government us the company’s barges, backhoes, and dredging equipment to facilitate and hasten rehabilitation efforts in Boracay.

Through its Trans Aire Development Holdings Corp., the conglomerate holds the concession rights to operate Boracay airport.

“The airport won’t be requiring full manpower while Boracay is totally closed to tourists so we are looking at encouraging all our workers to help the government during the lull,” Ang said.

The closure would allow the company to plan how to turn Boracay Airport into a “green gateway.”

“Airports are gateways and as operator of the Boracay Airport we have a responsibility to promote change and raise awareness at the front door among our visitors and the communities,” Ang said.

“I think all airport workers, especially the locals, know what’s at stake here, and they are more than willing to do what they can to help preserve Boracay,” he said.

Boracay Airport will not shut down, especially since there will still be a handful of daily flights servicing the route for the benefit of locals.

Among the measures the company is exploring include acquiring a fleet of electric shuttle buses to ferry passengers and cargo, implement green measures such as the use of fixtures that require less electricity and less water, strict implementation of waste segregation, and increasing green spaces and greenery throughout the airport complex. —Ted Cordero/GMA News