Duterte wants Congress to create body to oversee Boracay

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday called on Congress to put up an authority that would oversee Boracay island.

In his penultimate State of the Nation Address (SONA), Duterte said lawmakers should push for the creation of a body that would ensure that the effects of the months-long rehabilitation of the island are sustained.

"We have shared remarkable emergence of the island back to its former glory. I want this sustained. I ask Congress to enact a law creating, importante ito, the Boracay Island Development Authority or BIDA," he said.

To recall, Boracay was temporarily closed down for six months in 2018, to make way for its rehabilitation after Duterte called the tourist destination a "cesspool."

The six-month rehabilitation of the island was recommended by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Tourism (DOT), and the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

"For the rest of my term I hope to see concerted efforts in protecting the environment. The rehabilitation of Boracay island showcased our reserve to safeguard the environment," Duterte said.

"Boracay is doing well because of its scenery. If it's only a coconut and white sand and water, wala 'yan. Pero you add the visitors there then it becomes a very tempting destination," he added.

In the same speech, Duterte also said Congress should look into the National Land Use Act (NaLUA), which has long been pending.

"The responsible extraction and equitable distribution of natural resources remain among my non-negotiables," he said.

"I reiterate the need for the passage of the National Land Use Act which been pending for decades. Pakisilip na ho niyo 'yan," added Duterte.

The NaLUA is a measure that seeks to harmonize land use policies across the country. — BM, GMA News