Puyat expects Duterte to present Boracay developments in Sona

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat. INQUIRER.NET PHOTO/ANTHONY ESGUERRA

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on Monday said she expects President Rodrigo Duterte to present the positive developments in Boracay Island in his third State of the Nation Address (Sona).

“I am excited now because I think he’s going to talk about Boracay. I hope so because he’s going to talk about the next 12 months,” she told reporters upon arriving at the House of Representatives.

Duterte ordered the world-famous resort-island destination closed last April 26 after tagging it as a “cesspool.”

Local and national government agencies have since begun their rehabilitation works on the island as it was temporarily closed to tourist. The closure displaced some 33,000 workers.

“October 26, we’re opening Boracay so we’re excited for that,” she said.

READ: No longer a cesspool, Boracay to reopen on Oct. 26 – Cimatu

Duterte tapped Romulo-Puyat to replace former Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo after the later was entangled in corruption allegations. /ee