Residents oppose casinos on Boracay

BORACAY ISLAND, Philippines—Residents of Boracay Island and Caticlan on the mainland of Aklan are against the operation of casinos on this island-resort, saying that it would be bad for their businesses, the island’s reputation and their families.

“We in Caticlan don’t want the casinos because it is gambling and might bring us bad luck,” said Malou de la Torre, 34, a resident of Caticlan who has been going to Boracay daily for the past 17 years to sell paintings at Station 2 of the three-kilometer-long White Beach.

She added that most people she knows in Caticlan, a five-minute ferry boat ride from Boracay, are against the casinos as Boracay does not need them since the island-resort is already known world-wide.

The mainland village of Caticlan is home of the nearest airport to Boracay and has a population of 4,223, according to the National Statistics Office.

Most Caticlan residents work on Boracay.

Caticlan is but one of 17 villages that belong to the first-class municipality of Malay. Boracay is actually part of Malay but the Philippine Tourism Authority has administrative supervision over it in coordination with the provincial government of Aklan.

The Holy Rosary Parish on Boracay has been conducting a signature campaign against the plan to operate casinos on the island since April 2. So far, the campaign has gathered more than 2,000 signatures.

At least three Boracay resorts plan to operate casinos. These are Fairways and Bluewater Resort Golf and Country Club, La Carmela de Boracay, and Crown Regency Resort and Convention Center.

On Jan. 25, 2011, the Malay municipal council favorably endorsed the proposal of Cariño Development Management Corp., developers of Fairways and Bluewater Resort in the northern part of Boracay, to build a casino within its 120-hectare golf and country club.

“I really don’t want these casinos. They might affect my children and grandchildren and teach them more vices,” said Nazarita Mallorca, 58, a native of Caticlan who lives on Boracay and sells trinkets in the White Beach area.

Mallorca said big-time gamblers might just come to gamble and won’t have any use of the island’s White Beach or buy trinkets from her and her friends.