Palace says no closure of Boracay this summer season

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. INQUIRER PHOTO / JOAN BONDOC

Malacañang assured on Thursday that the closure of the world-famous Boracay island would not happen this summer season.

In fact, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said tourists were free to go to Boracay this Holy Week.

“No specific instruction has been made by the President [regarding the closure]. Right now, it’s status quo,” Roque said in a Place briefing.

“There’s a recommendation but the President will act on it,” he added.

Duterte on Tuesday said he would support the recommendation of Eduardo Año, officer in charge of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), to shut down Boracay and fix its environmental problem.

READ: Duterte backs DILG recommendation to close Boracay for up to a year

Duterte had earlier likened the world-famous tourist destination to a pit of human waste.

Roque, however, said tourists were still free to visit the island-resort this Lenten Season.

“Proceed to Boracay, especially since it’s Holy Week. I don’t think any closure will happen during the peak season of Boracay,” Roque pointed out.

“We’re looking at possibly, if the President finally accepts the recommendation, lean season,” he added.

Roque said there’s a moratorium on the construction of new buildings in Boracay.

“So right now, there’s a moratorium on new improvements so they can’t build even if they wanted to because of the moratorium,” he said.

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) chair Andrea Domingo said the government has approved the construction of two casinos in Boracay.

READ: Boracay to have not one but two casino resorts

“I don’t really know how the temporary closure will affect the casinos because they will have to construct. But what I do know is there’s a moratorium right now in place for any further improvements in Boracay,” he said. /jpv