ILOILO CITY—Thousands of residents and workers on Boracay Island have scrambled to get barangay identification cards, just a little over two weeks before the six-month closure takes effect on April 26.
Residents lined up for hours at the barangay halls of Balabag, Manoc-Manoc and Yapak to get an ID which is a requirement for entry to the island based on the guidelines to be issued by the Department of Interior and Local Government.
“Many of the residents are panicking because of the lack of clear guidelines. They are afraid they won’t be allowed to stay on the island,” said Rowen Aguirre, municipal executive assistant for Boracay affairs.
At least 500 residents and workers flocked to the barangay hall of Manoc-Manoc by noon to apply for an ID which costs P200 for new applicants and P100 for renewal.
The ID is valid for three years.
Chona Gabay, Manoc-Manoc village chief, said about 100 IDs were issued but the issuance was suspended as the village chiefs would still meet with Malay Mayor Cawaling to discuss guidelines in the issuance of IDs.
Manoc-Manoc has at least 14,000 residents.
The guidelines for the closure of the island, which will be finalized this week, bars tourists from going to the island and only workers and residents with valid IDs will be allowed access through the jetty port in Barangay Caticlan on the mainland of Malay.
Residents will not be allowed to swim at the beach and even journalists covering the island need prior approval from authorities and within a definite period.
The closure will affect at least 73,522 residents including 17,328 registered employees and 9,365 unregistered workers.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) would monitor the enforcement of the closure of Boracay Island to ensure that the rights of residents and those going to the island are protected.
David Bermudo, CHR Western Visayas director, said the agency would deploy its personnel to make sure the rights of residents are not violated amid concern and fears raised by some residents on the stringent guidelines in the enforcement of the closure.
Aguirre said residents and workers who would be unemployed during the closure had started leaving the island and returning to their hometowns and provinces.
“Business establishments will retain a portion of their staff but many will be let go and asked to return only when the operations normalize,” he told the INQUIRER.
While most residents and business operators support the crackdown on environmental violations on the island, many have appealed to President Duterte not to totally close the island because of its devastating impact on the livelihood of workers and their families.
Aside from the three villages of the island, the economy of Malay town, Aklan province and other areas and industries supporting the tourism industry of the island will be severely affected by the prolonged closure.
Some residents have called the measures being imposed as “semi-martial law” especially after more policemen were deployed on the island.
The Philippine National Police in Western Visayas sent about 610 policemen on the island including those trained for civil disturbance.
Chief Insp. Joem Malong, regional police spokesperson said in an earlier interview that the presence of the police force was to ensure the safety and security of residents while closure of the island is being implemented.