PARTY ISLAND Boracay Island in Aklan province is known for its white sand beaches and vibrant night life and parties that have been drawing tourists year-round. INQUIRER file photo / LYN RILLON
Published: 5:37 p.m., April 17, 2018 | Updated: 10:08 p.m., April 17, 2018
Macau’s Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd. will no longer build a casino in Boracay, a tourism official said on Tuesday.
“Galaxy has said that they are now looking for another venue. And that’s very much welcome, Secretary Teo answered that – interagency task force is happy that they’re looking,” Tourism Assistant Secretary Frederick Alegre said in a press briefing in Boracay.
“And when they find, then they just have to go through the process of accreditation and securing, again a new Pagcor temporary or a provisional authority, and the whole process will have to repeat. But that’s a welcome news, that they’re looking for another venue,” Alegre added.
Interior Assistant Secretary Epicamo Densing also said the casino would not pushed through when asked about the plans of the said entertainment and gambling hub.
“Definitely hindi na,” Densing said in the same press conference.
“Nabanggit yata ni Asec Ricky, if I may quote you ‘no, he mentioned yesterday during the Cabinet Assistance Cluster meeting, na nagsabi na yata ni [PAGCOR] chairman Andrea Domingo,” he added.
However, Leisure and Resorts World Corp. (LRWC) issued a statement Tuesday night clarifying the matter.
LRWC said: “It continues to be in talks with its partner Galaxy Entertainment Group” and “both parties have not reached any final decision regarding its planned Boracay resort project.”
“Following protocol, no change in plans or project location would be made without prior consultation and agreement with Pagcor. Contrary to claims that Galaxy has ‘abandoned’ its planned Boracay project, no such announcement has been made nor communicated with Pagcor,” LWRC said.
Galaxy in March won a provisional license for a $500-million integrated casino-resort project on the island resort.
On April 4, President Rodrigo Duterte approved the total closure of Boracay for six moths starting April 26.
READ: Duterte approves 6-month closure of Boracay, starting April 26
Duterte had earlier tagged Boracay as “cesspool.” The President has warned that the condition of Boracay could lead to an environmental “disaster.”
Data showed the famous island resort hosts least two million tourists yearly and brings in P56 billion in annual revenues. /jpv