Gov’t may lose up to P20-B in gross receipts due to Boracay closure — DILG

Boracay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The government will lose about P20 billion in incomes due to the six-month closure of Boracay, an official of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Thursday.

“If we will go through the full 6 months, it could reach around 18 to 20 billion potential loss in gross receipts,” DILG Assistant Secretary Epimaco Densing III said in a Palace briefing.

Densing said the interagency task force, which is in charge of the Boracay rehabilitation, was targeting to “fast track everything” to cut to four months the rehabilitation period.

“That’s why it is not to the interest of everybody to go the full six months. We have to fast track everything,” he said.

“We may be able to have a soft opening in 3 to 4 months if it’s possible,” he added.

Densing said the only way to fast-track the rehabilitation “is to ask everybody, all the stakeholders to be part of the whole rehabilitation process.”

During the 24th Cabinet meeting in Malacañang on Wednesday, President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the Department of Tourism (DoT), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to close Boracay for six months.

READ: Duterte approves 6-month closure of Boracay, starting April 26

State of calamity

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the President would declare a state of calamity in Boracay before April 26.

“The President was insistent that the funds that will be spent will go only to the workers who will be displaced. He will not let any resort owner benefit from any sort of a calamity fund,” Roque said.

Government officials have said that 35,000 workers would be displaced due to the Boracay closure.

“The amount mentioned was P2 billion for the displaced workers,” Roque said.

Charges vs local execs

Densing said the government would file charges against local officials in Malay town in Aklan found negligent in managing Boracay.

“We have to investigate all local officials who are managing the island such as Boracay. So most probably, in detail, we’ll just make the necessary announcement when we file on or before April 14,” he said.

President Duterte had earlier threatened to charge local officials of Boracay with serious neglect of duty for “creating” an environmental “disaster” in the island resort. /je

READ: Duterte blames local execs for Boracay woes