Gordon urges gov't to come up with long-term master plan for Boracay
Published Apr 8, 2018 06:38 pm
By Hannah Torregoza
Senator Richard Gordon today urged the government to come up with a long-term master plan for Boracay Island to address its tourism and environmental issues.
Senator Richard Gordon (Czar Dancel / MANILA BULLETIN)
Gordon made the call following President Duterte’s approval of a six-month shutdown of the island for its rehabilitation following the recommendation of three government agencies.
The rehabilitation will start on April 26.
"Tutol ako na isara basta-basta ang Boracay unless there is a master plan and a plan of implementation and a plan of enforcement," said Gordon, in a Radio dzBB interview.
"Dapat may master plan yan, dapat sasabihin doon sa master plan, kapag isinara natin yan at binuksan natin yan, ang pwede lang pumasok sa isang araw diyan ay ganito lang karami (It should have a master plan, where it is indicated that once we close it, and reopen it, we will limit the number of visitors in a day),” the senator said.
The former tourism secretary said there must be a means to regulate the entry of people on the island.
“Kasi kahit gaano kalaki ang sewage mo, kung in-overload mo, ay magbabara, (because no matter how big your sewage system is, if you overload it, it will still clog)," he pointed out.
"Any time of the day, meron kang booking ng mga hotel at mga pupunta roon, dapat nire-record yun, (they should record the number of hotel bookings and people coming in),” he said.
Gordon said it is possible that Duterte issued the closure order to accommodate the conditions set by the company that is planning to put up a billion-dollar casino resort in Boracay.
But regardless of the conditions, Gordon said it is better to solve the problem whether they are doing it for the casino or for the public.
Gordon also said the government should also limit residents on the island.
"Dapat wala talaga, kung gusto natin maging world-class talaga yan (there should be no residents if we really want it to be world-class),” he said.
Gordon also suggested that the government implement a partial shutdown of the island.
"Close a certain area na dapat ayusin (that must be fixed) in accordance with the master plan. And then, i-establish yung talagang carrying capacity ng island,” he said.
Senator Richard Gordon (Czar Dancel / MANILA BULLETIN)
Gordon made the call following President Duterte’s approval of a six-month shutdown of the island for its rehabilitation following the recommendation of three government agencies.
The rehabilitation will start on April 26.
"Tutol ako na isara basta-basta ang Boracay unless there is a master plan and a plan of implementation and a plan of enforcement," said Gordon, in a Radio dzBB interview.
"Dapat may master plan yan, dapat sasabihin doon sa master plan, kapag isinara natin yan at binuksan natin yan, ang pwede lang pumasok sa isang araw diyan ay ganito lang karami (It should have a master plan, where it is indicated that once we close it, and reopen it, we will limit the number of visitors in a day),” the senator said.
The former tourism secretary said there must be a means to regulate the entry of people on the island.
“Kasi kahit gaano kalaki ang sewage mo, kung in-overload mo, ay magbabara, (because no matter how big your sewage system is, if you overload it, it will still clog)," he pointed out.
"Any time of the day, meron kang booking ng mga hotel at mga pupunta roon, dapat nire-record yun, (they should record the number of hotel bookings and people coming in),” he said.
Gordon said it is possible that Duterte issued the closure order to accommodate the conditions set by the company that is planning to put up a billion-dollar casino resort in Boracay.
But regardless of the conditions, Gordon said it is better to solve the problem whether they are doing it for the casino or for the public.
Gordon also said the government should also limit residents on the island.
"Dapat wala talaga, kung gusto natin maging world-class talaga yan (there should be no residents if we really want it to be world-class),” he said.
Gordon also suggested that the government implement a partial shutdown of the island.
"Close a certain area na dapat ayusin (that must be fixed) in accordance with the master plan. And then, i-establish yung talagang carrying capacity ng island,” he said.