The Duterte administration finds world-famous Boracay island not a goldmine for more funds to support government’s COVID-19 response but as a rich source of campaign funds for 2022.
House Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate said President Duterte’s decision in “lifting” the ban against casino operations in Boracay pointed to this conclusion.
He said Duterte's motivation in making the decision was not so much about realizing prospects of raising more funds for anti-COVID-19 programs, claiming that it is "actually just a ploy to raise more election funds for his clique's candidates and, strategically give the monopoly of casino operations to his allies thru the Boracay Island Development Authority (BIDA)."
Zarate was referrring to bill proposing the creation of BIDA. This legislative measure was filed by Duterte's son, Davaio City Rep. Paulo Duterte.
"Pres.Duterte's recent announcement regarding casinos is step two in monopolizing the casinos in Boracay using the yet to be enacted BIDA, which would have the power to contract, lease, buy, sell, acquire, own, or dispose real property of whatever nature,” said Zarate.
"His 'jetskied' statement now is a complete turn around of his 2018 pronouncement rejecting any casino operation in the island tourists destination,” he said.
Zarate added: “The island's residents were right all along in doubting the real purpose of the 2018 closure; now it is becoming clearer.” The opposition leader insisted that Duterte’s decision to close Boracay was a mere move to put local business on notice about the power of the presidency and thus, “pave the way for big business and foreign investors” to gain entry.
According to him bill creating BIDA will further fortify the planned takeover of big business. He said the bill wil put micro and small business owners and indigenous peoples at a grave disadvantage.
The BIDA bill has been approved on second reading in the House of Representatives.
Aside from Rep. Duterte, the BIDA bills are his close associates Reps. Claudine Bautista (DUMPER-PTDA Partylist); Zandro Gonzales (Marino Partylist) and Eric Go Yap (ACT-CIS Partylist).
Zarate said that the BIDA would even also trample on the rights and mandate of the local governments of Aklan province and Malay town.
He added that the Aklan provincial board and the municipal councils of Malay and other towns were right in passing resolutions opposing a GOCC-type BIDA.