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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Solon urges Duterte to scrap Boracay casino green light

Solon urges Duterte to scrap Boracay casino green light

Published Sep 6, 2021 10:44 am

President Rodrigo Duterte should reconsider his directive to allow casino operations in Boracay and protect the “crown jewel of Philippine tourism” instead, House Deputy Speaker Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. said.

Boracay Island

In his letter to the President on September 3, Abante said that while he recognizes the need for the government to raise revenues amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, opening the popular tourist destination to casinos is not the solution.

The House leader appealed to the President to save Boracay again by keeping it free of gambling activities.

“Mr. President, people from here and all over the world go to Boracay for its beaches, not baccarat; they flock to the island for peace and tranquility, not poker tournaments,” Abante said in his letter.

“Opening Boracay to gambling is not the answer. Pre-pandemic data shows that the island and the country earned billions of pesos from inbound tourists,” he reiterated.

He said data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed that in the first 10 months of 2019, tourism in Boracay generated a total of P49.86-billion in revenue due to its 1.74-million visitors.

Abante said this figure is 151.76 percent greater than the same period in the preceding year, or after the island was temporarily shut down from tourist activity.

In April 2018, Abante recalled the President ordered the temporary closure of the island to tourists to address the environmental issues that hounded the popular tourist destination in the country.

“Because of this timely intervention, the government was able to take significant steps to reverse the abuse and neglect that had turned the island into––as Your Excellency accurately and bluntly put it––a cesspool,” he pointed out.

The lawmaker said this shows the wisdom behind the temporary closure of Boracay and the potential it can earn from tourism alone.

“This representation humbly appeals to Your Excellency to save Boracay again––by keeping it gambling-free and by preventing it from becoming a cesspool of casinos,” Abante said.

Last Aug. 28, Malacañang announced that the President has given the go-signal to allow the operation of a casino in Boracay, reversing his earlier strong stance against gambling.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the President’s decision is part of the revenue-generating efforts of the government to augment funds for COVID-19 response.

Related Tags

gambling Casino boracay DUTERTE Bienvenido Abante
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