By ARGYLL CYRUS GEDUCOS, with a report from Genalyn Kabiling
If President Duterte would have it his way, he will not allow a residential area in Boracay as this will negate the effects of the government’s rehabilitation efforts in the world famous island.
“I will not allow residential… Eh you will spoil everything. Kasi rarami ‘yan, then saan pupunta ‘yan? It goes to the sea, again,” he said.
“Now, if you have a huge water treatment there – but can we afford it? Can they afford it?” he added.
Duterte reiterated his intention to give the island to the people once the six-month rehabilitation is finished.
“So ibigay ko na ‘yan sa mga tao for agricultural purposes, kapag hindi, kukunin lang ng mga may pera ‘yan, gawain lang ‘yan nila ng resort. Resort dito, resort doon, resort dito. And in land, ang mga mayaman may mga mansion, mga resort, vacation houses, patay,” he said.
“Hindi ako gumastos diyan, hindi ko inutusan ‘yan si [Environment Secretary] General [Roy] Cimatu diyan maglinis para lang ibigay ko sa mga – no way,” added Duterte.
Duterte also maintained that the island is a forestal and agricultural land and that he has yet to see documents that say otherwise.
“It’s a resort, international, first class… I have yet to see a document that says that it is also commercial and residential,” he said.
Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s Proclamation No. 1064 classified Boracay into forestland for protection purposes, and agricultural land, as alienable and disposable, in accordance with the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines, subject to actual ground survey and delineation.
The President, on a three-day official visit to South Korea, said those who want to build rest houses or resorts inland of Boracay would be disappointed since he wanted to place the island under the land reform program.
“I did not spend millions to please the rich. I cleaned Boracay for the ordinary Filipino,” Duterte said before an assembly of the Filipino community at the Grand Hilton Hotel and Convention Center.
Duterte made clear that he was not trying to pick a fight with rich businessmen but reminded them that Boracay has been classified only as forestal and agricultural area. He said he wanted to give back the land to farmers who could till the land to improve their living conditions.
“Hindi naman tayo kalaban natin ‘yung mayaman. But in the sense, sila kasi ang unang binibigyan ng opportunity because of money. Kaya sabihin kaagad nila, “nandito na itong maganda, so okay, pasok na sila
Earlier, Malacañang said that around 80 individuals from the Aeta village in Boracay island can benefit from President Duterte’s decision to put the world-famous tourist destination under land reform.
Duterte earlier explained that he does not want Boracay to be declared a commercial area as it put the environment at stake. However, Duterte said that if Congress wants to maintain a portion of Boracay for tourism, he will respect their decision.
Duterte approved the proposal to close down Boracay Island for six months until October this year to make way for the its rehabilitation.
However, he warned Boracay stakeholders that if they intervene with the government’s operations in the island or he will be forced to declare it as a land reform area.
“‘Yung sa likod na gustong pumunta doon, magtayo ng bahay o ng resort because of the famed Boracay, I’m sorry to disappoint you. Ibigay ko ‘yan sa mga tao under the land reform program of the country. Ang makinabang – ang maliit na Pilipino,” said Duterte.
