KALIBO, Aklan – Boracay tourism stakeholders want to talk to President Rodrigo Duterte to appeal the planned island shutdown.
Tourism Congress of the Philippines president Jojo Clemente on Thursday said businesses are ready to help the government clean up Boracay without closing business establishments.
He warned some 36,000 people may lose their jobs if the closure pushes through.
“Mr. President, if possible, we would like to sit down with you just to present our side. We are respectfully requesting that you reconsider and the inter-agency may reconsider the plan of the improvement of Boracay,” Clemente said.
Clemente stressed that they are still waiting for the government’s specific plans on Boracay even after a dialogue with Tourism secretary Wanda Teo earlier this week.
He said they are still clueless whether it would be a total shutdown or partial closure.
“The actual timeline as we were informed was no later than March 26, the President will declare a state of calamity for Boracay and 30 days hence, they will implement the closure. What that closure means, we’re not yet sure,” he said. (With CNN Philippines/PN)
