MANILA – To generate funds for the national government, President Rodrigo Duterte is allowing the operation of casinos in Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan.
During his “Talk to the People” aired late Thursday night, the country’s chief executive said the government needs money.
In 2018, Duterte unequivocally stated he was against casinos in Boracay which was then undergoing a massive environmental rehabilitation.
“Kung magsabi kayo, ‘Itong si Duterte, akala ko ayaw mo ng sugal; tapos ngayon ‘yung sa Boracay, ‘yung gambling house doon, ine-encourage mong buksan para sa tourists.’ Patawarin na po ninyo ako for the contradiction,” Duterte said.
“Ngayon po wala tayong pera. Kung saan man tayo makakuha ng pera, kukunin ko. Kung diyan sa gambling, so be it,” Duterte added.
Last month Duterte said he was in favor of raising government funds from the Philippine Offshore Gaming Corp. (POGO) and casinos.
“The government needed more funding for the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic response,” Duterte said in a public address in July.
In April 2018, Duterte thumbed down the establishment of a casino in Boracay after Galaxy Macau’s Galaxy Entertainment Group and its local partner, AB Leisure Exponent Inc., announced a plan for a $500-million integrated casino resort in the world-renowned island resort.
According to Duterte then, it was the residents of Boracay who insisted on a “no casino policy” in the island.
“Walang plano diyang casino-casino. Tama na iyan kasi sobra na. May casino dito, casino doon,” Duterte said in April 2018. “Bakit bigyan ko kayo diyan sa Boracay ng casino? Ano’ng makuha ng Pilipino diyan?”
On Thursday night, he said, “Tama ‘yan, nagkamali ako. Kung wala akong isang salita diyan, tama ‘yan.”
“Pero kailangan ko ng pera para patakbuhin ang gobyerno kasi marami akong gagastusan,” said Duterte./PN
