MANILA – Despite the rapid increase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the country, President Rodrigo Duterte will still push through with his March 12 visit to the world-famous Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan, Duterte’s close aide Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go confirmed this, saying the President is on a bid to show the world that the Philippines is a safe place to visit despite the COVID-19 outbreak, among other activities.
Duterte earlier admitted that it will be his first time to come to Boracay, dubbed as the top tourist destination of the country.
Duterte added that he wants to be accompanied by Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat in his visit to the island.
“Yes, kasi wala ng tao. Ito kasing si Berna (Bernadette) eh. Wala na magpunta. Sabi ko, ‘Sige, magpunta ako pero maligo tayo’,” Duterte said.
“If you look at the open sea, it’s endless. Mabubulag ka. But Berna would sit beside me on a sunset, I will stay,” he added.
Last week, Puyat confirmed Duterte’s visit to the well-famed island. Aside from lifting the public’s mood to travel around the country despite the virus outbreak, he will also inspect the rehabilitation of the island since it reopened to tourist in October 2018 and also distribute certificate of land ownership awards to Aklan’s indigenous people.
“I gave it to the natives. Then further inside the island, pinasabi ko, ‘Ubusin mo. Ubusin mo ang Boracay sa mga natives. Ibigay mo sa kanila kasi lupa nila ‘yan’,” President Duterte said.
