BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan — Tourists will be barred from entering Boracay Island starting midnight of Thursday and this will be enforced with or without the executive order (EO) from President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
Both Malay Mayor Ciceron Cawaling and Caticlan port administrator Niven Maquirang vowed in a press conference held Wednesday morning that they will carry out the closure of the world famous resort island.
“That is the order of the President. To clean and rehabilitate the island,” said Cawaling following the final security simulation activity here.
Deputy Director General Fernando Mendez, Philippine National Police Deputy Chief for Operations, said they are hoping for the EO to be released on Thursday.
Chief Supt. Cesar Hawthorne Binag, Regional Director of the Police Regional Office 6 (Western Visayas), in the same press conference, said there will be no alarm or ceremony to signal the closure.
“Definitely, by 12:01 (a.m.) there will be no tourists allowed to enter the island,” he said.
Starting Thursday, only residents and workers of the island are allowed entry. They have to secure their identification cards showing their residency to be allowed to purchase tickets and terminal fees.
However, based on the guidelines of the Department of Tourism (DOT), tourists who made their reservations before the announcement of the closure and whose stay will go beyond the date of the shutdown will be allowed to stay, said Binag.
He also said the various concerned government agencies will start rehabilitation works immediately on Thursday.
The Department of Public Works and Highways have already deployed its equipment needed for the rehabilitation.
He added that the local and provincial government units will also start doing their contributions to the rehabilitation while other national government agencies, particularly the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Labor and Employment will assist the displaced families and workers.
“The closure is just temporary. So we really need the cooperation of everyone, our local and national agencies, to fast track the rehabilitation,” Cawaling said.
Duterte approved the six months total closure of the island as recommended by the DOT, Department of Interior and Local Government, and Department on Environment and Natural Resources.
He is also expected to place barangays Manocmanoc, Balabag and Yapak, the three barangays comprising the island, under state of calamity within this week. (PNA)
