SAN JOSE De BUENAVISTA, Antique — Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV on Tuesday said the government should look into giving assurance to informal and service workers that they could return to their jobs after the end of the six-month total closure of Boracay.
Aquino also tasked the government to look into providing support to workers who would be displaced by the shutdown starting April 26.
The senator, at a press conference held at the office of Antique Governor Rhodora Cadiao in the Capitol, also raised the concern to the provincial government as to what preparations it has undertaken for those Antiquenos working in Boracay.
He said that even the provincial government of Antique has to be prepared on how to assist those workers who would be laid off with the island resort being off limits to all tourists and outsiders.
He added the Negosyo Centers in Aklan should have to be activated so they could also assist the workers.
Aquino, who is here as commencement speaker of the University of Antique main campus in Sibalom, Antique, said that given the environmental situation in Boracay island it is really no longer sustainable to keep operating.
He said he subscribes to the stance of the business sector that the cleanup and rehabilitation should be done phase by phase. “I am for the phase implementation,” he said.
He said he believes the cleanup and rehabilitation could not be done simultaneously throughout the island that is why he is for partial closure.
He said that with the looming total closure then he just wants the service and informal workers like the waiters, masseuse and others who would be directly affected by the island shutdown be provided with employment by the government.
“The other thing that should be looked into would be if these displaced workers are assured that they could return to their work afterwards,” Aquino said. (PNA)
