TANAUAN, Leyte — Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque asked the local governments in Eastern Visayas (Region 8) to submit a list of alternative tourist destinations in light of the impending closure of world-famous island resort Boracay.
In a press briefing in this town Sunday afternoon, Roque admitted that he has not heard any places from Leyte and Samar provinces considered as alternative destinations by the Inter-Agency Task Force composed of the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
“If we have alternative destinations that we want to push, please inform us so that the airlines would consider these areas when they plot their new routes. The airlines are diverting flights intended for Kalibo and Caticlan to alternative tourist destinations,” Roque said.
Roque further asked Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla to inform the task force on making Eastern Visayas as an alternative to Boracay.
The Palace spokesperson likewise took the occasion to underscore that the closure of Boracay is not a violation of the right to travel adding that the government has police power to protect the environment.
“The closure of Boracay is meant to protect the island as one of our crown jewels — our tourist destination — to ensure that it’s not our generation alone that can discover the paradise that is Boracay but to ensure the future generation can still see Boracay as a jewel, the crown jewel as it is,” Roque explained.
Dismayed by water pollution, poor waste management and other environmental problems, President Rodrigo Duterte has directed the six-month shutdown of Boracay to visitors starting April 26.
The closure will make way for the rehabilitation of the world-famous holiday destination. In 2017, Boracay welcomed over 2 million local and international visitors and generated an estimated PHP56 billion income from tourism. (PNA)