Duterte’s Boracay ‘final action’ may be on Apr 4

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte may take his "final action" to restore Boracay Island when he met with Cabinet officials at Malacañan Palace on Wednesday, April 4, a Palace official said Tuesday, April 3.

Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the interagency task force on Boracay already submitted its "more detailed" recommendation to close the famous tourist destination for six months beginning April 26.

"[The recommendation for a six-month closure of Boracay] was already submitted. We have Cabinet meeting tomorrow (April 4). The final action on Boracay might be taken up," Guevarra said in a text message.

On Monday, April 2, Guevarra said the Office of the Executive Secretary asked the task force to give a justification for its proposal to shut down businesses' operations in Boracay for at least six months.

The task force, composed of Environment, Tourism, and Local Government departments, urged Duterte to temporarily bar tourists from

going to Boracay to begin the rehabilitation efforts to bring back the famous island to its pristine state.

The recommendation stemmed from Duterte's directive on February 9 to look for ways to end the environmental woes plaguing Boracay, which he claimed has become a "cesspool."

But a "more detailed" information about the proposed sixmonth closure of Boracay was sought after the Department of Trade and Industry suggested to do the task force's recommendation "in phases."

Guevarra said the President would make a fair judgment, in a bid to save Boracay.

"We know that he (Duterte) is a very reasonable man and for that reason, I guess he'd be able to consider other points of views as well," the Palace official said.

"The overwhelming consideration for the President is really to restore Boracay to its pristine condition," he added. SunStar Philippines