By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte announced on Monday, April 9, that Boracay island will be subject to land reform.
The President made his remarks a few days after he approved the six-month closure of the island beginning April 26.
“So maybe after that, i-land reform ko lahat yan (I will put it all under land reform program), then I’ll give it to the farmers. I’ll give them the tractors,” Mr. Duterte said at Davao International Airport prior to his departure to China to attend a forum there.
He added: “How about the business? Well, I’m sorry but that is the law. The law says it is forestal, agricultural. Why would I deviate from that? Do I have a good reason to do so?”
Former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Proclamation No. 1064 which “classifies Boracay Island situated in the Municipality of Malay, Province of Aklan as Forestland (for Protection purposes) and Agricultural Land (Alienable and Disposable) in accordance with the provisions of Commonwealth Act 141, otherwise known as the Public Land Act, and Section 13 of Presidential Decree No. 705, otherwise known as Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines, subject to actual ground survey and delineation.”
Mr. Duterte also commented on recently reported planned casino ventures in the island.
“I never said about building anything or even a nipa hut there. What I said is that the island itself is owned by the government. I’ve said before that it is agricultural and forestal. Unless there is a law or a proclamation of the President setting aside anything there, an inch of land, maybe, then that would be all right for all those people to go in,” he said.
Mr. Duterte also said “there’s no (master) plan” on Boracay’s rehabilitation. “My order was to clean it up.”
“Now if you are asking of a financial help, I’m going to sign the proclamation of calamity and we can make available about P2 billion of assistance. But this is only for the poor Filipinos. I will not spend any single centavo for those inns there, hotel owners, or motels. Do not expect me to pay anything. That money is only intended for the Filipino.”
For his part, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary Jonas R. Leones said on Monday that finding out the exact figures on Boracay’s carrying capacity is not “so useful for our rehabilitation effort for six months.”
“(That’s) because we can see that all the indications (show that) Boracay is already deteriorating,” he added.
“So, the carrying capacity will only be used and serve as a guide on how much volume of waste can be generated by the area, how (many establishments and) tourists will be allowed to enter Boracay, so that’s the basis,” Mr. Leones also said.
DENR’s efforts to gauge the island’s capacity will follow after a similar study 10 years ago, Environment secretary Roy A. Cimatu had earlier noted.
On April 26, the government will shut down the island for a six-month rehabilitation. Aside from water and solid waste management, the government will also rehabilitate the roads, forests and wetlands. — with Anna Gabriela A. Mogato

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