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Boracay closure to cover even compliant establishments: tourism chief

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/04/05/20180322-boracay-sewer-mzs-1.jpg"/></figure></div><p>MANILA - The scheduled 6-month closure of Boracay will cover even structures that comply with the law to give way to a major cleanup of the country&#x27;s most famous holiday island, Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo said Thursday. </p><p>President Rodrigo Duterte has approved Boracay&#x27;s total closure starting April 26, his spokesman Harry Roque announced Wednesday. </p><p>Duterte&#x27;s directive entails banning all local and foreign tourists from the island, and shutting down all structures there, Teo told DZMM. </p><p>&quot;Lahat, whether compliant ka o hindi, lahat talaga magsakripisyo dito,&quot; the official said. </p><p>&quot;Turista, talagang definitely, wala nang turista, whether local or foreign, na papasok,&quot; she added.</p><p>The government will also demolish some 900 structures within the 30-meter shoreline easement or no-build zone, and those in wetlands or forest lands, said Teo. </p><p>Boracay, on the northern tip of central Panay island, is a top destination for local and foreign tourists and its sugary white sand, lively night scene and abundant water sports attracted nearly 2 million visitors last year. </p><p>The island earns revenue from luxury hotels such as Shangri-La&#x27;s 5-star Boracay Resort &amp; Spa and beachside restaurants and also employs thousands of local residents.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1436540" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="~//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="~//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Duterte, however, has castigated the local government and residents for &quot;overzealous&quot; development and permitting beachfront building with inadequate sewage and water treatment facilities.</p><p>Many businesses on the island have been releasing wastewater directly into the sea, violating rules on wastewater management, according to Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/31/18/boracay-waste-traced-to-illegal-sewers-pipes">Boracay waste traced to illegal sewers, pipes </a></li></ul><p>A shutdown of Boracay could lead to job losses for 36,000 people and P56 billion in lost revenue, stakeholders earlier said, as they appealed for a partial, instead of a full closure.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/multimedia/infographic/03/26/18/whats-at-stake-in-boracay">What&#x27;s at stake in Boracay </a></li></ul><p>Duterte will declare a state of calamity to allow all government agencies to fast track Boracay&#x27;s rehabilitation, said Teo. Calamity funds will also be &quot;activated&quot; to sustain affected workers over the island&#x27;s closure, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra had said. </p><p>The closure, which is shorter than the one-year shutdown recommended by the environment ministry, comes just a few weeks after the government gave Macau casino operator Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd permission to build a $500 million casino and resort in Boracay.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/22/18/palace-defends-500-m-casino-resort-plan-in-boracay">Palace defends $500-M casino-resort plan in Boracay</a></li></ul><p>The government eyes cleaning up other tourist hotspots after the crackdown in Boracay, including the islands of Panglao, Samal and El Nido, Teo said. </p><p>&quot;Lahat po ng mga big destinations, pupuntahan po namin... Titingnan natin ang mga violation,&quot; she said. </p><div><strong>With a report from Reuters </strong></div>

<p>The scheduled 6-month closure of Boracay will cover even structures that comply with the law to give way to a major cleanup of the country's most famous holiday island, Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo-Tulfo said Thursday. <br /> </p>

The scheduled 6-month closure of Boracay will cover even structures that comply with the law to give way to a major cleanup of the country's most famous holiday island, Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo-Tulfo said Thursday.