Business group proposes phased Boracay rehab
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which represents about 35,000 members, made the call amid the potential six-month shutdown of Boracay for clean-up, after President Rodrigo Duterte called the Philippines' top tourist draw a “cesspool.” File photo
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday urged the government to conduct a three-phased rehabilitation of the world-famous Boracay to minimize unduly impact on the island’s economy.
The PCCI, which represents about 35,000 members, made the call amid the potential six-month shutdown of Boracay for clean-up, after President Rodrigo Duterte called the Philippines' top tourist draw a “cesspool.”
"While shutting down the island for at least six months appears to be the most practical option to urgently solve its current issues, we believe that it will create unnecessary disruption in many legitimate and law abiding micro and small businesses and job losses for thousands of local residents of Boracay,” the PCCI said in a statement.
The business group suggested what it called a “win-win” solution, whereby three major access points to Boracay will be closed down one at a time “to gradually restore the island in phases.”
“We trust that the various concerned government agencies have done a thorough economic and social impact assessment of not just the immediate but also the medium and long-term effects of closing the island, and that they will share their findings with the affected stakeholders,” the PCCI said.
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