Immigration nabs American resort owner in Boracay

MANILA, Philippines — An American resort owner was arrested at a hotel in Boracay a day before the island was closed to tourists, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said yesterday.

Randall Lee Parker, 52, was arrested on April 25 at the Artienda Hotel located in Boracay’s Station Two.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said Parker has been working illegally in the country.

“He will be deported for illegally working here,” Morente said, citing the Labor Code and the Immigration Act which provides that aliens are prohibited from engaging in gainful activities unless they obtain permit from the labor department and employment visa from the BI.

Records showed Parker has been staying in the Philippines for almost two years as a tourist and he violated the conditions of his stay when he operated a resort without a working permit.

He arrived on April 16, 2016 and has not left the country since, according to BI spokesperson Antonette Mangrobang.

Parker’s stay as a tourist was extended up to June 14 this year. He has reportedly been going in and out of the country since 2005.

Cash payout halted

The cash payout for displaced Boracay workers has been temporarily halted after the funds set for its purpose were used up, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said.

On Saturday, DSWD-Western Visayas said those who were given schedules to claim the cash need not worry as the agency has available funds.

DSWD regional director Rebecca Geamala appealed to the beneficiaries to give the agency time to release the funds.

The DSWD is expected to continue the distribution of the cash payout today.

“The funds are available. We just didn’t expect the bulk of workers who arrived to claim the cash payout,” Geamala said in a statement.

She said the workers had to wait until yesterday for encashment as banks are closed during weekends.

As of Saturday, the agency has released P4.98 million to 2,244 workers who decided to return to their provinces. 

On the average, at least 700 workers per day availed themselves of the cash assistance.

The DSWD is working with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in providing livelihood for families affected by the Boracay closure.

The DOLE has begun its cash-for-work program for the residents while the DSWD has yet to start the same program.

Trees cut down

Meanwhile, Public Works Western Visayas director Wenceslao Leaño defended the cutting of trees in Boracay to widen the circumferential road.

Leaño said the removal of trees from the island’s main road is lawful. 

“The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has allowed us to cut these trees that are blocking road right of way,” Leaño said.

He said the plan was to expand the circumferential road by 12 meters. Aside from the trees, they would also remove other forms of obstruction such as power and utilities posts. 

Leaño said he has no idea how many trees would be cut down, although he gave assurance that all those that hamper the road widening program would be replaced.

“There is a ruling that once you cut down a tree you have to replace it with 50 other trees. It’s up to the DENR to identify the area where the trees would be planted and we at the DPWH would be the ones to do the planting,” he said.

“But based on what I saw, the trees that were removed were still young, so maybe there is no need to replace them with 50 trees. We will just plant new trees along the side of the road,” Leaño added.

He said that no one has filed a complaint against the removal of the trees.

“The people in Boracay are cooperative. Some of the resort owners asked us to assist them in demolishing obstructions,” he added. – With Jennifer Rendon, Rainier Allan Ronda