'Not a gambling destination': Boracay stakeholders decry entry of new casino-resort

Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA - Boracay tourism stakeholders on Thursday expressed dismay over the construction of a new casino-resort in the island amid the government&#x27;s plan to rehabilitate the area to restore its pristine beaches.Last month President Rodrigo Duterte mulled shutting down the island destination to clean-up its white sand beaches that have turned into &quot;cesspools&quot;.Despite the Environment and Tourism departments recommendation to temporarily close the island, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp granted a &quot;provisional licence&quot; to Macau casino giant Galaxy Entertainment and its Filipino partner, Leisure and Resorts World Corp, to build a 23-hectare casino-resort worth $500 million on the island.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/business/03/21/18/new-boracay-casino-resort-construction-set-in-2019">New Boracay casino-resort construction set in 2019</a></li></ul>Boracay Foundation board member Connie Helgen said the island, knows for its picturesque waters and sunsets, should not be marketed as a gambling destination.Helgen said the island&#x27;s natural resources, water activities, and booming night life is enough to attract tourists to the island and sustain the livelihood of the locals.&quot;Boracay island is for beach lovers. Boracay is a wholesome destination. Why go to Boracay to play casino? There are so many casinos in Manila and in Macau,&quot; Helgen said.&quot;Having a casino here would just affect the social environment of Boracay. The influence of casino to the people there, there&#x27;s no telling what will happen. We hope the President will reconsider,&quot; she said.The government should also focus first on the island&#x27;s clean-up before allowing more establishments to open shop, said Jose Clemente III, president of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines.&quot;We should be taking care first of the rehabilitation and establish what the real carrying capacity of Boracay is,&quot; he said.Clemente said tour operators &quot;have been calling on the moratorium of the building of new establishments in Boracay&quot; to avoid overcrowding.&quot;To add more facilities of structures there (Boracay) without the proper study might not be to the best interest of the island,&quot; he said.

Boracay tourism stakeholders on Thursday expressed dismay over the construction of a new casino-resort in the island amid the government's plan to rehabilitate the area to restore its pristine beaches.

Boracay tourism stakeholders on Thursday expressed dismay over the construction of a new casino-resort in the island amid the government's plan to rehabilitate the area to restore its pristine beaches.

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'Not a gambling destination': Boracay stakeholders decry entry of new casino-resort

'Not a gambling destination': Boracay stakeholders decry entry of new casino-resort

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 22, 2018 01:50 PM PHT

|

Updated Dec 13, 2018 11:38 AM PHT

Read More:

Boracay

gambling

tourism

casino

resort

Boracay Foundation

Connie Helgen

Jose Clemente III

Tourism Congress of the Philippines

Galaxy Entertainment

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