President Duterte threatened on Tuesday to close hotels near Manila Bay if they do not practice proper waste treatment.
This as he ordered Interior Secretary Eduardo Año and Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu to proceed with plans to clean up Manila Bay, as they did with Boracay.
“They will start to clean it whether they like it or not. These hotels….place water treatment there, otherwise I will destroy those,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.
The President said he is also not bothered if this move will affect the number of tourists staying in these hotels.
“If there are no tourists then none. You will not die because of that. You do something about your waste there, otherwise I will close it. That’s for sure,” he said.
The Manila Bay clean-up was discussed during the Cabinet meeting on Monday night.
The rehabilitation plan for Manila Bay came after the President ordered a six-month closure of Boracay, a top island tourist destination.
Boracay was also closed after the President called it a “cesspool” for its water-pollution problems.
Malacanang said a part of the special road funds can be used to finance the rehabilitation.
See story Road funds also eyed for Manila Bay cleanup
However, Presidential Spokesman and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo said this would only be possible once the Road Board is finally abolished.
President Duterte wants to have the Road Board abolished due to alleged corrupt practices.
After moving to rescind the bill approving the abolition of the Road Board, the new leadership of the House of Representatives said they will comply with the President’s wish as they seek for its “genuine” abolition.
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