THERE is a 15-year local ban on casinos on Boracay, which will end in 2032. But will it be enough to stop the expected onslaught of gaming activities after President Duterte gave his thumbs up to new casino projects?
Asked about Duterte’s latest pronouncement on Boracay casinos, Malay Councilor Nenette Aguirre-Graf told the BusinessMirror, “We have a 15-year moratorium [on casinos].” She added, the moratorium was issued “even before Galaxy was to build its casino because we also have a moratorium on new building constructions.”
The planned $500-million casino of Galaxy Entertainment of Macau, in partnership with Leisure and Resorts World Corp., was rejected by Duterte in 2018, supposedly to preserve the gains from the rehabilitation of Boracay.
Sangguniang Bayan of Malay’s Resolution 0068, approved on July 4, 2017, was issued “to regulate the proliferation of casinos, gaming junkets, legal gambling activities, as well as other Pagcor/GAB [Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp./Gaming and Amusement Board]-sanctioned gaming/gambling operations in the municipality of Malay.”
Asked whether the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) would take into consideration the Malay SB resolution when government starts processing permits for casinos for the island, Environment Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns Benny D. Antiporda said, “The BIATF including the Malay LGU [local government unit] will conduct a meeting about this matter because it is a different situation now with this pandemic, and in 2017.”
Published reports have quoted Pagcor chair Andrea Domingo confirming that Duterte had approved the casino projects of Megaworld Corp. and Galaxy. Most residents and business owners on the island have rejected Duterte’s decision to allow casinos there. (See, “Talk of casino spurs alarm: Will Boracay be gaming paradise?” in the BusinessMirror, August 30, 2021.)
When the SB resolution was issued, there were already existing casinos on the island located in Movenpick Resort & Spa (Alpha Allied Holdings Ltd.), Crown Regency Resort and Convention Center, and Paradise Garden Resort Hotel and Convention Center.
As such, the resolution reads: “Whereas, giving utmost consideration of the general welfare finds that the number of operating casinos, gaming junkets, legal gambling activities, and other Pagcor/GAB-sanctioned gaming operations on the island of Boracay is enough to maintain this kind of economic activity in the municipality of Malay.”
The resolution added, “a moratorium on endorsements for 15 years [is] timely and proper, which includes the transfer of existing endorsements, permits, licenses or authorizations to parties other than those it has been issued to exclusively.”
Asked whether the BIATF or the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) would respect the Malay’s casino ban, Interior Undersecretary for Operations Epimaco V. Densing III said, “Wala nang BIATF. [The BIATF no longer exists.] The DILG does not comment on LGU legislations unless they are considered in violation or inconsistent [with] national laws.”
He added, “Getting a business permit must go through the process and documentary requirements of the local government.”
The BIATF had issued a news statement on Monday, saying, “In line with the President’s latest pronouncement that casinos will now be allowed to operate in Boracay Island to augment government funds, [we] will carry out the necessary steps towards this direction.” (See, “BIATF officials seem blindsided by Duterte announcement allowing casinos in Boracay,” in the BusinessMirror, August 30, 2021.) The BIATF was chaired by Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu, and co-chaired by Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año and Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat.
Image credits: Tee Jun Huei | Dreamstime.com