Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has cast further doubt over the prospects of Galaxy Entertainment Group’s planned US$500 million Boracay integrated resort after stating on Wednesday that the entire island would be declared a land reform area.
Speaking at the Bureau of Customs in Manila, Duterte replied to questions about the future of Boracay – which is currently closed to tourists as part of a government plan to address major pollution concerns – saying he didn’t want to add any more commercial tourist developments to the island, with even some existing commercial developments at risk.
“Let me announce that I am declaring land reform in the entire island of Boracay … the entire island will be declared as a land reform area. I will give it to the people,” the President said.
“If you are building a house there somewhere, I am sorry, we will just have to make some adjustments.
“I do not want to meddle. But Congress, may I suggest to them most respectfully … I will be declaring it as land reform area so there will be no subdivisions there. None.”
Duterte first declared his opposition to the development of any new casinos in Boracay in April after Galaxy revealed plans to build a US$500 million IR on a 23-hectare plot of land purchased by its Philippines partner Leisure and Resorts World Corp (LRWC).
“I don’t have plans there for casinos. There are enough, there is too much – casino here, casino there,” the President said at the time.
His objections came despite Philippines gaming regulator PAGCOR granting Galaxy and LRWC a provisional casino license after receiving a Letter of No Objection from the Boracay government.
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