"I will not allow gambling, I do not currently offer a franchise for gambling in the entire Philippines, it is a moratorium. [I don’t like it]. I hate gambling ", said Duterte in his speech during the Confederation of Visagen Islands Clan community of the Philippines in Cebu City on Tuesday.
"Kung may mga resort diyan [So if there’s a resort there]they are still talking about gambling, you can better say it to them at an early stage. No more gambling, "he added.
Duterte has repeatedly said that Boracay Island is a forest and agricultural area and that as legislators prefer to preserve the commercial quality of the island, he would allow a strip of land.
"If you want to reach the countries behind it, remember that the whole country is still forest and agriculture, and no one can create something that is commercial," said Duterte.
"No more construction, nothing more, it will be destroyed," he added.
The president further said that he will give Boracay Island "to the natives".
"The Mangyans out there will have it," Duterte said. The president referred to the Ati people.
Duterte said earlier that he is setting up a commission that will identify the landowners of Boracay Island, who is currently being rehabilitated.
"Now the problem is how to determine who owns what, there must be a committee to treat everyone fairly, from the local government to the origin of every title there," Duterte said.
On the orders of Duterte, the Boracay government closed for tourists on 26 April. This will reopen on October 26th.
Duterte meanwhile declared the entire Boracay island as a land reform area on 30 May.
The Macau-based Galaxy Entertainment Group and its Philippine partner, AB Leisure Exponent Inc., previously unveiled a plan to build a USD 500 million integrated resort casino complex on a 23-hectare estate in Barangay Manoc-Manoc on the island of Boracay .
However, Malacañang assured that all investments are still welcome in Boracay, with the exception of casinos.
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