Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
MANILA, Philippines – Over 36,000 jobs would be affected and about P56 billion in revenues would be foregone should the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte decide to close the world-famous Boracay Island for a year to fix its environmental woes.
Based on data provided by Boracay Foundation Incorporated, a non-profit, non-stock association, there are over 17,000 employees who would be directly affected by total closure of businesses. (READ: PH travel, tourism sectors girding for planned Boracay shutdown)
"These are employees of hotels, resorts, restaurants, dive shops, souvenir shops, tour activity centers, and transport providers," Boracay Foundation director Leonard Tirol said in a press conference in Makati City on Thursday, March 22.
Another 19,000 workers from the informal sector – beach masseuses, tattoo artists, vendors – would also be affected by the temporary closure, Tirol added.
Meanwhile, of the total tourism receipts from January to September 2017, 20% or P56 billion was generated by Boracay.
"More than the effect of closure [on] individual business entities, the contribution of this to the country's economy cannot be disregarded," reads a joint statement from Boracay stakeholders – the Philippine Travel Agencies Association, Tourism Congress Philippines, Philippine Tour Operators Association, as well as Organization of Hotel Sales and Marketing Professionals.
Boracay establishments generated 17,737 jobs in 2017, the largest number in Western Visayas.
The island drew over two million local and foreign tourists in 2017, up by 16% from 2016, data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed.
The proposed shutdown of Boracay is intended to address the ecological crisis hounding the island.– Rappler.com
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
