Immediate rehabilitation for displaced workers in Boracay urged
Manila, Philippines – In time of the Labor Day, the militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA-Pilipinas) urged the Duterte government to expedite the assistance for more than 30,000 workers displaced by the 6-month closure of Boracay that started in April 26.
Boracay Island, which Duterte tagged as a “cesspool”, has 430 registered hotels and accommodations employing an estimated 19,000 registered employees; while around 17, 000 workers are from the informal sector including masseurs, tattoo artists, and vendors by the beach.
“While Duterte is promulgating the rehabilitation of Boracay, there is also an urgent need to rehabilitate thousands of displaced workers who stand affected by the government’s unprecedented total closure. Workers need government assistance in a form of economic subsidy and relief because a 6-month closure is equivalent to 6 months of hunger and joblessness,” Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA Chairperson said in a statement.
Although the fisherfolk group is calling for economic support for the affected workers, Hicap clarified they are still opposed to the total closure and the planned casino in the island. He said his group together with other concerned sectors will continue to investigate the underlying motive behind the total closure and will publicly expose President Duterte’s sinister agenda to transform the leisure island into foreign gambling island at the expense of the country’s patrimonial rights.
“We believe that the real score behind the total closure of Boracay is to further its privatization and to sellout the island to foreign interests. We don’t buy Duterte’s rehabilitation gimmick unless the planned casino and other giant infrastructures pending throughout the island have been completely rejected and the government will release a holistic rehabilitation plan that will not affect the workers and residents,” ended Hicap. ###
