Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Church braces for new war on Boracay casino plan
BY NESTOR P. BURGOS JR / Inquirer

BORACAY - The parish priest of Boracay Island has slammed renewed efforts to build a casino in the popular island resort.
Fr. Magloire Placer, priest of the Holy Rosary Parish, said parishioners and community members in Boracay would block attempts to put up a casino on the island.
“We have only learned that the municipal council has passed a resolution endorsing the proposal. There was no consultation among the community,” Placer told Inquirer in a telephone interview on Monday.
The municipal council of Malay on January 25 passed a resolution endorsing the proposal of Cariño Development Management Corporation (CDMC) to build a casino at the 120-hectare Fairways and Bluewater Resort Golf and Country Club at the northern end of the 1,032-hectare island.
In its resolution, the council said the casino would bring additional revenue to the municipality and also attract more tourists.
It said Fairways was an ideal location for a casino because it was “secure, exclusive and self-contained.” Access to the facility would be restricted to only those who would play in the casino.
In a letter on January 3, CDMC president Noel Cariño said the casino operations would be regulated and accessible only to foreigners, members of an exclusive club and resort guests and residents.
Cariño said the casino would bring added income during bad weather when tourists are prevented from engaging in outdoor activities.
Placer, however, said parishioners and other residents of Boracay would hold rallies against the casino.
“The casino may be legal but we are fighting it on moral grounds,” he said.
Placer also questioned the basis for the municipal council approval of the project.
“Is it really needed? The casino needs Boracay to earn money but Boracay does not need a casino. We don’t need to attract tourists anymore because the island is already popular and in fact, getting crowded,” he said.
He said this was the third time in recent years that plans to put up a casino on the island have been pushed.
In 2003, a plan to put up a casino was shelved after Church and community groups held protest actions to block the project.
In 2008, then Kalibo Bishop Romeo Lazo led opposition to another proposal to build a casino on the island.
Councilor Rowen Aguirre, chair of the committee on laws and ordinances, said the council sticks by its endorsement
.

No comments:

Post a Comment