MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday reiterated that he would declare the entire island of Boracay as a land reform area.
“You can cut, but the rest of island I will be declaring it as land reform,” the president said, referring to setting aside a part of the famous tourist destination as a commercial area.
Duterte also said he would talk to the Congress on the declaration and that all those who wish to build a commercial area should raise their concerns with the legislature.
“I’m telling you that Boracay is classified forestral and agriculture,” Duterte said.
According to reports, the Department of Agrarian Reform has identified 15.5 hectares on the island that can be declared covered by the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.
Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Proclamation 1064 classified Boracay Island into 400 hectares of reserved forestland for “protection purposes” and 628.96 hectares of agricultural land that are alienable and disposable. —Rosette Adel
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