Statement of Sen. Nancy Binay on the 6-Month Closure of Boracay

Nasaan na ang kongkretong plano para sa mga manggagawa ng Boracay?

Now that the President has ordered the six-month closure of Boracay and the physical plans to rehabilitate are already in place, what has been missed out is the plan for the 35,000 jobs that will be disrupted.

Ang nakakalungkot, marami nang naapektuhan ng downsizing, and every day the number of displaced workers increases as a consequence of the shutting down of business operations.

Ano po ang plano ng DENR, DILG, DSWD, DOLE at DOT sa mga apektadong mga empleyado na nasa isla maging ang mga nasa informal sector?

As Chair of the Senate Committee on Tourism, I was expecting a more detailed plan for the majority of the workers--specially from the tourism sectors--who will be displaced.

There should be information channels to employees and employers about impending disruptions; programs for re-employment service, unemployment insurance, cash-for-work, and direct job creation, etc.

The goal should be to mitigate the impact brought job diplacements by providing those who are working in the primary, secondary and tertiary economic sectors a clearer plan for them before the proposed shutdown.

Is government willing to subsidize 35,000 employed in the island?

Magkano ba ang ibibigay na subsidy sa mga madi-displace na empleyado? Ilan lang ba ang kayang i-accommodate ng gobyerno na bigyan ng trabaho?

May assistance bang ibibigay ang gobyerno sa mga compliant small-to-medium resort operators?

As of now, we need to see is a clear policy response and detailed plans from the DENR, DILG and DOT to avoid the negative ripples of an economic shock.

I hope the government will also help those displaced workers get back into employment once everything goes back to normal.

Remember, enrollment na naman at may mga pangangailangan ng pamilya na kailangang din nilang intindihin.