President Rodrigo Duterte said Boracay should be given back to natives and farmers.

“Remember that Boracay Island is a forestal, agricultural category. So you should remember because if I decide to make it a land reform… I’ll give it to the farmers and to the Mangyans (an etnic group), the original people who never had the opportunity like somebody to make use of Boracay,” he said during the opening of the 2018 National ICT summit in Davao City on Friday.

However, Duterte said the he will leave it to Congress on what to do with the Island.

“Well, I will give you maybe an act of mercy from the people. I will leave it to Congress to cut a strip there, maybe from the high or low tide where the water reaches and you can count about half-kilometer. Then you delineate it between a commercial and agricultural. That ends your story there. No more, no less,” he said.

“If you want to save the businesses there, for your friends and if you are regretting and to maintain the crown jewel of the Western Visayas, Boracay, you might consider just cutting a strip there. But it should go to the original occupants,” he added.

Duterte ordered the six months closure of Boracay which was started last April 26 to give way for the rehabilitation and recovery of Island.

In his speech, Duterte criticized businessmen who abused the environment in the Island.

“You (referring to businessmen) polluted, contaminated (the Island), now you are speculating if I will give it to the poor,” he said.

“Boracay is really just a small place. Fill it with people, fill it with humanity, it cannot stand the ecological load, because it’s world class. There are a lot of rich people they have cottages there, they have the chalets, they have the bungalows. It’s not yours to decide,” he noted.

“I will destroy your house because the land belongs to the farmers. You are too presumptuous in this life that those of you who have money you thought that you just can do it left and right the way you please, well, for the next few months until the end of my term --- how many months more --- you should leave there,” he added. Robina Asido/DMS