President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday that he would declare a state of calamity in Boracay weeks after ordering a cleanup of the famous island in six months. And that is why I will be declaring state of calamity,” Duterte said in a speech during the oath-taking of Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission in Malacañang. Duterte said that the problem in Boracay is a public health and public safety issue, allowing him to issue such declaration. The President also ordered the local government unit of Boracay to cooperate with the national government and hasten the cleanup. ADVERTISEMENTREAD: Duterte slams local officials for serious neglect of BoracayEarly last month, Duterte ordered Año and Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu to fix the Boracay problem in six months.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer March 06, 2018 12:11 UTC