More than a week before the April 26 closure, the Department of Tourism (DOT) initiated a Tuesday working conference for local stakeholders and presented the consolidated plan on how to rehabilitate world-famous Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan province. “We had to present the entire plan and listen to the stakeholders,” Tourism Assistant Secretary Frederick Alegre said. “This is necessary because we want them to buy in the idea (of the closure). This is the first time the interagencies—Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and DOT—sat down with representatives of local businesses, the local residents, the local government officials, the indigenous group of Ati, and others after President Duterte approved the six-month closure starting April 26.

Yap, T. (2018, April 18). Consolidated plan for Boracay closure bared. Manila Bulletin, p. 7.