A proclamation signed by President Duterte on Thursday, April 26, placed three barangays in Boracay Island under a state of calamity, thus justifying the six-month closure of this world famous tourist hotspot. Specifically, Proclamation No. 475, s. 2018 declared “a state of calamity in the barangays of Balabag, Manoc-Manoc and Yapak (Island of Boracay) in the Municipality of Malay, Aklan, and temporary closure of the island as a tourist destination.” This shutdown, approved by Duterte on April 4, seeks to clean up what was once dubbed as the world’s best island and rid it of the “cesspool” tag given by no less than the President himself.

Remo, A. R., & Roa, A. G. (2018, April 28). 'Laboracay' no more. Philippine Daily Inquirer, pp. B2-1, B2-2.