ILOILO City – Boracay Island flourished without casino and will continue to do well without it, according to new Jaro Archbishop Jose Romeo Lazo.
In 2008 as bishop of the Diocese of Kalibo, Lazo was a leading voice against the plan of state-owned Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) to operate a casino inside the posh Fairways and Bluewaters Resort at the northern end of Boracay.
Now, even though assigned far away from Boracay (the Diocese of Kalibo which also covers the island is under the Archdiocese of Capiz and not under the Archdiocese of Jaro) Lazo, 69, remains a staunch anti-casino advocate.
“When I was the bishop of Kalibo, I made it a point to make people aware that Boracay successfully established itself even without casinos. So let it be like that,” Lazo told journalists in his first press conference as archbishop of Jaro after his installation yesterday at the Jaro Cathedral.
Pagcor issued last month a provisional license to Macau casino operator Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd. and its local partner Leisure and Resorts World Corp. to build a $500-million casino resort in the world-famous island.
Ten years ago, Lazo threatened to lead rallies against Pagcor’s casino plan in Boracay.
“We are for a family-oriented and wholesome Boracay,” he stressed in June 2008 at the height of the casino controversy in the island.
Lazo also wrote then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo a letter warning her that a casino, with unlimited jackpots, would cause greater harm to residents of Boracay.
“Boracay is a natural treasure of Aklanons and the Filipino people…we therefore want a drug-free and gambling-free Boracay,” said Lazo.
Pagcor first pushed the plan of opening a casino complex in 2003 but President Arroyo, a devout Catholic, ordered it shelved following a public protest.
“Putting a casino there will somehow destroy the environment (and) the healthy lifestyle of the people,” said Lazo yesterday, still maintaining the position he had a decade ago.
In 2008 he issued a “letter of instruction” urging Boracay parishioners and religious organizations under the Diocese of Kalibo “to unite, pray, reflect and act to express our sentiments against gambling in Boracay.”
In 2007, Lazo also led his flock in successfully blocking a plan to operate Small Town Lottery in Aklan.
He was undeterred in opposing Pagcor even if the Sangguniang Bayan of the municipality of Malay, Aklan which had jurisdiction over Boracay endorsed the casino plan.
“Let me be clear: I have opposed and will continue to oppose casino gambling. I will not cooperate with any effort to establish casino gaming in Boracay,” Lazo stressed then.
Pope John Paul II appointed Lazo the bishop of Kalibo in Nov. 15, 2003.
In July 21, 2009 Pope Benedict XVI made him the bishop of San Jose in Antique province.
In February this year, Pope Francis announced Lazo’s new assignment as archbishop of Jaro.
Last week, President Rodrigo Duterte clarified he was against the operation of casino in Boracay.
“Wala akong plano diyan na casino-casino. Tama na ‘yan kasi sobra na. Casino dito, casino doon…My order was (just) to clean it up,” said Duterte.
Critics said Boracay’s impending closure and cleanup were just a ruse to accommodate the mega casino of Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd.
But the President said, “Far (from) it actually. I never said about building anything or even a nipa hut there…So mag-clean(up), sarado. There’s one way in, one way out.”
While they already have a license, Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd. and Leisure and Resorts World Corp. have yet to submit the necessary applications for clearances and permits to the Department of Tourism and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
“’Yung mga casino? Who owns the casino? Hotels? Big ones? Who owns them? ‘Yung mga mayaman, pati mga dayo. Eh agricultural man (‘yung lupa), eh ‘di ibalik ko sa farmers,” said Duterte.
Environment secretary Roy Cimatu previously said he was against the casino and that Boracay was not ideal for such type of development./PN
