No final decision on Boracay casino-resort project, says LRWC

Leisure and Resorts World Corp. (LRWC) clarified on Tuesday that the company and its Macau-based partner Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd. has not reached any final decision regarding the plan to build a casino-resort complex in Boracay.

“LRWC continues to be in talks with its partner Galaxy Entertainment Group. Both parties have not reached any final decision regarding its planned Boracay resort project,” LRWC vice president and corporate secretary Katrina Nepomuceno told GMA News Online.

Nepomuceno issued the statement amid reports, quoting Tourism Undersecretary Ricky Alegre, that Galaxy Entertainment has dropped its plan to build a casino-resort complex in Boracay.

“Following protocol, no change in plans or project location would be made without prior consultation and agreement with PAGCOR,” she said.

PAGCOR—the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.—is the gaming industry regulator.

“Contrary to claims that Galaxy has ‘abandoned’ its planned Boracay project, no such announcement has been made nor communicated with PAGCOR,” Nepomuceno said.

GMA News Online also asked PAGCOR if Galaxy Entertainment and LRWC already informed the regulator about the supposed plan to discontinue the Boracay casino-resort project.

“I have no information regarding this,” PAGCOR chairwoman Andrea Domingo said. “No one has informed me about this.”

Alegre, for his part, clarified that the Department of Tourism has “no direct information” or official communication with Galaxy Entertainment regarding its plans.

“Last Saturday, we were asked to react to the question from a reporter to the report that Galaxy is looking for a new venue. And Secretary Wanda Teo replied that this is a welcome development because the inter-agency task force supports the President's decision on no casino in Boracay,” Alegre said in a separate text message to GMA News Online.

Last month, PAGCOR granted Boracay Philippines Resort and Leisure Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Galaxy Entertainment, a provisional license. Boracay Philippines Resort would be the operator of the casino-resort complex in the island.

Galaxy Entertainment and LRWC intend to build a $500-million integrated resort-casino complex in a 23-hectare property in Boracay’s Barangay Manoc-Manoc.

PAGCOR said earlier that the companies involved in the Boracay casino-resort project must still go through the tedious process of compliance before it can operate.

Boracay, which was Duterte callled a “cesspool,” will undergo a six-month closure starting April 26 to give way to an environmental rehabilitation. —VDS, GMA News