San Miguel Corp. said Thursday all workers and regular employees of Boracay Airport will keep receiving full pay throughout the closure of Boracay island for six months.
“We will retain all of them to make sure they have steady source of income during the closure,” San Miguel president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said.
Ang said the company would offer workers a chance to make worthwhile the use of their time by helping in the government’s cleanup program.
Ang said to facilitate and hasten rehabilitation efforts in Boracay, the company also volunteered for use by the government the company’s dredging equipment, backhoes and barges.
San Miguel, through unit Trans Aire Development Holdings Corp., holds the concession to operate Boracay Airport.
“The airport won’t be requiring full manpower while Boracay is totally closed to tourists so we are looking to encourage all our workers to help the government during the lull,” Ang said.
“I think all airport workers, especially the locals, know what’s at stake here, and they are more than willing to do what they can to help preserve Boracay,” Ang said.
“We all understand that sacrifices have to be made to ensure that the island is sustainable for generations to come. This is how we and the airport workers can contribute,” he said.
Ang said the airport itself would not really shut down, as there would still be a handful of flights servicing the route everyday for the benefit of local residents.
The company said it would use the “down time” as an opportunity to upgrade the airport’s green features.
“We want this airport to exemplify what it is to be eco-friendly and sustainable. We want to send a clear message to visitors that here, we respect and take care of our environment; that they have a responsibility as well to do no harm to the environment,” Ang said.
He said the closure would allow the company to further plan how to turn Boracay Airport into a green gateway and augment government’s effort to rehabilitate the island and turn it into a sustainable tourist destination.
“Airports are gateways and as operator of the Boracay Airport we have a responsibility to promote change and raise awareness at the front door among our visitors and the communities,” Ang said.
“If government needs more people to help with cleanups and similar activities where our people can contribute, they will be ready. We are very confident that they would gladly offer their paid time to support the island’s rehabilitation,” he said.