Following President Rodrigo Duterte referring to resort destination Boracay as a “cesspool” and ordering the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to get a handle of the ongoing pollution problem in six months or risk being shut down, the Malay municipal government, which has jurisdiction over the island, said they accept the president’s “constructive criticism.”

“We do accept the constructive criticism [from] our president and [will] use it as the fundamental aspect of our improvements,” the government said in a press statement. “The local government recognizes the existence of these problems and its responsibilities to uphold the environmental and social welfare of our beloved island.”

The statement also noted a contract earlier signed with Palafox Associates, which seeks to create a master tourism plan for the island.

Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo recently issued a statement backing Duterte’s position, saying, “The massive clean-up of Boracay is a bitter pill that we have to swallow if we were to collectively save and sustain Boracay.”/WDJ