The local government of Panglao town in Bohol has mandated the closure of Villa Tomasa Q Resort, formerly known as Alona Kew White Beach Resort, for operating without a valid business permit, officials said Tuesday.
The order from the Business Permit Licensing Office of Panglao was issued after the resort’s management reportedly failed to renew its permit for 2024, despite receiving a notice more than 10 days prior.
“The LGU must exercise its police power by issuing a closure order for your establishment’s non-compliance,” the order stated, emphasizing the due process provided.
The closure was enforced Tuesday afternoon, leading to the immediate takeover by the property’s original owners, Eteria Evelyn Naval-Flores and Magileo Wilfredo Flores.
The conflict stems from a dispute with the resort’s lessees, the Guardos of Cebu City, who have allegedly defaulted on a monthly rental fee of P10 million. According to documents from the Flores family, the lease agreement signed in January 2023 has seen rental arrears soar to P63.9 million as of April 2024.
Despite efforts to negotiate a resolution, including several meetings to restructure the leasing agreement, the proposals from the lessees were ultimately rejected by the Floreses on March 27, 2024. The lessees have since ceased payments and have not vacated the premises, leading to the enforced closure.
HotelNewsAsia.com has contacted the Guardos for comment and will update the story with any developments.