The Ati indigenous people of Boracay joined a Church-led protest last weekend to express their opposition to the planned operation of a casino on the island resort. The Diocese of Kalibo led an inter-faith rally against the proposed project on July 30. "If the operation of a casino were to flourish, and as the number of tourists continues to increase, our race may become extinct," said Evangeline Ingles Tamboon, a representative of the Ati tribal community. She said that for years the Ati tribe had "tried to adapt to a new lifestyle brought about by tourism" but complained that her people suffered discrimination "on our own land." "Gambling... brings greed and crime to Boracay," Tamboon said. The Atis carried placards as they walked for 20 minutes from their community to the center of the island resort, calling on tourists to value the simplicity and culture of the people on the island. Father Maglore Placer, parish priest of the Holy Rosary Parish on the island, said the Boracay Ati tribal organization has been very vocal in its opposition to the plan to build a casino in the community. "They even prayed the rosary in front of the resort that had a casino operating earlier," the priest said. He said the owners of the resort later stopped the gambling operation. Bishop Jose Corazon Talaoc of Kalibo issued a pastoral letter over the weekend to call for an end to plans to operate a casino on the island.