Is Boracay ready to reopen on Oct 26?

THE 10-day dry run in Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan will determine the readiness of the tourist destination after a 6-month rehabilitation. It will officially reopen on Oct 26, 2018.

THE local government unit (LGU) of Malay, Aklan prepares as Boracay Island reopens on Oct 26, 2018.

Rowen Aguirre, executive assistant for Boracay Affairs, said the island is ready to accept local and foreign tourists again.

“Definitely the opening is a go,” Aguirre said.

He reported that there are already 25 hotels and resorts with 2,063 rooms accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT).

“A 10-day dry run will be held starting Oct 15 to determine the island’s readiness,” he said.

Authorities are also finalizing the plan for the entry and exit points. There will be a separate port for tourists and cargos.

Based on a study on Boracay’s carrying capacity released by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu, Aguirre said only 6,405 visitors would be allowed in the island per day.

During the dry run, only 1,000 visitors can enter the island, according to DOT-6 regional director Helen Catalbas. Another 1,000 can enter the island on the second and succeeding days.

On opening day, foreign and local tourists as well as the locals can reach the island as long as they are within the carrying capacity.

“The reopening will not be full blast because the rehabilitation of the island cannot be done in only six months,” Catalbas clarified.

She added that the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force, which was created through Executive Order No. 53 of President Rodrigo Duterte, is valid for two years.

“So we still have one and a half year left. This is just 30 percent but the bottom-line is there are already compliant establishments,” she said.

Accreditation is also a progressive process, she added.

While initial accommodations have already been set in place, netizens are questioning whether road construction would be completed by the time the island opens.

Aguirre said they doubt if it will be completed by Oct 26.

The Department of Public Works and Highways is funding the P490-million rehabilitation and improvement of 4.12-kilometer main road from Cagban Port to Elizalde Property.

“The rainy season has affected the work progress of DPWH,” he said.

Aguirre assured that the Malay LGU will work closely with the DENR in implementing the laws to prevent the same environmental crisis in Boracay.

SOURCE: The Daily Guardian

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