DILG's Año: Boracay 'well-prepared' for October reopening

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Wednesday assured the public that tourist destination Boracay Island is ready for the scheduled reopening next month.

At a Laging Handa press briefing, Año said he had a meeting with the Department of Tourism and Department of Environment and Natural Resources regarding the island resort's opening.

He explained that those who would visit Boracay will undergo RT-PCR test. A quarantine facility is also there for those who will be found positive for COVID-19.

"Napag-usapan na namin 'yung opening ng Boracay. They are actually well-prepared, pati naman 'yung protocols like for example, kung pupunta 'yung tourists doon ay magPPCR testing siya, pagkatapos pagdating doon mayroon na siyang assigned na QR code then doon mismo sa Boracay, mayroon tayong COVID isolation facility kung mayroong mag-positive at ito ay dadalhin kaagad sa mainland kapag mayroong ma-detect dito na positive or even suspect..." Año said.

"Masasabi natin come October 1, prepared na ang Boracay sa domestic tourists even from GCQ areas pupuwede kasi may PCR test naman," he added.

The gradual reopening of Boracay already started in June initially for Aklan residents only, then eventually for the residents of entire Western Visayas.

Earlier, the DOT said it is still checking more tourist destinations to be reopened amid the COVID-19 pandemic. —LBG, GMA News