Boracay reopening spoiled after BFP staff tests positive for COVID-19

The reopening of Boracay to Western Visayas tourists on Tuesday was spoiled after authorities confirmed that a female staff of the Bureau of Fire Protection Region 6 who had stayed on the island tested positive for COVID-19.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, Malay, Aklan acting mayor Frolibar Bautista said the female patient was on the island from June 12 to 14 to attend a conference.

He said the local government is already conducting contact tracing to isolate those who had close contact with the patient.

“Hindi maganda ‘yong opening namin kahapon dahil nga sa mga nangyari,” Bautista said.

He said an initial investigation showed that the female patient went to the island with a pending COVID-19 test.

“[L]umabas na naka-quarantine pala siya sa Iloilo City pero ang report ay galing daw ng Cebu then nag-quarantine doon tapos umuwi sa Iloilo,” Bautista said.

“Pina-rapid test daw at negative so pina-swab test pa kaya naka-quarantine pa siya. Hindi pa lumabas ‘yong resulta pero umalis sa Iloilo at pumunta sa Boracay,” he added.

Prior to the incident, Bautista said eight establishments on the island secured their certificate of authority to operate from the Department of Tourism with a total of 632 rooms made available for Filipino tourists expected to visit the island on the reopening day.

However, Bautista said only a few tourists arrived.

“‘Yong expectation namin, hindi natupad,” he said. “Hindi maganda kasi very discouraging na mangyari ‘yan especially sa mga tourists natin na excited na pumunta sa Boracay. Siyempre ‘pag narinig ‘yang balita na ‘yan, ‘yong iba diyan mag-aatrasan.”

So far, Bautista said a total of 59 individuals who had close contact with the patient are now under quarantine.

Further, he urged all Western Visayas to still visit the island. He assured all tourists that Boracay is strictly implementing health protocols to prevent the spread of the virus.

“Ang Boracay is more dependent on tourism kaya ‘pag wala kaming bisita, talagang wala kaming revenue halos at tsaka wala kaming trabaho. Not only Boracay but the whole province of Aklan,” he said.

“Assurance is for how many months na COVID-free ang Boracay dahil nga ang mga tao dito sumusunod sa aming mga guidelines, lalo sa mga pagsuot ng face mask, social distancing at tsaka itong handwashing,” Bautista added. 

The local government of Malay earlier condemned the incident, saying the female patient’s presence on the island was “irresponsible and blatant disregard of quarantine protocols.”

“[T]he BFP personnel allegedly went on an unofficial business and violated quarantine protocols of both the municipality of Malay and Kalibo (the personnel’s place of origin),” the LGU said in a statement released on Facebook.

Bautista said he already consulted with the municipal legal office to file a case against those “irresponsible personnel” who violated quarantine protocols.

Establishments who accepted the unofficial business trip of the BFP personnel will also be probed for possible violation of Executive Orders No. 027 and 027-A of the municipality of Malay, the LGU said. — RSJ, GMA News