A much improved Boracay greets tourists a year after 2018 SONA
A cleaner, much improved Boracay Island has welcomed over 2.5 million local and foreign tourists after its months-long closure for massive rehabilitation last year, according to the Malay Municipal Tourism Office.
An average of 190,000 tourists every month visited the world-famous white sand beach for the first half of 2019, with April as the peak month with 222,330 visitors.
The rehabilitation was launched months after President Rodrigo Duterte, in February 2018, described Boracay as "cesspool" due to sewerage and sanitation issues.
This task force was composed of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Department of Tourism.
During the previous State of the Nation Address, Duterte said that the efforts to restore Boracay was just a pilot move for many more conservation measures that will be implemented in other tourists spots in the Philippines.
"We intend to restore its environmental integrity, alongside measures to alleviate those whose livelihood were momentarily affected. Environmental protection and ensuring the health of our people cannot be overemphasized; thus, our actions in Boracay mark the beginning of a new national effort," he said during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last year
"This is just the beginning. For the other tourist destinations needing urgent rehabilitation and enforcement of environmental and other laws shall soon follow."
The safe level, according to experts, was 100 mpn/100 ml.
Establishments in Boracay were required to secure environmental compliance certificates before they had been allowed to resume operations.
As of July 10, 2019, a total of 365 establishments on the island have been granted the government's accreditation. Over 13,000 rooms are available for tourists' accommodation.