BORACAY reopened to the public as a more beautiful and much-improved island destination on Oct. 26, or six months after President Rodrigo Duterte decided to bring order to the island that he described as a “cesspool.”
This strong political resolve, with the support of everyone including residents, resort owners and employees, restored the grandeur of Boracay. When all the infrastructure projects are completed on the 1,000-hectare island, it will be able to better cope with the influx of tourists and withstand the threat of natural disasters.
The way it was redesigned makes Boracay an ideal model for other beach destinations. The standards implemented on the island should be followed and replicated in other places such as Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro, Panglao in Bohol, or Coron in Palawan.
A wider and cleaner White Beach greeted tourists on Oct. 26. While it is no longer a festive and chaotic party destination like before, the four-kilometer beach regained its natural and wonderful charm that cannot be found elsewhere.
This became possible after the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources cleared the beach of nearly 200 illegal structures during the six-month cleanup, paving the way for an uninterrupted 30-meter shoreline easement that makes for amazing photographs.
The sewerage system was rehabilitated to ensure water from the island is treated before it goes out to the Sibuyan Sea where people swim. The 4.1-kilometer Circumferential Road ― the main street ― is being widened to 12 meters, complete with two-meter sidewalks and even a bicycle lane.
Bolabog Beach, on the other side of Boracay, now has a wide promenade area where people can walk leisurely.
After the massive cleanup and the continuous infrastructure buildup, Boracay will be a highly walkable island, which should be the case for all tourist destinations. By rallying the residents, tourists and motorists to respect the road perimeters, the experience of walking on the island will be greatly enhanced.
As the government fixes the infrastructure on the island, tourists must do their share by respecting the environment. All industry stakeholders ― from boat operators and vendors to tour guides and hotel owners ― should adopt a code of conduct that will create a beautiful impression about Boracay, and the Philippines as a whole.
I share the optimism of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, who sees Boracay’s reopening as something that will spawn a “culture of sustainable tourism” in the country.
President Duterte, whose “cesspool” branding of Boracay quickly started the rehabilitation campaign, now wants the Department of the Interior and Local Government to deal with other beach destinations across the country to preserve the environment and ensure that the growth of tourism in these areas is sustainable.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said his agency would review local ordinances and land use plan as well as the sewage treatment facilities in these areas.
Boracay, often considered as one of the world’s most idyllic resorts, accommodated over two million tourists in 2017, making it the tourism industry’s crown jewel. Creating 10 more well-planned island destinations in the mold of Boracay will substantially increase our tourism revenues and generate thousands of jobs across the country.
With the reopening of Boracay, I believe that its success can be replicated across the archipelago. This will require the cooperation of everyone, which is now possible because we have a beautiful model to follow.
I believe that the Filipino people are prepared and willing to make sacrifices and embrace discipline for the sake of a noble cause like sustainable growth.
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This piece first came out in Business Mirror on Oct. 30, 2018 under the column “The Entrepreneur.” For comments/feedback e-mail to: mbv.secretariat@gmail.com or visitwww.mannyvillar.com.ph./PN
