BORACAY – There was a sharp drop in domestic tourists here last week after the National Capital Region (NCR) and neighboring provinces were placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from April 2 to April 9.
But domestic tourist arrivals in the island may improve this week. The government has downgraded the quarantine classification over Metro Manila and four of its adjacent provinces to a less stringent modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) starting today April 12 , Presidential spokesman Harry Roque announced yesterday.
On April 6, there were only two tourists who came over while on April 7, there were only 10.
From April 1 to April 9, Boracay registered 730 visitors. Of these, 228 were from Iloilo province, 194 from Aklan, 120 from Negros Occidental, and 32 from Cebu.
There were 103 tourists in the island as of April 9; they preferred to stay due to the lockdown in the NCR and neighboring provinces.
Boracay Island only attracted 46,458 tourists from January to April, according to Malay, Aklan Chief Tourism Operations Officer Felix Delos Santos.
To date, 156 accommodation establishments in Barangay Balabag and 21 in two zones in Barangay Manocmanoc affected by lockdown orders.
Balabag was placed under ECQ while two zones of Manocmanoc were under surgical lockdowns (from April 1 to 14) due to surging cases of COVID-19 in the island.
The number of people infected had grown from 51 to 173 in just two weeks. The party held at a bar on March 10 was being blamed for most, if not all, of the new COVID-19 cases.
Malay acting chief of police Colonel Don Dicksie De Dios deployed 165 personnel in lockdown and containment areas, including 69 local police and 12 from Aklan Provincial Mobile Force Company.
Residents and establishments are urged to observe strict curfew hours and the minimum health protocols such as social distancing and wearing of facemasks in public places.
“Lahat ng kaharap natin ay i-treat natin na suspect carrier ng COVID-19. Huwag tayong maging complacent,” De Dios said./PN
