MANILA – As Boracay began its partial reopening on Monday, the government said it will strictly enforce the compliance of business establishments to ensure the success of its dry run.
Tourism secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said only 68 out of 455 hotels and resorts are currently allowed to operate after they complied with government requirements.
She warned business establishments, which have yet to receive accreditation from the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF), of possible liabilities if they will still receive bookings and reservations.
“Ina-advise namin ‘yung non-compliant establishments, i-delete nila or put on hold all online promotions and related collateral,” Romulo-Puyat said in an interview.
The renowned beach destination was closed in April to give way to a massive cleanup and the rehabilitation of its roads and sewerage system.
‘New’ Boracay’s dos and don’ts
When Boracay opens its door to the general public on Oct. 26, Romulo-Puyat reiterated that smoking and drinking in public places are no longer allowed.
“Ine-enforce lang namin ang existing ordinance or batas,” she said.
Citing a commissioned study, the government will also limit daily tourist entrance to 6,405.
“Kinausap namin ang lahat ng airlines to limit their number of flights and a lot of them agreed,” she added.
Once notorious for its wild nightlife, Boracay’s focus will be family-oriented tourism, she said.
“They’ve already shifted to family-oriented tourism kasi they’ve learned that they earned more when it’s become family-oriented rather than a party place,” she said. (ABS-CBN News)
