This Week in Boracay (February 22 to 28, 2020)

It will be mostly cloudy throughout the week with some morning showers, but you can still expect some dash of sunshine in the middle of the day [1]. The not-too-sunny weather is also a chance to lay on the powdery sands of White Beach for hours without the fear of getting sunburnt. It’s also a little cooler this week with a maximum temperature of only 28°C. But if you’re planning to go island hopping, don’t do it on Friday since it is expected to rain, especially in the morning.

There will be no more checkpoints of vehicles going to Boracay in line with precautionary measures for COVID-19 [2]. However, the local government of Malay, which has jurisdiction over Boracay, said that rigid inspection will be continued. The travel history of all tourists going to Boracay will still be inspected. No tourists who have been to China, Macau, and Hong Kong in the past 14 days will be allowed to go to Boracay. This order is on top of the travel ban for these countries imposed by the Philippine government to ensure that COVID-19 will not spread to the Philippines.

Still in line with COVID-19 prevention, the local council of Kalibo town urges the Department of Health and the Bureau of Quarantine to fast-track the construction of the new quarantine facility in Kalibo International Airport [3]. According to the resolution filed recently by the local council, the COVID-19 scare continues to worry town residents, especially since travelers advised for observation are still referred to Aklan’s public health facilities, located mostly in Kalibo.

A bill which aims to create the Boracay Island Development Authority (BIDA), a body that will oversee the tourist island, has been filed at the House of Representatives [4]. Congressman Paolo Duterte of the 1st District of Davao City authored the bill. The creation of BIDA is also supported by Ilonggo Senator Franklin Drilon, who has filed its first version in the Senate.

Meanwhile, the new bill which was filed early this month aims to promote the involvement of all sectors in the management, conservation, and protection of Boracay. The proposed bill also eyes BIDA as an attached agency under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. At present, the Local Government Unit of Malay has authority over Boracay.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte may visit Boracay to prove that the island is safe [5]. While there is no confirmation when he is going to visit the island, the president’s visit aims to also prove that precautionary measures to prevent COVID-19 are in place. The island’s tourism has been affected by the recent travel ban of tourists coming from China, Macao, and Hong Kong due to the virus, especially since Chinese tourists have been the top visitors of the island in the past years. The local tourism office recorded a 30 to 40 percent decrease in tourist arrival since the ban took effect.

Visit Yoorekka for more updates on Boracay.