Manage your expectations when visiting Boracay – Tourism Secretary

Those who are longing to go to Boracay Island, after six long months’ closure for rehabilitation due to environmental reasons last April 26, 2018; should take note of some things they can and cannot do in the island.

Boracay Island has reopened on October 26 after spending millions of pesos to rehabilitate the island.

In order to conserve the island’s environment and natural habitat, Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) composed of agencies to include the DENR, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Tourism (DOT), has set the guidelines to be followed by visitors and tourists who wish to experience the breath-taking beauty of the Island.

First of all, the tourists must already be booked with a hotel in the island which has complied with the requirements imposed by the BIATF and accredited by the DOT, so that they will get through the Caticlan Jetty Port without delay.

They might be required to present their hotel reservation slips before entering the island, so they must print their booking documents.

The move is also to keep track of people entering the island, as only 6,405 tourists could stay in the Island at a given day.

Caticlan Jetty Port – The gateway to Boracay

Smoking and drinking of alcoholic drinks will no longer be allowed at the white beach as well as dining by the beach is also prohibited.

There will no longer be fireworks to mark the New Year, as fireworks displays will only be allowed until 9 o’clock in the evening.

No shops and hawkers along the beach will be allowed. Water sports and diving activities, which had been part of a tourist’s Boracay experience, will be temporarily prohibited and suspended.

Using kerosene will now be prohibited at the beach side.  No Sand castle-making at the beach anymore.

There will be no installation of electric lights on the beachfront and casinos will be totally banned in the island.

Adventurous tourists who wish to ride the “habal-habal” or single motorcycles can no longer do this, as “habal-habals” will already be banned in the island.

For islanders, rising of pigs and chicken for livelihood will no longer be allowed, and hot-coal roasting of meats, especially at the beachfront, is a no-no.

Berna Romulo Puyat, Tourism Secretary

“Our guests can expect a better Boracay when it comes to maintaining a high environmental standard,” said Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat.  She also advised tourists to manage their expectations as Boracay may not be the same as they have experienced before.

“We are doing this to preserve the natural beauty of Boracay,” said Puyat. “The island is a model of sustainable tourism in the country and we hope that this will inspire those in-charge of other attractions in the Philippines,” she added.