The island of Boracay is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It is also one of the popular tourist destinations in the Philippines.
But due to years of mismanagement, corruption, overtourism, and environmental degradation like sewage pollution, Boracay was shut down on April 26, 2018 for total rehabilitation.
Apparently, more than 2,000 businesses and homes were illegally connected to Boracay’s drainage system instead of the main sewer line. And that resulted to wastewater going directly to the sea.
The Philippine government cleaned up Boracay, built a new drainage system, added telecommunication lines, new roads, and sidewalks.
Boracay is scheduled to officially reopen to everyone on October 26, 2018.
But to maintain its beauty and its cleanliness, it will be stricter than ever in Boracay.
Out of 600 resorts in Boracay, only 68 have complied with the new environmental laws and are allowed to resume operation on the scheduled reopening.
Meanwhile, the new policies for tourists are:
- No more smoking or drinking on the beach
- No more beach beds, chairs, tables or umbrellas on the sand
- No more vendors or masseuses on the beach
Also, single-use plastics (aka disposable plastics) are banned. Watersports must be within 100 meters of the shoreline.
