‘Aklan Day in Boracay’ on October 15

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Boracay inter-agency task force has announced it will declare October 15 as “Aklan Day in Boracay” to appreciate the  stakeholders support in the rehabilitation plans of the island.

PHOTO BOY RYAN ZABAL

The soft opening will allow local tourists especially Aklanons to visit and stay in Boracay Island before it reopens on October 26 to would-be tourists.

At least 25 hotels and resorts in the initial list of Department of Tourism (DoT) will be ready to accommodate guests during the partial reopening.

Aklan governor Florencio Miraflores said the ‘Aklan Day in Boracay’ was recommended by Environment secretary Roy Cimatu as a way to thank the volunteers who worked and helped in the massive rehabilitation.

“Ito ay pasasalamat sa mga volunteers natin, galing sa iba’t ibang bayan ng Aklan na tumulong sa mga unang araw. Kasama na dito ang mga volunteers na patuloy na tumutulong sa rehabilitasyon,” he said.

The global holiday destination in the province Aklan was temporarily shutdown on April 26 to reverse environmental concerns and to improve tourist infrastructures in the island.

On average, about 6,400 daily tourists stayed in Boracay which was beyond the ideal carrying capacity, according to a study of Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Miraflores said the inter-agency task force will take the carrying capacity into consideration to prevent further degradation of the island’s environment.

During the rehabilitation, sewerage treatment plants requirement for hotels and resorts will be enforced fully by DENR to ensure wastewater have undergone treatment prior to discharge to Sibuyan Sea.

Clearing operations of illegal structures encroaching the wetlands and widening of Boracay main road are also ongoing.