DOT evaluating other tourist spots for possible rehabilitation after Boracay

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Tourism Secretary Bernadette Puyat said that the government’s move to rehabilitate Boracay Island might be replicated in other tourist spots including areas in Bohol and Palawan.

Puyat, speaking at the OCEAN 18 Summit in Mactan, last Friday that the government’s rehabilitation of the world-famous Boracay Island, which was ordered closed for six months, is not the last.

“We assure you that our actions in Boracay would be replicated in all other tourist destinations needing rehabilitation. We will enjoin concerned government agencies and LGUs to strictly enforce relevant business and environmental laws,” the tourism secretary added.

“We have already evaluated the situation in El Nido, La Union, Coron, Panglao, Bohol and also we’ll be doing it in Mactan,” Puyat said.

READ: Trash ends up in El Nido lagoon | Beyond Boracay: El Nido, Panglao face environmental problems too

President Rodrigo issued Proclamation No. 475 placing Boracay under a state of calamity for six months because of the environmental issues, including the lack of a proper sewerage system, hounding the island.

This was to give way for the world-famous island’s massive rehabilitation after Duterte called it a "cesspool"

Boracay was ordered closed on April 26 and has just reopened for tourists on October 26.

The Palace, through presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, earlier said that the closure and rehabilitation of Boracay was a “lesson [in] political will,” and a “lesson [on] neglect, misfeasance and malfeasance by responsible persons in office.”

Duterte, speaking at the 1st Subaraw Biodiversity Festival in Palawan on Sunday night, also reminded Palawan to “protect your crown jewel... which is really yung mga magagandang lugar.”

“Avoid overcrowding. Iyang El Nido na ‘yan, iba. Ganun,” the president also said, adding that no hotel should be allowed to operate near the seas.

Since the reopening of Boracay, tourists on the island would be limited to 19,215 people on any given day to avoid overcrowding.