BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan—Government’s rehabilitation efforts for this key Philippine destination, known as among the best beaches in the world, is on track.
That was the statement of Undersecretary for
Tourism Regulation, Coordination and
Resource Generation Arturo P. Boncato Jr. at a news briefing during the
turnover of emergency equipment and medical supplies to the island on Thursday
at the Movenpick
Resort & Spa.
“The Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force has a life of two years given the executive order,” he said. “…[And] our inter-agency task has committed to accomplish certain milestones within that two-year period. Phase 2 of the road network construction, coming from Seawind (in Station 1) to Barangay Yapak to where we are (Movenpick) it’s supposed to be completed by the end of the validity of the task force (April 26, 2020). And based on the report of our partner, the DPWH (Department of Public Works And Highways), we are on track.”
Boracay was closed for six months in 2018 for the rehabilitation efforts.
He added, “The infrastructure of the Department of Tourism [DOT] [through] Tieza [Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority] is…investing in the drainage system, but it’s done in parallel with the road network of the DPWH. Based on the plan of commitment, that too will be finished before the validity of the task force,” Boncato said.
He noted that “the road network in Boracay is so much better and much appreciated. When the road construction was just being started, people were complaining about the roads and ditches, the water, the flooding, but when you see the result, it erases everything. This is exactly the vision of the task force, to offer the best kind of experience to the tourists and locals,” Boncato remarked.
But interviews by the BusinessMirror with several island residents indicated the rehabilitation and improvements have been sluggish, and that the construction of the road network, lighting of Bulabog beach, closure of ditches were only fast-tracked in the last few weeks, because President Duterte was supposed to visit on Thursday. (See, “Govt agencies rush projects for Duterte arrival,” in the BusinessMirror, March 11, 2020.)
Boncato also disclosed that arrivals in Boracay Island have dropped to about 1,000 a day starting March, from an average of 5,600 last year, due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak. “That is a decrease that is real, that is why we are responding to it. But this is not exclusive to Boracay. You know this is happening globally. And the other strategy we are looking at, is improving the product itself…. And what we are doing today, is just that [turnover of medical supplies and emergency equipment], making sure that when everything has been solved, when you come back to Boracay, we have all the systems in place. From the destination’s medical services will be much better than it used to be.”
Meanwhile, foundations under the Manuel V. Pangilinan Group of Cos. donated hospital equipment, medical supplies and satellite phones to the island, through a memorandum of agreement with the DOT.
Marge M. Barro, executive director of the Makati Medical Center Foundation, said her institution is “working to strengthen hospitals via skills upgrade.” She said they are working to help Ciriaco Tirol Hospital, currently at infirmary level, to receive any patient such as trauma cases, and make it a tertiary level 1 hospital.
Also, automated hand sanitizers stations will be installed around the jetty port for tourists. The PLDT Smart Foundation will also donate about 60 satellite phones to help the DOT in disaster preparedness and recovery.
Foundation President Esther O. Santos said these satellite phones would be pre-loaded, with three phones initially turned over to Boracay. The DOT will identify the other destinations that will receive the phones.
Barro emphasized, “The virus really doesn’t thrive under the sun. So please don’t be scared to go to the beaches, but of course, always take safety precautions.”