BORACAY ISLAND, Malay, Aklan—Resort owners here will be allowed to make light renovations in their establishments while the island is closed for six months.
This was the assurance made by Tourism Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Frederick M. Alegre in an interview with the BusinessMirror. “While the island is closed, it is also the time for [the resorts] to upgrade. We just want to know the specifics of their renovation plan,” he said. These can include painting, retiling, refurbishment of interiors, changing beds, among others. As such, resort owners are allowed to bring in supplies, materials, equipment and people.
He stressed, however, major renovations, which include actual construction work like adding of rooms or buildings that will change the structure of the resort, are strictly prohibited. The Malay local government has suspended new constructions on Boracay and has not been issuing any business or renovation permits.
Resort owners are, thus, encouraged to write to Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon T. Teo, through Alegre, to inform them of the renovation plan and what supplies are expected to be brought on the island, as well as the identities of the people who will be involved in the work.
Other business establishments may course their requests to Task Force Boracay, which will set up a central coordinating body in Caticlan. “They just need to coordinate with the interagency task force on the schedule and scope of their upgrade work,” Alegre said.
He also said “there may be interruptions in services (power and water), but this will be pre-announced to the residents, hotels and resorts.”
This developed as the task force overseeing Boracay issues will be finalizing and releasing the guidelines governing the island’s closure on Monday, April 23, or three days before the latter finally shuts down all tourist activities.
Alegre said these guidelines will include changes in swimming areas for the locals, media coverage, exemptions from the no-visitors rule, among others. “That was the point of the workshop conference last Tuesday. We’re willing to listen and amend the rules and guidelines as needed,” he stressed.
About 150 stakeholders attended the workshop conference at Savoy Hotel, Newcoast, where they listened to several government agencies present their respective action plans to prepare and oversee the closure of Boracay Island. President Duterte ordered the island’s closure for six months starting April 26 to give way to rehabilitation efforts by the national government.
For one, Alegre said, they will likely approve a new designated swimming area for locals, which was earlier identified as Angol Point. During the open forum with Task Force Boracay executives during the workshop, Boracay Foundation Inc. board member Leonard Tirol pointed out that Angol Point is “full of coral reefs and has no lifeguard on duty.”
He also underscored that “it would be difficult for an ambulance to go there, in case there are any accidents involving locals,” as the path is too narrow for vehicles.
Alegre also announced “there will be no restrictions on media, at least for the first week after the closure, from April 26 to May 2.” He said a media center will be set up at the jetty port and on the island, “so that those unable to go back to Caticlan due to transport issues have a place to stay.” Earlier, the task force restricted media access to the island between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. only.
But he said the task force will still be meeting to discuss if the no-restrictions coverage can be extended after May 2, and added the rule on government-escorted coverage may have to remain. “Remember that there will be a lot of construction and demolitions happening on the island; we don’t want anyone to get into any accident.”
Alegre reiterated that media outfits must submit their list of reporters and crew members who may be assigned to Boracay for press coverage so the Department of Tourism can accredit them.
Image credits: Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo