THE Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) is expected to implement certain policies and regulations to improve the tourist experience on the island, in response to feedback from visitors since the dry run on October 15.
In an interview with the BusinessMirror, Environment Undersecretary for Attached Agencies Sherwin S. Rigor said his agency will be forwarding a proposal to the task force to approve a preregistration system that will fast-track the entry of tourists into Boracay. “Right now, when you arrive at the port, you have to line up to register your name and details where you will be staying. Because some flights arrive at the same time, the queuing system slows down because of the sheer volume of arrivals. If you are preregistered, this will definitely speed up things; you can just go through a VIP or fast pass lane,” he said.
He also suggested that land transport associations or cooperatives put up their own access lane, and deploy their own x-ray machines “in coordination with the local government unit, to speed up the access to the island. There should be five to six x-ray machines there.”
At present, local tourists are being asked to register at the Caticlan port, and the foreign tourists at the Cagban port. “We’re doing this as an experiment just to decrease the volume of people in Caticlan by unloading others in Cagban,” he explained.
Rigor also said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) met recently with the officers of the Compliant Association of Boracay, which includes hotels, shops and other establishments compliant with the agency’s requirements, and “it was agreed that hotels along the beachfront will be allowed to put up lights, while the government will fund street lamps to light the dark areas in between.”
Recent visitors to the island have complained of the unusually dark beachfront, which made them scared of venturing out at night to walk on the beach or go to nearby restaurants and bars. “We hope to have the beachfront adequately lighted by the end of November,” he said.
Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed 17,205 tourists arrived from October 26 to 30, with daily arrivals averaging 3,441, much lower than the pegged carrying capacity of 6,045 tourist arrivals per day.
Rigor also said there will be about 20 lifeguards deployed along the main beachfront to monitor the swimmers. Prior to the closure, a few private resorts paid for one to two lifeguards, but they were mostly assigned along Station 1, known for its posh resorts. “The Philippine Coast Guard already trained 300 lifeguards who are expected to graduate in two weeks. The Coast Guard will deploy them on the beachfront soon,” he said.
The BIATF will also be coordinating with the local government to come up with a local ordinance that will improve the route taken by water sports operators that will be safer for them and their clients. “Under the old local ordinance, water sports operators are supposed to follow a certain route along the water, which however, is already outmoded and no longer followed in current practice,” Rigor explained.
He said the DENR will be completing its marine biodiversity study by next week, after which the new water sports ordinance will be discussed so a more “orderly route” will be prescribed.
President Duterte ordered the closure of Boracay Island for six months starting on April 26, to give way for government’s rehabilitation program. The island soft opened on October 26.