Philippine Ministry of Environment: Everything is ready for Boracay’s trial operation
According to the Philippine Business Daily, the Philippine Ministry of Environment said on the 21st local time that after six months of sealing the island, Boracay is ready for trial operation on October 26.
Boracay, once called a "septic tank" by President Duterte, began to close the island at the end of April to rectify its sewage system and demolish illegal structures.
Deputy Environment Minister Wu Shijie told Radio Radio: "We are fully prepared to reopen Boracay Island. Our beloved Boracay Island is no longer a septic tank. The water there is now very clear."
He said, however, activities like island hopping and water skiing may still be banned when Boracay is reopened. This will have to wait for the results of Boracay's marine biodiversity research.
He said: "We are working hard, but we don't expect the study to be completed before the 26th."
He reiterated that party activities and building structures on the beach in Boracay will also be banned.
He added that the government will continue to monitor the water quality of Boracay and expand the roads on Boracay. It is expected that the project will be completed before the end of this year.
Boracay has always been one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Philippines.
Philippine Civil Aviation data shows that in 2017, about 3.7 million tourists went to Boracay.