President Duterte skipped the reopening of
the resort island last Oct. 26, saying he did not want much fanfare
over the island’s rehabilitation.
Robertzon Ramirez (The Philippine Star) - November 8, 2018 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte leads
today the ceremonial distribution of certificates of land ownership in
Boracay more than a week after the island reopened to the public.
The event will be held in Barangay Manoc-Manoc with Agrarian Reform
Secretary John Castriociones, Presidential Adviser for the Visayas
Michael Diño and local officials accompanying the President.
Duterte skipped the reopening of the resort island last Oct. 26,
saying he did not want much fanfare over the island’s rehabilitation.
The President ordered the total closure of the world-renowned tourist
destination after calling it a cesspool that must be rehabilitated.
Duterte said earlier he does not want any welcome banners when he
goes there for a visit and that he wants local residents to enjoy their
island, which is why he put some areas under land reform.
But some tourism stakeholders are still confused as to how the rules
and regulations set by the Boracay Interagency Task Force (BIATF) would
be implemented following the reopening of the island to tourists.
Thirty-five more establishments in the island have been given the go
signal to operate following compliance with the requirements of the
BIATF.
“As far as the guidelines on Boracay are concerned, there is
undoubtedly still some confusion as to what is allowed and what is not,”
Jose Clemente, president of the Tourism Congress of the Philippines
(TCP), told The STAR.
Clemente’s statement came a few days after some tourism stakeholders
were reported to have violated the guidelines by playing loud music,
holding beach parties and smoking and drinking in public places.
But as far as Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat is concerned,
she said the BIATF is “merely enforcing” local ordinances, national
laws and executive orders that have already been in effect even before
Boracay was closed.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) is a member of the BIATF along with
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Clemente acknowledged Puyat’s statement but reiterated that the
implementation of the guidelines may need to be revisited “to be clear
to both sides.”
Noting that Boracay has just reopened, he said that both the tourism
stakeholders and the government “need to be patient and work together to
iron out the wrinkles.”
More accommodations
The DOT released yesterday an updated list of establishments that could provide accommodations to tourists.
There are now a total of 197 Boracay establishments that can accept visitors or a total of 8,277 rooms.
These are the 35 new establishments and their number of rooms
accredited by the DOT: Abozza Resort (13); Agos Boracay Rooms + Beds
(27); Alamo Bay Inn (10); B Pod Hotel (8); Blue Bamboo Resort (10):
Boracay Amor Apartments (18); Boracay Backpackers (17); Boracay Royale
Residence Inn (27); Crown Regency Beach Resort (87); Crown Regency
Courtyard Resort/Annex(46); Crown Regency Prince Resort (36); De Paris
Resort Corp. (16); E&F Kawayan Terrace (6).
The others are: Eclipse Resort Boracay (10); Friday’s Resort Boracay
(50); G Executive Boracay (18); La Carmela de Boracay Hotel and
Convention Center (Premier Wing) (281); La Soleil Beach Resort (7); Lime
Hotel Boracay (46); Lola’s Lodge (6); Mayumi Beach House (5); Niu Ohana
East Bay Apartments (11); Oasis Resort and Spa (17); Roger’s Place
Guest House (2); Sandal’s Inn (2); Sheena’s Beach Resort-Main (11);
Shore Time Hotel-Main (38); Shorebreak Boracay (8); Sundown Beach
Studios (4); Turtle Inn Resort (14); Urban Boutique Hotel (14); Villa
Kalibo (4); Wendy’s Apartelle (22); White Beach de Boracay-Annex (10);
and Zuzuni Boutique Hotel (14).
The BIATF cleared 157 accommodation establishments with a total of
7,308 rooms on Oct. 25, a day before the reopening of Boracay.
Puyat earlier said the BIATF will continue to accredit compliant
accommodation establishments that pass the standards of the agency.
“More rooms will be available as we continue on with Phases 2 and 3
of Boracay’s massive rehabilitation. We are making sure the task force
requirements are 100 percent complied with,” Puyat said.
The BIATF earlier urged the public to avoid transactions with
establishments that have not yet secured the necessary clearances,
permits and/or accreditation from the DOT, DENR and DILG, and thus have
no assurance to reopen. – With Christina Mendez, Catherine
Talavera
________________________________________________
