Boracay’s rehabilitation programme is going to schedule and will likely reopen as expected in late October.
The Philippines’ environment secretary Roy Cimatu said the work is on track to be completed as planned by the end of October and the closure period will not be extended.
He told reporters authorities were confident enough of a planned October 27 reopening date that businesses which have passed compliancy tests can now accept bookings.
It is now nearly two months since Boracay closed down for a comprehensive island-wide rehabilitation programme.
The government took the dramatic measure of closing the entire island, described as a ‘cesspool’ by the President, due to widespread violations of waste disposal and environmental laws.
Cimatu said only resorts and other businesses compliant with zoning and environment regulations will be permitted to reopen.
He said the water quality at popular White Beach has already shown a marked improvement and the Department of Public Works and Highways has begun constructing a 5-kilometre road near Bulabog beach and other road widening works.
Authorities also began removing illegal homes from the island’s wetlands and moved about 85 families to temporary housing.
A ‘soft opening’ of Boracay is tentatively planned for September but department of the interior and local government officer-in-charge Eduardo Año warned stakeholders not to rush and cut corners in order to meet the deadline.
"We should fix this properly because not only the whole country is watching us, but the whole world is watching and I believe that we can do it," he said.
