When will Boracay reopen?
Starting on June 16th, Boracay will gradually open for local tourists ONLY coming from Western Visayas. Reopening for other domestic and international tourists has not been announced and will be decided on at a later date.
Secretary Ano of the DILG said that they will use the reopening of Boracay as basis to open up other tourist spots in the country.
Are there COVID cases in Boracay right now?
As of this writing (June 13th), there are zero COVID cases in Boracay and Aklan for more than a month already according to DOT secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat. She also hailed the protocols being set in place at the Bolabog Hospital as well as the nearly finished COVID-19 testing laboratory in Aklan.
Are there Boracay hotels open now?
According to DOT, there are currently three hotels that are operational but they are ready to accept requests from other Boracay hotels who would like to restart operations. As of June 11, the mayor of Malay town said that the DOT has already received 90 letters of intent out of some 390 accredited establishments. So, more establishments should be operational soon.
Only establishments that have the DOT certification can operate. This is to ensure that the safety and health of visitors will be given utmost priority and will not be compromised.
Can I just go and visit Boracay?
No. You need to pre-book your trip. According to the mayor of Malay town, one cannot enter Boracay without pre-booking. Tourists will be screened at the Caticlan port and they will be required a confirmation voucher from the accommodation establishment where they will stay.
Are there restriction on the reopening?
Local tourists below 21 years old and above 60 years old are still prohibited from visiting the island in compliance with the existing MGCQ guidelines.
Good to know:
- On June 11th, the police at Malay town launched the “e-Reklamo” to reduce the people’s risk of exposure to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). Per its advisory, the police station will accept complaints and can be reached via Facebook Messenger.
Our Take:
The closure of Boracay affected the livelihood of a lot of people in the area. It is good to see the government taking things one step at a time. The gradual reopening of Boracay is a good first step towards the “new normal” and will help alleviate those who were badly hit.
We can only hope this pandemic to end soon so life goes back as before. For now, let’s cooperate with the authorities and practice social distancing.
Good to know that the reopening is gradual. Wanted to go there but looks like I have to wait until they open it up for travellers from other provinces.
Looks like not much travelers are taking advantage of the reopening. Sad, I would have visited if I’m local. This is the best to go there. No crowds. The beach will be all mine!