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BORACAY, Philippines (Reuters) – The Philippines reopened Friday its first holiday island, promising sustainable tourism and a greener environment, welcoming visitors after a six-month cleanup ordered by a president who had described it as a "cesspool".
Since April, hundreds of enthusiastic tourists excluded from Boracay have visited a pier that is the gateway to the 10-square-kilometer island, famous for its powdery white sand, turquoise waters, vibrant nightlife and its abundant water sports.
"We are lucky to be here today, so we have to enjoy it and see what it looks like. Party, swim, eat and everything else, "French tourist Chris Balloug told Reuters on his landing.
Filipino tourist Kat Ruiz said she hoped for a better island with a family atmosphere.
Cabinet and local government officials unveiled an image of the size of a billboard at Puka Beach in Boracay before declaring the island "officially open to all".
In April, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the closure of Boracay after viewing a video showing sewage water conducted at sea, a side effect of several decades of unregulated construction that had submerged a tiny sewer system.
"We have already made the first phase, that is the rehabilitation," said Environment Minister Roy Cimatu, at a press conference. "There is no more cloaca."
Boracay last year attracted 2 million visitors and generated a business turnover of $ 1 billion, but its environment has suffered, with a buildup of waste, rampant land encroachment and narrow roads congested by the circulation.
Now the island is reforming itself.
Parties on the beach are prohibited, as well as smoking and drinking. Its coastline is free of vendors, masseuses, fire dancers and water sports, while the many boats moored on the beach, a facility of previous years, must anchor elsewhere.
Only 19,000 tourists must be allowed on the island every day, with the number of workers also capped at 15,000.
"When we think about it, our problem is that everyone wants to go to Boracay," Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat told the press.
The government plans to extend its restoration beyond Boracay to tourist sites located elsewhere in the archipelago of more than 7,000 islands, she said.
GRAPHIC: The island of Boracay will close IMG – tmsnrt.rs/2uThVRw
Before the closure, the authorities found that about one-third of the island's 600-700 hotels did not have operating permits. About 157 hotels with 7,308 rooms were allowed to operate from Friday.
The six-month shutdown saw authorities remove illegal sewer pipes, close or demolish unregistered hotels, and widen roads, some of which are continuing.
Tourists were greeted by rubble, excavators and partially knocked-down buildings lining the roads, but they could still see Boracay's idyllic past.
"Manage your expectations," Romulo-Puyat added. "The front is beautiful, the water is pure and clear, but of course, the roads are still under construction."
Report by Ronn Bautista; Written and additional report by Neil Jerome Morales; Edited by Michael Perry and Clarence Fernandez
