Philippines Will Close 'Cesspool' Boracay Island for 6-Month Cleanup
One of the world's top beach destinations, Boracay Island in the Philippines, will be shutdown for six months for a major overhaul, the Philippine government said Wednesday, after garbage, pollution and other environmental concerns have mounted with the island's increasing popularity.
Boracay, which was named the No. 2 best beach in Asia by TripAdvisor, has seen rapid growth with tourists for its white sand beaches and crystal clear waters. Last year, about 1.7 million tourists visited the island over just a 10-month period, the government-run Philippines Information Agency says. Tourism seems to have grown faster than Boracay's infrastructure developed, and due to the high traffic of visitors, the island has problems like massive heaps of garbage and unregulated sewage pipes that drain onto beaches and into the sea.
In February, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said the island was a "cesspool," CNN reports. "As long as there is s*** coming out of those pipes draining to the sea, I will never give you the time of the day (to return)" to the island, he said.
When Boracay officially shuts down on April 26, no tourists will be allowed on the island. Boracay accounts for about 15% of the Philippines' total number of tourists, and the beach destination brought in $1.07 billion in tourism revenue in 2017, reports Al Jazeera. Its closure poses a huge threat to Boracay's economy, with more than 36,000 workers expected to be affected and a loss of $1 billion in tourism spending predicted.
The government is floating "calamity funds" to help bolster the workers affected by the island's closure. Both Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific are scaling back their Boracay-bound flights starting in late April.
Although the environmental rehabilitation is expected to take until October, Bloomberg cites Tourism Assistant Secretary Ricky Alegre saying that speeding up the overhaul could put Boracay's "soft opening" somewhere around July.
(Photo by /AFP/Getty Images)
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.