By now, you would have heard that the government issued a statement that Boracay is once again going to be open to the public, come October. We can only presume that you’re one of the many who are excited and curious to find out if the island is as they promised it would be, all squeaky clean and free from algae bloom, after they closed it to tourists.  

With only a month left, we can only wonder how the progress is going and if we are to expect a cleaner, less cluttered and more beautiful Boracay. We let you in on a few updates from the ground:  

1. Some establishments may be closed. 

Don’t sound off the alarm just yet. Unless establishment owners and D’Mall stakeholders are able to strike a deal with the government agencies, don’t be surprised if half of the property is temporarily closed “until further notice”.  The location where the property stands is currently being contested as a wetland back in the day. Until it was turned into a mall.

Other establishments may also be closed for the time being until construction work is finished.

2. The palm trees may be exposed.  

Once you hit the beachfront, it would be hard not to notice how the roots of the trees are quite significantly exposed. Why DENR decided to do it this way, we remain clueless. Apart from it being a safety hazard especially to children running around, it just doesn’t look good aesthetically.  

3. Wider roads for less traffic congestion.

Part of the main objectives of the national government for Boracay is to widen the only major road in the island. Because the island has become crowded with infrastructure, getting around isn’t as easy as before. It now takes at least half an hour from the port area to get to Station 2 alone. Hopefully, most of the construction would be done by the time the island is open again to the public.

4. Potable water will now be a staple.

Thanks to the people behind Boracay Tubig and Boracay Water, you can be assured that the water you’re drinking will be safe and clean. They have been the busiest among the different proponents in ensuring that the rehabilitation of the island is in full swing. Thanks to them, residents and tourists can be guaranteed that they don’t have to deal with water that isn’t safe at all.  

5. DENR marked ecosystems.

If there are other things that Boracay is proud of apart from its amazingly beautiful beaches, it would be its variety of ecosystems. Unknown to many, the island is home to a mangrove site, several wetlands and forests. Most of the wetlands have already been marked, while the others are still being contested or searched for as establishments have already taken its place. The marked ones won’t be touched or poached by greedy businessmen who just want to make money without taking the environment into consideration.

Truth be told, the six-month clean-up of Boracay is a short period of time. A year would have been better considering the need to rehabilitate even the sewer network of the island. But hey, at least something is being done, right?