Duterte OKs to maintain carrying capacity of 19,000 persons per day in Boracay

September 12, 2018

President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the recommendation to maintain the over 19,000 persons per day carrying capacity of Boracay island in Aklan when it is fully opened.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that the nod was given during the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday in Malacanang.

"So the most important is that they assess, that the carrying capacity for Boracay is 19,215 persons per day, including 6,405 tourist arrivals per day," he said.

The interagency task force on Boracay rehabilitation composed of the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Tourism, and Interior and Local Government made the recommendations.

Roque said the other recommendations that were adopted during the Cabinet meeting were to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing the extra available rooms; promote wetlands utilization for filtering out waste from both soil and water through plant uptake; maximize open spaces for vegetation; minimize point source pollution; Information, Education and Communication especially on both solid waste and liquid waste management; minimize coastal erosion; and, establish permanent monitoring facilities in designated areas.

The government is set to hold the soft opening of Boracay on October 26.

Boracay has been closed for six months since April in order to undergo rehabilitation after Duterte likened it to a "cesspool." Celerina Monte/DMS