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Only 5,000 hotel rooms ready by Boracay reopening: Tourism chief

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ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - Some 3,000 to 5,000 hotel rooms are expected to comply with environmental laws and be available to tourists by October 26 when Boracay island reopens after its half-year closure, Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said Tuesday. </p><p>There are about 15,000 hotel rooms in total in the island, but many resorts have yet to comply with the new permits and accreditation set by a multi-agency task force, Puyat told ABS-CBN News during her first visit to Boracay since becoming tourism chief. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tourism Sec. Bernadette Romulo-Puyat: We’re only expecting that 30% of the total number of rooms in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Boracay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Boracay</a> will be open by October 26 <a href="https://t.co/v4uhFwdyyk">pic.twitter.com/v4uhFwdyyk</a></p>— Jeff Canoy (@jeffcanoy) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeffcanoy/status/1029943640309751808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Boracay was <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/business/04/26/18/closing-time-in-boracay-as-6-month-shutdown-begins">shuttered to tourists</a> on April 26 to give way to the rehabilitation of its sewerage system and the removal of illegal structures, after President Rodrigo Duterte branded the world-renowned beach destination as a &quot;cesspool.&quot; </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/multimedia/slideshow/08/15/18/in-photos-boracay-halfway-through-rehab">IN PHOTOS: Boracay halfway through rehab</a></li></ul><p>During the clean-up, officials have discovered that some 21 illegal sewer pipes were discharging water along Boracay&#x27;s beachfront. Structures breaching the 30-meter easement zone were also demolished.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/business/05/29/18/wild-wild-west-38-of-1552-boracay-firms-follow-govt-rules">&#x27;Wild, wild west&#x27;: 38 of 1,552 Boracay firms follow gov&#x27;t rules</a></li></ul><p>When the island reopens, President Rodrigo Duterte had said he wants only a <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/02/18/duterte-eyes-small-area-for-tourism-in-boracay">small part</a> left for tourism and its majority turned into a land reform area to prioritize original inhabitants.</p><div><strong>PLANS FOR GREENER BORACAY </strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1427210" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="~//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="~//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>The government is studying a possible curfew in Boracay when it reopens, said Puyat. </p><p>The number of tourists will also be limited based on the environment department&#x27;s study on the island’s carrying capacity, the findings of which will be released this August, she said. </p><p>The inter-agency task force for Boracay&#x27;s rehabilitation has also set up a one-stop shop at a mall in the island, where stakeholders can apply for business permits, accreditation and environment clearance certificates. </p><p>Some business owners have appealed for more time to fulfill requirements before the August 18 deadline. </p><p>The requirements include putting up a sewage treatment plant for each hotel that has at least 49 rooms. </p><div><strong>Report from Jeff Canoy, ABS-CBN News </strong></div>

<p>Some 3,000 to 5,000 hotel rooms are expected to comply with environmental laws and be available to tourists by October 26 when Boracay island reopens after its half-year closure, Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said Tuesday. </p>

Some 3,000 to 5,000 hotel rooms are expected to comply with environmental laws and be available to tourists by October 26 when Boracay island reopens after its half-year closure, Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said Tuesday.