EDITORIAL - Shutdown

For the first time in the country’s history, an entire island is being closed to tourism starting today. Unless the Supreme Court issues a restraining order in response to a petition filed by affected workers, Boracay will be closed for up to six months for a massive cleanup and installation of a modern sewerage system.

Boracay is not the first island in the world to face this fate. The growth of global tourism has put a strain on other travel destinations in Asia, forcing the months-long shutdown of beaches and other sites. The closure of Boracay, however, comes with little warning to everyone affected, from employees to establishment owners and travelers, many of whom booked months in advance their vacations in the Philippines’ top travel destination during the peak season.

From all indications, the cleanup is being carried out in an ad hoc manner. So far there is no master plan, whether for the cleanup and rehabilitation or for a long-term, sustainable development of the island. At least the island is expected to get a modern sewage treatment facility, with all establishments and households connected to it, once Boracay is reopened. The unplanned development, which has seen commercial establishments being constructed even on no-build zones, is also expected to stop.

The shutdown, however, opens many opportunities for abuse and corruption. President Duterte, who triggered the shutdown after describing the island as a “cesspool” last February, must make it clear to those in charge of the cleanup that he will not tolerate even a whiff of corruption and abuse tainting this campaign. Stakeholders should also document any such cases, for presentation to the public and possible indictments once the shutdown is over.

There are many other beaches all over the country that are far more polluted than Boracay. Perhaps the shutdown will bring urgency to cleaning up these destinations. People are also waiting for charges to be filed against officials who allowed the construction of establishments on no-build zones in Boracay.

The unprecedented move has created high expectations about the outcome. Thousands will be losing their livelihoods and earnings during the peak travel season and thousands more have been seriously inconvenienced by the sudden cancellation of their travel plans. The government will be losing at least P2 billion in earnings during the closure. When Boracay reopens, the government must make sure that this extreme measure will be worth all the pain.