DOT eyes complete Boracay rehab by December 2019

Tourists planning to go to Boracay might have to wait a little longer— or more than a year —before they see the island completely rehabilitated.

On Thursday, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat disclosed that the rehabilitation of Boracay might be completed by December 2019.

Puyat said there will be a “soft opening” on October 26 this year but “with only major roads built.”

“There will be a soft opening on October 26 but the hotels that will be opened should have to be compliant with the three agencies —the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources), DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government) and DOT,” she told the Senate committee on finance when she presented the proposed budget of the Department of Tourism (DOT), which she heads.

Puyat said the October 26 soft opening is just the first phase of the rehabilitation, while the second and third phases are scheduled in April and December 2019.

“So by October 26, you will only have the main roads built. That’s why we also say it’s only a soft opening…” the DOT chief said.

“So by October 26, we’ll have only the major roads built but definitely, we see maybe complete rehab maybe by December of 2019,” Puyat added.  /muf