DOT: Boracay will ditch swab tests for fully vaccinated tourists by November
OPEN FOR BUSINESS Boracay Island is again accepting tourists following Aklan province’s shift to general community quarantine. Hotels and resorts are hoping that more guests from Metro
Manila, the island’s major market, will visit once restrictions in the national capital are eased. —JACK JARILLA
MANILA, Philippines — By November, Boracay island in Aklan will no longer require fully-vaccinated tourists from Metro Manila and other areas to undergo COVID-19 RT-PCR testing, Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat said on Wednesday.
Puyat cited Aklan Governor Florencio Miraflores’ earlier pronouncement that the island resort will exempt fully vaccinated individuals from RT-PCR testing once the area achieves 100 percent vaccination rate for tourism workers and residents.
“So last week when we met with the governor, the governor already announced that since they are going to reach 100 percent [vaccination rate], they will accept fully vaccinated individuals in lieu of negative RT-PCR,” she told ABS-CBN News Channel.
“According to him, in a month’s time or three weeks’ time, he will already be accepting fully vaccinated (tourists), in lieu of RT-PCR. But of course if you are not vaccinated, you should give a negative RT-PCR (result),” Puyat added.
Puyat noted that 95 percent of tourism workers in Boracay received their first dose with 91 percent fully vaccinated, while 84 percent of residents have also received their first dose, with 62 percent being fully vaccinated.
“So we expect that by the end of the month, 100 percent have been vaccinated, tourism workers plus residents,” Puyat said.
Boracay is now accepting fully vaccinated tourists coming from nearby provinces Capiz, Antique, Iloilo, Aklan, and Guimaras, but tourists from the said provinces need to present their certification from VaxCertPH, among other requirements.
