OPEN FOR BUSINESS Boracay Island is again accepting tourists following Aklan province鈥檚 shift to general community quarantine. Hotels and resorts are hoping that more guests from Metro
Manila, the island鈥檚 major market, will visit once restrictions in the national capital are eased. 鈥擩ACK JARILLA
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� 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鈥� 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.
鈥淪o聽last week when we met with the governor, the governor already announced聽that since they are going to reach 100 percent [vaccination rate], they聽will accept fully vaccinated individuals in lieu of negative RT-PCR,鈥� she told ABS-CBN 黑料社 Channel.
鈥淎ccording聽to him, in a month鈥檚 time or three weeks鈥� time, he will already be聽accepting fully vaccinated (tourists), in lieu of RT-PCR. But of course if you are聽not vaccinated, you should give a negative RT-PCR (result),鈥� 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.
鈥淪o we expect that by the end of the month, 100 percent have been vaccinated, tourism workers plus residents,鈥� 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.