All tourism workers and eligible residents of Boracay will be fully vaccinated in one month, and this means that as early as November, fully vaccinated individuals may visit the island without having to undergo COVID-19 testing.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) made this projection as the vaccination rate hit 91.09% of all tourism workers and 62.78% of the eligible population of the island on Sunday (Oct. 24).
Tourism Sec. Berna Romulo-Puyat said her optimism on the revival of tourism on the island was boosted by the commitment of Aklan Gov. Florencio Miraflores to accept visitors with proof of full vaccination in lieu of a negative RT-PCR test result once the island reaches a 100% vaccination rate among its residents.
Boracay Island is projected to vaccinate its entire eligible population of 24,451 within the month of October, which would make it the first destination in the Philippines to achieve 100% inoculation. The island was also the first tourist destination to receive vaccines against COVID-19 earlier this year.
Puyat said this positive development came as the DOT noted a dramatic increase in tourist arrivals in the past two months compared to the same period last year.
A total of 11,668 active tourism workers on the island have received complete doses of the anti-COVID shot. They are individuals employed in hotels, resorts, restaurants, spa and wellness centers, souvenir shops, shopping centers, security services and other essential service providers, tourism transport, tourism-related cooperatives and associations, and government frontline service and private agencies.
“Our vaccination rollouts are crucial in protecting our tourism workers as they face visitors every day. With 100% of tourism workers in Boracay inoculated, the DOT is confident that in the weeks to come, tourism arrivals on the island will further increase and more tourism establishments will be able to reopen to restore jobs,” Puyat said.
A total of 15,350 or 62.78% of the island’s eligible population of 24,451 have been fully vaccinated, leaving some 9,000 residents to be vaccinated. As of Oct. 18, there were no new active cases on the island.
Since restrictions were eased with the lifting of Aklan’s modified expanded enhanced quarantine (MECQ) on Sept. 8, the Island recorded a total of 6,702 arrivals in September and 17,995 in the first three weeks of October. This represents an increase of 253% and 1,243.6% respectively from the same periods last year.
“More than the foregone revenue, the DOT is deeply concerned with the impact of the pandemic on the employment of the island’s workers who either have been laid off or are now working on irregular work schedules. We believe that with the 100% inoculation of the island’s workers, the confidence of more Filipinos to travel will be restored, and the island will be back on its feet sooner than anticipated,” Puyat said.
Western Visayas (Region 6), which comprises the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Negros Occidental, Capiz, Guimaras and Iloilo, has recorded an inoculation rate of 63.26% among tourism workers as of Oct. 21. (DOT) – jlo
