Boracay reaches ‘herd immunity,’ drops RT-PCR testing for vaccinated tourists

THE Aklan government has finally reached the goal to immunize a substantial number of the residents on Boracay Island against the dreaded Covid-19, making the crown jewel of Philippine tourism ripe for reopening to international tourists.

“Boracay has achieved herd immunity,” declared Aklan Gov. Florencio Miraflores in a text message to the BusinessMirror on Friday. Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed, as of November 11, 2021, about 71 percent or 24,451 of the island’s projected population of 34,930 have already been vaccinated against Covid-19. Of that number, 97.24 percent or 23,775 have received their first jabs, while some 71 percent, or 17,287, have received their second jabs.

The local chief executive also confirmed, “Starting November 16, we will allow fully vaccinated tourists to travel to Boracay,” and no longer require a negative RT-PCR test. Tourists only need to present a vaccination certificate from   the Department of Health/Department of Information and Communication Technology (VaxxCertPH) or from their respective local government units.  Miraflores said he would release the executive order on the new guideline within the day.

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Tourism stakeholders, many of who have yet to fully recover from the closure of the island in 2018, met the news positively.

Diony Salme, chairman of the Boracay Foundation Inc. said in Ilonggo, “It is good news for us, as long as tourists are required to present their vaccination certificate and everyone will follow the health and safety protocols. On our end, our residents are about 96 percent vaccinated and our island’s tourism workers are nearly 100 percent vaccinated. So we are fully protected as well.”

DOT reported as of November 11, 94.22 percent or 12,068 of the estimated 12,809 tourism workers on the island have already received their second jabs against Covid, while over 100 percent or 12,834 received their first jabs.

Charter flights possible?

Meanwhile, Miraflores said they preparing to open the Caticlan Airport to international tourists via charter flights “if the IATF [Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases] allow it.” The DOT has already been discussing with the private sector the opening of international gateways to the Philippines through select leisure destinations like Bohol, Mactan, Clark, and Manila, which have existing international airports, following the Phuket Sandbox model. 

In the case of Boracay, it is three hours away from the Kalibo International Airport, but private tour operators have confirmed that there have been inquiries from China, Taiwan and South Korea for possible charter flights direct to Caticlan.

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DOT Assistant Secretary Chris Morales said the possibility of using Caticlan/Boracay as a gateway is still being evaluated.  “Perhaps when [international] entry requirements are already fixed…it is still being assessed by the Department of Health and the Technical Advisory Group [of the IATF],” he stressed.

In a news statement, the DOT welcomed the announcement of Miraflores, saying Boracay recorded “a dramatic increase in tourist arrivals in the last two months,” reaching 32,452 visitors in October alone.

“We hope to see even more visitors for the months of November and December, given this positive development, and ensure everyone’s safety altogether now that Boracay’s tourism workers are fully vaccinated,” said the DOT.

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Article was originally published in Business Mirror and written by Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo.

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