Boracay Redevelopment

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has unveiled the redevelopment plan for the resort island of Boracay, which will give existing developers a ten-year transition period to comply with the new plan and investors to build more hotels and resorts over 123 hectares of new areas. Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said a part of the plan is a possible PhP1.2 billion investment by Manila Water to improve water services and sewerage system on the island. The target is to provide water services to the whole island by 2011 and sewerage system by 2012. The Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) is also investing PhP200 million to build new ports and a three-kilometer circumferential road in Barangay Balabag to decongest the existing road, which will be made a one-way lane. Durano said the comprehensive land use plan, prepared by architectural consultancy firm CEST Inc., will enable Boracay to accommodate as many as 2.2 million visitors by 2018, or three times the 700,000 visitors projected this year. more…