Philippine authorities intend to restore two more popular resorts suffering from environmental problems. However, they have no plans to close them to tourists, as Boracay did, according to the Manila Bulletin.
A special commission inspected two tourist gems The Philippines—the resorts of El Nido and Panglao—have had a dismal impact. Mass tourism has led to the creation of numerous landfills. Furthermore, the coastline has changed, and the water near the shore is heavily polluted. In particular, at Alona Beach in Panglao, E. coli levels in the water and sand are several times higher than normal.
Following the inspection, the Philippine government decided to undertake a massive rehabilitation of the resorts. Authorities decided not to close them to tourists, as was previously the case with Boracay. The restoration work will not interfere with vacations. The strictest measures will be taken against companies violating environmental laws.
As a reminder, in April, the government closed Boracay to tourists for six months to allow for environmental rehabilitation. During this time, the island's sewage system was completely modernized.
The temporary closure was imposed after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte called the island a cesspool. As a result, Boracay only welcomed its first tourists in October. The island now has fewer hotel rooms, and casinos and souvenir shops have disappeared from the beaches.
Source: news.turizm.ru