A Cesspool

Mar 30, 2025

Today, after a leisurely breakfast, we did an extensive walk around a significant portion of the island.

Boracay is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Philippines, and most reports have it accounting for close to one third of the 6 million annual tourist arrivals in the country. Yet it is only a relatively narrow island with a length of 7 km. A government survey back in 2017 found that the carrying capacity of the island was around 20,000 tourists at a time, but it was usually being exceeded by over 30%.

Back then development was pretty unregulated, and the island wasn’t in a good shape. Many businesses and hotels were discharging untreated sewer waste into the sea, waters along the beaches were experiencing algal bloom, and the amount of rubbish generated per person was said to be more than three times that in Manila. The President called it a ‘cesspool’ and one magazine called Boracay “the poster child for overtourism”.

Never one to be reticent about taking decisive and extreme action, the then President Duterte invoked emergency powers and, with only three weeks warning, completely closed the island to anybody who was not a permanent resident for six months from April to October 2018 while it was cleaned up, and the army was sent in to enforce it.

Very controversial at the time, as many of his actions were. Back then 195 businesses and almost four thousand households were not connected to the sewers, and that was a major focus. Central sewerage treatment plants were improved, and a new one planned. About 400 hotels and restaurants were ordered to close for violating local environmental laws, while three casinos were permanently shut down. The main roads were widened. Two of the nine wetlands illegally occupied were cleared. Water quality improved and flooding was addressed. Establishments built within the 30-meter shoreline easement were also demolished, and many resort owners were arrested for environmental violations. Yesterday on our cruise we saw the skeletons of several big hotels which had been partially bulldozed for not complying.

All businesses were required to obtain an environmental certificate of compliance before reopening, and these are prominently displayed on the front of every property. Whilst remediation works continued past the reopening, and some are still ongoing, local businesses believe that it has been a success. Under the new rules, 19,200 tourists per day are allowed on the island. Fire eaters, masseuses, vendors, stray dogs, bonfires, jetskis and builders of photo-op sandcastles have been banned from the beach, and tourist police now patrol to enforce it.

One of the most noticeable changes was when the Department of Energy donated 200 electric tricycles to the local government to improve the public transport system, replacing all the gasoline-powered tricycles on the island, and what a difference it makes. No fumes and no noise. It’s brilliant.

Other tourist hotspots around the Philippines have been put on notice that, if they don’t instigate these improvements themselves, they could be next to be shutdown, and it seems to be working, though a lot of the issues seem to have moved to Siargao. Surfers stay tuned.

Back in our hotel, we went to the front desk to get pool towels upon our return from a hot walk. Didn’t have any at the front desk, but they promised to have them delivered to our room. 8 hours later and we are still waiting. Ordered drinks before dinner at the restaurant. 30 minutes later I had to ask where they were. “Oh” he said. They finally arrived after our meal was half eaten. It’s not that they are slow and working to a different beat – they just keep forgetting things – but, gee, they smile a lot.