‘Cesspool’ isle is shut to tourists

THE Philippine island of Boracay will be closed to tourists for up to six months after the president said overcrowding had caused it to become a ‘cesspool’.

Rodrigo Duterte approved shutting the popular resort from April 26 after extensive discussions on the implications, including ways to help around 17,000 workers who may be displaced.

More than 2million tourists visited Boracay last year to enjoy its powdery beaches and nightlife but the influx, combined with neglected infrastructure, has led to human waste being discharged directly into the sea. The island can sustain only 30,000 people but teems with 70,000 at any time, including about 20,000 tourists. Hundreds of settlers have also illegally built homes.

Tourism undersecretary Frederick Alegre said: ‘This is not about profit, it’s about the political will to deal with years of neglect of the environment. We need to act swiftly to save the island and avert its further deterioration.’