MANILA – The island of Boracay is now receiving about 4,000 tourists per day, which is still within its carrying capacity allowed by the government, its mayor said Friday.

Malay, Aklan Mayor Floribar Bautista’s statement came a day after the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) said the tourist destination’s carrying capacity must be observed after more than 800 sinkholes were seen on the island.

• Boracay posibleng gumuho dahil sa mga sinkhole: MGB

“Basta hindi tayo bababa sa 4,000 a day…ang mga residents na lang sa Boracay nasa 38,000 yan eh,” Bautista told TeleRadyo.

“Ang anong capacity kasi dyan ng Manila 6,400 or 6,500 tourists a day,” he added.

The mayor said they are strictly implementing the rules when it comes to the number of visitors allowed on the island.

“Kung pag-usapan naman natin sa carrying capacity eh ino-observe naman natin yan eh.”

“At regarding naman sa mga structure, meron kaming mga regulations sa Boracay na wala naman tayong masyadong high-rise. Ang maximum natin height sa Boracay 6 floors eh.”

He added, however, that he wants the MGB to show him a map of where sinkholes were found in Boracay.

“At dapat din ma-identify kung saan banda yang mga sinkhole na yan. Manghingi ako ng mga mapa dyan sa MGB para malaman natin kung ganoon kalaki at hindi paglagyan ng structure dyan kasi merong sinkhole."

All structures in Boracay are built properly, he said.

“Lahat naman ng mga structures, lalo na malalaki yung mga matataas na mga structures …hindi naman basta-basta yung mga structure engineer na tinitingnan talaga sa may ilalim kung may hollow ba siya or may sinkhole ba,” he noted.

--TeleRadyo, 16 December 2022