BORACAY, Philippines: The cooks, hotel workers and other Filipinos who served tourists at the country’s most popular beach headed home and started looking for other work Thursday as police guarded the empty beach on the first day of a shutdown intended to let Boracay’s waters recover from overcrowding and development.
Police on the empty, white-sand beach turned away tourists trying to take a dip in the turquoise waters, and once-busy stores and restaurants stood closed.
“It’s painful for us to lose our jobs and it’s so sudden,” said canteen cook Marlon Laguna, 47, outside the closed beachfront restaurant. “Even though I don’t have my own family, I support my siblings ... We cannot do anything but to accept it.”
The island will be shut to visitors for up to six months while sewage containment and other work is done to clean up the waters President Rodrigo Duterte had called a cesspool.
The work was already underway Thursday. Police and residents were collecting seaweed in a cleanup drive on the beachfront, pipes were being laid, and construction had begun to widen the island’s main road. Some roadside structures were being demolished to make way.
Workers now out of jobs said they will look for other work to ride out the time the island is shut to tourists.
About 17,000 are employed in Boracay’s tourist establishments, and 10,000 to 12,000 others benefit from the bustling tourism business.
Displaced workers flocked to the Department of Social welfare operation center to get travel allowance for them to go home to their provinces.
“I am thankful that the government gave us travel allowance, even if we do not have a job anymore,” said construction worker Jomar Incierto, 27, who was among those receiving the cash assistance.
More than 2 million tourists visited Boracay last year, generating about 56 billion pesos ($1 billion) in revenue. But the influx, neglected infrastructure and growth of resort establishments and poor settlements have threatened to turn Boracay into a “dead island” in less than a decade, according to a government study. Settlers who’ve built illegal structures in forests and wetlands have added to the problems.
Less than half the establishments are connected to the island’s main sewage treatment plant, with many of the rest possibly maintaining crude septic tanks and others discharging their waste directly into the sea, said Frederick Alegre, assistant secretary at the Department of Tourism.
Parts of the island could re-open earlier than six months if sewage treatment systems could be built earlier and beach resorts comply with environmental regulations, he said.
Displaced Boracay workers head home, look for other jobs as Philippines’ tourist island shuts down
Displaced Boracay workers head home, look for other jobs as Philippines’ tourist island shuts down
Where we are going today: An early look inside Six Flags Qiddiya City
- Kingdom’s largest amusement park with world record rides
- Incredible experience to visit before its opening on Dec. 31
RIYADH: Six Flags Qiddiya City opened its doors to a select number of visitors for its soft opening earlier this month before its official opening on Dec. 31, and the experience was incredible.
Six Flags is one part of Qiddiya City, the upcoming hub for entertainment, sports and innovation located an hour’s drive from Riyadh.
The city is the largest amusement park in the Kingdom with a world record five rollercoasters and rides.
Six Flags Qiddiya City’s beginnings track back to 2021 when Qiddiya Investment Co. signed a SR3.75 billion ($1 billion) contract to build the park.
The short journey on the bus to the entrance foreshadowed the unique experience we were in for: breathtaking mountains, chilling desert wind and peaks of rollercoaster trails all around and through a mountain.
The park is brightly lit with Saudi Arabia-themed architecture. Souvenir stops and small shops are all around in traditional Najdi-style buildings.
Past the entrance, the park splits into six areas: City of Thrills, Grand Exposition, Steam Town, Twilight Gardens, Discovery Springs and Valley of Fortune. Each of these features a mix of child-friendly rides and large rollercoasters for thrill seekers.
As an adrenaline junkie myself, I was excited to kick off the night in City of Thrills, where the theme was rather futuristic.
City of Thrills features two of the park’s iconic and record-breaking rides: Falcon’s Flight and Sirocco Tower.
Falcon’s Flight is the world’s longest, fastest and tallest rollercoaster yet. Sirocco Tower is the highest drop-tower ride in the world, going up to an astonishing 145 meters.
While neither were open during the soft launch, I will definitely be revisiting the park to try both. To set the tone for my experience at City of Thrills, I chose Adrena-Line to start.
The ride is classified as a mid-level thrill, but the setup of a suspended rollercoaster really amplified the experience as my legs hung free and the trail took us upside-down.
I headed over to Grand Exposition, where the overall theme was past-meets-future. This area is particularly diverse in its rides and dining options.
One of the most notable rides is the Arabian Carousel, which features camels and Arab paintings.
Grand Exposition is a blend of history that has varying dining options including Taste of Asia and Fish & Chippery.
I could not leave without trying Colossus, an extreme-thrill wooden ride that left me speechless. Although it lacks upside-down twists, Colossus is perfect for those looking for speed and drops.
Steam Town was up next, which was especially exciting because it is home to the infamous Iron Rattler, a record-breaking rollercoaster.
I grabbed a hotdog from Steam Town Grill as I watched those on the Iron Rattler scream as they reached the tilt at the end before dropping.
Steam Town has a lot of shopping options, from ride-inspired souvenirs to toys. Although not yet open for visitors to shop, the merchandise was enjoyable to see.
Twilight Gardens and Discovery Springs have dazzling themes. Twilight Gardens is a lovely experience for kids as the land is decorated with glittering and neon-lit artificial plants and flowers.
It features a soft rollercoaster called Twilight Thrill that is lady-bug themed for kids to enjoy. Discovery Springs is where to go for a quick splash and thrill.
Although rides such as Zoomafloma were closed until the official opening day, Discovery Springs is definitely the land for water-ride fans.
Home to Spitfire, another record-breaking rollercoaster in Valley of Fortune was a great way to wrap up my visit.
This final land offers a treasure hunt experience with a jungle-like theme and matching dining and souvenir stops, which is a great balance for both adult thrill-seekers and kids.
Overall, the park’s carefully curated themes, ambitious rides and unique location offer an experience unlike any other that I have experienced across the world.
There is something special about seeing the highest coaster drops stand tall in the desert landscape.
