Maritime police on patrol on the first day of a test-run allowing tourists to return to Boracay. Photos by Mark R Cristano / EPA

Paradise regained: Philippines' Boracay island re-opens for test run - in pictures



Beach life is slowly returning to Philippines' paradise Boracay island.

The white sandy beach opened to a limited amount of day-trippers on the first of a 10-day test run.

In April, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the island to close after years of unregulated growth turned paradise into a "cesspool".

Before closure, the 1,000-hectare island drew two million tourists a year, pumping roughly $1 billion in revenue into the economy.

That contributed to a sharp downturn in Philippines growth. However, Mr Duterte said the cleanup was worth it in order to protect the island's fragile ecosystem.

Life will not be the same again on the island. Beach drinking and smoking will be a thing of the past and only 19,000 visitors will be allowed at one time. The number of hotel rooms has also been sharply cut to 6,000 - about half of the current total.

The hotels will now be ow required to put up their own sewage treatment plants, while garbage will be put on a barge every night and shipped across the sea to a landfill, Environment Undersecretary Sherwin Rigor said earlier this month.

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

About Tenderd

Started: May 2018

Founder: Arjun Mohan

Based: Dubai

Size: 23 employees 

Funding: Raised $5.8m in a seed fund round in December 2018. Backers include Y Combinator, Beco Capital, Venturesouq, Paul Graham, Peter Thiel, Paul Buchheit, Justin Mateen, Matt Mickiewicz, SOMA, Dynamo and Global Founders Capital

 

 

THE BIO

Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13 

Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier

Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife 

What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents. 

Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.