By Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat Local hotel chain Astoria Hotels & Resorts (AHR) has opened its second sustainable resort in Boracay Island, Astoria Current, with development cost of P1.5 billion. Jeffrey Ng, President of Astoria Hotels & Resorts, said they completed the resort’s Annex building during the island’s rehabilitation period. Now, Astoria Current offers 205 rooms for tourists and holiday makers. This makes Astoria Current the hotel along Station 3 with the biggest number of rooms, all with direct access to the famed White Beach. Ng noted that Astoria Current was one of the first resorts that the Department of Tourism allowed to open after it complied with all the necessary environment and local ordinances. “We at Astoria Hotels & Resorts are proud to welcome guests to the renewed, revived Boracay Island at Astoria Current. We are one with the government in advocating for and implementing a more environment-friendly stay in the island so that Boracay will continue to be enjoyed by the future generations,” said Ng. The impact of the island’s closure posed as a challenge to the organization but was hardly felt in a negative sense by the Astoria Current staff, since they were reassigned during the period for retraining and other purposes in other AHR properties, including Astoria Palawan and Astoria Plaza in Ortigas Center. This way, not one employee lost his or her job over the six-month rehabilitation period. “Caring for the environment and caring for your employees as family go hand-in-hand. These same staff members will be the one to make our guests have the most awesome holiday experience at Astoria Current,” Ng said. Billeted guests can also look forward to new facilities, including a new function room and pool. AHR commissioned the award-winning Atelier Almario firm for the design of all the rooms of Astoria Current that imbibed the island vibe.