ILOILO CITY—Since Sunday, two specific areas in world-famous Boracay Island are under surgical lockdown with rising cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Mayor Frolibar Bautista of Malay town, Aklan province has issued an order for a 14-day lockdown of Purok 5 and Purok 6 in Balabag village after 24 cases of COVID-19 were recorded.
The surgical lockdown, which is expected to last until April 10, is to contain the further spread of COVID-19 in these two areas of the country’s most famous beach destination.
The surgical lockdown affects 31 hotels, resorts and inns.
In an advisory by the Malay local government, tourists in two specific areas are encouraged to "observe limited movement" until they are provided with quarantine passes.
Incoming tourists who have bookings in the two areas are told to transfer their future stay to other hotels, resorts and accommodation establishments that are not affected by the surgical lockdown.
With the two-week period, the Malay police and other law enforcement agencies are augmenting barangay tanods of Balabag in securing the borders of the purok.