Tourists go on ‘workation,’ extend their stay in Boracay

Several tourists have been going on “workation” and extending their stay in Boracay.

According to Ian Cruz’s “24 Oras” report, Thursday, some visitors who planned on taking a short vacation on the island had found themselves staying for months.

Instead of working at an office or from home, they do their jobs while enjoying the summer vibes of Boracay.

Among these tourists are former actress Paula Peralejo-Fernandez, who is staying in Boracay with her husband Charlie and their child Pablo.

“I work freelance for different brands’ social media. I can take my work anywhere. [Charlie] is a financial advisor so even for his clients, it’s already virtual,” she said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Another guest is Victoria Herrera, who manages a streaming platform. She’s been staying in Boracay for months.

“I only came to Boracay for eight days and after that, I super fell in love with how relaxing the environment was and I just kept extending,” she said.

Australia-based Rachel Lim, meanwhile, said she’s “planning to stay here forever.”

According to the Department of Tourism Region VI, 20 partners are working with the agency for the “workation” setup.

Apart from ensuring a stable internet connection, they will also put up a space where workers can stay comfortably and not require repeated PCR or saliva tests.

“As of now, it’s not yet fixed if the testing will be every week but I think if the workers just stay here in the island, they’re already in a bubble,” said DOT-VI OIC Cristine Mansinares.

There are also new tourist destinations on the island, such as a bike trail which features a coffee shop, and a rock formation beside the ocean.

On Wednesday, DOT said it’s looking to vaccinate around 3,000 tourism workers in Boracay as it looked into the possibility of a travel bubble for the popular tourist destination. – Franchesca Viernes/RC, GMA News