No restrictions in Boracay despite rising COVID-19, flu cases —mayor

Boracay Island in Aklan is not enforcing any restrictions yet amid the increasing infections of COVID-19 and flu-like illnesses nationwide, Malay Mayor Floribar Bautista said Tuesday.

“Sa ngayon wala pa tayong mga adjustment o mga bagong health protocols dahil hindi pa namin napaguusapan ‘yung umaakyat ang COVID cases. Pero sa ngayon sa Boracay, wala pa tayong mga restrictions regarding sa COVID,” Bautista said in a public briefing. 

(As of now we don't have any adjustments or new health protocols because we haven't discussed the rising number of COVID cases yet. For now we don't have any restrictions regarding COVID-19 in Boracay.) 

Earlier this month, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa urged the public to wear face masks amid increasing COVID-19 cases in the country. 

OCTA Research fellow Guido David said Saturday that the COVID-19 positivity rate in the National Capital Region jumped to 22.4% last Thursday from the 18.4% recorded on December 14.

The COVID-19 Omicron subvariant JN.1 has also already entered the Philippines with the first 18 cases being detected through genomic sequencing, the Department of Health announced Sunday. –Giselle Ombay/ VAL, GMA Integrated News