Boracay poor sewage and septic system of the island. The conditions of Boracay in 1997 led to the installment of a potable water supply system, a sewage treatment plant and a solid waste disposal system in Boracay which was operated by the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA). The environmental concerns persisted due to noncompliance of numerous business establishments. Then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared Boracay a Special Tourism Zone in 2005 while in April 2006 she gave the PTA administrative control over the island while mandating the agency to coordinate with the provincial government of Aklan. In 2012, the Philippine Department of
Boracay Kalibo on nearby Panay Island. A much smaller Ati-Atihan festival is celebrated on Boracay, usually in the second or third week of January. Boracay island is separated from Panay island by a narrow strait. The island is located opposite the barangay of Caticlan in the municipality of Malay, Aklan. Transportation across the strait is provided by boats operating from the Caticlan jetty port. Cagban Port serves as the primary sea transportation hub for passengers going into Boracay but the island lacks any formal seaport for cargo transport and waste disposal. Goods are delivered into Boracay through an informal port near