Boracay was emerging among the top destinations for tranquility and nightlife. Boracay was awarded as the 2012 best island in the world from the international travel magazine "Travel + Leisure". In 2014, the resort island was at the top of the "Best Islands in the World" list published by the international magazine Condé Nast Traveler. In 2016, Boracay headed the magazine's list of "Top 10 destinations to watch". In April 2018 the Philippine Government decreed a 6-month closure of the island for tourists to undertake major renovation works, especially of the sewerage system, which had become obsolete and insufficient.. It re-opened
2018 Boracay closure and redevelopment to be an indicator of pollution and deteriorating water conditions. The Malay municipal government, some business operators, and some residents insist that the algal bloom is a natural seasonal phenomenon that usually occurs annually in the summer, and occurred on Boracay even before the island became developed. Boracay Island Water Co. operates the sewage network of Boracay which accommodates only 61 percent of the island. The island has two central sewerage treatment plants with a total a total capacity of 11.5 million liters/day, one in Barangay Balabag and another in Barangay Manoc-Manoc, and plans the construction of a third plant