Boracay the 1970s. In 1970, the movies "Nam's Angels" (released in the U.S. as "The Losers") and "Too Late the Hero" used filming locations on Boracay and Caticlan. There was an influx of Western tourists after German writer Jens Peter called it "paradise on Earth" in his book about the Philippines in 1978. In the 1980s, the island became popular as a budget destination for backpackers. By the 1990s, Boracay's beaches were being acclaimed as the best in the world. However in 1997, the tourist arrival to the resort island dropped 60 percent due to the increase of coliform bacteria from
Boracay combined with poorly monitored snorkeling activity in coral rich areas. The Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI) made efforts to remedy the situation by launching a "reefurbishment" program for the corals. In 2017, the BFI claimed the number of corals in Boracay increased from 15 to 20 percent since 2015 due to its project. Boracay has been experiencing an increased coliform bacteria population since the 1990s which contributed to a 60 percent decline in tourist arrivals in 1997. Although a potable water supply system, a solid waste disposal system, as well as a sewage treatment plant which began operation in 2003 were