AKLAN Governor Florencio Miraflores is hoping Boracay Island would "regain its glory" after it was ranked ninth in Travel+Leisure Magazine's 2019 best islands in Asia.

Boracay was named the best island not only in Asia but in the world in 2012.

Miraflores attributed the downgrade in Boracay's rating to the ongoing rehabilitation of the island.

He admitted that he was saddened by it, considering that Boracay was named the second best island in 2018. In 2017, it ranked third.

"I am not confident with Boracay's current ratings. I hope Boracay would regain its glory as soon as the ongoing rehabilitation has been finished," he said.

The rehabilitation started in April 2018 after President Rodrigo Duterte named the resort island a "cesspool" and ordered it closed for six months. It was reopened six months after its closure, but the rehabilitation has been

extended for two years. (Jun Aguirre/SunStar Philippines)