Boracay Island shuts down for 6 months for renovation

The Philippine holiday island of Boracay is all set to go on its own vacation for the next six months.

The country's government began the mammoth-sized task of cleaning up the beaches there on Thursday on orders from President Rodrigo Duterte.

That means closing Boracay to the tens of thousands of tourists who have - until now - flocked there each day.

It's all part of a process to restore damage to the local environment from rampant development that caused Duterte to call Boracay a "cesspool".

Many of the island's residents aren't happy about the ban on visitors.

Both business owners and workers are worried about how they'll make a living, while they wait for tourists to return.

Boracay resident, Ligaya Pelayo, said, "(Boracay) is sad and lifeless now because when you go out in the streets and the beaches, there is almost no one, no one walking about."

The Philippine government has offered compensation to residents.

Other locals though, are happy Boracay's checking in for rehab.

And for the first time in many years, the beach will be all theirs to enjoy.