One of the Philippines' top tourist destinations, Boracay, is once again open for business. President Rodrigo Duterte had ordered it closed for six months. The government says the island's waters are no longer a cesspool, as Duterte had described them in the past. CGTN's Barnaby Lo has more.

The Philippines' island of Boracay – known for its glistening coastline. Earlier this year, however, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte shut it down after claiming it had turned into a cesspool. This video was shot in April. Six months later, THIS is what tourists will see as Boracay reopens.

ROGELIA BARBER BORACAY RESIDENT "Look, it's beautiful now. And that's what I'm looking for. Before, you smelled the water, and it smelled like mud."

72-year-old Rogelia Barber was born in Boracay and has lived half of her life here. She says the current state of the island's famous White Beach, following six months of rest, is reminiscent of the Boracay of her childhood.

Barnaby: "So the sand was like this?"

ROGELIA BARBER BORACAY RESIDENT "Oh it was whiter than this."

Barnaby: "Even whiter than this?"

Rogelia: "And if it is low tide, it's very far, yeah."

But while Boracay is very much back in business, the government says it wants to promote sustainable tourism. Which means, among other things, limiting the number of visitors to the island.

BARNABY LO BORACAY, PHILIPPINES "So going to Boracay has never been easy. You have to travel by air, and then travel by land, and then travel by boat. But there is now an added layer. The Philippine government wants to limit the carrying capacity of the island. They want only over 6,000 tourists a day. So now you have to first go to that tourist verification counter and show proof that you have a hotel booking."

This – road repairs and construction – will be the first sight for tourists when they set foot on Boracay, however. The government says that's because the island is set to reopen in three phases, starting with quote, a soft opening on Friday.

BENNY ANTIPORDA ENVIRONMENT UNDER-SECRETARY "The main objective is to address the cesspool issue, so we have addressed it, and Boracay is ready. Boracay is about the beach. All these add-ons (phases) can be complied with within this year, by December. The streets will be okay."

Although built a little too close to one of Boracay's beaches, this may be how Boracay's streets would look in the near future. Barnaby Lo, CGTN, Boracay, the Philippines.