Beyond the beach:The untold story of Boracay's Ati Tribe

Year after year, travel magazines call Boracay Island the best beach destination in the world. Found off the coast of Caticlan, Aklan in the Visayas, the island became famous for its fine, powdery white sand. The island’s tourism industry is worth billions of pesos, and this value continues to grow with each year.The effects of the commercialization are immediately seen upon arriving in Boracay. As soon as you get off your boat, you are greeted with advertisers’ promises of excitement and happiness in exchange for your patronage. On your way to your resort, shops and restaurants line the main roads where traffic jams are common. Branches of restaurant chains line the beach walkway. The extent of commercialization even spills over into the sea in the form of boat sails doubling as floating billboards.

Tourism and its accompanying business opportunities have provided livelihood for many of Boracay’s residents. The tourism industry has provided better employment opportunities for the former fisherfolk of the island; through the increase of average annual income, Boracay has also transformed its municipality of Malay, Aklan from a fourth-class to a first-class municipality. However, many residents are paid minimum wage, showing the uneven distribution of wealth on the island.

On the toughest end of this income gap are the Ati, Aklan’s indigenous people and original residents of Boracay Island.