The year 2020 was supposed to be a period of sustained recovery for the island of Boracay. After a painful but necessary shutdown in 2018 to restore its pristine beauty, many locals and businesses in the island looked forward to a more robust tourism. Sadly, even with its gradual reopening, life was never the same for many – some of whom had to suffer from loss of livelihood due to necessary restrictions. When 2020 came, the odds grew worse against their favor.