Woman arrested and fined in Philippines island of Boracay for wearing tiny bikini
A Taiwanese tourist was arrested and fined for wearing a particularly revealing bikini on the beach at the Philippines’ newly reopened resort island of Boracay, local media reported.
The tourist, who has not been named, sparked controversy by donning a string bikini on the island’s famous white-sand beaches on October 9, according to the state-run Philippines News Agency (PNA).
Traveling with her boyfriend, PNA reported the woman had been told by staff at her hotel that the swimwear was “inappropriate” — but she wore it anyway.
“They were told not to by the hotel management, but they said it was a form of art,” Boracay Inter-Agency Management and Rehabilitation Group (BIAMRG) chief Natividad Bernardino said in a phone interview with PNA.
The woman was arrested the next day when she wore another string bikini to the beach. A police spokesman said she was fined PHP2,500 (US$48.40) for the “erotic” outfit.
The municipality police chief, Jess Baylon, told PNA that while the couple’s domestic customs may be different, “they have to respect our culture and tradition, and our proper decorum.”
Located in central Philippines, Boracay is one of the world’s most famous beach destinations.
It reopened last October following a major cleanup operation to upgrade facilities and improve water quality. Strict new regulations, such as limits to combustion engine transport and a ban on single-use plastics, have also been enacted.
