Aklanons urged to bring ID cards to avail of terminal fee exemptions

The management of the Caticlan-Cagban Jetty Port urges Aklan residents to show their identification(ID) cards to avail themselves of exemptions on terminal fees.

Jean Pontero, Special Operations III of the Caticlan Jetty Port, said that in the past they were not so strict in requiring IDs for Aklanon residents. Aklanons are exempted from paying the Php75 terminal fees at the jetty port based on a provincial ordinance.

"But we received reports that non-Aklanons are excusing themselves as local residents to avoid paying the terminal fees," Pontero said.

The jetty port administration has introduced a new technical system where local residents have been provided exclusive lanes separating them from the tourists coming.

"In the exclusive lanes, once Aklanons will present their ID cards they will then be given a bar code. The bar code being provided for free will be used as their ticket to pass through a turnstile machine," she added.

Boracay stakeholders now trained in anti-kidnapping strategies

Hundreds of Boracay stakeholders were trained Monday on anti-kidnapping strategies for their own personal safety.

The training was initiated by the Anti-Kidnapping Group-Visayas of the Philippine National Police here.

The objective of the training is to ensure the safety of both the tourists and the businessmen and prevent themselves from becoming victims of kidnap for ransom syndicates.

Among the topics discussed include The Law on Kidnapping, Trends in Kidnapping, Modus Operandi, Detecting Kidnappers/Suspicious Persons, KFR Group Targets and Categories of Kidnappers, Detecting Safe Houses, Preventive Tips (Education for Prevention, Community Responsibility), Advantages of reporting/Disadvantages of not reporting of kidnapping incidents to police authorities.

The said training was also supported by the local government of Malay, Aklan.

Local parish spearheads weekly candle lighting protest in Boracay

The Parish of the Most Holy Rosary here is spearheading a weekly candle lighting protest to raise awareness to both tourists and the local government that this resort island is over developed.

Fr. Arnaldo Crisostomo, parish priest, said that the candle lighting protest will be held 6 pm of every Thursday at the Willy's Rock here.

"We urge residents, tourists and civic organizations in this resort island to join us in our weekly candle lighting protest to pray for our government authorities to shed light that Boracay is undergoing environmental degradation," Crisostomo said.

Earlier, the parish priest bared that he received report that a group of Taiwanese businessmen are interested in developing the Puka beach here.

The Puka beach has been named in 2013 as one of the best beaches in Asia.

"I am not in favor of the proposed development. Since Puka beach as the last bastion of nature in Boracay, there will be a massive ripple effect on it. Among those is the refuge of the flying foxes will be disturbed causing harm to the so-called cycle of life," Crisostomo said.

Boracay tourist arrivals may hit 1.65M for 2015

A provincial government executive bared that the world-famous resort island may just hit 1.65 million tourist arrivals for 2015.

Caticlan Jetty Port administrator Niven Maquirang said that from January to September 30, Boracay has already registered 1,199,740 foreign and local tourists.

Of this number 592,726 were domestic tourists; 592,726 were foreign tourists and the remaining 33,667 were Overseas Filipino Workers.

"For 2015, we project to reach 1.7M tourists but we may not attain the target. Boracay has been affected by the recent global MERS-COV scare and the recent kidnapping incident in Samal Island, near Davao City," he said.

Maquirang said despite the concerns, Boracay continues to become a cruise ship destination capital in South East Asia.

Boracay PNP braces for peak season

The Boracay Tourists Assistance Center of the Philippine National Police here bared that it is now ready for the anticipated influx of both foreign and local tourists during the last quarter of the year.

Police Senior Inspector Fidel Gentallan, Boracay police chief, said they had partnered with force multipliers such as the Boracay Action Group (BAG).

"In our meeting with the BAG, we agreed for the first time to dispatch police deployment at the Bolabog Beach at the back portion of Boracay. We anticipate the huge number of tourists to visit the beach soon," Gentallan said.

The Boracay PNP bared that the huge influx of tourists will be arriving during semestral break, halloween and the yuletide season.

Government enforcement agencies such as the Philippine Army, Philippine Coast Guard, PNP Maritime Command are also on alert with the anticipated arrival of tourists.

The Aklan Provincial Government targets 1.8 million tourist arrivals for 2015.

Boracay to host 31st ASEAN Maritime Meeting

This resort island is being groomed to host the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) meeting of the Maritime Transport Technical Working Group.

This was bared by Director Sonia Malaluan from the Manpower Development Service of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Central Office.

"Members from ASEAN Countries will be attending to discuss programs intended for the maritime transport sector in the region," said Malaluan here.

Malaluan is currently one of the organizers of the event to be held in this resort island on April 6-8, 2016.

"The group will also discuss the possibility of a technical overview and coordination for the implementation of the roadmap of competitive and integrated maritime transport in ASEAN," she said,

The Boracay hosting leg is being supported by the Philippine Coast Guard, Department of Health, Department of Tourism, local government of Malay and the Caticlan-Cagban Jetty Port administration.

This year, this resort island hosted several ASEAN events such as the Chief Justices Meeting and the Asia Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) on trade.