‘No plan, no heart’ in Boracay closure - Kalikasan

Environmental activist group Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan PNE) held a picket at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to protest the impending closure of Boracay island. The group said the arbitrary six-month closure had no comprehensive scientific rehabilitation plan but will displace thousands of workers in the process.

“Duterte’s Boracay closure order is like bar-drunk swagger that had no comprehensive, scientific basis and no heart for the 36,000 workers it will displace. His yes men are struggling to come up with rehab, security, and even completely illogical land reform plans, but these cannot justify the full closure of the island. With no comprehensive rehab plan whatsoever, we see Duterte’s closure order will benefit the only Boracay projects that have full plans and in full implementation, the Chinese-backed mega casinos,” said Leon Dulce, National Coordinator of the Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment.

The environment group noted that the planned casino of Macau-based Galaxy Entertainment will be built on an inland forest area of Boracay and still has a provisional permit from the government in effect up to present.

“What kind of environmental rehab plan would allow the conversion of native tree forests into a mega-casino? Despite the Department of Tourism’s claim the Galaxy casino is searching for a new location, locals report the company’s local partners recently continued to acquire land in Boracay.  The DILG’s guidelines on the closure do not even include a moratorium for new construction projects which makes the closure order even more suspect,” said Dulce.

A Fact-Finding Solidarity Mission (FFSM) was conducted last week by environmental groups and people’s organizations to investigate the circumstances and effects of the impending closure of Boracay on the people. The Center for Environmental Concerns (CEC) was among those groups which joined the mission.

“Despite repeated requests by various organizations and even media outfits, President Duterte and the DENR has not yet divulged any plan or paper which details how exactly they are going to embark on rehabilitating the island, or as to why they arbitrarily chose six months as the supposed recovery period. There was not even a public consultation held prior to Duterte’s verbal pronouncements on closing the island. Up to the present, there is still no order or legal basis for the closure.” said Lia Alonzo, a researcher from CEC.

Kim-Sin Tugna, of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) - Aklan, who was also part of the FFSM, reported that the deployment of 630 fully-armed police only sowed fear and terror among the populace.

“Despite the absence of a writ of eviction, which can only be issued by the courts, the DENR escorted by police forces have been asking residents to leave since their houses were said to be built on wetlands. The residents wondered why they were being evicted now when they have been paying taxes for the land they were occupying. The intimidation of the police in fatigue uniforms and bearing high powered rifles caused fear and panic among the residents. During our public consultation, residents reported to that the police told them that they will ask for the deployment of soldiers and turn Boracay into a ‘new Marawi’ if the residents will resist,” Tugna said.

“Although the rehabilitation of the Boracay is indeed much needed, any move to help the islands heal should also not leave behind the livelihood concerns of the residents who have no other means to earn a decent income in the first place. But with a casino to be built on Boracay’s forest itself, the closure order only reveals that the Duterte regime’s environmental pronouncements are a sham. Moreover, we castigate the Duterte regime for enforcing its arbitrary closure order using draconic and dictatorial methods which only terrorize the people,” Dulce concluded.#

Aklan mayors plan to fund volunteers for Boracay rehab

The 16 local chief executives in the province are currently considering sending off residents as volunteers to help in the rehabilitation of this resort island for six months.

“We are considering sending off at least 20 volunteers per town to help in the Boracay rehabilitation,” Malinao Mayor Wilbert Ariel Igoy said. “Their allowances may be sourced out from both the budget of the local government and the provincial government.”

Igoy, the president of the Provincial Mayors League, said they have been asked by the Aklan provincial government to send delegates.

When plans have been finalized, the volunteers are being eyed to stay in public schools during summer. By June in the opening of classes, they will be accommodated at the covered gym of the barangays of Balabag and Manoc Manoc.

“Everybody in the province is  affected by the six months of closure as ordered by President Duterte,” Igoy added.

Meanwhile, the Aklan Electric Cooperative (Akelco) is also eyeing to seek the help of the power cooperatives all over the country to speed up relocation of electric poles during the six months closure of Boracay.

Akelco General Manager Alexis M. Regalado said the volunteers to be named as Task Force:Kapatid will be deployed in Boracay.

A tourism advocate has claimed the six months closure of Boracay Island have gained worldwide respect as the Philippine government is going to sustainable tourism.

Former Consul General Robert Lim Joseph, now a consultant of Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon T. Teo, said the closure is an eye-opener. Joseph accused resorts of failing to obey the rules and dumping waste into the sea. He added it is also important that structures encroaching the shoreline be completely taken down. Joseph echoed the need for Boracay to have a functional sewerage-treatment plant and wider roads.

Joseph said hotels should also use the time to repaint and undertake repairs.

Ambitious journey from Boracay to Australia

Never mind that this island resort will be closed to tourists for six months. Joe Alayra is leaving it anyway.

The Filipino-Australian is determined to embark on an ambitious journey – sailing from Boracay to Australia on an outrigger boat on his own.

Alayra, a 54-year-old from Quezon City, expects to be at sea for “around three months alone” on board a paraw, a native boat originally used for fishing.

He will launch his trip on April 26 – the day the government starts evacuating visitors from Boracay and controlling movement in the island to give way to rehabilitation.

“I am now physically, emotionally ready for this feat,” Alayra told a news conference in Kalibo, capital town of Aklan province, on Wednesday.

Alayra, a recently retired United States military officer, said sailing alone has been a longtime dream.

He also wants to showcase the craftsmanship of Filipino boatbuilding. His boatbuilder is from Tablas Island, Romblon province.

Alayra chose April 26 “because it is the time the paraw is expected to be a hundred percent ready.”

A traditional wind-driven paraw could ferry only around three people.

“With the help of my personal boatbuilder, I am determining all possible problems the boat may encounter before I use it for my long journey,” he said.

Apparently Alayra is taking calculated risks – he asked his boatbuilder to install a pedal and a solar panel on the boat.

“I will also be bringing my international Wi-Fi and a drone to post [updates on] my adventure on social media,” he said.

“I told my family and friends not to worry about me so I could focus on my journey,” he added.

This will be his second attempt to go on such a long journey.

Years ago, Alayra said, he tried to embark on a similar sail with a seafaring coach but the latter ditched their plan for a personal reason.

After reaching Australia, Alayra said he intends to return to the Philippines via the same boat. This time – he hopes – he will be with his 24-year-old son.

He said he intends to return his paraw to his boatbuilder in Romblon./

Celebrities favor Boracay closure, call for sustainable measures to rehab island

Both foreign and local celebrities all over the world have expressed support for the planned closure of Boracay Island for six months, saying it is necessary to prolong the life of the island.

Rachel Grant, a British-Filipina best known for being a  James Bond girl, said in an online interview that, for many, this is a big concern and might seem like a huge step back.

“When I first heard about the closure of Boracay, I was surprised and thought of all those who would lose their jobs and businesses. But let’s look at this as possibly a huge step forward, “ she said.

Grant is best known for her role as a James Bond girl in the 2002 movie  Die Another Day, with British actor Pierce Brosnan and United States actress Halle Berry. She also appeared as Maria Ronson in the film Until Death with Belgian martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme.

“What future will these businesses and workers have if the island becomes so polluted and unsafe for inhabitants and visitors? What about our responsibilities with caring for our natural resources, natural environment, rare marine life, endangered species and reefs? We have some of the world’s finest, and it is our duty to keep it that way,” she said.

“A healthy and beautiful environment on Boracay will lead to a stronger economy. A rehab period is very much worth the sacrifice and, if planned carefully and properly, will provide many new jobs to residents. A closure is also an opportunity to address the situation of the Ati community on Boracay—the original inhabitants who have been marginalized, moved from their ancestral homes and reduced to a community of 200,” Grant added.

Rockwell Ryan Ripperger, vocalist of the Stephen Speaks band, said in a separate interview  the beaches in the United States. Ripperger, who popularized the songs “Passenger Seat” and “Out of My League,” hails from Oklahoma, USA.

“I dont really know enough to know all the details. But what I’ve heard is true, that the sewage is getting into the water, absolutely. It is better to lose the place for a few months than to lose it forever. So many beaches in the US that used to be beautiful have become overpopulated and completely trashed, and now they are junk. No one goes there anymore. My first inclination is that this is the best move they can make so the preservation of Boracay in the long term,” Ripperger said.

Local celebrity Gabby Concepcion said he also favors the six-month closure of Boracay during a news conference in Kalibo, Aklan, on April 12.

“But I hope the national government will also put emphasis on the preservation of our coral reefs. Coral reefs in Boracay are the major food source of tourists there, as coral reefs serve as a shelter of marine life, such as fish, which is a major factor in their reproduction. Without coral reefs, there will be no fish,” he said.

Concepcion, as endorser came to visit the opening of the fourth McDonald store in Kalibo, Aklan. Two of these branches are in Boracay.

Meanwhile, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) said workers who will be affected by the closure of Boracay need not worry.

The Tesda in Region 6 is all set to help workers and residents who will be affected by the rehabilitation of Boracay Island in Aklan starting April 26.

Tesda Director General Guiling A. Mamondiong ordered officials and employees of the agency’s provincial office  to create a contingency plan that will assist the 73,522 affected residents, including 17,326 registered employees and 11,000 unregistered workers of Boracay Island.

Joel M. Villagracia, Tesda provincial director of Aklan, said they will offer free skills training to the affected workers and residents.

For the first program, Tesda will offer skills training under the Training for Work Scholarship Program, such as agri-business, information technology-business process management, semiconductors and electronics, he added.

Under the Special Training for Employment Program, the agency will offer manicure, pedicure,  sewing, massage therapy and bread-making.

“We will do an inventory of the available qualifications for the affected people so that we will know the number of available slots. For the month of April until June, we hope to train some 2,000 applicants,” Villagracia said.

Tesda officials are inviting interested applicants to enlist for the program at the Boracay Holiday (in Boracay Island), Malay mainland and at the Tesda office in Kalibo.

After they have enlisted, Tesda will profile the list of applicants so that they will determine the type of program for them and avail themselves of the National Certification.

Under the Action Plan Save Boracay, the first round of  training will start on April 26 and will end on June 30.

On April 14 the agency started its information campaign for its free skills-training program.

For the second round of training, the agency said the enrollment will start on June 15. Its classes will begin on July 1 and will wrap up on September 30.

Villagracia said the students will be given an allowance and tool kits.

President Duterte ordered the closure of the tourist island for six months to give way to the major cleanup after it was found to have violated water, waste-management and land-use regulations.

Villagracia said government agencies that coordinated with Tesda for the implementation of the action plan were the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine National Police, local government units of Malay, technical-vocational institutions and Association TVET Schools in Aklan.

‘Entry to Boracay allowed before midnight on April 25’

(The caticlan jetty port seems a ghost town for now for the absence of tourists coming to Boracay-Julfe Rabe)

Tourists may still enter this world-famous island before it reaches midnight on April 25, according to a port official.

The Caticlan Jetty Port may still accommodate passengers off to Boracay at such time, said jetty port administrator Niven Maquirang.

This is a part of the draft that local authorities are crafting in relation to the island’s imminent closure, Maquirang added.

“When they arrive in Boracay on April 25, tourists may still be allowed to frolic around [during] their stay. However, once they leave Boracay by April 26, they will be prohibited coming back to Boracay,” he said.

The jetty port management estimates to lose around P300-million collection from terminal fees.

This will cause a cut in the revenues of the provincial government, prompting it consider laying off contractual workers at the provincial and district hospitals in Aklan.

“This (revenue loss) will certainly affect the health services in the province. [Health services] are being subsidized by the terminal fees collected from tourists,” Maquirang said.

He added that he “will also need to displace some 210 contractual employees in the jetty port.”

“The provincial government by May may impose a 22-day working period (weekends not counted) for all contractual employees both in the hospitals and in jetty port. Their contracts may expire by the end of June and we will then know until then what is going to happen next,” Maquirang said.

No time will be wasted for Boracay rehab – Malay gov’t

No time will be wasted during the six-month rehabilitation period of this famed island destination, the local government of Malay, Aklan assured.

The statement came after President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation to close the island to tourists starting April 26, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said on Wednesday evening.

The recommendation was jointly made by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Tourism, and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The agencies, which are a part of the inter-agency group tasked to restore Boracay, sent the recommendation on March 22 to the Office of the President.

Duterte would also declare Boracay under a state of calamity, Roque added.

“The local government of Malay certainly will be cooperative on whatever plans and programs the national government has in mind for Boracay,” said Executive Assistant to the Mayor Rowen Aguirre on Thursday.

Aguirre added that the local government is now awaiting instructions from the inter-agency group.

DILG secretary Eduardo Año is expected to arrive in the island today to meet Mayor Ceciron Cawaling for a dialogue.

According to Roque, the President decided to approve the six-month closure recommendation during a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Menardo Guevarra told Panay News “calamity funds will be activated to tide affected workers over.”

The Department of Trade and Industry earlier warned of the closure’s adverse effects on businesses and livelihood in Boracay and suggested that the closure be carried out by phases.

Aklan officials: Ready for probe on alleged irregularities in Boracay

Both Aklan Gov.  Florencio Miraflores and Malay Mayor Ciceron Cawaling expressed readiness to face any court charges for alleged irregularities in this resort island.

Earlier, the Department of the Interior and Local Government named Miraflores and Cawaling among others to be possibly charged of graft on April 14.

They allegedly misdeclared the earnings generated from the environmental collection fee charges that some say amount to P90 million.

Last year  around 2 million tourists visited this resort island. At P75 per tourist, the total collection fee could hit P150 million.

Miraflores expressed confidence he would not be implicated in the charges as the head of the local government in charge of collecting the environmental fee.

Cawaling said in a separate interview said he would act to clear his name.

“I should face the charges since there is nothing I can do for now,” he said. “What I hope is to clear my name on this mess before my term ends.”