Marine Conservation Camp for Filipino Youth Begins June 6 in Boracay

The Young Southeast Asian Youth Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Sea and Earth Advocates (SEA) Camp, a project of Save Philippine Seas (SPS) and the U.S. Embassy in Manila, begins on June 6 and runs until June 12, coinciding with UN World Oceans Day, Coral Triangle Day, and Philippine Independence Day. The YSEALI SEA Camp aims to empower Filipino youth aged 18 to 23 to play bigger roles in conservation.

Twenty-five participants from across the Philippine archipelago have been chosen from a competitive pool of over 400 applicants. They will undergo an intensive leadership and environmental education program packed with fun and educational activities, such as panel discussions, workshops, snorkeling, and site visits to key sites on the island. On the last two days of the SEA Camp, the participants will pursue four projects in Boracay: a waste management initiative that aims to reduce the use of straws and sachets; an art workshop with indigenous peoples; a “gamified” environmental education activity with children; and an environmental law compliance audit.

“The SEA Camp is a great avenue to expand my horizon about saving the sea and environment. In my local community, people are not aware about ways to save the seas. This motivates me to be involved because we are not just talking about today, but our future, and the future of the next generation,” said Nur Taup, a SEA Camper from Maguindanao.

In the last decade, Boracay has been recognized as one of the world’s best beaches. The enormous growth of the tourism industry has resulted in various environmental and economic pressures on the island’s resources. The weekend of April 30-May 2, 2015, called “Laboracay,” left approximately 201 kg. of non-biodegradable wastes, while 102 kg. of debris were collected from the sea. A study conducted from 2010-2015 by Japanese and Filipino scientists revealed that the coral cover has declined by about 70.5% in the past 23 years.

“Boracay presents some of the biggest challenges that conservationists face, and we believe in the potential of the Filipino youth to create trailblazing and feasible solutions,” shared Anna Oposa, SEA Camp Founder and SPS Executive Director.

At the end of the camp, the participants are also expected to propose an environmental project that can be implemented in their respective communities. The best proposals will be given funding by the U.S. Embassy, in addition to assistance and guidance from local partners and SPS.
The SEA Camp is also supported by bobble, Havaianas, Thread 365, Human♥Nature, Lagu beach towels, Islands Souvenirs, Nipa Foods, and Aquamundo.

For more information and updates, please visit www.savephilippineseas.org, follow SPS on Twitter and Instagram @SavePHSeas, and like the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/savephilippineseas.

Also follow U.S. Embassy on social media for updates at @usembassymanila on Twitter, Instagram and Google+ and www.facebook.com/manila.usembassymanila on Facebook.

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Save Philippine Seas is a non-stock, non-profit organization that aims to protect the country’s marine resources through information, education, and communication activities and community-based projects. For more information, please contact: Mr. Bryan Madera Project Manager, SEA Camp +63917 327 7736
info@savephilippineseas.org

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Power interruptions

Scheduled Power interruption in parts of Aklan on Wednesday June 1.

Affected: AKELCO (Boracay Substation)
Schedule: 7:00 AM- 6:00 PM

Reason: Annual Preventive Maintenance in the 30 MVA Power Transformer and associated equipment at Boracay Substation.

NGCP will exert all efforts to restore the line as scheduled or earlier.- NGCP

Sacked Kalibo International airport employees make public appeal

The contractual employees who were fired over a so-called P50-million terminal fee ticket scam at the Kalibo International Airport in Kalibo, provincial town of Aklan province, are appealing for sympathy from the public.

In an open letter addressed to the public, the 11 contractual airport employees said that “we are being judged before due process took place,”  and that they “are also being harassed in social media.”

Earlier, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) fired Maria Briones, Precious Fernandez, Jovert Alejandro, Cherry Peralta, Shayne Alejandro, Sheila Orada, Andy Mel Jones Concepcion, Gerry Revister, Jojean Conanan, Shamar Glen Mabasa, and Daniva Acosta.

The P50 million that should have been collected by these former airport employees as terminal fee of passengers both for domestic and international flights have gone missing.

A CAAP audit team found that the P500 terminal fees for international flights and P200 for domestic flights were reused and money generated from these collections may have been pocketed.

However, the 11 contractual employees claim that they are innocent and that they are also victims as they were illegally terminated by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

In the same open letter, the 11 former airport employees also blamed media for being biased against them.

Kalibo Airport serves as the gateway to the country’s premier beach destination of Boracay Island in Malay town.

PAO urges court to dismiss bullets case vs Boracay honeymooners

No less than the head of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) is asking the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 9 (Aklan) to drop the case against the newly-wed couple who were arrested for allegedly possessing bullets at the Caticlan Airport Boracay Airport in Malay town, Aklan province.

Atty. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, chief of PAO, contends that Jerome Sulit of Quezon City and his wife are innocent.

To recall, the couple were arrested last April 28, 2016 as they checked in at the airport in Caticlan airport, on mainland Malay town.  They were supposed to fly back to Metro Manila after spending their honeymoon at Boracay Island.

Rueda-Acosta personally flew to Kalibo last Tuesday, May 24 and legally assisted the Sulit couple, who have been detained.  The Sulits are facing charges of violating the election gun ban.

The PAO chief told local media that “mere possession of bullet is not punishable… without any firearm, the bullet and its parts cannot be construed as ammunition where possession of it would be punishable.”

Acosta also cited a similar case dismissing the ‘tanim bala’ (bullet-planting) case of American missionary Lane Michael White by RTC Pasay City Judge Pedro Gutierrez.

“Bakit kakasuhan si Sulit, wala naman siyang intent to possess? At hindi naman dapat makukulong ang tao dahil sa bala lang…ang ammunition dapat may bullet, may gunpowder, may primer, may cartridge, at gagamitin sa firearm,” Acosta stressed. (Why file a case against Sulit when he has no intent to posses. People shouldn’t go to prison just for having a bullet. Ammunition should have a bullet, gunpowder, primer, cartridge, and a firearm to be used.)

Acosta is also appealing to other courts to dismiss cases against those who have been arrested for supposedly bringing bullets and other ammunitions.

Acosta also said that PAO has also filed charges against those who may have been involved in the laglag bala (bullet planting) scheme, which has been controversial since last quarter of 2015.

Aklan eyes probe on Kalibo airport terminal fee scam

The Aklan Provincial Board is eyeing a separate investigation on the alleged terminal fee ticket scam at the Kalibo International Airport.

Provincial Board Secretary Odon Bandiola said he has already been directed by members of the Aklan legislative body to formally inquire and get in touch with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

In a May 18, 2016 statement, CAAP said 11 casual employees of the airport were sacked after they were found to be recycling terminal fee tickets and issued to international and domestic passengers.

CAAP said this modus of airport employees, who issued recycled terminal fee tickets of R500 for foreign flights and R200 for domestic flights, were allegedly carried out between January and February 2016.

In recent years, several controversies have rocked the Kalibo International Airport, which is the principal gateway to world-famous Boracay Island in Malay town.

Cawaling to 'rehab' local governance' to lure more tourists

 Newly-elected Malay mayor Ciceron Cawaling is planning to 'rehabilitate' the local governance system as part of his program to lure more tourists.

Cawaling said these include environmental programs.

In line with this, he already met with several stakeholders for the revival of the Solid Waste Management Board.

Cawaling defeated the incumbent John Yap during the May 9 election.

"I am also planning to abolish the Boracay Redevelopment Task Force. I am changing it to an advisory council where different sectors would be represented," he said.

He believes that this rehabilitation in the local governance will spur tourism growth for Boracay.

The Department of Tourism targets at least 1.8 million tourists for Aklan province this year. Majority of those are expected to be coming to this resort island.