Task Force to assess Boracay's redevelopment

Members of the Boracay Task Force will soon convene to assess the voluntary demolition being conducted by private firms in this resort island for the past week.

Malay Councilor Rowen Aguirre said the assessment aims to determine the next step of the 'redevelopment' in this resort island.

The Malay local government is a member of the task force mandated by President Benigno S. Aquino III to ensure environmental conservation of Boracay.

"The assessment is also aimed to determine what we will do to those stakeholders who refuse to comply with government regulations," Aguirre said.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has listed around 293 illegal structures such as tents and stage halls swamping the island's front beach area. Private firms have voluntarily dismantled the structures after they were given a one-week warning.

According to the study of the Tokyo Institute of Technology, this resort island is undergoing over-development and lacks social infrastructures because of man-made activities.

Experts from Japan in collaboration with the University of the Philippines-Marine Science Department recently conducted the environmental research here.

DOH to allocate P120 million for new Boracay Hospital

The Department of Health (DoH) has reportedly expressed commitment to allocate P120 million for the building of a new Boracay hospital in the next three years.

Aklan Gov. Florencio Miraflores said that they have identified the old facility of the Department of Tourism (DOT) at Mt. Luho here as possible location of the said hospital.

"Right now we are awaiting for the formal signing of memorandum between the DOT and the DOH as first step towards the realization of the hospital," said Miraflores.

The DOT has expressed approval for the said plan since they are no longer using the old facility. The DOH for its part has seen the need to create a new hospital since the current Boracay District Hospital aside from being overcrowded is also prone to flooding.

Aside from the modern hospital, the DOH also plans to put up a trauma center here for drowning victims and other incidents. A helipad will also be placed for emergencies.

DENR, Malay LGU ready for first phase of 'redevelopment'

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), local government including the Boracay Task Force are now prepared for the "revedelopment" of this resort island.

The Task Force that has been mandated by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III urged the media to consider the term "redevelopment" for demolition of illegal structures here.

During a public forum held recently, the local government of Malay gave establishments until August 28 to remove their illegal structures at the vegetation areas of the front beach. The forum was participated by around 50 stakeholders here.

Failure to do so would signal the task force to proceed to its redevelopment action against erring establishments.

"The DENR has already downloaded some P4.7 million to the local government of Malay as budget for the first phase of redevelopment," said Ivene Reyes chief of the Aklan Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) Friday.

Among those included in the lists for redevelopment are the tents, beach huts, stage and other related structures that are inside the easement. Exempted from the first phase were the tables and chairs used at night and are not visible at day time.

The task force warns erring establishments that they could possibly recommend closure if they continue to ignore government restrictions.

"We are doing this redevelopment because aside for it being a mandate of Malacanang, we are also supporting the move to preserve the island of Boracay," Reyes said.

PR: GMA's 24 Oras and I-Witness, only Asian nominees in this year's Emmys

Widely regarded as the Philippines' most awarded broadcast news
organization, GMA News and Public Affairs brings pride to the country
anew with two nominations in this year's International Emmy Awards.
GMA's flagship primetime newscast 24 Oras and longest-running public
affairs program I-Witness were among the eight international nominees
for the News and Current Affairs categories.

24 Oras' in-depth coverage of Typhoon Pablo, considered as the world's
deadliest natural disaster in 2012, received a nomination in the News
category. Led by anchors Mel Tiangco and Mike Enriquez, GMA News and
Public Affairs' ace team of reporters covered the deadly typhoon that
whipped Mindanao a few weeks before Christmas. 24 Oras' coverage of the
heartbreaking loss of lives after the typhoon was cited for being "a
catalyst for public debate regarding the effectiveness of the country's
emergency preparedness".

Kara David's I-Witness documentary on children's rights titled
"Alkansiya" earned a nomination in the Current Affairs category.
"Alkansiya" tells the story of a 12-year-old boy from Eastern Samar who
dives and scours the seabed every night in search of sea cucumbers.
Hoping to finish his studies, he eagerly deposits his measly income from
selling his daily haul to his "alkansiya" or piggy bank. The documentary
also received the prestigious UNICEF Child Rights Award in October of
last year in Seoul, Korea.

Entries from GMA Network are the sole nominees from the Philippines and
even Asia in the News and Current Affairs categories. The eight nominees
come from five countries including Brazil, Germany, Romania,
Philippines, and United Kingdom. GMA Network and Brazil's TV Globo are
the only international entries to have earned a nod in both categories.

"The 2013 Nominees reported on subjects ranging from war to politics to
human triumph and tragedy," said Bruce L. Paisner, President & CEO of
the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the
organization conferring the Emmys, in a news release announcing the
nominees last August 14.

Winners will be announced at the Lincoln Center in New York on October
1. (

EMB accredits West Cove Resort as Pollution Control Fighter

The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has given the West Cove Resort here a certificate of accreditation as pollution control officer.

This, after the EMB-DENR-Western Visayas invited the said resort recently as participant to the pollution control forum held in Iloilo City. The forum was also organized together with the Pollution Control Association of the Philippines Incorporated.

Said forum was held during the 33rd Regional Convention and General Membership Assembly on June 27-28, 2013.

The certificate of accreditation was signed by DENR regional director Atty. Jonathan Bulos dated July 17.

"This certificate shows that we are committed in preserving the environment and not to cause pollution especially for Boracay Island considered as one of the World's Best Beaches," said Mobo on Thursday.

Also earlier, the TripAdvisor, one of the world's leading tourism firms, has awarded the West Cove Resort with the Certificate of Excellence as one of the champions for 2013.

New jetty port in Bulalacao to further boost PHL tourism

Negotiations are now underway for the possible opening of a new jetty port in Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro.

Niven Maquirang, Caticlan Jetty Port administrator, said Tuesday that the new jetty port will traverse the route Bulalacao to Caticlan in Aklan and Bulalacao to Palawan. This new route hopes to increase tourism activity in the country.

"We already have a vessel that is interested to ply on the said route. We expect that the jetty port in Bulalacao will be operational in October this year," Maquirang said.

If realized, travel time from Bulalacao to Caticlan is expected to be at least two hours and thirty minutes.

Before the opening of the new route, a travel from Roxas, Oriental Mindoro and Caticlan, in Malay, Aklan has been already operational for several years through the roll on-roll off vessel. Travel time on the RO-RO vessel is five to six hours.

With these developments, tourists coming to Boracay will also soon enjoy Palawan and vice versa.

Bulalacao formerly known as San Pedro is a fourth class municipality of Oriental Mindoro. Report said that Bulalacao also offers good beaches, coves, peninsulas, and other tourism attractions.

‘Boracay needs new hospital’

The Department of Health (DOH) is currently studying the possibility of building another hospital in this island resort.

Dr. Victor Sta. Maria, Provincial Health Office head, said he recently discussed the matter with DOH representative Zuela Calizo.

“The DOH wanted to build a new hospital that is equipped with modern facilities [that] meet international standards,” Sta. Maria said.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) and the residents here have expressed disappointment to the state of the Boracay District Hospital.

Now the DOH is coordinating with the municipal government of Malay in looking for a possible location for the new hospital.

Aside from the hospital, the DOT is also pushing for the acquisition of an air or boat ambulance.

Earlier, it said an air or boat ambulance could best cater to the health needs of rich foreign and local tourists coming to Boracay.

Currently, the sick or victims of accidents here were being transported via public bancas to mainland Malay, then to the hospital in the capital town of Kalibo.

Malay Council seeks increase of maximum height limit for Boracay buildings

Despite the effort of the national government for environmental sustainability in this resort island, the Malay council is seeking to allow the increase of maximum height limit for buildings in this resort island.

The proposal is embodied in the municipal ordinance number 328 series of 2013 deliberated and passed by the Malay body last June 18.

It can be recalled that President Benigno Simeon Aquino III recently asked for the creation of Boracay Task Force which hopes to ensure environmental sustainability in this resort island. The task force is composed of departments of tourism (DOT), of environment and natural resources (DENR) and, of interior and local government (DILG) among others.

In the said proposed ordinance, the council seeks to add sections four and five of the municipal ordinance 267 series of 2008 and at the same time conduct amendments to the section ten of such local legislation.

The addendum highlights the maximum height limitations of the building that maybe constructed from one hundred meters and beyond the buffer zone shall not exceed 16 meters five-storey building provided that the lot area shall be 5,000 square meters but less than two hectares.

Another addendum features the maximum height of the building that maybe constructed from 100 and beyond the buffer zone shall not exceed 20 meters six-storey building provided that the lot area is two hectares and above.

The original ordinance stipulates that the maximum limit for buildings in this resort island will only be at least three-storey to prevent Boracay from reaching its overloaded capacity.

The council justifies that the continued influx of tourist in this resort island is overwhelming, industry development is inevitable and progress can no longer be suppressed, thus a need to increase the maximum height limitations of buildings in this resort island.

The Malay municipal council also mandates that applicants in the said local legislation should post amounting to five percent of the total cost of the project but shall not exceed P1 million.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP)of Aklan has called the municipal engineering of Malay and the proponents for a committee hearing on Monday August 19 for the provincial board members to decide whether to endorse the said ordinance or not.

TESDA to probe alleged discrimination of workers in Boracay

The Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) is looking into the alleged discrimination in the hiring of workers in this resort island.

This developed after the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) officially reported that their study showed that most of the workers being hired here are from the nearby provinces of Iloilo, Cebu, and Negros Occidental.

Because of this, Aklan residents are allegedly being displaced in the hiring process.

TESDA officials said that they provide nationwide accreditation and that the trainings being provided are the same in all provinces.

Aklan Vice Gov. Gabrielle Calizo-Quimpo said that TESDA officials were surprised by the results of the DOLE study and committed to take a look into the concern.

The Aklan provincial government is implementing a policy that Aklan residents should be prioritized in the hiring of employees in the province especially in this resort island.

"The TESDA wishes to understand why people coming from other provinces are being hired rather than the local residents," Quimpo added.

Bali, Boracay set to sign sisterhood agreement

The government of Bali, Indonesia will soon sign a sisterhood agreement with the Aklan provincial government.

Aklan Gov. Florencio Miraflores said Indonesian Ambassador to the Philippines Yohanes Kristiarto Soeryo Legowo confirmed the plan during their meeting Tuesday.

"The initiative came from the Indonesian government as Boracay has recently been considered one of the world's best beaches," Miraflores said Wednesday.

In his presentation during the meeting, Legowo said that the Indonesian government is committed for joint tourism promotion, joint tourism management training, familiarization trip for travel agencies and tour operators, seminar for tourism development, export of local handicrafts, opening of branch tour operator, and direct flights from Denpasar to the Kalibo International Airport.

"I was told that the Indonesian government wanted to learn from our people's voluntary effort on environmental conservation and management. Some Indonesians are reportedly not keen on volunteering to help in their environmental sustainability," Miraflores said.

In December last year, the Indonesian embassy had sent a representation to the Aklan provincial government to discuss the proposed sisterhood agreement. Legowo visited Boracay last year on the invitation of Ilocos Gov. Chavit Singson.

"Apparently, Legowo, fell in love with Boracay Island, one of the considerations why the sisterhood agreement is being finalized," Miraflores said.

Bali became famous as a tourism zone in the 1950's while Boracay earned international recognition in the 1980's.

Kalibo international airport may restrict operations next year

 The Department of Tourism (DoT) has recommended possible restrictions in the operation of the Kalibo International Airport (KIA) next year.

Helen Catalbas, regional director of the Department of Tourism Region 6 (DOT-6), said Tuesday the plan is to close KIA to too many aircraft because of overcrowding.

"Right now, the KIA suffers from overcrowding due to the increasing number of foreign and local tourists going to Boracay," the tourism official said.

The KIA is considered a major gateway for tourists coming to this resort-island.

To lessen the economic impact of the KIA restrictions, the DOT has urged the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to fast track all planned development for the airport, including rehabilitation and extension.

The CAAP had earlier tagged the KIA as one of the ten busiest airports in the country. It currently has direct chartered flights from Singapore, Hong Kong and other China provinces.

It also has a number of domestic flights daily from Manila.

8 sites shortlisted for PHL APEC hosting in 2015

By Michaela del Callar (PNA)

Eight cities and destinations around the country have been shortlisted as possible venues for high-level meetings when the Philippines hosts the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in 2015, a senior Foreign Affairs official said.

Foreign Undersecretary Laura del Rosario, head of the National Organizing Council for APEC, said among those selected were: Metro Manila, Clark, Tagaytay, Legaspi, Iloilo, Boracay, Cebu and Davao. Bacolod, she said, is also being considered as a back-up venue for the meeting.

Del Rosario said the shortlisted sites are “under serious considerations” by the organizers but will have to go through another round of evaluation every six months before 2015 to ensure its readiness to host the meetings.

“The cities that were reviewed have passed the initial requirements based on certain criteria - security, cleanliness, and accessibility,” Del Rosario told reporters in an interview.

Criteria for selection of venues also include facilities and infrastructure, power and water conditions, and medical services availability, Del Rosario said.

The APEC Summit, which would include leaders from the United States, Japan and China, would be held in the country by November 2015.

During the Philippine hosting, Del Rosario said a number of preparatory meetings in the ministerial and senior official levels will be held throughout the year in the run up to the summit.

The APEC leaders’ meeting, said to be the biggest and most high profile annual gathering of world leaders from 21-member economies, will be hosted by President Benigno S. Aquino III before he ends his term in June 2016.

Preparations including security and logistical requirements are being laid out as early as this year, Del Rosario said.

The APEC meetings, she said, would be a good opportunity for the Philippines to flaunt its prime cities and popular tourist destinations, like the world-famed Boracay and the Mayon Volcano in Legaspi, Albay.

It is also a chance for the country to showcase the diversity of Philippine regions, culture, arts and cuisine, Del Rosario said, adding the country’s hosting of the summit will pave the way for infrastructure improvements across the Philippines and begin the trend for “Livable Cities.”

“We’re trying to make cities live up and become livable cities because one of the agenda items of APEC is to create sustainable and livable cities,” she said.

AirAsia to promote Aklan as tourism hub

AirAsia will soon promote Aklan province as its hub for international flights.

Jonathan Allen Yabut, incoming chief of staff of Air Asia, said the management has already approved the plan to make Kalibo International Airport (KIA) as one of its hubs.

Yabut, 27, recently earned the chief of staff rank after he was named the winner of the first season of “The Apprentice Asia, ” a reality show aired on AXN Asia.

"Aside from Boracay, we will also promote other tourism destinations in the province such as the Kalibo Mangrove Eco-Park and the Jawili Falls," Yabut said.

"Aside from this, I am planning for AirAsia to also launch a food company showcasing the different indigenous and ethnic foods in Asia especially the Philippines," he added.

The Aklan provincial government had earlier welcomed the plans of AirAsia to promote the KIA as an international hub.

Aklan Vice Gov. Gabrielle Calizo-Quimpo said the promotion brought about by declaring KIA as tourism hub will provide multiple opportunities for the province of Aklan.(

Three Chinese nationals arrested for gambling

The Philippine National Police has arrested three Chinese nationals for playing card games popularly known as “blackjack” in this resort island.

PO3 Christopher Mendoza of the Boracay PNP said the Chinese nationals, whose identities were not readily made available by the police, were arrested by operatives of the Regional Intelligence Division of the PNP.

The three foreign nationals were identified as Liang Yue Shi, 35, a tourist guide and a resident of Sitio Lubuton, Brgy. Manoc-manoc, Boracay; Wen Min Heng, 46; and Bao Sang Chan, 50, both residents of Pukin, China but temporarily living at Sitio Diniwid, Brgy. Balabag, Boracay who owns the Hong Kong Sea Food Restaurant in the island-resort.

"The PNP pounced on the Chinese nationals Monday night inside the Hong Kong Sea Food Restaurant in Brgy. Balabag here,” Mendoza told this writer Tuesday.

Recovered from their possession and control were playing cards, cellphone, $ 1,000 and some P150,000 believed to have been used in the illegal gambling.

"Our intelligence received reports that the Chinese nationals are gambling while staying in this resort island so we conducted surveillance before our police arrested them," Mendoza said.

"They will be charged for the violation of Republic Act 9287 otherwise known as the Anti Gambling Act," said Mendoza.

It was learned that the suspects managed to post P20,000 bail bond each for their temporary liberty.

flash

flash: :three Chinese nationals arrested over illegal gambling in Boracay

DENR supports call for regulations of fire dance, lighted sand castles in Boracay

The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) on Friday joined the call of the Department of Tourism (DOT) for the regulation of fire dancers and lighted sand castles in this resort island.

The DOT earlier reported on the possible beach pollution created by the fire dancers and the lighted sand castles.

Ivene Reyes, Aklan PENRO chief said he agreed to the observation of the DOT.

"Both fire dancers and lighted sand castle-makers use gas in their activities. The gas used, however, were being thrown at the beach and this may attribute to beach pollution. Right now the situation is not alarming but we are worried that this may happen soon if the activities were not regulated," said Reyes.

He recommended that fire dancers (and lighted sand castles) be regulated if they will not be allowed to throw gas at the beach. Likewise, fire dancer sooth their body with gas should not be allowed to swim at the beach.

"This way, we could prevent beach pollution from growing if everybody helps in the conservation of Boracay," said Reyes.

Fire dancing and lighted sand castles are a common beach attractions in this resort island.

Boracay urged to become smoke-free tourism destination

The Dept. of Tourism here is supporting the call of several sectors to make this resort island a smoke-free tourism destination.

Tim Ticar, officer-in-charge of DOT-Boracay, said that it will be a welcome development this resort-island would be considered smoke-free.

The municipal government of Malay, Aklan still has to decide on its implementation.

"Declaring Boracay a smoke-free tourism destination will not only support the Clean Air Act but will also attract more tourists because of the island’s healthy environment," Ticar said.

The local government has already been enforcing penalties for both tourists and residents found smoking at the front beach.

Niven Maquirang, jetty port administrator, said he is also finalizing the plan to make both Cagban and Caticlan jetty ports smoke-free areas.

"We agree to the cause of making Boracay a smoke-free tourism destination and my part is to consider declaring my area, the jetty port, as a smoke free gateway for tourists coming to Boracay," Maquirang said.

Task force identifies 293 illegal structures in Boracay

 The technical team of the Task Force: Boracay has found 293 structures in this resort-island violating the 25+5 meters easement set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The task force, composed of representatives from the DENR, departments of tourism (DOT), and of interior and local government (DILG), was created upon orders from President Benigno Aquino III to ensure the resort-island’s sustainability as a premier tourism destination.

Ivene Reyes, provincial head of DENR-Aklan, said Tuesday their next step will be the finalization of the list together with the local government of Malay on August 5-7.

"We will then discuss the date of the removal of the illegal structures. The law mandates that the local government unit should lead in the demolition," Reyes said.

The demolition may be scheduled either in last week of August or in September.

Reyes said the Cagban Jetty Port has been included in the list of illegal structures.

"But since it is a government project and is important in tourism, the task force deemed that its structure and operation be regulated," Reyes said.

The Cagban Port serves as the entry and exit point of tourists and residents coming to and from Boracay.

"We are hoping for the cooperation of the different sectors in Boracay," the DENR official said.