Year-end report: Foreigners fall in Boracay drug busts

 Several foreigners were arrested in illegal drug buy-bust operations in this island resort from July to December.

At least 20 Taiwanese, seven Chinese and two British people were caught, according to the Aklan Police Provincial Office.

The Philippine National Police launched in July an intensified antidrug campaign in keeping with the promise of President Rodrigo Duterte to rid the country of illegal drugs in months.

But Flosemer Gonzales of the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office said the courts have allowed 15 Taiwanese and Chinese nationals arrested over illegal drugs to post bail.

“The Taiwanese government is coordinating [with local authorities] to ensure their [citizens’] safety,” said Gonzales.

Meanwhile Provincial Board Nemesio Neron gave Duterte credit for his resolve.

But “I give him [only] 88 percent because his campaign policy was not clear and perfect,” said Neron. “It seems that his antidrug policy was infested by politics. He should use an iron hand if he is really serious.”

He also called on the Philippine National Police to review unresolved criminal cases linked to illegal drugs.

“I know several [unresolved] cases in Aklan and Metro Manila perpetrated by influential personalities, who have gone scot-free,” said the former police general.

Neron served as police commander in Aklan and Valenzuela City before entering politics./

AKELCO on red alert for Christmas

 The Aklan Electric Cooperative (AKELCO) is on red alert this Christmas season to ensure continuous power operation in the province, especially in Boracay Island.

Engr. Joel Martinez, assistant general manager for engineering, said that they had deployed 25 personnel in Boracay to operate 24/7 to ensure power reliability.

They are advised to be on alert mode to immediately respond in cases of major power failure.

For several months, AKELCO had been criticized for series of power failures. Several resorts had complained of losing millions of pesos on damaged appliances brought about by power failures.

"We are doing our best to ensure power reliability. The strong wind blowing in the island is one of the factors causing disruption of electricity in Boracay," Martinez said.

He also urged member-consumers to immediately report to their respective AKELCO offices cases of power failures. This is to alert AKELCO personnel to immediately restore the broken lines, especially this Christmas season.

Christmas and New Year are seasons with the most demand for electricity.

Task group formed for ASEAN 2017

The Aklan Provincial Police Office (APPO) has officially formed a task group that would ensure the security preparation in time for the anticipated international event here next year.

SPO1 Nida Gregas, public information officer of the APPO, said that they had already organized the Task Group Boracay Asean 2017.

"This means that we are already ready to secure the ASEAN Summit where series of meetings in Boracay are anticipated to be held from February 11 - March 2," Gregas said.

ASEAN delegates all over the Asia-Pacific are excited for such event, which is considered as the golden anniversary of ASEAN.

The 2017 theme is " Partnering for Change, Engaging the World."

This is the third time that the Philippines would be hosting the ASEAN Summit. First was in Manila in 1987 and second in Cebu in 2007.

Boracay bans begging

Aklan — Begging is now banned at the world-famous Boracay Island in Malay town, Aklan province.
Gemma Santerva, social welfare officer of Malay town, said begging is an eye sore to Boracay tourists.

The Malay Municipal Social Welfare Development Office (MSWDO) is partnering with the Philippine National Police (PNP) to implement the no-begging policy in the resort island.

Santerva is encouraging tourists to report to Boracay PNP if they encounter someone asking for alms.

Santerva is also appealing to tourists coming this Christmas season not to give money to those who beg along the famous white-sand beach front.

Aklan police gears for 2017 ASEAN Summit

The Aklan Provincial Police Office has started its security preparations for the anticipated series of ASEAN Summit meetings to be held in this resort island in 2017.

SPO1 Nida Gregas, police information officer, today said that they are now attending series of meetings, trainings and gather information for the ASEAN Summit. The ASEAN Summit is expected to be held in this resort island from February 11 to March 2, 2017.

It could be recalled that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has formally accepted the challenge of hosting the ASEAN Summit next year.

Catacutan stars in Boracay promotional video

Rogelie Catacutan, the Philippines candidate for Miss Supranational 2015, is starring for the Boracay Island promotional video to be launched soon.

Raffy Cooper, the marketing officer of the Boracay Foundation Incorporated, said that the length of the promotional video for social media is 10 minutes. For international promotion, the full video may last up to 20 minutes.

"Sponsors of the video production had chosen Catacutan as the official endorser for the video. We believe it would boost our tourism promotion," said Cooper.

The BFI has been joining the Department of Tourism's travel abroad to promote Boracay.

AboitizPower welcomes SC’s final ruling on 153.1-MW Cebu power plant complex

Aboitiz Power Corporation welcomes the Supreme Court’s Nov. 28 Notice of Judgment denying with finality Salcon Power Corp.’s motion for reconsideration in relation to the 153.1-MW Naga Power Plant Complex in Barangay Colon, City of Naga.

"We are pleased that the Supreme Court has ruled on this issue with finality. The High Court’s decision supports a transparent and fair bidding process that encourages open competition," said Antonio R. Moraza, AboitizPower president and COO.

The SC denied with finality the motion for reconsideration of SPC seeking to revise the Oct. 5 Resolution of the High Court that reinstated the notice of award of the Naga Power Plant Complex (NPPC) to AboitizPower subsidiary Therma Power Visayas, Inc. (TPVI).

In its Oct. 5 resolution, the High Court ordered the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) to execute the asset purchase agreement and land lease agreement on NPPC in favor of TPVI “with dispatch.”

The SC reiterated that SPC’s right to top, granted in SPC’s lease agreement for the Naga Land-Based Gas Turbine, is “null and void.” The SC also annulled and set aside the asset purchase and land lease agreements that PSALM and SPC executed.

PSALM held the first bidding for the Naga Power Plant in 2013.  The first two rounds were declared failed bids as only one bidder, SPC, showed up. TPVI joined the third round and won with a bid of P1.088billion, higher than SPC's bid of only P858,999,888.88.

PSALM issued a Notice of Award dated April 30, 2014 in favor of TPVI but it (PSALM) executed SPC’s right to top based on its land lease agreement and asset purchase agreement of the land-based gas turbine plant within the Naga Power Plant Complex.

The right to top, however, was declared null and void by the SC in its Sept. 28, 2015 decision and reiterated in its Oct. 5, 2016 resolution

Business, tourism robust under Duterte's leadership

Both the business and the tourism sectors in the province of Aklan have turned robust under the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Ramel Buncalan, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Aklan, said that the conduct of business in the province is doing well.

"Because of the sincerity of the Duterte administration and the Philippine National Police to solve the drug menace and criminality, it boosts the trust and confidence of the business sector to have more investments," Buncalan said.

"This is also the same with the strong determination of the President to end corruption at the different branches of the government," said Buncalan.

Aside from business sector, the tourism industry in Boracay Island is also doing well under the Duterte administration.

Niven Maquirang, jetty port administrator, said that from January to December 5 this year, Boracay has already registered 1, 604, 192 tourists arrivals.

"The said figure is already higher compared to that of 2015 over-all tourists arrivals which registered at 1, 560,106. This shows that the Duterte presidency has been doing good for the tourism industry," Maquirang said.