Aklan gov seeks permanent solution to Boracay flooding, environmental woes

Aklan Gov. Florencio Miraflores urged local engineers here to look for permanent solutions to the frequent flooding in this resort island and other environmental woes.

Miraflores said on Tuesday  that he already met with the Engineering District of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Aklan and the Provincial Engineers Office to study permanent solutions.

“I was also told the Tourism Infrastructure Economic Zone Authority  will do its work for a drainage network in Boracay by January 2018. I have also instructed the engineers to study permanent solutions to the landslide-prone areas in Tulingon Road, Nabas, Aklan,” Miraflores said.

Residents in Nabas reported the hill in the Tulingon Highway was already leaking, thus causing frequent landslides during heavy rains.

During the  onslaught of Typhoon Urduja last Sunday, motorists, including tourists on buses bound to and from Boracay Island, were rerouted because of a series of landslide incidents in Nabas.

As a result, the local government of Nabas, Aklan, declared the town under a state of calamity on Monday.

“The flooding of Boracay and the frequent landslide incidents in Nabas may take longer-term solutions. We are doing it one solution at a time. The important thing for now is stakeholders in Boracay, residents, government and non-governmental agencies must be united to help minimize the effects of climate change,” he said.

Meanwhile, the local government of Malay, Aklan, is allocating P10 million for road-improvement projects for next year, said Jimmy Maming, executive assistant to the mayors office. Around 90 percent of the road networks in this resort island was submerged by flood as typhoon Urduja came near last Sunday.

“The budget was not yet enough to fill the road. We need the help of the Aklan provincial government and the DPWH for this endeavor,” Maming said.

Malay Councilor Nenette Graf said that, aside from floods, other Urduja-related incidents in this resort island were reported such as a fire incident fronting Balabbag Elementary School and a capsized boat where around 1,000 passengers were stranded both at the Caticlan and Cagban Jetty Ports.

As of this writing, the Boracay Island Water Co. reported a weeklong limited supply of potable water for this resort island as their reservoir has been affected by the floods.

A security guard from the Movenpick Resort was reportedly injured.

Meanwhile, Malay Mayor Ciceron Cawaling suspended all classes in the municipality Monday to give way to clearing operations brought by floods in Boracay and in mainland Malay.

He also commended different rescue volunteers, the Philippine Red Cross in Boracay and other organizations to stand guard against the Urduja onslaught. The province of Aklan has declared zero casualty after the typhoon.