Volunteer group vow for zero drowning fatality

The Boracay Action Group has vowed to implement a zero casualty for drowning incidents in this resort island this year and in the years to come only if they could be provided a decent ambulance.

Commodore Leonard Tirol, representing the Philippine Coast Guard-Auxiliary, said that for this year already there were no reported drowning incident in this resort island. The achievement is caused by the fast pace response of the volunteers on drowning.

The BAG is a multi-sectoral organization here organized by the local government of Malay, Aklan for disaster management and response.

"Right now we are using a mini multi-cab as make shift ambulance. What we need is an ambulance that could be trusted enough for an immediate transport of the drowning victim," Tirol said Monday.

Report said that volunteer groups registered 17 drowning fatalities last year. Most of the victims were Koreans and Chinese tourists.

Tirol said that the local government of Malay had committed to provide them gasoline allowance for their transport and rescue.

It was learned that the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office had donated an ambulance to the local government unit two months ago.

But the donated ambulance is now being used for health emergency of the local residents.

"We badly needed an ambulance for our operation," said Tirol.

Tirol recently received commendations from the Philippine National Police Headquarters for donating a lot to be used for the police tourism training facility in this resort island.

Slain boatman’s kin seeks autopsy

The family of a boatman who was hacked to death in this island resort recently sought for an autopsy on the victim.

The victim was identified as 33-year-old Gary Samindao.

His elder brother, Joeny, said they were unconvinced by the decision of the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office that a homicide case be filed against suspect Jeory Agustin.

Agustin has turned himself in to the authorities.

He was detained in the Aklan Rehabilitation Center in Brgy. Nalook, Kalibo town.

The Samindao family originally filed a murder case against the suspect.

Both the victim and the suspect were residents of San Jose, Romblon.

Agustin said he felt insulted when Gary Samindao told him he was gay while they were having a drinking spree here last week.

Samindao was attacked while he sleeping in his room in Sitio Tambisaan, Brgy. Manoc-Manoc, police said.

He succumbed to 27 hack wounds in the body, said the police.

“I have already requested the Boracay Tourist Assistance Center [for an] autopsy [on my brother],” Joeny Samindao said.

“We will [also] ask the prosecutor for reconsideration,” he added./

Boracay MRF now a tourism destination

 The Materials Recovery Facility at Barangay Balabag here is already considered another tourism attraction for this resort island.

Island administrator Glen Sacapano said that the facility is being visited by different local government representatives all over the country.

Among those who recently visited the site were from the El Nido of Palawan.

"The visitors learn about our MRF operations practices in Boracay and they hope to also implement it in their own locality. In the process, we are also learning from them as we also plan to improve our MRF," said Sacapano.

Aside from the MRF, the local government of Malay is also opening its door for their sanitary landfill as also another possible tourism destination.

The MRF is being supported by the Department of Science and Technology and Department of Tourism, among others. It is considered as one of the models for sustainable waste management in the country.

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
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