Vet Office to resolve dog pound controversy in Boracay

The Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (Opvet) in Aklan is stepping up its monitoring of the animal pound in this island resort.
The move is in response to the complaint of an animal activist who claimed that the operation of the pound is below-standard.
A certain Ted Teodoro, who is based in New Jersey, USA, initiated an online signature campaign calling the attention of the municipal government of Malay regarding the pound operation.
According to Teodoro, the dogs at the animal pound were being deprived of sufficient food, water and proper care.
Malay municipal government opened an animal pound here after banning stray dogs from the beachfront.
Boracay, on the other hand, has been declared “rabies-free” by the Department of Health.
“The online signature campaign has reached our office,” said Dr. Ronald Lorenzo of the Opvet. “We have already increased the number of personnel to supervise the operation of the dog pound (here).”
Malay municipal veterinarian’s office hired three new personnel to man the animal pound, said Lorenzo, also the provincial rabies control coordinator./

Malay needs IT experts

The municipal government of Malay, Aklan wanted to enforce a local ordinance requiring business establishments in this island resort to install security cameras.
However, it needs to find a partner information technology (IT) company first.
“We could not yet enforce the measure since we do not have an accredited IT company” as partner, lamented Vice Mayor Wilbec Gelito.
Some establishments in this prime tourist destination have already installed closed-circuit television, or CCTV, cameras.
But the municipal government wanted to make sure — with the help of IT experts — that the equipment were reliable, Gelito said.
“We wanted to be assured that the CCTV cameras installed are quality,” he stressed. “We do not want business establishments to install cheap CCTV cameras to merely comply with the ordinance.”
The Boracay Tourist Assistance Center already briefed business establishments here regarding the importance of security cameras, especially in the protection of tourists.
“Aside from ensuring the quality of CCTV cameras here, we will also tap the IT company for continuing technical support,” said Gelito.
Once the municipal ordinance is enforced, having CCTV cameras will be one of the requirements for the acquisition or renewal of business permit./

DENR monitors Boracay beach on oil spillage, too

The Environment Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is also monitoring the grease and oil spillage in this resort island.

In a 2014 copy of the Water Quality Monitoring Report by the EMB on Boracay Island Coastal Water, it expressed concern over the problems on oil spillage in this resort island.

"Non–compliance with the Oil and Grease water quality standard is basically due to the presence of motorized pump boats for commercial and transportation purposes in the Island of Boracay. Other possible sources are recreational water activities offered by resort owners as amenities that can be availed by their guests and tourists," the EMB-DENR report said.

Although the report indicated that oil spillage in this resort island has decreased over the previous year, the grease concentration quality is still higher than the standard.

Because of this, the DENR urged the Philippine Coast Guard, the MARINA, and the local government unit of Malay to monitor the proper disposal of used oil for the motorized pump boat and to establish bilge water reception and treatment facilities in strategic areas.

Also, DENR-EMB seeks to reduce the docking motor boats in the Port Area and along the shoreline of Boracay Island.

"And lastly, for EMB Regional office with the help from LGU Malay to reclassify Bulabog Pier and Manoc – Manoc Pier from Class SC water to Class SB water in order for a more stringent water quality standard in this areas," the report added.

For his part, Lt. Commander Jimmy Oliver Vingno of the PCG-Caticlan said that they will coordinate with the local government and study the recommendations made by the EMB.

"We will abide by the recommendations of the DENR as we in the PCG are mandated to ensure environmental protection in our vicinity," said Vingno.

Boracay’s Christians, Muslims live in peace

Unlike in several areas in the country and the world, Christians and Muslims are living peacefully in this island resort.
They have been engaged in dynamic business and religious pursuits since the Muslims, which have a mosque and a business center here, arrived in this prime tourist destination more than two decades ago.
A municipal councilor attributed this relationship that is in stark contrast to the common world view to a “secret.”
“The secret is simply effective communication,” said Sangguniang Bayan of Malay member Rowen Aguirre.
“We in the local government communicate with the Muslim community about what needs to be done” to maintain peace, said Aguirre, focal person for the island’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit this year.
Boracay is under the jurisdiction of the municipal government of Malay.
According to local officials, the smooth relationship between Christians and Muslims in Boracay is imperative in ensuring the success of the island’s hosting of two APEC ministerial meetings this May.
Delegates for the Senior Officials Meeting will meet from May 10 to 21 while those for the Ministers Responsible for Trade will meet from May 23 to 24.
Personnel of the Boracay Tourist Assistance Center are currently closely coordinating with Muslim leaders to maintain peace and order during the APEC Summit, so far the biggest international event that Aklan will host.
That the two religions peacefully coexist in the island, officials said, may be a sign that a similar setup is possible in other parts of the country and the world.
In the 1980s, Muslims from Mindanao started migrating to this resort island for trade. Majority of them came from several war-torn provinces in the southern major island.

Tourism tops industries with economic potentials

Tourism remains to be the industry with the most economic potentials in the Philippines, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Others include information technology/business process outsourcing, real estate development, construction, transport and logistics, and energy/power, said the DTI.
The Philippines is currently preparing for the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) economic integration, which aims to establish an Asean Economic Community, or AEC.
The AEC envisions a single market and production base, a highly competitive economic region, a region of equitable economic development, and a region fully integrated into the global economy.
Other promising economic drivers, according to DTI, are agriculture, shipbuilding and repair, education, medical tourism, retirement estates, banking and finance, and “green” industries and architecture including packaging.
DTI’s provincial director in Aklan, Diosdado Cadena, earlier said Western Visayas, especially the province, is prepared for the Asean economic integration.
Stakeholders in Aklan have already conducted several meetings regarding Asean economic integration, Cadena said.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan has also passed an ordinance creating the Aklan Council for the Asean Economic Integration.
Aklan earned some P43.78 billion from the tourism industry in 2014, according to the Department of Tourism.

Cliff diving site still open despite closure order

A famous cliff diving and eco-adventure resort in Buruanga, Aklan remains open despite of a closure order issued by the local government.

The resort, Ariel’s Point, still caters to both foreign and domestic tourists despite an order by the Buruanga municipal government for it to shut its doors for various alleged violations, including environmental violations and underpayment of taxes.

Ariel’s Point Manager Ruby Luces stated that the establishment’s management does not recognize the local government’s closure order and will wait instead for a final ruling from the court.

Vincent Larupay, Buruanga public information officer, said the closure order was issued last March 11 when the town council passed a resolution.

He said the Buruanga town council formed an investigating body after the local government received various complaints.

Luces said, however, that the issuance of a closure order is a manifestation that the Buruanga local government is only intent at “harassing” Ariel’s Point.

He added that the management of the resort will file a complain against the Buruanga local government before the Office of the Ombudsman.

In response, Larupay said the Buruanga local government will only respond once the Ombudsman calls for a probe to verify it’s alleged charges against Ariel’s Point.

Since its opening a few years ago, Ariel’s Point has gained popularity as a destination for tourists, particularly those with a penchant for extreme sports. The resort is only half an hour away from world-famous Boracay Island in neighboring Malay town.

An American newspaper once named Ariel’s Point as one of the best cliff diving spots in the world.

‘Illegal’ souvenir items sold in Boracay

 The Philippine Conservation (Philicon) based in Pandan, Antique claims selling of souvenir items allegedly generated from a protected area is rampant in this resort island.
Christian Schwarz, a German national based in Pandan, Antique representing the Philincon, said the souvenir items may have been taken from the Northwest Panay Peninsula, which is considered a national protected area.
The Northwest Panay Peninsula is consist of the towns of Nabas, Malay, Buruanga in Aklan, including Pandan and Libertad in Antique.
For his part, Ivene Reyes, chief of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), said he has urged the Philincon to file a formal complaint in their office.
The PENRO also hopes Philincon would help them find evidence to prove that indeed the souvenir items were illegally taken out of the protected area.
“Based on the photos I have seen, the souvenir items were already processed and it is difficult to track down their origin. I hope Philincon officials would cooperate,” said Reyes.
The Philincon is a German-funded conservation group.