Business sector divided over Caticlan reclamation

BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan– Business groups here have clashing stands over the 2.6-hectare reclamation project in Barangay Caticlan, Malay Aklan.

Boracay Foundation Incorporated (BFI) president Loubell Cann said that they have already asked President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to intervene and stop the project. The BFI is consistently opposing the reclamation project being undertaken by the Aklan provincial government.

The BFI opposition is supported by the local government of Malay through a resolution for such. The Malay local government is also planning to file an injunction against the reclamation project.

Meanwhile, Ariel Abriam, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Boracay said that the board will convene this week to come out with an official stand on the reclamation project.

Recently, Abriam personally expressed favor over the project as it has been granted approval by the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA).

Niven Maquirang of the Caticlan Jetty Port believed that the PCCI-Boracay will favor the reclamation project since the latter had commissioned the study undertaken by the University of the Philippines Marine Environmental Resource Protection.

"The BFI has earlier promised to undertake its own study. We are still waiting for it. It is good thing that the PCCI-Boracay has accomplished its own study on the reclamation project," said Maquirang.

The researchers of the study were being headed by Dr. Cesar Villanoy, Fernando Siringan, Olivia Cabrerra and Riovie Ramos.

According to the summary of their report, the sea flow across the Caticlan-Boracay channel is primarily tide-driven and Phase 1 of the reclamation project will not significantly affect the flow of the channel.

The direct impact will most likely be changed in erosion/deposition patterns along the Caticlan coast but unlikely to impact Boracay beaches; however, simulations show a lively significant impact for Phase 2 and 4.

The narrower channel in this area will most likely divert flow instead of flowing through channel and diverted flow may increase transport of suspended and dissolved matter of Boracay beaches.

Villanoy, however, denied earlier report endorsing the project, saying that he is merely reporting the outcome of the study.