Ramos kin against renaming Godofredo P. Ramos Airport

The family of the late former Aklan congressman Godofredo Ramos is not amenable to renaming the Caticlan Airport, officially the Godofredo P. Ramos Airport, as “Boracay Airport.”

During the airport’s inauguration on Saturday, the San Miguel Corp. (SMC) announced that Caticlan Airport may be renamed as Boracay Airport.

However, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines will still have to approve the airport’s new name, according to SMC.

SMC’s affiliate, TransAire Development Holdings Corp., the airport’s developer, will reportedly use the “new name” as its marketing strategy.

But Anita Victoria Ramos-Antonino, head of the provincial tourism council and daughter of the late Ramos, expressed opposition on the move.

She said their family will negotiate with the SMC and TransAire to retain the “legal name” of the airport.

The Godofredo P. Ramos Airport became the official name of the Caticlan Airport by virtue of an approved House bill filed by Cong. Florencio Miraflores.

“Our family will insist (on retaining the official name of the airport). If they also insist (on renaming it), perhaps we will study if our protest can be elevated to the courts,” Ms. Ramos said.

On November 8 this year, Aklan will celebrate the centennial birth anniversary of Mr. Ramos.

Mr. Ramos authored the House bill that sought the separation of Aklan from Capiz province, which was later signed by then President Ramon Magsaysay as Republic Act No. 1414.

The move earned Mr. Ramos the recognition as the “Father of Aklan.”

Tourism infrastructures seen to lure more Chinese tourists to Boracay Island

BORACAY ISLAND– Various infrastructure supports coming in Malay town are expected to boost the arrival of Chinese tourists in the resort island of Boracay.

Canyon De Boracay, a resort owned by a Chinese businessman located at Station 2 is up for inauguration on Friday.

On Saturday, President Benigno S. Aquino III is also expected to inaugurate the new terminal airport at the Caticlan Airport.

Caticlan located in Malay serves as a jump off point in going to Boracay Island which can be reached through a 15-minute pumpboat ride from the Caticlan Jetty Port.

Engr. Percy Malonesio, head of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) in nearby Kalibo International Airport (KIA), said other Chinese airline companies have also expressed interest to service the KIA.

The local tourism office said that for this year, Chinese tourists come in second to Korean tourists visiting Boracay Island.

From January until May of this year, 20,596 Chinese and 42,923 Korean tourists visited the island. 

‘Persons with AIDS in Aklan stay in Boracay’

BORACAY — Most of the about 20 persons with Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV-AIDS) in Aklan are staying in this resort island, a health official said.

Actually, these persons are currently undergoing regular medical treatment either in the Dr. Rafael S. Tumbukon Memorial Hospital in Kalibo, Aklan or in Iloilo City, said Department of Health 6 (DOH-6) Director, Dr. Ariel Valencia.

However, according to Dr. Valencia, “They (patients) did not get the disease in Boracay but somewhere else, since most of them formerly worked as overseas Filipino workers.”

“They decided to enjoy their fruitful years in this resort island and it is their right to do so,” he added.

Still, the DOH is continuously warning both the residents and the tourists in Boracay on the danger of acquiring AIDS.

Despite being promoted as a wholesome tourist destination, this resort island is considered a haven of people seeking sex and romance.

According to reports, one of the many bars here has “sex workers” catering to foreign clients.

Pacman graces Mayor Yap's birthday

BORACAY ISLAND, Malay- Sarangani Rep. Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao made a surprise appearance on the birthday celebration of Malay Mayor John Yap here on Tuesday night.

Insiders present at the gathering said that Pacquiao's presence was a sign of support to Yap who recently signed a closure order against the owners of the West Cove Resort.

The West Cove resort is owned by Pacquiao's flag bearer businessman Crisostomo Aquino.

Pacquiao, along with his family, often stays in West Cove during vacation prior to the closure of the resort.

With the West Cove's closure, Pacquiao opted to stay at the Summer Place Resort which is owned by the Yap family but managed by another private firm. 

Color coding set for windsurfers/kiters in Boracay

BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan - The Boracay Windsurfers Association (BWA) has implemented a color coding scheme for their activities in this resort island for safety reasons.

Members of the windsurfing association are operating schools mostly catering to international tourists. For several years many of their clients have met accidents mainly due to erratic weather conditions.

Nenette Aguirre-Graf of the BWA said that there was no reported major incident since they have implemented the color coding scheme which is being backed by a local ordinance.

"Under the said scheme, each school will choose their own color as their identifying mark. The colors for a ribbon will then be tied into their respective kites or wind surfers. Each school is also mandated to ensure their clients wear safety helmets and vests especially during body dragging to boarding," Graf said.

Both tourists and clients will be asked to follow color coded flags while on kite or windsurfing activities. The flags can be seen planted 10 meters away from the front beach.

Red flag signifies caution as there is an ongoing kite lessons, orange flag shows wind is over 20 knots and big red flag signifies wind is over 25 knots.

Designated areas for teaching were flagged from the TBBR, D’Mall, Boracay Terraces and Elizalde Property.

Malay clears Pacquiao in West Cover controversy

BORACAY — The local government of Malay, Aklan has cleared Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao of any involvement in its decision to close the West Cove Hotel and Resort recently.

Pacquiao, a constant visitor of the resort together with his wife Jinky, was rumored as one of the owners of the establishment.

But the hotel-resort’s registered owner is businessman Crisostomo Aquino, a business partner of Pacquiao and also an official flag bearer in most of the pound-for-pound king’s fights.

“Pacquiao has been a witness to several reminders we gave to Aquino. We have been reminding the businessman to stop further expanding his resort but he refused to listen. Pacquiao has nothing to do with this issue,” said Malay Mayor John Yap.

Yap said his order to close the hotel-resort will serve as a warning to other resorts that refused to follow the environmental policy of the local government.

The Boracay Foundation Inc. and the Aklan Provincial Tourism Council are supporting the mayor’s move. 

Malay LGU asks DPWH to fast-track Boracay circumferential road project

BORACAY ISLAND, Malay-- The Malay town council which has jurisdiction over this resort island has asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to fast track its long delayed P80-million circumferential road project here.

Malay councilor Jonathan Cabrera said that the delay in the completion of the circumferential road hampers initiatives for the improvement of this resort island.

Among these are the deliberations on the proposed traffic code and terminal parking ordinance to ease traffic situation.

The DPWH is still waiting for the release of the fund from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for the project to be completed.

"Part of our deliberation is to ask the DPWH why the Boracay Circumferential Road has been suspended," said Cabrera.

For several years this resort island has been besieged with traffic woes due to the increasing numbers of both tourists and local residents. 

Resort in Boracay asks court to lift closure order

">BORACAY ISLAND, Malay- The West Cove management will ask the proper court to lift the closure order recently issued by the local government of Malay.

Ben Hur Mobo III, manager of West Cover said that they have already submitted their complete requirements at the local government unit (LGU) but they did not receive any reply from the latter.

He added that they have the support of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as they continue to develop their resort.

The LGU-Malay ordered the closure of the resort owned by businessman Crisostomo Aquino for allegedly lacking business and occupancy permits. Aquino is the business partner of Filipino boxing champ, Rep. Manny Pacquiao.

"While we are then waiting for the supposed reply of the LGU, the DENR has instructed us to comply with all the necessary requirements as part of the Forest Land Use for Tourism Purposes (Flag-T)," Mobo said.

He added that they have complied with the requirements to include Boracay Assessment Underwater Report, Geo Hazard Assessment Report and Environmental Performance Report and Management Program.

“The West Cove Resort in the process has become an ecological and environmentally safe resort because of DENR,” he said.

The said studies were initiated by different respected experts and scientists coming from the Mines and Geo-Science Bureau of the DENR and the University of the Philippines-Marine Scientists.

"Our lawyers do not recognize the closure order of the LGU. We are instead demanding from them that if they want to close our resort they should do it through a court order. We are legally prepared," said Mobo who admitted he was surprised with the LGU action. 

Yap: I warned the owner

BORACAY — Malay Mayor John Yap said he earlier warned the owner of the hotel-resort that he ordered closed on Friday afternoon.

“I asked Aquino to stop developing his property. Yet he continued,” said Yap, so he decided to order the “closure, removal and demolition of illegal structures and building of West Cove Hotel and Resort.”

Yap was referring to the business establishment’s owner, Crisostomo Aquino.

He said he has been talking to Aquino since last year.

Aquino was known to be a business partner of boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao.

Yap ordered the hotel-resort closed for having no business permit and occupancy permit from the local government unit (LGU).

‘NO WAY’

The hotel-resort’s general manager, Ben Hur Mobo III, received the closure order served


CLOSED.

Men are putting up a signage indicating that the West Cove Hotel and Resort in Malay, Aklan was ordered closed.
on Friday afternoon.

The business establishment was then allowed to receive guests only until Friday evening.

But according to Mobo, they did not fail to secure a permit from the LGU.

In fact, he said they have passed all the necessary requirements to the Municipal Hall.

It was the LGU who failed to process the permit due to what they called zoning violations, Mobo said.

“Our lawyers do not recognize the (LGU’s) order. We demand closure order from the court. We will uplift the closure order in a legal way,” Mobo stressed.

About 40 police personnel and a team from the LGU served Municipal Executive Order No. 10 Series of 2011.

According to Yap, the hotel-resort violated Presidential Decree 1096 or the National Building Code.

In his order dated June 7, 2011, Yap said: “In view of your unjustified refusal to comply with the aforecited law or ordinance, this office hereby orders the permanent closure or your establishment without prejudice to the demolition or removal of said illegal erected building or structure at your expense.”

“Mindful that the Island of Boracay is a premier tourist destination, this office has the obligation to safeguard life, health, property, and public welfare, consistent with the principles of sound environmental management and control,” the mayor added.

Aklan gov insists Boracay reclamation project safe

BORACAY ISLAND- The Aklan provincial government is keen on pushing its reclamation project although it currently abides by the Temporary Environmental Protection Order (TEPO) issued by the Supreme Court (SC) recently.

Aklan governor Carlito Marquez is in Manila now along with his economic team to prepare for the legal battle against the Boracay Foundation Incorporated (BFI) that is strongly opposing the project.

"We are confident that we could be able to push the project. As long as we are concerned, the reclamation project is safe because of the study undertaken by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA)," Marquez said.

The Aklan provincial government undertook the project through a bond flotation to expand tourism lure in this resort island considered as one of the world’s best beach tourism destinations.

The Aklan provincial government is confident that the SC will consider its plea as they have met all the necessary requirements needed for the project.

The SC, in its TEPO, has given the Aklan provincial government 10 days to file its comment.
The Aklan provincial government targets one million tourists for Boracay Island next year hoping to complete the project in time. 

Malay town pushes for Boracay preservation

BORACAY — The municipal government of Malay, which has jurisdiction over this resort island, recently released a poster presenting the ways on how to help preserve Boracay.

This poster intends to complement the local legislations passed by the Town Council for the preservation and conservation of this world-renowned resort island.

According to Malay Mayor John Yap, among these legislations were:

* Municipal Ordinance No. 100, series of 1996 (anti-smoking)

* Municipal Ordinance No. 272, series of 2009 (no smoking by the beach)

* Municipal Ordinance No. 2001-141 (anti-extraction of sand and pebbles)

* Municipal Ordinance No. 98-116 (no urinating and defecating on the beach)

* Municipal Ordinance Nos. 182-2003 and 92-1996 (no pets are allowed by the beachfront), and

* Municipal Ordinance No. 132-2000 (no eating and drinking of liquor by the beach)

Erring residents and tourists who will violate the said ordinances “will be penalized, depending on the gravity of the violation,” said Yap.

Nevertheless, “our local enforcers will strictly impose the penalties and there will be no exemptions,” the mayor added.

APFTI eyes more trade centers in PH

BORACAY — The Advocate for Philippine Fair Trade Inc. (APFTI) is bullish on increasing trade centers in the country.

Trade centers indicate that Philippine-made products are being appreciated by consumers worldwide.

APFTI President and Chief Executive Officer Vicente Roaring said they are eyeing this resort island as one of the possible venues for the opening of another fair trade shop here.

Fair trade centers are known all over the world to sell locally made products like souvenir items, indigenous foods and handicrafts.

APFTI has already opened five fair trade shops in Cebu City, Cagayan De Oro City, Naga City, Tagbilaran City and General Santos City.

Roaring said the sixth shop will open in Malaybalay City in Bukidnon province.

Like other countries, especially in Europe, fair trade shops are considered a way of life that follows certain principles such as for social justice and equity, environment, transparency, empowerment, capacity building and fair and living wages.

Malay SB to revisit claims of Aetas as original inhabitants of Boracay

BORACAY ISLAND, Malay Aklan– The Sangguniang Bayan of Malay will take a second look at the claim of Aetas residing in this island that they are the original inhabitants of Boracay.

This is in light of the Aetas continued struggle to acquire lands in Boracay.

It could be noted that the Aetas in this island were awarded Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) by the National Commission on Indigenous Persons (NCIP) as provided for under the Indigenous Peoples Republic Act (IPRA).

However, they claimed that they are still disallowed to enter the property given them. The area is allegedly being claimed by a businessman.

The plan to revisit the claim developed after some original non-Aeta inhabitants said that there are only two Aetas living in the island since the 1950s. The two Aetas worked as caretakers of land of some of Boracay residents.

The council will summon experts cited by the NCIP as witnesses that indeed Aetas are the original inhabitants of this resort island.

At least 46 Aeta families reside in this resort island and are being taken cared of by a congregation of nuns under the Daughters of Charity.