Experts study Boracay coastal areas' protection

BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan- Experts from the University of the Philippines (UP) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) are studying how to protect coastal areas here from further degradation.

Provincial planning and development officer Engr. Roger Esto said Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI) commissioned UP to undertake the study.

He also said Aklan's provincial government is assisting the DENR in this undertaking.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) provided funds to the BFI as this foundation requested.

The BFI and Aklan provincial government differ in plans on how Boracay's coastal areas must be managed and protected.

"We don't compete with each other but we'll appreciate the study's results," Esto clarified.

He assured the provincial government's willingness to share such results with the other team of experts.

Results of the study will be used as basis for future public and private action in the area.

Boracay businesswoman denies fraud allegation

A businesswoman, who claims to own real estate properties in the island resort of Boracay in Aklan, has recently came out with a statement on Tuesday clearing her involvement in an alleged fraud involving four foreign expatriates and a Filipino lawyer.

In a statement provided to the Manila Bulletin on November 23, 2010, Dolora “Dolly” Khanna, through her legal counsels, denied accusations thrown against her by Canadians Peter Eckart and Peter Tayler, American couple Spencer and Evelyn Anderson, and Filipino lawyer Lucas Licerio, linking her to an alleged fraudulent transaction involving real estate properties at the Boracay Luxury Homes.

“Mrs. Khanna owns thousands of square meters of Lot 593 by virtue of a series of Deeds and Absolute Sale executed between Atty. Licerio, in his capacity as her and attorney-in-fact of the other remaining heirs, as seller and Mrs. Khanna as buyer,” said the statement provided by Khanna’s legal counsel.

“As owner thereof, Mrs. Khanna has the right to dispose them.”

In a previous story, it was reported that an estafa case was filed by the foreign expatriates and Licerio, alleging Khanna to have sold the properties to the foreigners after claiming ownership of the lots, which were allegedly owned by Licerio.

“After buying the Boracay properties from Atty. Licerio in 2007, Mrs. Khanna, developed the properties, designed and constructed homes and other improvements therein, and marketed them at her sole expense,” Khanna’s cam said.

“The project was referred to as the ‘Cliff Project,’ where the Anderson spouses, Spencer and Evelyn, having fully paid for their homes, was issued a Deed of Absolute Sale. Since then, possession of their homes has been entirely turned over to them.”

The said statement also shed light on the allegations against Khanna concerning her status as a businesswoman in the Philippines and in the United States.

“Mrs. Khanna is a reputable business woman with multiple successful businesses in the United States. She recently returned to the country… and decided to acquire dual citizenship and invest in Boracay as a sign of her confidence to the Philippines,” the statement clarified.

World's kiteboarding star in Boracay for All Chicks Kite Camp

BORACAY ISLAND- World's kiteboarding superstar Susi Mai is expected to come to this resort island on Tuesday for the 10-day All Chicks Kite Camp Philippines to be held in three destinations in the country.

Aside from this resort island, Susi Mai, which hailed from Dominican Republic, will also visiting Pagudpud Ilocos Norte and Seco Island in nearby Antique province. Susi Mai is also known as the 'Queen of Air.'

The tourism sector here welcomes the arrival of Susi Mai as it would continue to spur the tourism growth of this resort island.

Reports reaching this resort island said that Susi Mai had already arrived in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte province and is looking forward for the wind she deserves.

The All Chicks Kite Camp Philippines will kick off in Kingfishers Resort in Pagudpod at 6:30 pm Monday.

After her showdown, she will then visit this resort island Tuesday for another venue of Kite Camp Philippines. The event in this resort island is expected to start at 6:30 pm on Monday.

She will also be visiting Seco Island in Antique and is expected to return to Ilocos for a culmination on December 2.

For several years, Susi Mai has been visiting places around the world to compete for Kiteboarding events.

US-based Filipino creates world's first Apple diagnostic aid software

BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan-- A Filipino pediatrician based in Bangor in Maine, USA introduced the world's first Parents Diagnostic Aid application software through Apple.

Dr. Leonardo Leonidas created the application along with a local Information Technology graduate here.

Leonidas said since he launched his application over Apple last November 9, parents from Brazil, Great Britain and Spain already downloaded his software.

His application costs US$ 3.99 and can be downloaded through Apple-made gadgets like Macintosh, Ipad, Itunes and Iphones.

The application can be merely viewed in other platforms like IBM, however.

Although Leonidas is based in the USA, he made the software innovation in his house in Lezo, Aklan.

He's proud his gadget application is increasingly being known as something made in the Philippines.

“I created this mobile machine application to reduce medical errors to our children - in the USA, around 1,062 (American) pediatricians surveyed reported having medical errors which could harm patients once or twice a year,” Leonidas said.

Pediatricians in the USA treat patients who are 21 years old and below.

“In my application, parents can at least see 13 common complaints that are experienced by children. These are fever, chronic cough, wheezing (asthma), abdominal pain, headache, chest pain, fainting spell, sore throat, diarrhea, vomiting, back joint limb pain, abnormal walking and neck swelling.

When a child experiences one of these symptoms, they can browse through their gadgets and answer five to 17 survey questions related to their complaint,” said Leonidas.

The survey questions cover different symptoms of a certain illness.

“Parents still need to bring their children to pediatrician for medical treatment. If their pediatrician's opinion does not agree with what my software application says, they have reason to ask for a second opinion on the case,” said Leonidas.

Leonidas will be recognized this December 21 as among outstanding alumni from University of the Philippines (UP).

He also gained recognition in 2006 from UP Medical Alumni Society in America for being overseas teacher of the year.

Twenty year-old application programmer Roger Molas said he finished the diagnostic aid application in three months.

“We applied on November 1, 2010. After following requirements asked by Apple store, it was approved nine days after and immediately sold in the market,” said Molas who is part of the Medical Application Developers Team.

Foreign expatriates, lawyer file charges vs Boracay realtor

BORACAY ISLAND, — Four Canadian and American expatriates and a Filipino lawyer have individually filed a case of estafa with the Aklan Provincial Prosecutor's Office Monday against a Filipina who claims to own vast properties in this resort island.

In a press conference, the complainants presented themselves as Canadians Peter Eckart and Peter Tayler-Anderson, Spencer and Evelyn Anderson, and Filipino lawyer, Lucas Licerio, all residents of Boracay Island who said they were “duped” by a certain Dolly Khana who claimed to be the proprietor of Boracay Luxury Homes.

"Khana have duped the foreigners of around P100 million for the past years and they want to get their money back. They are businessmen in the United States wanting to retire for good in the country but the suspect duped them by promising them real property ownership in Boracay," said Atty. Gina Garcia, their lawyer.

Licerio said that in 2007, Khana approached him as agent to sell his lots in Boracay Island. She then turned around and, claiming ownership of Licerio’s lots on the island, sold these to the foreigners.

"We believe Khana has victimized more foreigners who are afraid to come out in the open for certain reasons. We have documents to show that Khana have already been convicted of estafa charges in California, USA," said Garcia.

She said that they presented themselves in a press conference to encourage other victims to come out in the open and, at the same time, warn other would-be investors against dealing with Khana.

The Anderson couple also claimed that they have been harassed by Khana and allegedly made threats against their lives if they pursue plans to press charges against her in court. The Andersons have filed complaints with the police comprised of eight alleged harassment cases they said they experienced with Khana.

The complainants also said that both the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) deemed Khana's Boracay Luxury Homes and other attached companies as unregistered and that Khana is not a taxpayer.

“One of Khana’s schemes is to put out full-page color advertisement in several national magazines and other prominent publications in the country, all promoting her Boracay Luxury Homes. Khana seemed to be an influential person," said Garcia.

One source in Boracay said Khana is a “Fil-American and is presumably a relative of former Secretary Ignacio Bunye.”

Last October 8, a dozen National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents along with a crew from broadcast firm, ABS-CBN Iloilo swooped down on this resort island following reports that a group of children were being held hostage by Licerio. The reports turned out to be false, with Licerio believing that Khana had been behind the false information given to the NBI and the broadcast media outfit.

Khana is believed to be in Boracay, avoiding attempts by the media to get her side of the story.

UK-based performer live in Boracay

BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan- A musician-performer based in the United Kingdom (UK) will be performing live at the Jungle Bar along Kingfisher Road here December 4.

RSD also known as Rob Smith before his arrival here will also be performing live in Nagoya, Japan on November 26. Smith is a partner of a respected duo production Smith and (Ray) Mighty in UK.

For two decades, Smith and his partner Mighty have been pushing for bass heavy rhythm. They were also known for their reggae, punk, soul, hiphop, jungle and more recently dubstep.

The pair's early releases on the Three Stripe label were influential in laying the groundwork for both the trip hop and jungle scenes for which Bristol would become renowned.

Aside from their own releases, they take production credit for Massive Attacks first release ’Any Love’ and Fresh Fours top ten hit ’Wishing on a Star’.

Under the moniker RSD, Rob Smith produces fresh, innovative bass music that simultaneously pays dues to his deep sound system roots while pushing things ever forward.

He remains firmly at the forefront of Bristol's endlessly inventive music scene. With a staggering discography and a range of projects encompassing dub, drum and bass, 2-step and dubstep, Rob Smith has his finger squarely on the bass-pulse.

His performance will also feature Manila-based DJs Red-i (B-Side, Dubplate Manila), Salamangkero and Erwin Edralin.

Manila-based tourists would be given a 20 percent discount on selected resorts here if they wanted to see RSD perform live in this resort island.

Vessel to ply direct to Boracay Island

BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan- The M/V Mary the Queen, owned by the Romblon Shipping Lines, will have its first voyage on November 14 Manila to Caticlan and vice versa.

Niven Maquirang, Caticlan Jetty Port administrator, said that based on the documents submitted by the company, they are going to stay permanently on their route Manila-Caticlan.

"Tourists bound for Boracay Island will have another alternative route to go to," said Maquirang.

Aside from the airplanes, tourists bound for this resort island can also take the Strong Republic Nautical Highway or the roll on-roll off passenger barges as their medium of transport.

Every summer season, the Negros Navigation also have their scheduled similar voyage Caticlan to Manila and vice versa.

The M/V Mary the Queen is formerly owned by the MBRS Lines.