Private-public partnership boosts Aklan tourism

BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan- The private-public partnership introduced by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III is working well for the Aklan tourism industry says Engr. Roger Esto, the head of the Aklan Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO).

Esto said that in the offing right now is the offer of a subdivision magnate based in nearby Roxas City, Capiz to donate a 5,000 square meters lot in Lambingan beach in Kalibo for the use for the development of the tourism industry.

"Because of the offer of the Ong family in Roxas City, the Aklan provincial government has initially allocated for the development of the lot to be implemented next year," said Esto.

Once the plan pushes through the Lambingan Beach will be converted into a seaport. The seaport will then served as another entry point for tourists visiting this resort island.

"What we are planning to do is to possibly bring tourists from the nearby Kalibo International Airport to the Lambingan seaport and they will board a motorized boat which will then carry them to Boracay Island," said Esto.

The planned seaport travel is considered short cut for the tourists who are excited in getting to this resort island the soonest possible time.

Man jailed over bomb joke

BY BAM LUCES

BORACAY – A 50-year-old man was recently arrested by personnel of the Boracay Special Tourist Police Office (BSTPO) over a false bomb threat.

Junny Pahimuyan of Brgy. Igang, Pototan, Iloilo will be charged for violating Presidential Decree 1727, according to BSTPO Investigator PO2 Ariel Naral.

Pahimuyan was nabbed about 4:45 p.m. on November 2.

PO2 Pat Joenard Belermino and SN2 Hope Parreño, members of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Boracay on duty at the Passenger Assistance Center in Boracay Cagban Jetty Port, earlier noticed Pahimuyan and a porter carrying two boxes.

The PCG members were suspicious of the boxes which were wrapped by a packing tape.

Without passing the passengers’ area, Pahimuyan and the porter brought the boxes to the MBCA Roselyn boat bound for Caticlan Jetty Port, they said.

Belermino and the boat captain approached Pahimuyan and inquired about the contents of the box.

“Ano na, bomba? (Is that a bomb?)” asked the boat captain. Pahimuyan shouted, “Huo, bomba ini (Yes, it is).”

Pahimuyan’s response caused panic in the area, police said.

The PCG members held and ordered Pahimuyan to put the boxes down for verification.

Pahimuyan was acting arrogantly while the boxes were being opened, according to Belermino and Parreño.

They found nothing but kitchen utensils inside the boxes; there was no bomb.

Belermino and Parreño asked the BSTPO to arrest Pahimuyan.

Pahimuyan was subjected to an inquest the other day in Kalibo, Aklan.

But Pahimuyan, assisted by Atty. Flosemer Chris Gonzales of the Public Attorneys’ Office, executed a waiver of detention pending preliminary investigations.

Pahinuyan later admitted that he was drunk and did not think that his joke would cause a commotion, police said.

Pahimuyan, temporarily residing in Brgy. Yapak here, is currently detained in the lockup cell of the BSTPO./

Filipina joins Top 20 World's Coolest Intern Candidate

BORACAY Island-- A 21-year old Filipina made it as one of the 23 World's Coolest Intern candidate in the world of blogging.

Jonha Revesencio of Kalibo, Aklan was considered by the organizers on her blog entry "Defying Gravity" and is the sole representative of the Philippines in the world competition.

She asked Facebook, Twitter and Youtube fans to like her page so that she could be able to win the event.

The organizers said they received at least 1,900 applications and only 23 of them have been selected for the final competition.

The organizers should have only 20 chosen finalists but were extended to 23 because some of the finalists got tie scores.

JamiQ, the organizers' partner and one of Asia's most established online sentiment analysis and research consultants, has audited and consolidated the top 20 applicants based on their digital footprint from a quantitative perspective.

Revesencio graduated in STI-Kalibo and has been interested in blogging since then. She is now in Iloilo City working as a call center agent.

"We have been overwhelmed with the response from the applicants and the effort they and their supporters have put in which only makes the decision for the Standard Chartered Breeze team even tougher as we search for our latest addition.

So before we introduce our Top 23, we would like to tip our digital hats to all applicants for making the World's Coolest Intern even cooler.

It has been our privilege having you as an applicant and we look forward to staying in touch and the possibility of working with you. A big thanks from all of us and our partners in the Breeze team," the organizers said.

Among others, bloggers from Singapore, India, Australia, USA, Malaysia and Hong Kong are competing in the said event.

Funboard: New features on the 22nd International Funboard Cup

BORACAY ISLAND- Spectators could expect new features on the forthcoming 22nd Neil Pryde Boracay International Funboard Cup slated Jan. 24 to 29, 2011.

Nenette Graf, one of the organizers of the event, said that, originally, the event only consisted of timed slalom races. However, next year's event will feature speed trials, Kiteboarding freestyles, and kiting hangtime.

"The races are free for spectators to watch and are held in the international seaside community of Bulabog beach. The event brings competitors from all over the world to compete for friendship, victory and honor," said Graf.

The pristine white sand, blue smooth waters and hammering Amihan winds of Bulabog beach are said to make funboard competition an ideal venue for this resort island.

Neil Pryde is the title sponsor and has been involved in the creation and running of this event for the past 22 years. Unknown to many, the annual funboard cup has been considered as Asia's longest running international sporting event for windsurfing and kiteboarding.

The CNNgo.com have voted the funboard cup as one of the top 52 Weekend Events Destination in the World in 2010.

Boracay Community Market revived to cater to both locals and foreign tourists

BORACAY ISLAND,- The Boracay Community Market has been revived here once again by its organizers to showcase the organic products, souvenirs, home-baked bread and muffins, farm fresh vegetables and foods, local artists and paintings, as well as local indigenous crafts.

The organizers said that the community market is open to all Boracay residents who want to sell their stuff and is located at the Plazoleta area white beach.

The opening will be staged on November 6.

"As we near Christmas, the market provides an opportunity for the tourists to meet more local offering regionally produced," the organizers said.

The organizers only charge P100 per table on each interested local vendor.

Held every Saturday, the community market has been materialized by the locals as a venue for discussions on gossip about the lifestyles around this resort island, current events while showcasing the local ingenuity of the locals.

The organizers also hope that the local culture of the Boracay residents could be showcased through the said community market.

‘Promised land’ eludes Filipino tribe in Boracay

Boracay Island- A TRIBAL group on the island of Boracay, central Philippines, continues to wait for land promised to them by the government.

“We expect a formal turnover of the (land) title,” said Sister Victoria Ustan of theMissionaries of Charity, who has been helping the Ati tribe claim their ancestral land.

The National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) announced on Aug. 3 that that a Certificate of Ancestral Domain has been issued to the Ati tribe, 10 years after they filed a petition to claim land in the village of Manoc-Manoc on Boracay island.

Sister Ustan said the Atis were happy upon hearing the good news but they are now planning to write a letter to President Benigno Aquino III because the land title has not been released.

“If we are just near Manila we would have visited the NCIP office to ask about the delay,” said Ati chieftain Delsa Justo.

Since 2000, the Atis, who number about 2,000, have been legally claiming ownership over Boracay Island, which they regard as their ancestral domain. The island has become a famous tourist destination for its white sands and scenic sunset.

The Supreme Court earlier declared Boracay Island a government land, affirming a presidential proclamation that classifies more than half of the island as “disposable.”

“It is difficult to teach the Atis values about life without them having permanent land,” Sister Ustan added.(www.ucanews.com)

Fire injures 2, destroys 25 structures

BY BAM LUCES

BORACAY – A resident and a fireman were injured in a fire in Sitio Ambolong, Brgy. Manoc-Manoc (Station 3) here on Wednesday around 9:30 p.m.

About 25 residential and mix-occupancy structures made of light materials were burned to ashes, according to PO1 Cyrus Parce, desk officer of the Boracay Special Tourist Police Office (BSTPO).

Fire Officer 3 Franklin Arubang of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) here said, “The cause of conflagration was not yet determined… it is still under investigation.
”
“Evidences like ashes and electrical wiring from the house where the fire allegedly started were sent to the Arson Laboratory in BFP Manila for verification and laboratory analysis,” he added.

Parce said they received a call about the fire around 9:20 p.m.

He said they immediately informed the BFP about the situation.

Volunteer residents and personnel from the Boracay Sewerage System helped the BFP firefighters put out the fire.

The fire was totally put out around 11 p.m.

Eva Lumbo, one of the fire victims, said she woke up when the fire was already reaching their house.

“We did not have enough time to safeguard our belongings. My husband secured nothing but our TV. The fire was so big already… we just ran to the main road and saved ourselves,” Lumbo said.

She said their family slept early because earlier, the electrical power was out.

The damages were estimated to be P1.8 million.