Boracay’s Population, ballooned said NSO

Boracay Island has the biggest contribution in the sudden inflation of the population in Aklan.

This is what National Statistics Office or NSO-Aklan Officer Blas Solidum has revealed during an interview yesterday.

He said they are only conducting the survey once every decade; the last survey was in 2000.

Even so, based on their monitoring, it is obvious that the island’s population has ballooned immensely.

This is also brought about by the progress in the tourism industry.

Solidum believes that wherever jobs and or livelihoods are, there the people will be.

In line with this, a number of employees in Boracay, such as construction workers and laborers opts to reside on the island rather than to go home every week.

The NSO Officer clarified, that like the tourists in Boracay, if these workers stay in the island for over a month, they will be automatically included in the NSO.

This is reason why the population in Boracay has inflated.

HEAVY & HIGH SMOKE CAUSES ALARM

High and heavy smoke alarmed some residents of Sitio Ambulong, Manoc-Manoc on Friday at around 9:30 in the morning, February 08.

The alarm had made residents call the Boracay Fire Department. The call also made the Department respond at the supposed fire scene.

However, instead of a house burning or properties burning, a born fire or leaves and grass being burned was witnessed by the Boracay Fire Department.

According to Boracay Fire Inspector Joseph Cadag, garbage was burning near “Talipapa Bukid” at that time.

Since the burning garbage was wet, it produced a high and heavy smoke which had made some residents frightened.

Meanwhile, it was admitted by a woman named Janice that it was their family which set the fire.

Nevertheless, she added that they were supervising the fire which was near their house.

She also added that to prevent others from being alarmed, those who reported should have examined the situation before reporting the incident to the Fire Department.

Nonetheless, Inspector Cadag advised the residents at the area to be careful about fire.

Governor Marquez boasts Aklan’s progress on his administration

When Carlito Marquez took over the office as Governor of Aklan in 2004, he started off with a P377 million fund.

And so, on his State of the Province Address (SOPA) last Wednesday, he took pride on how, under his administration and by the end of his term this 2013, the province of Aklan turned into a billionaire.

Where in this year, the province’s budget reached up to Php1.19 billion and is 151 million higher compared to that of 2012.

Aklan’s billion funds was made possible through its staggering income boosting an Internal Revenue Allotment or IRA of Php974 million, which is way higher  compared to 2004’s Php326 million only.

One of which that Marquez boasts about, is that under his service, the Caticlan Jetty Port progressed along with the influx of tourists in Boracay.

From its 2004 collection of 15 million, by 2012 it has collected 206 million pesos.

This, he added is a result of the constant growth of the Tourism Industry in the province.

LAY MINISTERS tO VISIT SCHOOLS ON ASH WEDNESDAY

This year, the day before Valentine’s Day will be Ash Wednesday, the day for putting of ashes on the forehead of Roman Catholics.

In an interview, Rev. Fr. Jomil B. Zambrona, one of the members of Team Ministry or priests of the Holy Rosary Parish Balabag, said there will be a mass to be held on February 13, Wednesday at 6:30 in the morning at the Balabag Church.

Mass will also take place at the Chapels of Yapak and Manoc-Manoc on the same day and time.

In addition, Lay Ministers of the Parish Church of Boracay will visit schools to put ashes on students’ forehead on the mentioned date.

February 13 will also be the start of penitence for Lent.

Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez, bids farewell to his post

Not a State of the Province Address or SOPA, but a Valedictory Address.

This is what Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez has clarified during the last part of his speech at yesterday’s Annual Report to the Aklanons for 2012.

This is despite the fact that his service in the Capitol is yet to expire in June.

His speech’s outcome isn’t entirely an Annual Report, as he talked about what he has done in his 9 years of service in the office.

Nonetheless, when the governor laid out his accomplishments, the Provincial Council’s session hall was filled with applause from those who have attended the SOPA.

Marquez also extended his gratitude to all the Department Heads in the Provincial Capitol, the National Agencies, and the Mayors of the 17 municipalities of Aklan for their support to his administration.

This time however, Marquez was caught between gladness and sadness as his service ends.

Yet, at the end of his speech and eventually his term he still carried his “trade mark” and belief that “no one is in the bondage of poverty”

SAVINGS fOR 2012: P4.2 MILLION

The Aklan Provincial Council saved P4.2 Million in 2012.

This has made the Board Members of Aklan delighted specially its Presiding Officer, Vice Governor Gabrielle Calizo Quimpo.

The savings came about despite the allegation from Aklan Board Member, Rodson Mayor to Vice Governor Quimpo that the Vice Governor’s office spends a lot of money.

Allegedly this type of spending was the reason Mayor did not approve the increase of the allocation of the Provincial Council for 2013.

It was learned from the Provincial Secretary, Odon Bandiola that the vacant positions at the Provincial Council was the reason the Council saved money.

This is because until now the positions at the Provincial Office are still vacant despite having been funded.

Based on the record of Provincial Budget Officer Mary Grace Macahilas released on December 31, 2012, more than P2.3 Million from the P25.5 Million allotted for Personal Services or salary of employees was not used.

Meanwhile, P1.9 Million was the excess in the allocation for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses/MOOE from the P8 Million budget for 2012.

Nevertheless, the savings of the Provincial Council was added by the Provincial Government to the Productivity Enhancement Incentives of officials and employees of the province.

The budget allocation for the Provincial Council for 2011 was P35 Million, while for 2012, and 2013, it is at P33 Million.

19 Malay electoral candidates, promises a safe and fair May elections

The Municipality of Malay may not have any threats of trouble on the coming May Local and National elections.

However, this would not stop the Police Force, Commission on Elections, and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting or PPCRV from launching a “Peace Covenant” among the Town’s candidates.

In an interview with Inspector Mark Cordero, Chief of Malay Police, he said based on their observations on the past elections, there were no recorded election related incidents.

For this reason, he is hoping and or expecting that the Elections in Malay would be peaceful.

In addition, the Peace Covenant will also include the 19 candidate’s pledge to abide by the laws and regulations being carried out during elections.

As well as affixing their signatures as a guarantee that no one will use force and violence against their fellow candidates and the use of private and armed individuals.

In line with this, on February 10, three months before the voting, the Peace Covenant will be conducted and will be held at the St. Joseph Parish in Malay.

Cordero added that the same method is also being carried out in other towns in the province for safe and fair election.

VENDORS PROHIBITED aT BALABAG, BORACAY ISLAND

The prohibition of selling, at places like the vegetation area at the beach and streets, has been implemented by Balabag.

The implementation started on Friday, February 1.

This has resulted to a hide and seek between the vendors who pass by Balabag especially at the front beach selling tahoo, balut (boiled fertilized duck egg), and fish, and the members of Local Government Unit implementing the prohibition.

Meanwhile, it was learned from the Balabag Village Secretary that confiscated souvenir items from vendors have not been claimed.

The confiscated goods, inventoried by the Malay Auxilliary Police (MAP) and Village Watchmen, are still at the Village Hall.

As the Chinese New Year approaches, Boracay “fully booked”

Just a few more days to go before the Chinese New year, and Resorts and Hotels in Boracay are already fully booked.

It was learned from Department of Tourism or DOT-Boracay Officer-in-Charge, Tim Ticar that as early as February 6, tourists who have a reservation or had booked are already expected to arrive.

Many of them are to celebrate the Chinese New Year in the island, and so more tourists are expected to flood Boracay.

Aside from Chinese nationals, Koreans and Taiwanese are also going to celebrate the said festivity on the 10^th of this month.

Ticar said he was able to say this since the relationship between China and the Philippines had turned to “good” from bad, which was caused by the issue in the West Philippine Sea.

China’s Travel Advisory against the Philippines had previously been lifted, giving them no reason not to visit the island and the country.

Moreover, Ticar added that some travel agencies communicated and informed him that they will be bringing in some 400 Chinese tourists in Boracay for the Chinese New Year.

2013 KALIBO ÅT♪-ÅTIHAN * REVENUE RELEASED, IT’S MORE THAN P4.7M

More than P4.7Million was the proceeds of the Kalibo Ati-atihan 2013.

According to the Financial Report of Kalibo Sto Niño Ati-atihan Foundation Inc. (KASAFI), the organizer of the event,  the total earning of the organizer was P4.745Million, almost forty-nine percent (49 percent) higher compared to the previous year’s P3.194Million earning.

The Financial Report was released on the 29^th of January this year.

Despite earning more this year, the expenditure for the celebration was about 7.8 percent lower compared to last year.

This year’s expenditure was at P3.9Million, while last year’s expense was at P4.2Million.

Allegedly, the higher earning was realized despite increase on prizes for winners and subsidy for participating tribes.

KASAFI reported to have given away P679, 000 for prizes, and P743, 000 for tribes’ subsidy.

The Financial Report was released nine (9) days after the Ati-atihan celebration.

The release was more than five (5) months earlier compared to the agreed upon release with the Local Government Unit of Kalibo which was set at six (6) months after the celebration.

The organizer’s Chairman, Albert Meñez had earlier promised to release KASAFI’s Financial Report on Kalibo’s Ati-atihan six (6) days after the event.

This is so far the earliest release of Finanacial Report compared to the previous years. 

Cruise ships and Chinese Tourists, a huge contribution for Boracay’s 1.5M Target Tourists Arrivals for 2013

Boracay now targets 1.5 million tourist arrivals for 2013.

But as early as now, the Department of Tourism (DOT) has a positive outlook that this target will be achieved.

In an interview with DOT Officer-in-Charge Tim Ticar, he said 1.5 million tourist arrivals are not impossible to attain.

More so that Boracay is now open for the cruise ship market, which is now hitting off positively as consecutive notifications of intended visit from cruise liners were received.

This 2013, one of the strategy to promote and or market Boracay is the DOT’s endeavor in the cruise ship industry through different international travel agencies.

Even more so, now that China has lifted its Travel Advisory against the Philippines in relation to the issue in the West Philippine Sea.

With this, they cannot see any reasons to hold back Chinese tourists to visit Boracay and the Philippines.

The Chinese, aside from the Koreans, is the country’s primary tourists.

Ticar added that the 13 Chinese Tourism Executives from Beijing’s visit to the island last January 27, and stayed on for four days, could also be advantageous for Boracay.

Where in the mentioned officials also underwent or had tried the activities that usual tourists would do in Boracay such as Bar Hopping, Island Hopping and many others.