Comelec Malay encountered problems with registrants

Written by: Jay-ar Arante

In the past weeks, Comelec Malay had encountered problems due to some registrants for the October 28^th Baranggay and SK Elections.

Malay Comelec Election Officer II Elma Cahilig cited the dilemmas with the registrants for the youth council.

Cahilig said a number of registrants were underage and they also found that some of them were already registered in different areas.

According to the Election Officer, they will inspect this thoroughly in order to avoid unjustly activities during the elections and also to be fair to those who registered appropriately.

Cahilig added that this will not be allowed to occur in their office, more so that the election is such a sensitive matter in the country.

Violators of Comelec rules can also be invalidated she said.

Meanwhile, the Comelec Malay is now preparing for the filing of Certificate of Candidacy of those who will be running for office.

The filing of COCs for the Baranggay and SK Elections has been extended and will be held on October 11 to 17, 2013.

Translated by: Shelah Casiano

BTAC, geared up for Baranggay and SK Elections

Written by: Jay-ar Arante

The Boracay Tourists Assistance Center is ready to ensure the security of the island on the coming Baranggay and SK Elections.

According to Police Community Relation Officer PO3 Christopher Mendoza, they already have preparations just like what they did during the National Elections last May.

Police personnel will be deployed to schools in Boracay where the polls will be held.

Mendoza said that they will be more observant and will beef up the security since the PCOS Machines won’t be used.

The Officer added they will also strictly implement the Comelec’s gun ban which will start 30 days from the election date.

The Comelec has earlier said that, due to shortage of time and funds, the process will be conducted manually.

Meanwhile, Comelec Malay said that they too are ready for the elections on October and had coordinated with the police force for the security of the Municipality of Malay and the Island of Boracay.

Translated by: Shelah Casiano

Boracay MAP members to be augmented

Written by:  Bert Dalida

The Municipal Auxiliary Police in Boracay will be adding more personnel.

According to Island Administrator Glenn Sacapano, the Aklan Provincial Government itself will assist in augmenting the manpower of MAP Boracay.

What is better, Sacapano said, is that the MAP will be having a 24 hour duty.

The provincial government is looking to add 50 more personnel, which gladdened the Island Administrator.

Meanwhile, Sacapano also confirmed that the new staffs will work in Boracay under the local government of Malay.

At the moment, there are only more than 50 MAP members in the island.

Translated by: Shelah Casiano

Boracay Redevelopment Task Force, called the violators of 25+5 Easement

Written by: Alan Palm Sr.

The discussion on the second meeting of Boracay Redevelopment Task Force has been intensive, wherein owners of permanent structures that violated the 25+5 easement were invited.

The invited businessmen and representatives were given seven days to correct the violations found in their structures.

The meetings were headed by the task force which includes the LGU- Engineering Office, Zoning Office, DOT, DILG and DENR.

According to SB Member Rowen Aguirre, the 7-day extension given to the violators is to show evidence that they are complying substantially.

After the 7-day grace period, the task force will be conducting a validation process to begin the 25+5 re-development.

The task force is determined to implement the ordinance of Malay Memorandum Circular No.47 of President Benigno Aquino III, which aims to re-organize Boracay because of overdevelopment and environmental issues.

Aquirre said that if entrepreneurs care for Boracay, they must sacrifice for the benefit of all especially for the tourism industry.

Although, some have requested to prioritize the demolition of the controversial West Cove.

Task Force Chairman, Engineer Elizer Casidsid added that even those with FLAG-T with no building permit will also be included in the demolition.

It is expected that before the end of 2013, all will be orderly in Boracay as what was stated in the Inter-Agency Task Force or Technical Working Group of President Aquino.

Translated by: Kate Panaligan

FRONT LINERS oF BORACAY, tO UNDERGO TRAINING fOR APEC

http://bit.ly/14Z1fhU

Written by: Peach Ledesma

Long before the Asia Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) is to be held, Boracay already has plans in order to prepare.

One of the preparations is to call the front liners of the island to train.

According to DOT Boracay Officer-In-Charge, Tim Ticar the plan is to call front liners such as drivers, vendors and other groups to undergo training.

This is to give correct information on how to handle guests, and the protocol to be followed if the APEC conference will be held in Boracay.

On how this is to be carried out was talked about during a meeting attended by Ticar, Malay Mayor John Yap and other tourism agencies.

Meanwhile, Ticar admitted that there were still a lot of things to be done to in order for Boracay to be prepared for the big conference.

Nevertheless, he added that the Provincial Government is not negligent in its preparations, saying that as a proof many are focusing their attention on the island so it will not be put to waste.

Ticar went on to appeal to everyone to cooperate in taking care of the island.

Boracay is one of the places being chosen in the Philippines for the venue of the APEC 2014-2015.

More than five hundred delegates, and members of media from different parts of Asia will be attending the event.

Translated/Edited by: Rodel J. Abalus

SB Malay requests for voluntary demolition of structures affected by 25+5 easement

Written by: Jay-ar Arante/Bert Dalida

The Malay Municipal Council asks Boracay establishments affected by the 25+5 easement to demolish their illegal structures voluntarily.

This would be a better option for them said SB Member Rowen Aguirre of the Committee on Laws, Ordinances, Rules and Privileges.

According to Aguirre, in this way, the establishments can make use of the materials they will remove rather than have it confiscated by the LGU.

He added that they should not wait for the deadline before taking down the structures.

Aguirre pointed out its prompt implementation to avoid the consequences it may cause to the tourism industry.

Some of the structures mentioned by the Boracay Re-development Task Force to be removed are tents, beach huts, stage structures and others that are within the 25+5 easement.

Translated by: Shelah Casiano

Temporary structures at Boracay’s vegetation area, given 7 days to be removed

Written by: Alan Palma Sr.

The Boracay Re-development Task Force has given all those with illegal structures at the vegetation area, 7 days to tear it down.

This was started yesterday, August 21, and will end on August 28, 2013.

This is what the task force has requested in a meeting on Wednesday during which those cited with the violation have been called upon.

Some that were asked to be removed are tents, beach huts, stage structures and others which are within the 25+5 easement.

According to SB Member Rowen Aguirre of the Committee on Laws and Ordinances, only tables and chairs are allowed to be set up in the mentioned area from 5 in the afternoon until 6 in the morning.

Illegal structures that are not removed on the given deadline will be demolished by the Task Force itself, and may lead to closure or revocation of business permit.

The conference was attended by more or less 50 businessmen and representatives who took note of the process that the Boracay Re-development Task Force will be implementing.

This is in accordance to Malacañang’s mandate for the preservation of the island of Boracay.

Translated by: Shelah Casiano

RENOVATION oF CLASSROOMS - BORACAY NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL iS WAITING fOR iT

Written by Jay-ar M. Arante

The Boracay National High School (BNHS) is waiting for of its classrooms, which continue to be inundated by floodwater, to be renovated.

According to BNHS Principal II, Jose Niro Nillasaca, the Local Government of Malay already has a fund to finally put solution to the problem.

Currently, water still enters the school specially that its location is low.

Nillasca said that the siphoning machine sent by Balabag Village Captain, Lilibeth Sacapano to remove flood water, has helped.

Nillasca added that an inspection had been conducted by the Engineering Office of Malay to determine what needs to be done for the classrooms of the school.

He further added that there is a plan to raise the flooring of the classrooms so that at least water will not get in.

He also expressed gratitude because at least the street to Bolabog, which is usually flooded and affects their classroom, had been fixed.

Meanwhile, the school continuous to hope that solution will finally be made so that classes will already return to normal at BNHS.

Translated/Edited by: Rodel J. Abalus

COLLECTION oF GARBAGE aT BALABAG VILLAGE, MADE EARLIER

Written by: Malbert Dalida

The collection of garbage at the Village of Balabag has been made early.

According to Boracay Island Administrator, Glenn Sacapaño, there are more establishments in Balabag compared with other villages which is why there a lot more garbage in the mentioned village.

With regard to this, they had deemed necessary to collect the garbage earlier, and collect the garbage from the Main Road earlier than the garbage at the beach front.

Sacapano added that there are already tourists who pass by the Main Road even when it is only five (5am) in the morning and these tourists see the garbage which are piled up there.

Because of this, by two (2am) in the morning, the collection of garbage will now be collected so that the Main Road will be clean by the time tourists pass by.

Also, the Island Administrator once again emphasized the segregation of garbage.

He also believes that there will be no problem regarding garbage as long as everyone is disciplined.

Translated/Edited by: Rodel J. Abalus

Visitors come to see MRF Balabag

Written by: Bert Dalida

Tourists come not only because of Boracay’s white sands, but also to visit the MRF or Materials Recovery Facility.

Island Administrator Glenn Sacapaño expressed his gladness, saying that people from other places visits the island just to see the MRF Balabag.

In fact, last Monday a group from LGU El Nido, Palawan had their trip at the area as a part of their “lakbay aral.”

The Island Administrator also confirmed that they usually have weekly visitors from other places who studies and adopts MRF Balabag’s idea on proper waste segregation.

Another advantage is that all helpful suggestions are also being adopted by the LGU Malay.

Meanwhile, aside from MRF Balabag, the tourists also come to see the Malay Sanitary Landfill.

Translated by: Shelah Casiano

Re-development Task Force meeting on 25+5 easement, to kick off Wednesday

Written by: Jay-ar Arante

The Redevelopment Task force meeting on 25+5 easement will be conducted on Wednesday and Thursday.

This is in relation to the mandate of the Task Force by President Benigno Aquino III to ensure order in Boracay.

According to Malay Municipal Planning Officer Elma Belejerdo, the LGU will meet with the stakeholders in the island to discuss the matter.

The topics will include the structures made of light and movable materials as well as the permanent ones.

Earlier, the task force is studying and looking at more than 300 structures to demolish due to a violation to the 25+5 easement of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Belejerdo calls upon all the owners of establishments affected by the easement to attend in the said gathering.

The Redevelopment Task Force meeting will be held at the Balabag Action Center in Boracay Island.

Translated by: Shelah Casiano

Yapak residents and local officials, hand-in-hand in beach cleanup

Written by: Mackie Pajarillo

The Habagat season has caused garbage to line the beaches of Boracay as it washes ashore.

The situation is also experienced at Baranggay Yapak, said MRF Monitoring Officer Divy Casidsid.

However, with the cooperation of beach cleaners, vendors, residents, and members of the MRF at the area, the problem is slowly being solved.

According to Casidsid, last Saturday they have gathered a truck load of trash from the beach, as the clean up went on yesterday.

He added that there are only a handful of MRF personnel in Yapak at the moment, because Island Administrator Glenn Sacapano had also sent them to help in clearing the long beach.

Meanwhile, Casidsid is calling out to the residents to lend a hand rather than to complain, as the baranggay officials can only do so much.

The MRF Officer also extended her gratitude to those who cooperated.

Translated by: Shelah Casiano