DOLE Aklan confirms wage hike of employees in Boracay

Posted February 6, 2015

Written by Gloria Villas

DOLE Aklan Officer-in-Charge Arlyn Siaotong confirms in an interview by this station yesterday that with wage boards working overtime, workers in Boracay may expect to start getting higher wages.

She said, “There was a plan came after several consultation and public hearing with the Industry Tripartite Council conducted last month of January.”

Though it was not yet discussed if when it will be impose, Siaotong assures that the said plan was already in the attention of National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC).

Meanwhile, DOLE stresses that to sustain rising levels of wages and enhance competitiveness, the department are continuously doing a strategic plan to also encouraged labor and management to adopt productivity improvement schemes that will improve the quality of life of workers, and in turn enable them to produce more and earn more, such as time and motion studies, good housekeeping, quality circles, labor and management cooperation as well as implement gain-sharing and other performance incentive programs.

CAAP Central Office still investigating the security breach in Kalibo International Airport

Posted February 6, 2015

Written by Jay-ar M. Arante

The CAAP Central Office, as of press time still holds ongoing investigation on the security breach in Kalibo International Airport.

This was confirmed by Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Kalibo manager Cynthia Aspera pertaining to a mentally-ill woman from Patnongon, Antique who reportedly pass the security of airport and managed to fly to Incheon, South Korea without a ticket and a passport.

Because of the incident, Aspera said that they will be more vigilant in screening all the passengers of both domestic and international flights.

CAAP Officials also insisted that the security personnel may have failed to check the woman when she joined the group of passengers.

It will be recalled that the Korean airport authorities immediately sent back the woman to the Philippines when they discovered that she is no official travel documents.

Governor ‘Joeben’ Miraflores boasts shared leadership on his SOPA

Posted February 6, 2015

Written by Bert Dalida

‘Shared Leadership’

This was boasted by Aklan Governor Florencio ‘Joeben’Miraflores during his State of the Province Address (SOPA) on Wednesday, which was also attended by different National and Provincial Government Heads.

On his approximately one hour speech, Miraflores recognized and thanked the support of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan members from the time he started to assume office last 2013.

Meanwhile, Miraflores also acknowledged the Boracay stakeholders for their effort for the continuous growth of tourism industry. 

Aside from his complimentary message, the governor likewise said that he foresees good future for the province.

DOT advices establishment owners re: road easement in Boracay

Posted February 5, 2015

Written by Gloria Villas

Along with the tourism growth in Western Visayas is also the development of businesses in the island of Boracay.

However, some of the business establishments in the island are now facing problems in relation to the road easement/ set back implemented by the LGU Malay.

In this regard, Department of Tourism (DOT) advises the establishment owners and is hoping that they would comply the said ordinance for the continuous development of the island and its establishments as well.

DOT Boracay Sub-Office Team Leader Leo Kristoffer Velete said that, “the development of Boracay will also be the development of different business here.”

Meanwhile, DOT apparently accentuates its support to the different programs of the local government unit.

It can be recalled that the implementation of Municipal Ordinance No. 2000-131 of Malay requires six- (6) meter set back from the center or middle of the road in any temporary or permanent structures.

BFAR offers scholarship program for children of fishermen in Aklan

Posted February 4, 2015

Written by Gloria Villas

Children of fisherfolk who are interested to pursue a four-year BS Fisheries Course are urged to apply for the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Fisheries Scholarship Program (FSP).

“The Fisherfolk Children Educational Grant (FCEG) Component aims to give children of fisherfolk all over the country to enroll in Fisheries courses” BFAR-Aklan Information Officer Victoria Magalit said.

Magalit said the BFAR has allotted scholarship slots for every year for fisherfolk children in Aklan.

This is a good chance for children of fisherfolk who want to go to college but could not afford to pay for their tuition fees, she added.

She said those who will be able to complete a course on Fisheries can significantly contribute not only to the economy of the country but also in the preservation of its aquatic resources.

Children of small-scale fishermen who are in 4th year and graduating from high school for School Year 2013-2014 are eligible for the scholarship.

Meanwhile, interested applicants, Magalit said, must obtain application forms at BFAR-Aklan.

Deadline of submission of application forms is on February 27, 2015 while examination will be on March 7 with venue to be either Iloilo City or Bacolod City.

Balabag Asatidz Outstanding Madrasah Teacher of DepEd

Posted February 4, 2015

Written by Jay-ar M. Arante

It’s a great honor for a teacher from Balabag Elementary School to be recognized as Regional Outstanding Madrasah (Arabic word for school) Teacher/Asaditz of the Department of Education (DepEd).

According to Balabag Elementary School Principal Ligaya Aparicio, only Monib Ali, a teacher of their school received the award from the province of Aklan.

Aparicio said that 7 Divisions from Region 6 were granted such honors where Ali got the first place, and the champion is from Bacolod City, 2nd place was from Iloilo City, 3rd place from Iloilo Province, 4th place from San Carlos, 5th place from Roxas City and the 6th place is from the Province of Antique respectively.

Ali was known to be an active teacher of Madrassah in Balabag Elementary School where his students were her fellow Muslims whom she taught Arabic Values.

Monib Ali received the awards in Iloilo City last Friday together with their principal Ligaya Aparicio and Malay Public School District Supervisor Jessie Flores.

The Madrasah award is the first award given by the Department of Education (DepEd) for the Madrasah Education Teacher where the winners will compete in National Level.

PRC Boracay- Malay Chapter preparing for One Million Volunteer Run

Posted February 3, 2015

Written by Gloria Villas

Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Boracay-Malay will officially launch the Million Volunteer Run on March 8 this year.

According to PRC Malay-Boracay Chapter Deputy Administrator John Patrick Moreno: “A fun run is to demonstrate that the Philippines leads in championing the spirit of volunteerism as a means of saving lives.”

To be held simultaneously in Metro Manila and other key cities in the country, the run aims to strengthen a network of volunteers down to the barangay level and to raise funds for the PRC's critical humanitarian services.

With the Philippines being one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, the Red Cross has been aggressively conducting a recruitment drive for its RC 143 program.

It recruits and trains at least 44 volunteers in every community (one team leader plus 43 members, or 1+43 per barangay).

RC 143 volunteers undergo rigid hands-on training and practice to be able to respond and lead on-ground efforts during emergencies and other challenging situations.

Meanwhile, official from national and local government, Department of Education and private sectors are expected to participate the said activity.

Aklan Prov. Govn't reinforce preparations for the MS Celebrity Century’s Arrival in Boracay

Posted February 3, 2015

Written by Jay-ar M. Arante

Jetty Port Administrator Niven Maquirang said that the Provincial Government of Aklan has started meeting weekly and is prepared for the arrival of MS Celebrity Century in Boracay on Tuesday.

He also added that, "its committee’s will also accompany the passengers to guide them when they exit the cruise ship."

According to a report, they have also excursions planned through LGUs to take the passengers to the tourist spots and souvenir shops in the island on the said date, as well as to the different island hopping activities.

The committee has planned surprises for the passengers as they arrive at their destinations in Cagban port where Aklan Ati-Atihan Tribe will be having a beautiful presentations.

Apart from it, Maquirang assures that transportation vehicles going to Station 2 Boracay are also organized by putting a flag of MS Century in the vehicle so it is easy for the passengers to determine their medium of transportations wherein they could take the tour.

In this regard, boats for island hopping activity will be having a same flag as well.

MS Celebrity Century will dock in the island Tuesday morning with more than 1, 835 passengers on board including 875 crew.

Aklan Gov. Miraflores to deliver his second State of the Province address

Posted February 2, 2015

Written by Gloria Villas

Aklan Governor Florencio T. Miraflores is scheduled to deliver his State of the Province Address (SOPA) on February 4, 2015 during the 5th Regular Session of the 16th Sangguniang Panlalawigan at its Session Hall Provincial Capitol Kalibo, Aklan.

This will be the second SOPA of Miraflores since he assumed as Governor of the Province of Aklan noontime of June 30, 2013, to start his second round of governorship. Miraflores has been Governor of Aklan for a full-9-year term starting 1995 up to 2004.

Thereafter, he was elected as Congressman of the lone district of Aklan in the House of Representatives from 2004 to 2013, another 9-year full term before becoming a Provincial Governor again.

The 16th SP under the stewardship of Vice Governor Gabrielle V. Calizo-Quimpo has invited some 190 heads of local and national government offices, municipal officials, media practitioners, academicians, clerics and others sectoral representatives in the Province of Aklan.

Expected to be contained in the SOPA of Miraflores are his accomplishments in 2014 as Aklan’s chief executive to include his plans and programs for the succeeding years starting this year.

Expected to highlight his address is the P1.5 billion 2015 annual budgets of the Province of Aklan which was approved by the 16th SP towards the end of December 2014.

Miraflores likewise, is expected to highlight the provincial government accomplishments in terms of local revenue generation to which Aklan was adjudged by the Department of Finance as the top province among the provinces of the country to have the highest locally generated revenues Aklan.

Also expected to be highlighted by the Governor in his SOPA is the P40-Billion tourism receipts realized by the province through increasing tourist arrivals in Boracay Island which reached some 1.4 million visitors last year.