BORACAYNONS FAILED bY OSMENA

The proposal which will give free patent to owners of land in Boracay is likely to fail.

This is because the House Bill 4796, submitted by Aklan Representative Florencio Miraflores, a few days after being passed in the Congress and supported in the Senate by means of Senate Bill 3275, was blocked by Senator Sergio Osmeña.

The bill aims for the free registration of land to the name of the person who has been renting a land in Boracay.

Contained in the bill is the requirement that the land should not exceed twelve (12) hectares and the person who has been renting the land should have rented it for more or less thirty (30) years.

Although the bill is supported by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ramon Paje, Osmeña blocked the bill with no apparent reason.

The House Bill 4796 is seen as a solution to the problem of land titling in Boracay. 

Before thisOsmeña criticized Miraflores when the Senator blocked the Congressman’s proposed House Bill 3860 which aims to divide Aklan into two legislative districts.

Malay, second with most number of voters in Aklan

It is possible that politicians will be aiming for Boracay.

Not as a vacation destination, but to pursue a campaign.

This is because the Municipality of Malay has now surpassed Ibajay, New Washigton, and Banga in terms of numbers of voters.

Wherein Malay leads with 200 voters over Ibajay, said Malay Comelec Officer Elma Cahilig.

According to Cahilig Malay comes second after Kalibo which is the province’s capital, and has maintained being on the first place.

In 2010, records showed, in order, that Kalibo tops as the town with most number of voters followed by Ibajay, New Washington on third, fourth was Banga, and Malay on fifth.

However in the conducted registration of voters this 2012, statistics show that Kalibo remained first, followed by Malay, Ibajay, Banga and New Washington of fifth.

It was learned from Cahilig that migration to Boracay is the reason of the sudden inflation of registered voters in Malay.

2 DISTRICT PROPOSAL fOR AKLAN - BLOCKED aGAIN aT SENATE

It seems that the province of Aklan will no longer be divided into two (2).

It was learned on December 10 that the resolution creating another Congressional District in Aklan was yet again blocked by Senator Sergio Osmena.

House Bill 3860, supported by Mayors of the province, was put forward by Aklan Representative Florencio Miraflores at the Lower House.

Every Congressman has a Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of P70 Million per year but due to the blocking of the resolution by Sen. Osmena, Aklan is set to lose P210 Million.

The House Bill is seen as one of the solutions in order for Aklan to have a better economy since if the Bill is approved, two will be representing the province in the Congress. Nevertheless if the House Bill is continuously hindered, the hope for two Districts for Aklan is doomed to failure.

Senate Local Government Committee Chairman Sen. Bong Bong Marcos had brought the resolution of Miraflores to the Senate in the hope that it would become a law if approved.

However, despite the aspirations of Local Officials of the province for the Bill to be passed before the filing of candidacy in October, Osmena blocked the House Bill. As a Result, the Senate was forced to suspend the hearing for the Bill.

Red Cross Boracay, gearing up for 2013

The Philippine Red Cross Boracay-Malay Chapter is already getting ready for 2013.

Although they are busy conducting trainings for volunteers, resort life guards, and many others, with the assistance of Australian Life Guard David Field, the PRC has already laid out their programs and activities for the following year.

This includes the much improved and much bigger celebration of the 2^nd Festival of the Wind in Boracay, and a Fun Run which will be the country’s entry for the Guinness Book of World Records.

For the 2^nd Festival of the Wind in Boracay, Mr. David Field plans to bring into the island, life guards from Thailand who will be competing against the Life Guard Boracay in a contest of saving lives on the beach.

Meanwhile these two huge activities are also the reason of Field’s going back to the island.

Catholic Church in Boracay, ready for “simbang-gabi”

The Catholic Church in Boracay is now ready for the 9-day early morning masses or “simbang gai.”

In fact the Holy Rosary Parish Church in Balabag has already produced a schedule for the “misa de gallo.”

According to Rev. Fr. Arnold Crisostomo, Parish Priest at the HRPC-Boracay, it will start on December 16 and that the daily masses will be at 4 in the morning.

Moreover, to those who wish to attend the “Santo Rosario,” this will be done before every mass.

Meanwhile, on the 24^th of December, a few hours before the birth of the Messiah will be celebrated, a 9:00 p.m. mass will be held at the Balabag church.

While the masses at Yapak Chapel and Manoc-manoc on the same date will be celebrated at 6:30 in the evening.