Circumferential Road in Boracay - No ECC - No Definite Date on When to Resume Construction

The date for the continuation of the Circumferential Road in Boracay is unclear.

This is while there is no Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and National Resources (DENR). This was according to the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) Officer of Aklan Ivene Reyes.

In an interview on Thursday, Reyes said that even before the implementation of the project, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was advised to get an ECC.

However, according to Reyes what seemed to have transpired was that the processing of an ECC was passed to the contractor and it was neglected until a Demand Letter was given by the DENR to stop the construction of the Circumferential Road.

Reyes claimed that aside from having no ECC, the contractor is facing a case for the cutting of a certain area of a mountain for the placement of the contractor’s project and also for the cutting of trees.

But because the project has been stalled especially that the Circumferential Road project will include a part of a lake which is a declared wet land, the PENRO Officer said that it is already the Secretary of the DPWH and the Secretary of DENR who are discussing about the project.

Reyes added that for the meantime it could not be determined when an ECC can be given to the DPWH or contractor for the project to be continued.

No K9 for Tabon Port

The Caticlan Coast Guard is now considering placing a K9 at Tabon Port, after motorboat routes in Boracay has been changed due to the 'habagat' season or the southwest monsoon.

According to Chief PT Officer, Ronnie Hiponia of Caticlan Coastguard, they haven’t got a K9 on standby at the Tabon port as of now.

There are only two of the said k9's which are being used at the Caticlan Jetty Port, particularly at the RORO area.

However, Hiponia said that they also send these k9's at Tabon Port in order to assist in baggage checking, as well as in the Cargo port.

Nevertheless, for security reasons, they are still sending Coast Guard's Special Operation Group to watch over the port every day.

Unlike the Caticlan Jetty port, Tabon Port is being used only if the regular route of motorboats is altered due to undesirable weathers, the reason it has no x-ray machine and metal detector to inspect the luggage of tourists bound for Boracay.

Cancellation of Classes During a Storm or a Calamity Is Not Dependent on the Department of Education

There is no need to depend on the Department of Education (Dep.Ed) to make a decision when cancelling classes when a storm or calamity occurs in a certain locality.

According to Jessie Gomez, Division School Superintendent of Aklan, the local government which includes the officials of a municipality and province has the authority to declare when classes are to be cancelled.

Gomez clarified that the leadership on the Provincial and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC &MDRRMC) has been passed to the Local Government Unit (LGU) while the Dep. Ed. is only a member of the PDRRMC and MDRRMC and the chairman of the respective councils are the Governor and the Mayor.

Therefore, when it is already dangerous for students whether there is a storm or not, the LGUs can declare the cancellation of classes, and also can answer the queries of parents whether classes are to be cancelled.

In addition, during unusual circumstances at school like when there is flooding, fire or any calamity, the Head Teacher can also declare the cancellation of classes.

Police for remote areas in Boracay, requested

Heinous crimes have often happened in remote areas in Boracay particularly in the backside of the island.

The reason Vice Mayor Ceceron Cawaling is now requesting P/Insp Al Loraine Bigay, the new chief of Boracay Tourist Assistance Center (BTAC), to give attention and to also assign police officers in crime prone zones and those which are away from the populace.

With the likes of Sitio Lapuz-lapuz, areas in Yapak, and some other places in the island in order to avoid the recurrence of killings or any other crimes that took place in these areas.

Cawaling explained, based on what he observed, the authorities are focusing more in the front side of the island, especially the front beach, market places, and the main road. The places however, wherein chances of transgressions are higher and where the presences of police are needed was left unattended.

The Vice Mayor also mentioned about the need for streetlights in these places.

These requests and concerns by Cawaling were voiced out during the formal introduction or courtesy call of P/Insp Bigay, the new chief of BTAC, in the council’s session last Tuesday

Boracay Tourist Assistance Center Has Not Been Receiving Financial Assistance from the National Headquarters Since December 2011

It was confirmed by the Chief of the Boracay Tourist Assistance Center (BTAC), P/Insp. Al Loraine T. Bigay that BTAC was no longer receiving financial support from the national or higher headquarters since December of 2011.

According to Bigay, it is not known whether the monthly support will still be given. The monthly support is meant for the expenses of BTAC’s operation.

Bigay said that for now, they are using the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) from the Regional Office and Local Government of Malay.

The financial assistance that BTAC is receiving from MOOE is being budgeted to make ends meet for BTAC’s daily expenses. He added that because of financial constraints, transportation budget is being affected when they bring a suspect to the prosecutor’s office to the town of Kalibo for formal filing of charges.

In such cases, the Chief said that their personal money is what BTAC uses for transportation expense to accomplish their duty.