Kapayapaan panawagan ng mga Ati sa Boracay kasunod ng pagtanggap ng mga lupa

KASUNOD NG pagtanggap ng mga lupa sa Isla ng Boracay nanawagan ngayon ng kapayaan ang mga katutubong Ati sa pangambang magdulot ito ng problema sa kanila.

Gabi ng Huwebes ay pormal na tinanggap ng mga kinatawan ng Boracay Ati Tribal Organization ang anim na Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) mula kay Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte para sa kabuuang 3.2 hektarya ng lupa.

"Nawa itong pamamahagi ng lupa ay walang maidulot na problema sa amin sapagkat ang tangi po naming hinihiling ay kapayapaan, pagkakaisa at pagmamahal," ayon kay Delsa Justo, lider ng mga Ati, bahagi ng kanyang response.

Sa isang press conference, sinabi ni Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones na nagkaroon muna ng tensiyon sa ilang lupang ipinamahagi sa mga Ati at may mga nagpapakilalang nagmamay-ari ng mga ito.

Nilinaw naman ng Kalihim na bagaman ang ilan ay may tax declaration ng lupa, hindi umano ito patunay na sila ang may-ari nito. Nanindigan siya na alinsunod sa batas ang buong Isla ng Boracay ay pagmamay-ari ng gobyerno.

Sinabi pa ng DAR Secretary na handa silang sagutin ang mga legal action laban sa kanila.

Samantala, mamahagi rin ng mga binhi at mga tools ang gobyerno sa mga benepisaryo para sa pagpapayabong at paggamit ng lupa para sakahan. May mga training din na ilalaan para sa 44 pamilya na makikinabang sa mga naipamahaging lupa.

"Lubos po ang aming kasiyahan dahil dininig ng Diyos ang aming panalangin na maibalik at maisaayos ang Islang aming pinakamamahal," sabi ni Justo, sa pagpapasalamat sa administrasyong Duterte sa pag-rehabilitate sa Boracay.##

- Kasimanwang Darwin Tapayan / Energy Fm 107.7 Kalibo

4,914 Workers Participated in DOLE’s COPE Training

Kalibo, Aklan. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Aklan Field Office facilitated the conduct of 16 sessions of the Compensation, Occupational Safety and Health, and Productivity for Employment (COPE) Training last September 2018. It was attended by a total of 4,914 formal sector workers from the different municipalities of Aklan as well as the neighboring provinces of Antique and Capiz, who were displaced, suspended and retained due to the temporary closure of Boracay Island.

The COPE Training is an initiative of DOLE Region 6 in partnership with Employee’s Compensation Commission (ECC), Occupational Safety and Health Commission (OSHC), and Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB). It aims to raise awareness to participants on their ECC Benefits, occupational safety and health tips from OSHC, and on how to increase their productivity at work with the presentation from the RTWPB.

COPE was also implemented to help the beneficiaries and applicants of BEEP Adjustment Measures Program (BEEP AMP) comply with the conditional requirements of the program to avail of its benefits. Under the program’s guidelines, qualified applicants have to submit two job contacts and one training certificate.

It should be remembered that BEEP AMP was implemented to mitigate the adverse economic impact of the temporary closure and rehabilitation of the Boracay Island. The program provided financial support, employment, livelihood and training to formal sector workers.

The COPE Trainings were conducted on the following dates and venues:
Boracay Holiday Resort, Boracay, Malay, Aklan  –  September 12 – 13, and 19 – 20
Caticlan Covered Court, Caticlan, Malay, Aklan  –  September 14 and 21
ABL Sports Complex, Kalibo, Aklan –  September 25 – 26

- DOLE 6

Missing Fishermen in Antique rescued at waters off Palawan

A fishermen who went missing after a fishing venture at vicinity waters off Brgy Union, Libertad , Antique,last Nov 5, 2018 was rescued by Magsaysay Police in Cuyo, Palawan.

The said fishermen was identified as Mr. Arnie Desullan, of Legal age and residents of the said area. He was last seen fishing onboard his unnamed Motorbanca. ”

Information revealed that a certain Mrs Lolita Desullan, a resident of Brgy Union, Libertad, Antique, appeared at CGSS Libertad and reported that her husband failed to return home as expected.

Upon receipt of the report, CGSS Libertad immediately coordinated with Local Fisherfolk regarding the incident and launched a search and rescue operation but to no avail.

On 2 p.m of November 8, 2018, Libertad Municipal Police Station informed Coast Guard Sub Station Libertad that Mr Arnie Desullian, the missing fisherman was found in Magsaysay, Cuyo, Palawan in good physical condition and is now in the shelter in Magsaysay, Cuyo Police Station.

Investigation disclosed that the motor banca of Mr Desullan encountered engine trouble at vicinity maniquin island and drifted to the area of Magsaysay, Cuyo, Palawan. Mr Desullan then asked the assistance of Magsaysay Police.

Coast Guard Antique is now coordinating the safe return of Mr Arnie Desullan through Coast Guard Sub Station Cuyo in Palawan for his immediate transport and subsequently to reunite with his family in Libertad, Antique.##

- PCG 6

DPWH completes P8.53 million repair of Caticlan Jetty Port Road

Just in time for the opening of the world-renowned Boracay Island, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed the repair of road leading to Caticlan Jetty Port in Malay, Aklan which also serves as the island’s main gateway.

According to DPWH-Region 6 Director Wenceslao M. Leaño, the 554-meter road repair project costing P8.53 million involves asphalt overlaying along the national road including road shoulder, repair of drainage system, de-clogging of pipe culverts, construction of box culverts, and installation of Reinforced Concrete (RC) pipes, metal frames, and gratings.

Installation of thermoplastic pavement markings along the newly-repaired road was also undertaken by the DPWH maintenance personnel.

“The completion of the project would further ease travel around the newly-rehabilitated Boracay Island,” said Director Leaño.

Moreover, DPWH has already completed linking the gaps of Boracay Circumferential Road. Despite the island’s reopening, DPWH shall continue road widening works of the circumferential road which is expected to be fully accessible by 2019.

Tourists are advised to manage their expectations when they visit Boracay since the widening cannot be easily carried out considering obstructions and multiple structures hindering the way for the project’s immediate completion.

Upon completion of the entire 4.12-kilometer Boracay Circumferential Road and its missing gaps at the backdoor of Bolabog Beach in Barangay Balabag, the wider and safer highway will promote a hassle-free travel for the foreign and local patrons of the famous island.##

- DPWH 6

MGA TRICYCLE AT PEDICAB IPAGBABAWAL SA MGA NATIONAL HIGHWAY SA AKLAN

IPAGBABAWAL NA na dumaan sa mga national highway sa Aklan ang mga tricycle at mga pedicab alinsunod sa memorandum na ibinaba ng Department of Interior and Local Government.

Inatasan na ni PSSupt Lope Manlapaz, provincial director ng kapulisan sa probinsiya, ang kapulisan sa mga bayan na magsagawa ng pagpupulong sa mga driver at operator.

Kasunod ito ng hiling ng Nagkakaisang Samahan ng mga Nangangasiwa ng Panlalawigang Bus sa Pilipinas Inc. sa DILG na ipatupad ng PNP ang nasabing memorandum.

Sa bayan ng Kalibo, kasama ang pamahalaang lokal nagsagawa ang kapulisan ng pagpulong sa mga opisyal ng mga asosasyon ng mga tricycle at pedicab araw ng Miyerkules.

Ayon kay PSupt Richard Mepania, hepe ng Kalibo PNP, sang-ayon umano ang mga drivers at operators sa planong ito. Pag-aaralan pa umano nila ang magiging alternatibong rota ng mga tricycle at pedicab.

Gayunman kapag walang ibang pwedeng daan para sa kanila, maaari parin naman umano nilang gamitin ang national highway basta nasa tabi lang umano sila palagi.

Ipagbabawal rin ang mga tricycle at pedicab na magsakay ng mahigit na pasahero o mga karga kesa sa nakasaad sa kanilang prangkisa. Posiblen aniyang patawan ng kaukulang penalidad ang lalabag rito.

Napag-alaman na ang panawagang ito na i-ban ang mga tricycle ay noon pang 2007 sa ilalim ng Memorandum Circular 2007-01. Layunin nito na maiwasan ang mga aksidenteng kinasasangkutan ng mga sasakyang ito.##

Boracay rehab efforts to continue even after reopening, says Cimatu

Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu has assured the rehabilitation efforts in Boracay will continue even after tourism-related activities on the world-famous resort island have resumed.

Cimatu said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will conduct continuous water quality monitoring to make sure Boracay’s waters remain safe for swimming and other recreational activities.

The DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (DENR) has installed a state-of-the-art monitoring system that provides real-time data on the water quality around the island, he said.

With an effective monitoring system and strict compliance by all commercial establishments to existing environmental laws and regulations, Cimatu said the public can be assured Boracay will no longer be called a “cesspool.”

According to Cimatu, the DENR will continue to monitor the compliance of establishments with the conditions imposed in their respective environmental compliance certificates (ECCs).

Cimatu said the DENR and other government agencies comprising the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) will also continue to process requirements from non-compliant commercial establishments.

“Tuloy-tuloy ang pagtanggap ng gobyerno ng application for compliance ng mga establishment,” he said.

Compliance requirements for establishments include the setting up of sewage treatment plants (STPs) or connection to the island’s sewerage system, to make sure only treated wastewater is discharged into the sea.

A day before Boracay’s reopening, the EMB reported that certificates of compliance had already been issued to 717 establishments out of 1,258 in its inventory.

A certificate of compliance allows an establishment to undergo assessment by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and then for accreditation by the Department of Tourism (DOT).

As of October 26, the DOT has allowed 157 hotels and similar establishments to operate, which is equivalent to 7,308 rooms.

The DOT also assured the public that the agency would regularly update its list of accredited establishments, as it continues to implement a “no compliance, no operation” policy on the island.

Meanwhile, Cimatu disclosed that the BIATF is set to recommend chairmanship of the body from the DENR to the DOT, as efforts shift from establishing corrective measures to maintaining laws and regulations for ecotourism sites.##

- DENR

State of the art technologies to be built soon in Boracay Island

The Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force, represented by its chair, DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu expresses its appreciation to Korea Telecom (KT), represented by its vice president Kim Sung-In, for the company’s contribution to the rehabilitation of Boracay island.

KT, in cooperation with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, will establish six state-of-the-art technologies in the island, namely:
 
• high-quality public wi-fi infrastructure particularly along White Beach and in Cagban Port;
• intelligent closed-circuit television cameras that can recognize faces at ports of entry;
• photovoltaic solar panels that can generate about 35,000 kilowatts of electricity annually, as well as a system to help track and manage solar energy generation and consumption;
• a smart school where selected students can learn through a wireless network;
• e-healthcare that uses devices which allow remote and real-time checking of solutions; and
• a central command center.

The certificate of appreciation was given during Boracay’s opening day ceremony at Cagban Jetty Port on October 26. KT is the largest telecommunications company in South Korea. ###

SP MEMBER EXPRESSES OPPOSITION TO PHP1 BILLION LOAN OF THE PROVINCE

SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN member Nolly Sodusta expressed his opposition in obtaining and use of Php1,000,000,000 loan of the Aklan Provincial Government to the Development Bank of the Philippines.

After adopting the committee report on the proposed ordinance, Sodusta wanted to registered his position on the matter during the regular session on November 5. The following is his speech:

Good afternoon, to our Honorable Presiding Officer, colleagues in this honored chamber, members of the media, guests and everyone here present, and to all watching the broadcast of these proceeding live on the internet and television.

I rise to register and place on the record my opposition to the proposed Ordinance to obtain a loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) in the amount of 1 Billion Pesos and use the same for the expenses enumerated therewith.  Particularly, I am against the loan in the amount of 900,000.00 pesos or almost a billion pesos to be used in the following:

development of the port in Caticlan - 550 million       

development of the port in Cagban - 150 million

multi level parking - 150 million

Facade of the Capitol Building - 50 million

Total of 900 - million

To complete the 1 billion loan, 76 million is for the use in the improvement of the hospital particularly in the procurement of the oxygen plant, medical waste decomposer and improvement of the 3 storey building.

The remaining 24 million is for the rehabilitation of a bulldozer, purchase of a tractor head, purchase of a fuel truck, purchase of a back hoe hydraulic breaker and the purchase of a 14 footer stake truck. Why 24 million for all of these, I do not know but I am sure there is an explanation for all these amounts, whether plausible or not.

I cannot in conscience and even in logic think of any reason why we have to obtain the loan to finance said projects.  The National Government with its build build build motto as we can see now is fully committed and is taking the lead in the developmental projects that are ongoing in the Island of Boracay.  We can let the different departments spend the national government’s money as what they are now doing in the developments and infrastructures there, and not use our own money, more so that we have to borrow the money that we intend to spend there.

As it stands now, we are even uncertain of what will happen to the tourism industry in the island.  We already experienced the closure and the sad reality that it can be closed, and our income sources as a result were also closed.  This can happen again and anytime soon. And now is not the time to particularly borrow money to spend on something that is uncertain.  We all would like to see Boracay Island recover but we must at least give it some time so we can see a clearer picture of the future of the island.  Our investment of almost a billion pesos in there would be like placing all our eggs in one basket so to speak. If something goes wrong, which we all pray should not happen, then we are all left and even our future generation saddled with a debt that would be hard to pay.

50 million of the amount is to be used in the improvement of the façade of the capitol building.  I am not against the beautification of the frontage, the face of our capitol building, but if we have to borrow the money to beautify the face of our iconic capitol building then I believe that is not ideal nor even reasonable.  Fifty million is fifty million. We can use this for the unquenchable health care program for our constituents. To beautify is okay but to borrow money so that we can beautify is a little bit off tangent. If we have the extra money that we can already use then so be it, but no to borrowing for this purpose.

As a representative of the people who placed me in this position, in the council that meets in this chamber where ideas are conceptualized and plans are made for the future of our Province, especially that there is a growing clamor from the people regarding this loan the Province is planning to obtain and use, I register my opposition to the same.

Thank you Mr. Chair.