Pitong bahay sa bayan ng Libacao; Php250K iniwang pinsala

LIBACAO, AKLAN - Apat na bahay ang naabu at tatlo ang bahagyang napinsala sa naganap na sunog sa Purok 3, Brgy. Poblacion sa bayang ito.

Ang mga bahay na naabu ay mga pagmamay-ari nina Felizardo Latorre at Rogelio Reprado; Arlon Pantoja; Andy Poe Villorente; at Ailenita Francisco.

Ang mga bahagyang nasunog ay mga bahay nina John Eric Felix, Milagros Pantoja, at Nelia Naig.
Ang mga bahay na ito ay yari sa mga mix materials.

Sa inisyal na imbistigasyon ni FO1 Hally Comita, arson investigator ng Libacao PNP, nagmula ang sunog sa bahay ni Rogelio Reprado.

Nabatid na walang tao sa bahay na ito nang maganap ang sunog na nagsimula dakong alas-12:00 ng tanghali.

Nagdeklara ng second alarm ang BFP-Libacao at humingi ng tulong sa ibang bombero. Rumesponde naman sa lugar ang mga bombero at firetruck ng Kalibo at ng Balete.

Tumagal ng mahigit isang oras bago tuluyang naapula ang sunog.

Nag-iwan naman ng nasa Php250,000 ang pinsala ng sunog. Wala namang naiulat na nasugatan o nasawi sa insidente.

Patuloy pang inaalam ng BFP-Libacao ang sanhi ng sunog.##

PUV driver arestado sa drug buy bust operation sa bayan ng Kalibo

Arestado ang PUV driver na si Rowen Macario 33-anyos sa isinagawang drug buybust operation ng Kalibo Police sa New Buswang Kalibo, pasado alas 11:00 ng gabi.

Narecover umano sa suspek ang isang sachet ng pinaghihinalaang shabu, ₱8,000.00 kapalit ng buybust money, at isa pang sachet sa body search.

Si Rowen ay residente ng Brgy Lupo, Altavas Aklan.##

- Kasimanwang Archie Hilario, Energy FM Kalibo

Drilon bats for creation of Boracay Development Authority

photo: Kasimanwang Darwin Tapayan / Energy FM Kalibo file

Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon on Wednesday sought the creation of Boracay Development Authority to manage and develop Boracay Island.

Drilon filed Senate Bill No. 17 as the Duterte administration approved the P25-billion Boracay Medium-Term Action Plan in a Cabinet meeting Monday night.

"The approval of the Boracay Medium-Term Action Plan is a significant development in our desire to restore Boracay as the most beautiful island in Asia," Drilon said.

Drilon said the approval of the action plan all the more calls for the immediate creation of Boracay Development Authority, saying that it is important to have an agency that can take over the management, development, regulation, protection and maintenance of the island, including its coastal and marine biodiversity.

He lamented how the current set-up failed in protecting Boracay Island leading to the degradation of the country's top tourist destination.

"It is apparent that Boracay has suffered from the governmental system currently in place. It has failed to provide the island with the protection and preservation that it needs," Drilon said in his explanatory note.

Drilon thus proposed the creation of Boracay Development Authority to operate, administer, manage, and develop Boracay Island.

Under Senate Bill No. 17, its Board of Directors will be composed of 15 members: one representative each from the Province of Aklan, the Municipality of Malay, and the three barangays comprising the island of Boracay, four representatives from the national government, three representatives for the business and investment sectors, and three representatives from local community organizations and/or non-government organizations.

Among the powers of the body are to formulate and implement short and long-term plans, issue permits, order the closure or suspension of a development or construction, or the cessation of operations of any going concern that are detrimental to Boracay Island.

It can also adopt and implement measures and standards for environmental pollution control, and construct, acquire, own, lease, operate, and maintain on its own of through partnership with the private sector the required infrastructure necessary in Boracay.

The President shall appoint a professional manager as administrator or general manager.

"We have made great strides in getting Boracay back on its feet," Drilon said, noting the significant improvements after the six-month closure of Boracay Island.

"With the recent restoration efforts, it has been shown that restoring Boracay to its old pristine glory is not impossible," he added.

"Creating the Authority would help ensure that the island will continue to exist with a functioning ecosystem, under a workable plan for sustainable development," he said.

Drilon concluded: "Boracay is a treasure not just of one municipality, province or region. It is a national treasure, the protection of which should be a national concern." / Senate of the Philippines