Monday, August 27, 2007

Guv stops fee collection in Bora

BORACAY – Aklan Gov. Carlito Marquez ordered the Caticlan Jetty Port and the Malay municipal government to temporarily stop the P50 environment fee collection on tourists beginning September 1.
In his letter addressed to Malay Mayor Ciceron Cawaling, Marquez cited clamors raised by some sectors questioning the importance of the environment fee collection as reasons of the stoppage order.
Earlier, Malay councilor Dante Suguiron bared there are no clear projects yet on where to use the P16 million fund gathered out of the P50 collection that was implemented last year.
Marquez said before the Caticlan Jetty Port resumes collecting P50 environment fee, the Malay local government unit should fast-track the needed documents such as the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Aklan provincial government and the Malay municipal government relative to the proper liquidation of the gathered funds.
Based on the ordinance drafted by the Malay council that was approved by the provincial board, the province will receive a P7.50 share each from the P50 collection. The said ordinance, however, could not be implemented in the absence of the MOA.
The environment fee collected is supposed to fund related projects and operation expenses in conserving the resort island.

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