Congrats!!!! basta may "Boracay" sikat talaga!!!!Pero dumdoma ang mga Ati, ang tumandok, sa isla gin palayas!!!How ironic!!!
anonymous
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
congratulations!!!
A Boracay Republic Band from Kalibo Aklan,won 1st place during the Smart Buddy Hot Summer Samahan year 2, National band Comppetition,held at Rajah Solayman park Roxas boulevard, Malate Manila, last Saturday night, May 26, 2007.
(Photos by Joe Haresh Tanodra)
from the readers
Correct! Attaching Hambil to Boracay would be benificial to Boracay Businesses and their cahoots in government. Why not lobby for having such directive? Ha...ha...ha...ha... Having title as one of the world’s top ten beaches would not help Boracay regain its old beauty! Only those who have not seen Boracay before its desecration ang makahambal na lang nga ang Boracay ay mayad-ayad pa gihapon ayanan!Pero ang mga hugto nag bahol naga panaksi nga mabahol ang ginlaw-ay sang isla. Inay-inay tana!
anonymous
anonymous
Monday, May 28, 2007
from the readers
The beaches of Rio de Janeiro - Ipanema and Copacabana - has nothing special about it, just beaches as any other city beaches. What's special is, they tolerate the wearing of soooo thin bikinis and bras. There are no 24-hour full blasting karaokes, nor drinking bars around, just pushcart stands of buko and ice creams along beach front boulevard. Enterprising folks renting their oversized umbrellas for the whole day at two US bucks each.
Atmosphere is very orderly.
Well, since there's no much room left in Boracay, let's buy Hambil from Romblon and push it to Boracay to be attach. And while we are on it, why not take the whole of Tablas and attach it too. We can then sell its mountains at PhP5,000 per sq m. I propose making it then the capital of the Philipines and move the senate and congress in there.
aklanon man ra ay..
Atmosphere is very orderly.
Well, since there's no much room left in Boracay, let's buy Hambil from Romblon and push it to Boracay to be attach. And while we are on it, why not take the whole of Tablas and attach it too. We can then sell its mountains at PhP5,000 per sq m. I propose making it then the capital of the Philipines and move the senate and congress in there.
aklanon man ra ay..
from the readers
Boracay is about to implode because it reached its maximum carrying capacity. Boracay Businesses (and politicians) are just thinking of making money today and forgetting the long term (environmental sustainability). There is no framework for the island's development from the government or from the private sector already making money there. BAHALA NA LANG!!!!KALOLOOY NA ISLA!!!
anonymous
anonymous
Aklan rabies-free by 2010 – health officials
Kalibo, Aklan -- The province of Aklan aims to be rabies-free by 2010.
This is according to Dr. Emma Cortes, Provincial Health Officer II here when she welcomed the guests and participants to the Update/Meeting on Rabies Prevention and Control Program held recently at the Gov. Corazon L. Cabagnot Tourism and Training Center at Old Buswang, Kalibo.
Dr. Cortes said rabies is a very fatal disease and the Philippines is one of the top 10 countries with high incidence of human deaths due to rabies.
According to Dr. Cortes, Region 6, where Aklan belongs, had the highest number of rabies deaths in 2005 with 39, while Region 3 had 33 and Region 5, 30.
“Aklan had three rabies deaths in 2006 and in the early part of 2007, one already died, from the municipality of Altavas,” Cortes disclosed.
Based on updates on Rabies Prevention and Control of the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian headed by Dr. Gervase Radislao, 7,671 heads or 13.8% of the total dog population were vaccinated in 2006 while from January – April of this year, 961 dogs were vaccinated. OPVET – Aklan aims to vaccinate 80% of Aklan’s total dog population now numbering more than 55,000 to attain Aklan’s vision of being rabies-free by 2010.
On the other hand, the Provincial Health Office here noted in its 2006 accomplishment report that of the dog bite cases in Aklan, mostly bitten are males 15 and below. The PHO also found out that in Aklan, there is a low percentage of dog vaccination; implementation of Rabies Control Ordinance in municipalities is poor and weak; pet owners are irresponsible, municipal rabies control committees are not organized; and there is an inadequate supply of dog vaccines.
The meeting/update was highlighted with the lecture/talk of Dr. Alberto Gabriel, currently holding the position of Army Chief Surgeon of the Philippine Army, who discussed the Rabies Control Program Updates.
Dr. Gabriel talked on the different manners of transmission of rabies from dogs to humans, rabies prevention and the guidelines on the management of animal bite patients.
Dr. Gabriel revealed that rabies could be transmitted through exceptional cases like the inhalation of virulent aerosol; man-to-man transmission of infected corneas; and by eating dog meat or “kilawin”.
He also revealed that in 98% of dog bite cases, 88% were caused by pet dogs while only 10% were due to stray dogs and although there are two clinical forms of rabies – the esophalitic and the paralytic, both will progress to coma and death.
Dr. Gabriel also talked on the proper care of wounds cause by dog bites as well as the different bite categories and what to do according to the categories.
“When bitten by a dog, first thing you must do is to wash the wound vigorously with soap and water for 10 minutes, then apply antiseptic or alcohol. Keep the wound open and do not apply any ointment or even garlic,” Dr. Gabriel emphasized to the more or less 50 participants composed mostly of government doctors, nurses, midwives, Provincial Health Office Officials and representatives of various national and provincial offices and the local media.
“Rabies is 100% fatal disease but preventable,” Dr. Gabriel stressed. (PIA/VGVillanueva)
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Boracay regains title as world’s top ten beaches
Jun Ariolo N. Aguirre
Boracay Island, Aklan- Both the Boracay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), Department of Tourism and the Aklan Provincial Government are optimistic that business will be good in this resort island after it have been reviving old title as one of the world’s top ten beaches.
This developed after the BCCI reported in its monthly newsletter for the month of April released recently that this resort island have been included in the number eight of the top ten best beach in the world by the askmen.com website. Said website claims to have a readership of 5 million readers worldwide monthly.
The said lifestyle website and a magazine considers top ten best beaches in the world as 1.) Copacabana, Brazil; 2.) Waikiki, Hawaii; 3.) Cancun, Mexico; 4.) Surfers Paradise, Australia; 5.) Negril, Jamaica; 6.) South Beach, Florida; 7.) Natadola Beach, Fiji; 8.) Boracay Philippines; 9.) Tenerife, Canary Islands and 10.) Phi Phi Island, Thailand.
In an interview, Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez said that the prestige now being enjoyed by this resort island is due to the continued aggressive promotion of the Department of Tourism which not only resulted to the number of increasing number of tourists but also of the increasing numbers of investors as well.
“Just last week, the Malacanang have asked for a copy of the number of increasing tourists arrivals in this resort island which will be made as a basis for the scheduled upgrading of the Kalibo Airport soon,” Marquez said.
Last month, officials of the Air Transportation Office vowed to make Kalibo Airport the gateway for international destination in Western Visayas region after it had successfully operated the first Asian Spirit direct flight coming from Incheon, South Korea.
“Some international hotel and resort investors have already expressed its interests in investing in this resort island. Among them the Shangrila-Philippines, Discovery Hotel Suites among others are scheduled to open its respective hotels in this resort island until May next year,” Marquez said.
It was learned that an international hotel could open an additional 40 to as much as 100 rooms for this resort island for tourists to occupy it.
More foreign tourists coming
Based on the comparative records of the DoT, the March and April tourists’ arrivals have noted an increasing number of foreign tourists while domestic tourists are decreasing its numbers. Apparently, the figures indicates that the numbers of increasing foreign tourists are making up the dwindling numbers of domestic tourists posting higher numbers of registered tourists this year.
The incoming tourists both for foreign and domestic tourists (Boracay residents and workers included) were made to sign a registration paper in motor banca’s as they passed along the Caticlan Jetty Port a major gateway for tourists bound to this resort island.
The figures indicate that in March 2006, Boracay had accommodated 36, 442 domestic tourists while foreign tourists registers 13, 094 arrivals or a total of 49, 538. In April 2006, domestic tourists hit 77, 481 while foreigners registered 15, 133 tourists or a total of 92, 614.
This year, March indicated Boracay only received 35, 330 local tourists while foreign tourists soars to 17, 969 or a total of 53, 299. In April 2007, local tourists registers 75, 739 while foreign arrivals recorded 17, 739 or a total of 93, 615 tourist’s arrivals.
“The declining number of local tourists does not necessarily means that Filipinos are decreasing its interests in visiting Boracay but because this year, the number of modes of transportation such as commercial vessel have lessen its numbers of voyage to this resort island,” Judith Icotanim told this writer in a separate interview.
Icotanim cite an example that only the Negros Navigation vessel had decided to have a voyage from Manila to Caticlan for the month of April while its competitor the Aboitiz did not pushed for its earlier plans to renew its contract of sending its commercial vessel to Caticlan for the summer season.
Food safety needed for sustainable tourism
While the Aklan Provincial Government and the DoT are busy promoting this resort island, the BCCI which have attained nationwide recognition for being the 2006 Most Outstanding Young Chamber Awardee given by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Charlie Uy, president of the BCCI said that their target this year is to ensure food safety in all the corners of this resort island as they were alarmed by the reports of the Department of Health that this resort island ranks first in the entire country as having the most number of gastro intestinal illnesses with a share of 37 percent in the pie.
Gastro-intestinal disease also ranks first in the island among illnesses reported. Tourists and residents have complained in several hospitals and clinics (both private and public) of experiencing the symptoms of the illness brought about by eating food that has not been prepared in the most sanitary conditions.
“We have been organizing series of food safety seminars and workshops since March until December this year as we are committed to promoting food safety in the island for members and non-members as part of our advocacy of sustainable development of tourism in this resort island,” Uy said.
Boracay Island, Aklan- Both the Boracay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), Department of Tourism and the Aklan Provincial Government are optimistic that business will be good in this resort island after it have been reviving old title as one of the world’s top ten beaches.
This developed after the BCCI reported in its monthly newsletter for the month of April released recently that this resort island have been included in the number eight of the top ten best beach in the world by the askmen.com website. Said website claims to have a readership of 5 million readers worldwide monthly.
The said lifestyle website and a magazine considers top ten best beaches in the world as 1.) Copacabana, Brazil; 2.) Waikiki, Hawaii; 3.) Cancun, Mexico; 4.) Surfers Paradise, Australia; 5.) Negril, Jamaica; 6.) South Beach, Florida; 7.) Natadola Beach, Fiji; 8.) Boracay Philippines; 9.) Tenerife, Canary Islands and 10.) Phi Phi Island, Thailand.
In an interview, Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez said that the prestige now being enjoyed by this resort island is due to the continued aggressive promotion of the Department of Tourism which not only resulted to the number of increasing number of tourists but also of the increasing numbers of investors as well.
“Just last week, the Malacanang have asked for a copy of the number of increasing tourists arrivals in this resort island which will be made as a basis for the scheduled upgrading of the Kalibo Airport soon,” Marquez said.
Last month, officials of the Air Transportation Office vowed to make Kalibo Airport the gateway for international destination in Western Visayas region after it had successfully operated the first Asian Spirit direct flight coming from Incheon, South Korea.
“Some international hotel and resort investors have already expressed its interests in investing in this resort island. Among them the Shangrila-Philippines, Discovery Hotel Suites among others are scheduled to open its respective hotels in this resort island until May next year,” Marquez said.
It was learned that an international hotel could open an additional 40 to as much as 100 rooms for this resort island for tourists to occupy it.
More foreign tourists coming
Based on the comparative records of the DoT, the March and April tourists’ arrivals have noted an increasing number of foreign tourists while domestic tourists are decreasing its numbers. Apparently, the figures indicates that the numbers of increasing foreign tourists are making up the dwindling numbers of domestic tourists posting higher numbers of registered tourists this year.
The incoming tourists both for foreign and domestic tourists (Boracay residents and workers included) were made to sign a registration paper in motor banca’s as they passed along the Caticlan Jetty Port a major gateway for tourists bound to this resort island.
The figures indicate that in March 2006, Boracay had accommodated 36, 442 domestic tourists while foreign tourists registers 13, 094 arrivals or a total of 49, 538. In April 2006, domestic tourists hit 77, 481 while foreigners registered 15, 133 tourists or a total of 92, 614.
This year, March indicated Boracay only received 35, 330 local tourists while foreign tourists soars to 17, 969 or a total of 53, 299. In April 2007, local tourists registers 75, 739 while foreign arrivals recorded 17, 739 or a total of 93, 615 tourist’s arrivals.
“The declining number of local tourists does not necessarily means that Filipinos are decreasing its interests in visiting Boracay but because this year, the number of modes of transportation such as commercial vessel have lessen its numbers of voyage to this resort island,” Judith Icotanim told this writer in a separate interview.
Icotanim cite an example that only the Negros Navigation vessel had decided to have a voyage from Manila to Caticlan for the month of April while its competitor the Aboitiz did not pushed for its earlier plans to renew its contract of sending its commercial vessel to Caticlan for the summer season.
Food safety needed for sustainable tourism
While the Aklan Provincial Government and the DoT are busy promoting this resort island, the BCCI which have attained nationwide recognition for being the 2006 Most Outstanding Young Chamber Awardee given by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Charlie Uy, president of the BCCI said that their target this year is to ensure food safety in all the corners of this resort island as they were alarmed by the reports of the Department of Health that this resort island ranks first in the entire country as having the most number of gastro intestinal illnesses with a share of 37 percent in the pie.
Gastro-intestinal disease also ranks first in the island among illnesses reported. Tourists and residents have complained in several hospitals and clinics (both private and public) of experiencing the symptoms of the illness brought about by eating food that has not been prepared in the most sanitary conditions.
“We have been organizing series of food safety seminars and workshops since March until December this year as we are committed to promoting food safety in the island for members and non-members as part of our advocacy of sustainable development of tourism in this resort island,” Uy said.
Friday, May 25, 2007
OTOP fair in Boracay will make island’s potentials shine brighter – Remonde
Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan – “Through the One Town, One Product (OTOP) Philippine Trade Fair, Boracay Island’s potentials for growth will shine even more brightly and nearby provinces’ treasures will all be discovered.”
Secretary Cerge Remonde, Chief of the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) has this to say as keynote speaker in the 2nd Visayas OTOP Fair, on-going since May 23 up to May 27 hosted by the province of Aklan with venue at the La Carmela Resort in Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan.
The OTOP fair focuses on selling the products produced by participating regions.
Remonde, who is also the Oversight Official for the Development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) also said he sees too the potentials for MSMEs development, and although some have already established their place in the island, there is still room for micro enterprises to prosper.
A total of 107 micro and small and medium enterprises in the Visayas are participating in the 5-day OTOP Trade Fair.
OTOP is one of the priority programs of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo that promotes entrepreneurship and creates jobs in the countryside. It encourages MSMEs to produce and market distinct products or services using indigenous raw materials and manpower of every municipality or city.
According to DTI Aklan officials, participating regions in the 2nd Visayas OTOP Fair are Region 6 with 40 SMEs; Region 7, 36; and Region 8, 25 SMEs.
Nine (9) Aklan SMEs are participating in the OTOP Fair, mostly from the Piña loom-weaving sector.
In his keynote speech, Remonde also revealed that as of February this year, government agencies involved in MSME development have already released P159.8 billion in loans to more than 2.6 million active micro finance clients and SAME accounts, generating more than 1.5 million jobs.
“And I am also telling you here and now that with the President’s full support, we will move heaven and earth and climb the highest mountain to generate more jobs, create more entrepreneurs and ultimately bring to fruition our common dream of a progressive and prosperous Philippines for the generations to come, Remonde stressed.
Job creation, the immediate benefit of the MSME program, is a priority under the social payback program of PGMA, according to Remonde.
Here in Aklan, SMEs are noted to have realized sales income of P172.9 million in 2006.
SMEs also continuously provide jobs to thousands of Aklanons engaged in the loom-weaving, food processing, furniture and gifts and house wares sectors.
Last year’s 1st Visayan OTOP Fair was held in Cebu City. That time, Aklan was the 2nd top seller in the fair held at SM-Cebu Trade Hall. (PIA)
Secretary Cerge Remonde, Chief of the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) has this to say as keynote speaker in the 2nd Visayas OTOP Fair, on-going since May 23 up to May 27 hosted by the province of Aklan with venue at the La Carmela Resort in Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan.
The OTOP fair focuses on selling the products produced by participating regions.
Remonde, who is also the Oversight Official for the Development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) also said he sees too the potentials for MSMEs development, and although some have already established their place in the island, there is still room for micro enterprises to prosper.
A total of 107 micro and small and medium enterprises in the Visayas are participating in the 5-day OTOP Trade Fair.
OTOP is one of the priority programs of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo that promotes entrepreneurship and creates jobs in the countryside. It encourages MSMEs to produce and market distinct products or services using indigenous raw materials and manpower of every municipality or city.
According to DTI Aklan officials, participating regions in the 2nd Visayas OTOP Fair are Region 6 with 40 SMEs; Region 7, 36; and Region 8, 25 SMEs.
Nine (9) Aklan SMEs are participating in the OTOP Fair, mostly from the Piña loom-weaving sector.
In his keynote speech, Remonde also revealed that as of February this year, government agencies involved in MSME development have already released P159.8 billion in loans to more than 2.6 million active micro finance clients and SAME accounts, generating more than 1.5 million jobs.
“And I am also telling you here and now that with the President’s full support, we will move heaven and earth and climb the highest mountain to generate more jobs, create more entrepreneurs and ultimately bring to fruition our common dream of a progressive and prosperous Philippines for the generations to come, Remonde stressed.
Job creation, the immediate benefit of the MSME program, is a priority under the social payback program of PGMA, according to Remonde.
Here in Aklan, SMEs are noted to have realized sales income of P172.9 million in 2006.
SMEs also continuously provide jobs to thousands of Aklanons engaged in the loom-weaving, food processing, furniture and gifts and house wares sectors.
Last year’s 1st Visayan OTOP Fair was held in Cebu City. That time, Aklan was the 2nd top seller in the fair held at SM-Cebu Trade Hall. (PIA)
Thursday, May 24, 2007
30 LGU-Kalibo Employees to take part in distance learning program
Kalibo, Aklan – In giving importance to educating LGU-Kalibo’s officials, officers and employees in the Rules of Conduct and Ethical Behavior for Civil Servants, the Civil Service Commission through the Office of the Human Resource Management under Eleanor Isada, HRM Officer V, is set to conduct a seminar/briefing on Distance Learning Program on May 29, 2007 at the Conference Hall of the Municipal Building.
Thirty participants will undergo the Distance Learning Program under Republic Act 6713 otherwise known as the Rules of Conduct and Ethical Behavior in the Civil Service.
Mayor Raymar A. Rebaldo signed a memorandum making it mandatory for the thirty LGU-Kalibo officers and employees to undergo the distance learing program firmly believing that the advancement in knowledge and education will be influential in the push for Kalibo’s continuing development and progress.
Aklan barangay soon to have potable water supply
Kalibo, Aklan -- Residents of an islet barangay separated from the mainland of New Washington, Aklan and surrounded by brackishwater will soon have a potable water supply from the Metro Kalibo Water District (MKWD).
This development came after the Board of Directors of the MKWD passed Board Resolution No. 033, s. 2007 approving the supplemental budget allocation of P3.6 million for for the installation of water supply distribution lines going to Brgy. Pinamuk-an, New Washington, Aklan.
The move has long been hoped by Pinamuk-an residents who manifested their need of potable water supply through Sangguniang Barangay Resolution No. 13, s. 2006, requesting the MKWD for the installation.
Brgy. Pinamuk-an has a total population of 1,816 with 440 households. This area is part of MKWD service coverage.
Presently, most Pinamuk-an residents rely only on dug wells for water except for a few who could afford to buy potable water from the mainland transported by motorized boats.
Through a technical feasibility study and actual survey of the island conducted by the MKWD, more or less 315 households were found to be potential concessionaires.
MKWD officials, led by General Manager Renato Albar, said the project will be started as soon as the materials are procured and delivered.
Presently, the MKWD is embarking on a project to develop and improve Aklan’s watershed area located in the municipality of Madalag, Aklan, to avert water shortage during the summer season as well as to have a sustainable and ample source of water for the province’ growing population and in reaching out to far-flung barangays in need of clean water supply. (PIA/VGVillanueva)
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Aklan schools brace for school opening, hold “Brigada Eskwela”
Kalibo, Aklan -- Public schools all over Aklan are now preparing for this school year’s opening on June 4.
Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Nellie H. Valerio, in a telephone interview, said since Monday this week, teachers, parents and school children started to prepare the schoolrooms by cleaning, painting and repairing so everything will be in order in time for the school opening.
The activity, according to ASDS Valerio, is called “Brigada Eskwela” conducted nationwide and observed yearly to prepare the schools.
This year’s “Brigada Eskwela” is being observed from May 21 up to May 26, Saturday, according to Valerio.
Brigada Eskwela is a campaign that invites stakeholders to help out in preparing schools to be pleasant for the children in the coming school opening.
ASDS Valerio said that this year, “Brigada Eskwela” is being conducted later than last year’s schedule due to the recently-conducted national and local elections on May 14. She revealed that despite the recent political exercise which made used of public school classrooms as polling centers, no damages on school rooms were reported to DepEd-Aklan.
Valerio acknowledged that in Aklan, provincial officials assist the DepEd in the repair and rehabilitation of classrooms, and also help in augmenting the number of teachers through the municipal and provincial school boards.
With the cited support from parents, teachers and Aklan officials, Valerio assured that “Aklan is very much prepared for the school opening.”
For this year’s school opening, the Department of Education launched Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE), an interagency effort to prepare for the smooth opening of classes on June 4. The project seeks to streamline efforts of different government agencies to address common problems usually associated with the opening of classes. The different government agencies will ensure that students are enrolled properly, school facilities are prepared, school supplies are kept stable and student transport fares are fair.
Brigada Eskwela is part of the Oplan Balik Eskwela.
The government has prioritized solutions to perennial problems specifically those related to classroom, textbook and teacher shortages. The classroom shortage is now zero based on classroom-student ration of 1:50 with double shift for elementary except for isolated cases where local conditions prevent double shifts. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)
Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Nellie H. Valerio, in a telephone interview, said since Monday this week, teachers, parents and school children started to prepare the schoolrooms by cleaning, painting and repairing so everything will be in order in time for the school opening.
The activity, according to ASDS Valerio, is called “Brigada Eskwela” conducted nationwide and observed yearly to prepare the schools.
This year’s “Brigada Eskwela” is being observed from May 21 up to May 26, Saturday, according to Valerio.
Brigada Eskwela is a campaign that invites stakeholders to help out in preparing schools to be pleasant for the children in the coming school opening.
ASDS Valerio said that this year, “Brigada Eskwela” is being conducted later than last year’s schedule due to the recently-conducted national and local elections on May 14. She revealed that despite the recent political exercise which made used of public school classrooms as polling centers, no damages on school rooms were reported to DepEd-Aklan.
Valerio acknowledged that in Aklan, provincial officials assist the DepEd in the repair and rehabilitation of classrooms, and also help in augmenting the number of teachers through the municipal and provincial school boards.
With the cited support from parents, teachers and Aklan officials, Valerio assured that “Aklan is very much prepared for the school opening.”
For this year’s school opening, the Department of Education launched Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE), an interagency effort to prepare for the smooth opening of classes on June 4. The project seeks to streamline efforts of different government agencies to address common problems usually associated with the opening of classes. The different government agencies will ensure that students are enrolled properly, school facilities are prepared, school supplies are kept stable and student transport fares are fair.
Brigada Eskwela is part of the Oplan Balik Eskwela.
The government has prioritized solutions to perennial problems specifically those related to classroom, textbook and teacher shortages. The classroom shortage is now zero based on classroom-student ration of 1:50 with double shift for elementary except for isolated cases where local conditions prevent double shifts. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Aklan to host 2nd Visayas OTOP fair
Kalibo, Aklan – The province of Aklan will play host to the 2nd Visayas One Town, One Product (OTOP) with Boracay Island as the venue.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – Aklan Provincial Director Ermelinda Pollentes said the Visayas OTOP Fair will be participated in by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from Regions 6, 7 and 8 and will be held for five days from May 23-27.
Pollentes said that of Region 6’ 39 SMEs joining the fair, four will come from Aklan – from the towns of Malinao (abaca slippers), Lezo (potteries), Ibajay (virgin coconut oil) and Kalibo, loomwoven products specifically the Piña cloth.
More than a hundred SMEs will be joining the OTOP Fair in Boracay.
Pollentes said Boracay Island was chosen as this year’s venue because this is the peak of the summer season with tourists, businessmen and visitors as target buyers.
For his part, DTI Regional Director Dominic Abad disclosed that Boracay was chosen because most souvenir shops are there.
“It is where the domestic and foreign tourists abound and it has great market and tourism potential”, said Abad.
Abad said invited to come are buyers from Manila and from the three regions, governors and mayors and other government officials from national government agencies.
He stressed that the 2nd OTOP Fair will focus on the selling of products produced by the SMEs of three regions under the DTI OTOP Philippines program to promote entrepreneurship and create jobs in the countryside. It encourages the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to produce and market distinct products or services using the indigenous raw materials and manpower through the LGUs which take the lead in identifying, developing and promoting a specific product or service which has a competitive agvantage.
PD Pollentes said Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief and SME Czar Cerge Remonde will be the keynote speaker in the opening program to be held at 5:00 p.m. May 23 at the La Carmela Resort.
Some features of the OTOP Fair, according to Pollentes, will include the night market in the beach from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. nightly, regular selling at the second Floor of La Carmela Resort, and a daily mannequin show from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. featuring the different products of Regions 6, 7 and 8.
A rolling band will also be commissioned to raom from Stations 1, 2 and 3 in addition to a sailboat bearing the OTOP logo that will sail around the island.
Kalibo’s OTOP, the loom-woven piña, is also WV’s regional OTOP.
Currently, Aklan is aiming to be the loom-weaving capital and loom-woven products destination of the country. (PIA/DTI)
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – Aklan Provincial Director Ermelinda Pollentes said the Visayas OTOP Fair will be participated in by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from Regions 6, 7 and 8 and will be held for five days from May 23-27.
Pollentes said that of Region 6’ 39 SMEs joining the fair, four will come from Aklan – from the towns of Malinao (abaca slippers), Lezo (potteries), Ibajay (virgin coconut oil) and Kalibo, loomwoven products specifically the Piña cloth.
More than a hundred SMEs will be joining the OTOP Fair in Boracay.
Pollentes said Boracay Island was chosen as this year’s venue because this is the peak of the summer season with tourists, businessmen and visitors as target buyers.
For his part, DTI Regional Director Dominic Abad disclosed that Boracay was chosen because most souvenir shops are there.
“It is where the domestic and foreign tourists abound and it has great market and tourism potential”, said Abad.
Abad said invited to come are buyers from Manila and from the three regions, governors and mayors and other government officials from national government agencies.
He stressed that the 2nd OTOP Fair will focus on the selling of products produced by the SMEs of three regions under the DTI OTOP Philippines program to promote entrepreneurship and create jobs in the countryside. It encourages the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to produce and market distinct products or services using the indigenous raw materials and manpower through the LGUs which take the lead in identifying, developing and promoting a specific product or service which has a competitive agvantage.
PD Pollentes said Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief and SME Czar Cerge Remonde will be the keynote speaker in the opening program to be held at 5:00 p.m. May 23 at the La Carmela Resort.
Some features of the OTOP Fair, according to Pollentes, will include the night market in the beach from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. nightly, regular selling at the second Floor of La Carmela Resort, and a daily mannequin show from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. featuring the different products of Regions 6, 7 and 8.
A rolling band will also be commissioned to raom from Stations 1, 2 and 3 in addition to a sailboat bearing the OTOP logo that will sail around the island.
Kalibo’s OTOP, the loom-woven piña, is also WV’s regional OTOP.
Currently, Aklan is aiming to be the loom-weaving capital and loom-woven products destination of the country. (PIA/DTI)
Media, catalyst in providing transparent and credible election
Kalibo, Aklan – One would think that it was a reality show similar to the ever popular big brother program on TV except that it showed every detail of the canvassing and tabulation from May 14 to the 16th when Municipal Elections Officer Francisco Palomar proclaimed the winner of the local electoral race where Mayor Raymar Rebaldo and Vice Mayor Nilda Tambong took their third mandate from the people along with a mix of newbies and seasoned Sangguniang Bayan members.
For three days, the majority of the local media made themselves present during the canvassing and tabulation especially the radio stations with their live coverage and the Cable TV networks with their real-time exposure of the proceedings in the Sangguniang Bayan Hall where every Kalibonhons with access to radio are able to listen to the blow-by-blow reports and those with cable TV glued themselves even sleeping in front of their TV sets to ensure the transparent and credible process.
“I even stopped watching Pinoy Big Brother for a while ‘coz this is the first time that I was able to watch the canvassing without even living the comfort of my home,” says one 34-year old female resident who shyly asks not to mention her name.
The full media coverage is hailed as the one of the most critical avenue in bringing transparency and credibility to the recently concluded local elections where the people of Kalibo themselves bore witness to the proceedings by listening to the radio and watching the marathon telecast. Terence Toriano/
For three days, the majority of the local media made themselves present during the canvassing and tabulation especially the radio stations with their live coverage and the Cable TV networks with their real-time exposure of the proceedings in the Sangguniang Bayan Hall where every Kalibonhons with access to radio are able to listen to the blow-by-blow reports and those with cable TV glued themselves even sleeping in front of their TV sets to ensure the transparent and credible process.
“I even stopped watching Pinoy Big Brother for a while ‘coz this is the first time that I was able to watch the canvassing without even living the comfort of my home,” says one 34-year old female resident who shyly asks not to mention her name.
The full media coverage is hailed as the one of the most critical avenue in bringing transparency and credibility to the recently concluded local elections where the people of Kalibo themselves bore witness to the proceedings by listening to the radio and watching the marathon telecast. Terence Toriano/
Monday, May 21, 2007
REPAIR OF AKELCO’S SUBMARINE CABLE UNDERWAY
Preparatory activities for the actual repair of AKELCO’s damaged submarine cable starts today.
“The contractor has arrived, the AKELCO’s crew have been dispatched, the materials are ready, the process of repair will commenced today” this is the assurance given by AKELCO’s Engineering Department OIC Engineer Rogen delos Reyes in relation to the repair of the submarine cable damaged by a docking barge sometime in February this year.
According to Engr. Delos Reyes, the repair will last for about 2 weeks but considering the good weather condition, the teams are fast tracking the work and hopefully finish it sooner than 2 weeks.
AKELCO’s Construction and Planning Head Engineer Eugene Regatalio leads the six man team in constructing an A frame platform, a structure that will be used in hoisting and repairing the underwater cable. The team will likewise assist the technical staff of a Davao based Kilovolt contractor headed by Engineer Felix Hebiona all throughout the repair.
Power supply in the island will continue during the repair, but the local communication and cable lines will be affected particularly the PANTELCO and KALIBO CABLE.
This is due to the repair of the cable where the fiber optic lines being utilized by these companies are imbedded.KILOVOLT Team Leader Engr. Felix Hebiona however assured the cable and telephone companies concerned that cutting, splicing of the defective power cable where the fiber optic lines are embedded will take only 36 to 42 hours including power restoration.
AKELCO and KILOVOLT agreed to inform PANTELCO and Kalibo Cable three days prior to the actual cutting of the fiber optic lines in order to give them time to inform their consumers of their service interruption.
Starting tomorrow, KILOVOLT team will conduct cable fault testing to determine the exact number of fault on both sides of the cable.
Meanwhile, AKELCO is calling for a speedy review of the Municipal Ordinance that allows docking of large vessels in the area where major power and water installation is located. AKELCO’s letter requesting for the review is now lodge in Municipal Committee on Ordinances.
If continuous docking is allowed in the area, damaged of said vital installation is imminent and this will badly affect our primary tourism industry in Boracay Island.
The submarine cable is the only cable line used to transmit power to the island.
“The contractor has arrived, the AKELCO’s crew have been dispatched, the materials are ready, the process of repair will commenced today” this is the assurance given by AKELCO’s Engineering Department OIC Engineer Rogen delos Reyes in relation to the repair of the submarine cable damaged by a docking barge sometime in February this year.
According to Engr. Delos Reyes, the repair will last for about 2 weeks but considering the good weather condition, the teams are fast tracking the work and hopefully finish it sooner than 2 weeks.
AKELCO’s Construction and Planning Head Engineer Eugene Regatalio leads the six man team in constructing an A frame platform, a structure that will be used in hoisting and repairing the underwater cable. The team will likewise assist the technical staff of a Davao based Kilovolt contractor headed by Engineer Felix Hebiona all throughout the repair.
Power supply in the island will continue during the repair, but the local communication and cable lines will be affected particularly the PANTELCO and KALIBO CABLE.
This is due to the repair of the cable where the fiber optic lines being utilized by these companies are imbedded.KILOVOLT Team Leader Engr. Felix Hebiona however assured the cable and telephone companies concerned that cutting, splicing of the defective power cable where the fiber optic lines are embedded will take only 36 to 42 hours including power restoration.
AKELCO and KILOVOLT agreed to inform PANTELCO and Kalibo Cable three days prior to the actual cutting of the fiber optic lines in order to give them time to inform their consumers of their service interruption.
Starting tomorrow, KILOVOLT team will conduct cable fault testing to determine the exact number of fault on both sides of the cable.
Meanwhile, AKELCO is calling for a speedy review of the Municipal Ordinance that allows docking of large vessels in the area where major power and water installation is located. AKELCO’s letter requesting for the review is now lodge in Municipal Committee on Ordinances.
If continuous docking is allowed in the area, damaged of said vital installation is imminent and this will badly affect our primary tourism industry in Boracay Island.
The submarine cable is the only cable line used to transmit power to the island.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Open Letter for the Aklan Provincial Government
HON. CARLITO MARQUEZ
Governor
Province of Aklan
Provincial Capitol
Kalibo, Aklan
Sir:
Warmest Greetings!
The undersigned is a duly accredited photo journalist and one of the active media practitioners in Aklan whose expertise is more on the filed of photo journalism. Presently the undersigned is also an accredited Philippine Daily Inquirer contributor and Photographer Stringer in Visayas Area of EPA (European Press Photo Agency (EPPA).
As a working photo journalist it has been a source of consolation on my part to be partnering with you taking into account especially my meager contribution for the gaining of positive image and public goodwill of your office.
In the course of the performance of my photo journalistic works had in fact produced several creative photographic works involving your office. I understand that there are purely for journalism purposes, meaning for publication in our national and local media.
It so happened that your media consultant ULYSSES ESPARTERO managed to get copies of said photos from the undersignned with his represenation that the same would be used for publication purposes only (for newspapers).
To my surprise however reproductions of my photo works had been made without my consent. This was confirmed last December 2006 when several calendars bearing my several photographic works had been distributed by the office of the Governor. These photos were also used in the T-Shirt distributed by the provincial government. (Hereto attached are copies of said photographic works). Doubtless some print or publication establishments had made money out of my photographic creative works at my great expense and prejudice.
As a struggling photo journalist barely living in a hand to mouh existence, the undersigned felt that he had been exploited and shortchanged by this Ulysses Espartro, no less your media coordinator.
Doubtless, as a photo journalist my rights are protected ly law, particularly the Civil Code and the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (RA 8293) Sec. 172 of the later law dealing with Literary and Artistic Works specifically provides in paragraph (k) thereof that among the artistic works protected are 'Photographic works including works produced by a process analogous to photography."
It may be argued that my photographic works do not at all deserve a protection from the copy right laws as they are not registered. In this light the law itself provides under section 172 the rights conferrred by the Intellectual Property Code in so far as copyright is concerned subsist from the moment of creation. Hence the law does not require registration to trigger the application of copyright protection ( as cited in Intellectual Property Law Comments and Annotations by Dr. Ranhillo Callagan, pgs 9 and 10.)
Lest like your media coordinator Mr. Espartero to be tolerated in continually despising our profession as photo journalists/creative artists, let me qoute the same book as it underscored the protective mantle extended by the law on our behalf, viz, "Quite clearly, the selecting, arranging and posing of the subject and background, the light and shades arrangement all fulfill the requirement of originality. Pictures taken by expert lensmen are undeniably works of art, but even the least pretensions of picture seems qualified for copyright. The fact that there are photography competitions, that some photographs are exquisite and many others are just mediocre all provide some common sense support for the legal protection enjoyed by them."
In the light of the foregoing, may the undersigned request that justice be accorded to him corresponding to the compensation due him for the value of his creative works. As I am espousing here my right as a photo journalist. I will not hesitate to exhaust all the legal remedies afforded to me by the law to vindicate my rights. Hopefully this will merit a positive response on your end.
Very truly yours,
(signed)
JOE HARESH TANODRA
Photo Journalist
EPA Stringer
PDI contributor
cp no. 09284168613
Noted by
RECTO VIDAL
President
Aklan Press and Radio Club
Kalibo, Aklan
Governor
Province of Aklan
Provincial Capitol
Kalibo, Aklan
Sir:
Warmest Greetings!
The undersigned is a duly accredited photo journalist and one of the active media practitioners in Aklan whose expertise is more on the filed of photo journalism. Presently the undersigned is also an accredited Philippine Daily Inquirer contributor and Photographer Stringer in Visayas Area of EPA (European Press Photo Agency (EPPA).
As a working photo journalist it has been a source of consolation on my part to be partnering with you taking into account especially my meager contribution for the gaining of positive image and public goodwill of your office.
In the course of the performance of my photo journalistic works had in fact produced several creative photographic works involving your office. I understand that there are purely for journalism purposes, meaning for publication in our national and local media.
It so happened that your media consultant ULYSSES ESPARTERO managed to get copies of said photos from the undersignned with his represenation that the same would be used for publication purposes only (for newspapers).
To my surprise however reproductions of my photo works had been made without my consent. This was confirmed last December 2006 when several calendars bearing my several photographic works had been distributed by the office of the Governor. These photos were also used in the T-Shirt distributed by the provincial government. (Hereto attached are copies of said photographic works). Doubtless some print or publication establishments had made money out of my photographic creative works at my great expense and prejudice.
As a struggling photo journalist barely living in a hand to mouh existence, the undersigned felt that he had been exploited and shortchanged by this Ulysses Espartro, no less your media coordinator.
Doubtless, as a photo journalist my rights are protected ly law, particularly the Civil Code and the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (RA 8293) Sec. 172 of the later law dealing with Literary and Artistic Works specifically provides in paragraph (k) thereof that among the artistic works protected are 'Photographic works including works produced by a process analogous to photography."
It may be argued that my photographic works do not at all deserve a protection from the copy right laws as they are not registered. In this light the law itself provides under section 172 the rights conferrred by the Intellectual Property Code in so far as copyright is concerned subsist from the moment of creation. Hence the law does not require registration to trigger the application of copyright protection ( as cited in Intellectual Property Law Comments and Annotations by Dr. Ranhillo Callagan, pgs 9 and 10.)
Lest like your media coordinator Mr. Espartero to be tolerated in continually despising our profession as photo journalists/creative artists, let me qoute the same book as it underscored the protective mantle extended by the law on our behalf, viz, "Quite clearly, the selecting, arranging and posing of the subject and background, the light and shades arrangement all fulfill the requirement of originality. Pictures taken by expert lensmen are undeniably works of art, but even the least pretensions of picture seems qualified for copyright. The fact that there are photography competitions, that some photographs are exquisite and many others are just mediocre all provide some common sense support for the legal protection enjoyed by them."
In the light of the foregoing, may the undersigned request that justice be accorded to him corresponding to the compensation due him for the value of his creative works. As I am espousing here my right as a photo journalist. I will not hesitate to exhaust all the legal remedies afforded to me by the law to vindicate my rights. Hopefully this will merit a positive response on your end.
Very truly yours,
(signed)
JOE HARESH TANODRA
Photo Journalist
EPA Stringer
PDI contributor
cp no. 09284168613
Noted by
RECTO VIDAL
President
Aklan Press and Radio Club
Kalibo, Aklan
Friday, May 18, 2007
Aklan winds up provincial canvass, local winners proclaimed
Kalibo, Aklan -- Aklan has winded up its provincial canvass of election results from various municipalities today with winners proclaimed by the Provincial Board of Canvassers, chaired by Atty. Renault Macarambong of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).
Based on the municipal tallies of Aklan’s 17 towns displayed outside the SP Session Hall here, incumbent Rep. of the Lone District of Aklan, Florencio T. Miraflores obtained a fresh mandate from Aklanons to serve in the same position for three years, winning over his opponent, Anthony Acevedo. Miraflores garnered a total of 130,051 votes while Acevedo got 43,687.
Incumbent Governor Carlito Marquez also won in the gubernatorial race, getting 90,623 votes while his opponents – Kareen Galvan of PMP got 1,333; Maria Bettina Garcia of PDP-Laban got 34,947 and Victoria Ramos of UNO got 72,339 votes.
Rep. Miraflores ran under the KAMPI party while Marquez ran under LAKAS.
Proclaimed winner in the vice gubernatorial race was Gabrielle Calizo of UNO. Calizo was a former Aklan representative.
Of Aklan’s 17 municipalities, election results revealed that 12 of the winning mayors ran under the KAMPI party; 2 ran under LAKAS CMD and 3 ran under the Nacionalista party. Of the winning vice mayors, 9 ran under LAKAS, 5 under KAMPI and 5 under NP.
In the Sangguniang Panlalawigan race, 3 of the winning candidates came from UNO while 2 came from LAKAS and KAMPI for the eastern district, while in the western district, 2 won under KAMPI, 2 under LAKAS and one from LP.
Local candidates who ran under KAMPI and LAKAS are all under the local umbrella group here, Tibyog it Aklan.
For the senatorial race, top 15 candidates with their corresponding votes include: Legarda, Loren, with 123,252 votes; Escudero, Francis Joseph, 115,636; Villar, Manuel, 109,107; Pangilinan, Francis, 99,085; Lacson, Panfilo, 93,626; Aquino, Benigno Simeon, 89,635; Angara, Edgardo, 80,252; Pichay, Prospero, 78,241; Cayetano, Alan, 72,737; Honasan, Gregorio, 68,011; Trillanes, Antonio, 65,503; Pimentel, Aquilino, 63,320; Zubiri, Juan Miguel, 62,815; Recto, Ralph, 61,595 and Arroyo, Joker, 61,178.
from the readers
Ahay Ibajay! Kaeo-oy nga banwa! Ma-abu imaw it ma-inaeam nga inonga pero gusto eang nanda hay mag tan-aw sa mga nagakahitabo! Ham-an owa eon gid a it iba nga puede hay kundi sanda eang gid a? Kon sabagay saea man it mga ibajaynon kon ham-an nagakahitabo sa anda nga banwa ron. Mas gusto abi nanda mag gastos it todo ro kandidato bago nando iboto. Siin ro mga ibajaynon nga gina pabogae nga ma-inaeam indi eang sa Pilipinas kondi sa iba pa nga nasyon sa kalibotan? Matam-aw eang kamo sa mga naga kahitabo? Tan-awa ro inyo nga mga lideres sa ibajay. Mapabogae baea ninyo sanda? Singgit eang kamo kada Enero ag ipabogae sa binaylihan kon ano ro inyo nga na achieve sa iba nga lugar pero ro inyo nga sarili nga banwa hay kaeo-oy ro kahimtangan. Malipayon kamo sa mga naga kahitabo sa inyo nga banwa?
Thursday, May 17, 2007
KAMPI, LAKAS bets dominate Aklan’s mayoralty race
Kalibo, Aklan –Majority of elected mayors and vice mayors in the May 14 national and local polls here are from KAMPI and LAKAS parties.
Tabulated results at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan office here displayed by the Provincial Board of Canvassers show that as of 3:00 P.M. of May 17, 10 of the winning mayors in Aklan’s 17 towns are candidates from KAMPI while two are from LAKAS-CMD.
Four other mayors won under the Nacionalista Party.
All these mayors have been proclaimed already, minus one from Ibajay, Aklan, under KAMPI, who is also said to be leading the mayoralty race there.
Majority of proclaimed vice mayors came from the LAKAS Party with 10; KAMPI, 4; and NP, 3.
Aklan’s KAMPI candidate for the Lone District of Aklan, incumbent Rep. Florencio T. Miraflores also won with a very big margin over his opponent, Anthony Acevedo of PMP-PDP Laban Party while incumbent governor Carlito s. Marquez of LAKAS-CMD is leading the gubernatorial race. For vice governor, leading the race is Gabrielle Calizo of the Nacionalista Party, a former congresswoman.
Miraflores, Marquez and Calizo have not been proclaimed by the Provincial Board of Canvassers due to the delayed municipal canvass in Ibajay.
For the senatorial race, a mix of GO and Team Unity candidates pack the first 15 slots here, in the following order with their corresponding votes: Legarda, Loren, 112,666; Escudero, Francis Joseph, 106,072; Villar, Manuel, Jr. 102,017; Pangilinan, Francis, 91,497; Lacson, Panfilo, 85,497; Aquino, Benigno Simeon III, 83,080; Pichay, Prospero, 73,452; Angara, Edgardo, 73,394; Cayetano, Alan Peter, 66,763; Honasan, Gregorio, 62,903; Trillanes, Antonio, 59,824; Pimentel, Aquilino, 58,327; Zubiri, Juan Miguel, 57,484; Arroyo, Joker, 56,274; and Recto, Ralph, 56,265.
According to Lorena Tumbagahan, Acting Provincial Election Supevisor (PES) here, the recent national and local elections held here in Aklan was generally peaceful and orderly. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)
Tabulated results at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan office here displayed by the Provincial Board of Canvassers show that as of 3:00 P.M. of May 17, 10 of the winning mayors in Aklan’s 17 towns are candidates from KAMPI while two are from LAKAS-CMD.
Four other mayors won under the Nacionalista Party.
All these mayors have been proclaimed already, minus one from Ibajay, Aklan, under KAMPI, who is also said to be leading the mayoralty race there.
Majority of proclaimed vice mayors came from the LAKAS Party with 10; KAMPI, 4; and NP, 3.
Aklan’s KAMPI candidate for the Lone District of Aklan, incumbent Rep. Florencio T. Miraflores also won with a very big margin over his opponent, Anthony Acevedo of PMP-PDP Laban Party while incumbent governor Carlito s. Marquez of LAKAS-CMD is leading the gubernatorial race. For vice governor, leading the race is Gabrielle Calizo of the Nacionalista Party, a former congresswoman.
Miraflores, Marquez and Calizo have not been proclaimed by the Provincial Board of Canvassers due to the delayed municipal canvass in Ibajay.
For the senatorial race, a mix of GO and Team Unity candidates pack the first 15 slots here, in the following order with their corresponding votes: Legarda, Loren, 112,666; Escudero, Francis Joseph, 106,072; Villar, Manuel, Jr. 102,017; Pangilinan, Francis, 91,497; Lacson, Panfilo, 85,497; Aquino, Benigno Simeon III, 83,080; Pichay, Prospero, 73,452; Angara, Edgardo, 73,394; Cayetano, Alan Peter, 66,763; Honasan, Gregorio, 62,903; Trillanes, Antonio, 59,824; Pimentel, Aquilino, 58,327; Zubiri, Juan Miguel, 57,484; Arroyo, Joker, 56,274; and Recto, Ralph, 56,265.
According to Lorena Tumbagahan, Acting Provincial Election Supevisor (PES) here, the recent national and local elections held here in Aklan was generally peaceful and orderly. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)
Rebaldo takes on mandate anew after three days of canvassing
Kalibo, Aklan – Firecrackers started popping near the Kalibo Municipal Hall after nearly three days of canvassing and tabulation believed to be longer than the 2004 Election and with supporters cheering on, Municipal Elections Officer Francisco Palomar proclaimed the mayoralty bet of local party Tibyog and incumbent mayor, Raymar A. Rebaldo, the winner of the hotly contested race yesterday, May 16, 2007 at 6:18 in the evening at the Sangguniang Bayan Hall where the canvassing and tabulation is held.
It may also be the very first of its kind when local cable networks aired the canvassing in a sort of marathon reality show where viewers were able to see the proceedings including the drama and the tension that continues to unfold as Palomar announced to proclaim the winner at 6:00 PM.
The whole capital town seemed to be at a standstill even the tricycle drivers expressed their fears of any changes that a new leadership may bring if the suave incumbent mayor falls off the race.
These fears were allayed when the fireworks popped and the supporters started shouting, “Mabuhay si Mayor Raymar Rebaldo.”
Proclaimed along with him is incumbent Vice Mayor Nilda Tambong of the opposing local party Kusog and incumbent Sangguniang Bayan members, Mark Quimpo (Tibyog), Lillian Tirol (Tibyog), Greg Malapad (Tibyog), and Madeline Regalado (Kusog) and they were joined by newbies Soviet Dela Cruz (Kusog), Ronce Reyes (Tibyog), Peter Jene Lao (Kusog) and Mino Villanueva (Kusog). Terence Toriano
It may also be the very first of its kind when local cable networks aired the canvassing in a sort of marathon reality show where viewers were able to see the proceedings including the drama and the tension that continues to unfold as Palomar announced to proclaim the winner at 6:00 PM.
The whole capital town seemed to be at a standstill even the tricycle drivers expressed their fears of any changes that a new leadership may bring if the suave incumbent mayor falls off the race.
These fears were allayed when the fireworks popped and the supporters started shouting, “Mabuhay si Mayor Raymar Rebaldo.”
Proclaimed along with him is incumbent Vice Mayor Nilda Tambong of the opposing local party Kusog and incumbent Sangguniang Bayan members, Mark Quimpo (Tibyog), Lillian Tirol (Tibyog), Greg Malapad (Tibyog), and Madeline Regalado (Kusog) and they were joined by newbies Soviet Dela Cruz (Kusog), Ronce Reyes (Tibyog), Peter Jene Lao (Kusog) and Mino Villanueva (Kusog). Terence Toriano
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
from the readers
nteresting!!! Bantayan kon ano pa ro matabo sa Ibajay ag ro long term implications it mga natabo sa pulitika it Aklan!!
Anonymous
The Wikipedia entry for the Kalibo airport needs more information.
Chief Mike
Anonymous
The Wikipedia entry for the Kalibo airport needs more information.
Chief Mike
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
election highlights
*As of 11 a.m. of May 16, 2007 sources from the camp of incumbent mayor Jun Garcia are planning to file a disqualification case against mayoralty bet Lulu Miraflores (wife of Congressman Joeben Miraflores) for allegedly tampering the result of some 200 votes. Garcia's camp believe that 90 percent of the election results were tampered and that their legal team are preparing for the filing of disqualification case. Lulu Miraflores could not be reach.
*On May 13, 2007 a day before the election gubernatorial candidate Mabeth Mobo-Garcia (wife of Jun Garcia) withdraw her certificate of candidacy reportedly because of lack of funds.
Election winners
Altavas- Dr. Kathryne Refol (wife of incumbent mayor Denny Refol prevailed against R0sario Belarmino.
Balete- Noemi Calizo-Cordero won against Roque Melde-Oquendo.
Banga- Antonio 'Antong' Maming won against incumbent mayor Jeremy Fuentes, Provl Board Member Stevens Fuentes and Dr. Mercedes Imperial.
Batan - Delfina Ramos, wife of incumbent mayor Herodutus Ramos won against rivals vice mayor Dante Reyes and Romello Abella.
Buruanga- Engr. Quezon Labindao (husband of incumbent mayor Concepcion Labindao) defeated Engr. Rolando Rojo.
Ibajay- Pending
Kalibo- Pending
Lezo- Victor Fernandez won against Alejandro Arcenio.
Libacao- Incumbent mayor Charito Navarosa prevailed against councilor Edwin Inosanto.
Madalag- Incumbent Rex Gubatino crushed former mayor Archimedes Orbista and Ambrosio Diapo.
Makato- Incumbent mayor Jun Legazpi defeated Atty. Leovigildo Mationg.
Malay- Incumbent mayor Ciceron Cawaling defeated Vice Mayor Frolibar Bautista and Walder Marasigan.
Malinao- Incumbent Mayor Dominador Ilio is victorious against councilor Edwin Garcia.
Nabas- Incumbent mayor Romeo Dalisay prevailed against Juana Amatonding and Cipriano Casidsid.
New Washington- Atty. Edgar Peralta (brother of incumbent Edmund Peralta) defeated Bertoldo Ambito, Engr. Apollo Peralta,l former mayor Eriberto Venus, and Willex Menez.
Numancia- Elvie Templonuevo (wife of incumbent mayor Ernesto I. Templonuevo won against Atty. Adolfo Iligan.
Tangalan- Vice Mayor Gene Tabang won over Glen Tabang.
*On May 13, 2007 a day before the election gubernatorial candidate Mabeth Mobo-Garcia (wife of Jun Garcia) withdraw her certificate of candidacy reportedly because of lack of funds.
Election winners
Altavas- Dr. Kathryne Refol (wife of incumbent mayor Denny Refol prevailed against R0sario Belarmino.
Balete- Noemi Calizo-Cordero won against Roque Melde-Oquendo.
Banga- Antonio 'Antong' Maming won against incumbent mayor Jeremy Fuentes, Provl Board Member Stevens Fuentes and Dr. Mercedes Imperial.
Batan - Delfina Ramos, wife of incumbent mayor Herodutus Ramos won against rivals vice mayor Dante Reyes and Romello Abella.
Buruanga- Engr. Quezon Labindao (husband of incumbent mayor Concepcion Labindao) defeated Engr. Rolando Rojo.
Ibajay- Pending
Kalibo- Pending
Lezo- Victor Fernandez won against Alejandro Arcenio.
Libacao- Incumbent mayor Charito Navarosa prevailed against councilor Edwin Inosanto.
Madalag- Incumbent Rex Gubatino crushed former mayor Archimedes Orbista and Ambrosio Diapo.
Makato- Incumbent mayor Jun Legazpi defeated Atty. Leovigildo Mationg.
Malay- Incumbent mayor Ciceron Cawaling defeated Vice Mayor Frolibar Bautista and Walder Marasigan.
Malinao- Incumbent Mayor Dominador Ilio is victorious against councilor Edwin Garcia.
Nabas- Incumbent mayor Romeo Dalisay prevailed against Juana Amatonding and Cipriano Casidsid.
New Washington- Atty. Edgar Peralta (brother of incumbent Edmund Peralta) defeated Bertoldo Ambito, Engr. Apollo Peralta,l former mayor Eriberto Venus, and Willex Menez.
Numancia- Elvie Templonuevo (wife of incumbent mayor Ernesto I. Templonuevo won against Atty. Adolfo Iligan.
Tangalan- Vice Mayor Gene Tabang won over Glen Tabang.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
from the sponsors
My beta movie collection. If you are going to dispose of your old, old celphone, beeper! camera, movie camera, telephone, phonogram, am interested to buy them.
Thanks.
AL Leonidas, Philippines,
cel: 0917 856 6747
jleonidas@gmail.com
from the readers
Dear anonymous,Kabay pa, kon sin-o man imaw, hay pahumukon it Sto. Nino ro anang tagipusoon ag usaron ro poder para sa kamaeayran it mga Aklanon, eabi eon gid to mga ati ag mga kubos sa Boracay. Kasayod man ro tanan nga ro poder ag kwarta hay nagasamad it tagipusoon. I hope it is only a question of time that the Aetas will be granted their rightful land. It would set a good example and it would make one really a good devotee of the Sto. Nino, who prefers the least, downtrodden, the poor, the marginalized and the powerless. All the best ag saeamat man kimo!
Fr. Am Mijares
Nice work! But, It's not working well with mozilla based browsers. Indi mabasa sa Firefox kc naga patong-patong ro mga elements. Keep up the good work anyway ;-)
anonymous
Fr. Am Mijares
Nice work! But, It's not working well with mozilla based browsers. Indi mabasa sa Firefox kc naga patong-patong ro mga elements. Keep up the good work anyway ;-)
anonymous
Thursday, May 10, 2007
1st Int'l Flight in WV landed in Kalibo Airport
Jun Ariolo N. Aguirre
Kalibo, Aklan- The first international flight had landed in Kalibo Airport after the successful landing of the Asian Spirit flight direct service from Incheon, South Korea-Kalibo Friday morning.
The flight carrier uses its McDonnel-Douglas carrier a 127- seater plane carries 60 Korean passengers and traveled four hours from its point of destination reaching this town considered a gateway to Boracay Island.
Allan Abat, regional director of the Air Transportation Office during the inaugural ceremony said that Kalibo is fortunate to have secured the first flight despite the undergoing preparation of two more airports of international standards in Western Visayas.
“The government had poured more funds for Iloilo Airport in Sta. Barbarra, Iloilo and Silay City in Negros Occidental but the Kalibo Airport has successfully made it to receive the first direct flights from South Korea. Nevertheless, both airports will be operational before this year ends which we expect to spur the economic capability of the region,” Abat said.
Abat said, the successful landing of the Asian Spirit came after the Night Landing Facilities were installed in the Kalibo Airport last month and the papers required for its operation have been met.
Regional Director for Tourism Edwin Trompeta said the inaugural flight would open for the possibility of an increase of 20 percent Korean tourists this year.
Based on the records of the DoT, show that the number of foreign and domestic tourists in Boracay climbed to 556,084 in 2006 from 499,457 in 2005. Foreign tourists, representing a third of the total, increased 18 percent to 183,835 from 155,744. Korean tourists, representing two-thirds of total international visitors in the island, numbered 124,618 last year.
Joseph Cacho, ground manager of the Asian Spirit in Manila said that the carrier would fly Incheon,Korea-Kalibo twice a week Tuesday and Friday.
“From Incheon, Korea it would fly directly to Kalibo. In its return back to Korea, it will have interconnecting flights to Subic first before going back to Incheon,” he said.
Cacho said, the airline also carries a Ukrainian Pilot and several European and Korean stewardees.
Former representative Allen Quimpo, (not running for a political post) who chairs the preparation committee of the Kalibo Airport said that after the successful Asian Spirit flight he expects that other airline carriers will follow through.
“We already have negotiations with the Philippine Airlines to hold its direct flights also from Incheon, South Korea and that will be soon. Other international aircraft carriers such as Oceania airline also have negotiations with the Aklan provincial Government for them to have direct flights in the near future,” he said.
When asked why Incheon, South Korea Quimpo said that Incehon Airport carries the biggest number of international flight in South Korea.
After the successful airline flight, the provincial government’s next plan is to set the Kalibo Airport the venue for international gateway in the Western Visayas region.
Snapshots
Some South Korean Children plays with a frog after their arrival at the Kalibo Airport friday. The Koreans now can enjoy direct flight from Incheon, Korea to Kalibo Airport bound to Boracay Island. (jun n. aguirre)
Can’t find your name in voters’ list? Text the COMELEC
Kalibo, Aklan –Eager voters for the May 14, 2007 elections need not panic or get angry if they fail to find their names in the list of voters posted at polling precincts.
They need not even go the the provincial or municipal office of the COMELEC to complain that their names are missing or they do not know where to look for their precincts - all they have to do is text the COMELEC.
At a press conference called by the Provincial COMELEC Office here, Acting Provincial Election Supervisor Lorena Tumbagahan sought the help of the local media to help disseminate this latest information from the COMELEC.
According to Tumbagahan, if a person wants to know his precinct number, all he has to do is to text COMELECTXT (space) PRECINCT (space) first name/middle name/ last name/bday-mmddyy and the COMELEC will respond with the voter’s precinct number.
Tumbagahan also said that if a vigilant voter has something to report, he can also text the COMELEC using the same process but instead of PRECINCT, he will text REPORT and then his message.
A person can also access addiditional services about “comELECTxt” by texting COMELECTXT (space) HELP. All the text messages should be sent to 2898 for Globe, Smart and Sun Cellular Subscribers.
Tumbagahan was joined in the press conference by Atty. Renault Macarambon who was recently assigned to COMELEC-Aklan.
According to Atty. Macarambon, he will be serving as the Chairman of the Provincial Board of Canvassers with Atty. Montalid Patnubay, Jr., 1st Asst. Provincial Prosecutor as Vice Chairman and Dr. Victorina Laroza, Schools Division Superintendent as member.
For this May 2007 elections, some 3,990 teachers and government employees, composing the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) will serve in 1,330 grouped and clustered precincts throughout the province.
Tumbagahan said these teachers and employees, who would get a maximum of P3,000.00 per diem for rendering election duties, can avail a half of this amount once they get the election paraphernalia from their respective municipal treasurers’ office. They will also get P300.00 transportation expenses, according to Tumbagahan.
For its part, the Department of Education has announced the readiness of the public school teachers in rendering their poll duties.
According to DepEd Undersectary Francis Sunga said the DepEd and the COMELEC had conducted trainings for some 464,000 public school teachers, principals, supervisors and DepEd lawyers and administrative officers in connection with their role in the conduct of the polls next week.
Besides the P3,000.00 per diem and P300.00 transportation allowance, Sunga said a P5-milllion fund to cover medical expenses or death claims in the amount of P200,000.00 has been set up for BEIs who will serve in the elections. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)
They need not even go the the provincial or municipal office of the COMELEC to complain that their names are missing or they do not know where to look for their precincts - all they have to do is text the COMELEC.
At a press conference called by the Provincial COMELEC Office here, Acting Provincial Election Supervisor Lorena Tumbagahan sought the help of the local media to help disseminate this latest information from the COMELEC.
According to Tumbagahan, if a person wants to know his precinct number, all he has to do is to text COMELECTXT (space) PRECINCT (space) first name/middle name/ last name/bday-mmddyy and the COMELEC will respond with the voter’s precinct number.
Tumbagahan also said that if a vigilant voter has something to report, he can also text the COMELEC using the same process but instead of PRECINCT, he will text REPORT and then his message.
A person can also access addiditional services about “comELECTxt” by texting COMELECTXT (space) HELP. All the text messages should be sent to 2898 for Globe, Smart and Sun Cellular Subscribers.
Tumbagahan was joined in the press conference by Atty. Renault Macarambon who was recently assigned to COMELEC-Aklan.
According to Atty. Macarambon, he will be serving as the Chairman of the Provincial Board of Canvassers with Atty. Montalid Patnubay, Jr., 1st Asst. Provincial Prosecutor as Vice Chairman and Dr. Victorina Laroza, Schools Division Superintendent as member.
For this May 2007 elections, some 3,990 teachers and government employees, composing the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) will serve in 1,330 grouped and clustered precincts throughout the province.
Tumbagahan said these teachers and employees, who would get a maximum of P3,000.00 per diem for rendering election duties, can avail a half of this amount once they get the election paraphernalia from their respective municipal treasurers’ office. They will also get P300.00 transportation expenses, according to Tumbagahan.
For its part, the Department of Education has announced the readiness of the public school teachers in rendering their poll duties.
According to DepEd Undersectary Francis Sunga said the DepEd and the COMELEC had conducted trainings for some 464,000 public school teachers, principals, supervisors and DepEd lawyers and administrative officers in connection with their role in the conduct of the polls next week.
Besides the P3,000.00 per diem and P300.00 transportation allowance, Sunga said a P5-milllion fund to cover medical expenses or death claims in the amount of P200,000.00 has been set up for BEIs who will serve in the elections. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Aklan Green Philippines program expanded
Kalibo, Aklan – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources here has expanded the Green Philippines program.
Starting the program last year with the Green Philippine Highway Project, expansion is being effected with the inclusion of vacant public and private lands, according to Derlito Rico, Environment Management Specialist here of DENR-Aklan during a recent radio interview.
Rico said these vacant lots will be planted with ornamental and flowering plants, fruit trees and forest trees with the the help of people’s organizations, local government units and government agencies. The move, according to Rico, which generated a positive response from the public, is seen to store more underground water supply, give shade, create beautiful scenery and contribute other ecological benefits to the public and the environment.
Also, with the intense summer heat that caused some provinces to suffer limited water supply, Aklan is initiating the development of its watershed area in Madalag through planting of forest and fruit trees to prevent water shortage situation in Aklan. The arrangement involves the provision by DENR of planting materials while the officials and employees of the Metro Kalibo Water District here, the local government units and other people’s organizations will do the planting.
Caretakers will be assigned to watch and protect the watershed area, according to the DENR.
The Green Philippine Highway Project in Aklan involves the 114.2 stretch of national highway from Caticlan, Malay to Cabangila, Altavas, which was planted August 25 of last year with ornamental and flowering plants to beautify the roadside, the route of the President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s Strong Republic Nautical Highway.
Greening the Philippines, involving the improvement and protection of the environment, is one of the “8 by 2008” Priority Programs of the national government.
The others are job creation, better cost of living, a strong peso, more investments, pro-poor education, pro-poor health care, housing, food and anti-terrorism. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)
Starting the program last year with the Green Philippine Highway Project, expansion is being effected with the inclusion of vacant public and private lands, according to Derlito Rico, Environment Management Specialist here of DENR-Aklan during a recent radio interview.
Rico said these vacant lots will be planted with ornamental and flowering plants, fruit trees and forest trees with the the help of people’s organizations, local government units and government agencies. The move, according to Rico, which generated a positive response from the public, is seen to store more underground water supply, give shade, create beautiful scenery and contribute other ecological benefits to the public and the environment.
Also, with the intense summer heat that caused some provinces to suffer limited water supply, Aklan is initiating the development of its watershed area in Madalag through planting of forest and fruit trees to prevent water shortage situation in Aklan. The arrangement involves the provision by DENR of planting materials while the officials and employees of the Metro Kalibo Water District here, the local government units and other people’s organizations will do the planting.
Caretakers will be assigned to watch and protect the watershed area, according to the DENR.
The Green Philippine Highway Project in Aklan involves the 114.2 stretch of national highway from Caticlan, Malay to Cabangila, Altavas, which was planted August 25 of last year with ornamental and flowering plants to beautify the roadside, the route of the President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s Strong Republic Nautical Highway.
Greening the Philippines, involving the improvement and protection of the environment, is one of the “8 by 2008” Priority Programs of the national government.
The others are job creation, better cost of living, a strong peso, more investments, pro-poor education, pro-poor health care, housing, food and anti-terrorism. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Remittances help foil Asia Crisis repeat-WB
by ISAGANI DE LA PAZ
MANILA—ACROSS the East Asia region sweeps the wind of prosperity and cash remittances as well as knowledge capital by migrant workers has helped economies become more robust a decade after a devastating crisis.
Aside from the Philippines, the World Bank cited remittances from workers overseas also helped other countries like Vietnam and Mongolia to beef up cash reserves. Hence, remittances could soften and may even foil a repeat of the 1997 Asian crisis –if ever there would be one in the near future.
“A decade after the financial crisis that devastated East Asia in 1997-98, the region is far wealthier, has fewer poor people and a larger global role than ever before. Led by continued strong growth in China, Emerging East Asia now has an aggregate output of over $5 trillion, double the dollar value just before the crisis,” said the WB report titled “Ten Years after the Crisis”.
The report noted that the economies affected by the crisis: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Korea, and Thailand, posted real per capita incomes “significantly” exceeding pre-crisis levels.
The WB noted that the first three economies achieved real per capita income growth of 3-3.5 percent, “with per-capita growth in Korea and Thailand averaging 4-4.5 percent” in the four years ending 2006.
The cause, in particular with the Philippines, is consumption or the purchase of consumers by what the country’s factories produce, retailers sell, and businesses import-for-sale from abroad.
“Consumers in the Philippines also increased real expenditures by 5-6 percent, supported in part by a 20-percent rise in remittances from abroad,” the WB said.
Compared with Thailand's 3.2-percent consumer-demand growth last year, the Philippines posted a 5.5-percent growth from just 4.9 percent in 2005. Both countries are regarded as developing economies compared to the four newly industrialized economies of Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, China.
The bank noted that remittances, coupled with the strong performance of the Philippines’s electronics exports, “far outweighed the impact of higher imported oil prices on the current account”.
The country’s current account –available cash for loans, payment of debts, for investments, and others flowing in the system- jumped to a US$5-billion surplus last year from US$2 billion in 2005.
The percentage increase (to US$12.8 billion in 2006) in remittances, the WB added, underscores the vital role played by money from Filipinos working abroad.
“Through these flows [remittances and transfers for the balance of payments], which together account for over 13 percent of GDP [gross domestic product], large trade deficits have been transformed into current account surpluses, which in 2006 grew to over four percent of GDP,” the bank said.
A trade deficit would mean the Philippines buys more products from other countries than what it sells or exports.
Remittances may be one of the reasons why the Philippines, along with Korea and Malaysia, quickly “regained their pre-crisis level of per-capita income by 1999, while this took longer, till 2003, in Indonesia and Thailand,” according to the WB report.
Economist Fernando Aldaba told the OFW Journalism Consortium ® “the numbers, especially an uptick in exports, support sentiments” that remittances could help avert a crisis that this time, analysts like him say, could come from a slowdown in the United States economy.
“I would agree that factors for another Asian crisis are not present or, if there are, the countries in the region have wizened up,” Aldaba, who teaches economics at the Ateneo de Manila University, said in a phone interview.
However, Aldaba said that he wouldn’t single out remittances from Filipinos working temporarily or permanently abroad as a single instrument that could help avert another crisis.
“The 1997 crisis was marked with capital flight, and even at that time the shock to the Philippines was relatively less compared to Thailand since our money was no longer pegged to the dollar,” he explained.
Still, awash with cash from remittances, the Philippines could have the elbow room to maneuver, Aldaba said.
“Remittances could mitigate the impact of a crisis that would engulf the region if the economic slowdown in the US hit,” he added.
Likewise, Aldaba said, the right fiscal and monetary policies would still be the main weapons that the country could wield considering that the economy and the market is relatively small.
With the right mix of reining in inflation and control of money supply, he explained, the Philippine economy may weather shocks from a US economic slowdown even with a decline in remittances.
He added that he doesn’t see the latter from occurring since he believes the flow of money from Filipinos overseas hasn’t reached its peak despite the strengthening of the peso against the greenback.
“The outflow of workers hasn’t declined so unless that occurs, we may see a plateau in remittances before it decreases. But the decline wouldn’t happen in the next five years,” Aldaba said.
Even the WB notes such view, but with caution since the record-high 1.026 million Filipino workers who left for employment overseas last year, “in part reflects the lack of domestic employment opportunities.”
That, and a host of other challenges posed by the WB, remains as the Philippines joins its East Asian neighbors in marking this year as a time of prosperity a decade after a debilitating crisis.
OFW Journalism Consortium
MANILA—ACROSS the East Asia region sweeps the wind of prosperity and cash remittances as well as knowledge capital by migrant workers has helped economies become more robust a decade after a devastating crisis.
Aside from the Philippines, the World Bank cited remittances from workers overseas also helped other countries like Vietnam and Mongolia to beef up cash reserves. Hence, remittances could soften and may even foil a repeat of the 1997 Asian crisis –if ever there would be one in the near future.
“A decade after the financial crisis that devastated East Asia in 1997-98, the region is far wealthier, has fewer poor people and a larger global role than ever before. Led by continued strong growth in China, Emerging East Asia now has an aggregate output of over $5 trillion, double the dollar value just before the crisis,” said the WB report titled “Ten Years after the Crisis”.
The report noted that the economies affected by the crisis: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Korea, and Thailand, posted real per capita incomes “significantly” exceeding pre-crisis levels.
The WB noted that the first three economies achieved real per capita income growth of 3-3.5 percent, “with per-capita growth in Korea and Thailand averaging 4-4.5 percent” in the four years ending 2006.
The cause, in particular with the Philippines, is consumption or the purchase of consumers by what the country’s factories produce, retailers sell, and businesses import-for-sale from abroad.
“Consumers in the Philippines also increased real expenditures by 5-6 percent, supported in part by a 20-percent rise in remittances from abroad,” the WB said.
Compared with Thailand's 3.2-percent consumer-demand growth last year, the Philippines posted a 5.5-percent growth from just 4.9 percent in 2005. Both countries are regarded as developing economies compared to the four newly industrialized economies of Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, China.
The bank noted that remittances, coupled with the strong performance of the Philippines’s electronics exports, “far outweighed the impact of higher imported oil prices on the current account”.
The country’s current account –available cash for loans, payment of debts, for investments, and others flowing in the system- jumped to a US$5-billion surplus last year from US$2 billion in 2005.
The percentage increase (to US$12.8 billion in 2006) in remittances, the WB added, underscores the vital role played by money from Filipinos working abroad.
“Through these flows [remittances and transfers for the balance of payments], which together account for over 13 percent of GDP [gross domestic product], large trade deficits have been transformed into current account surpluses, which in 2006 grew to over four percent of GDP,” the bank said.
A trade deficit would mean the Philippines buys more products from other countries than what it sells or exports.
Remittances may be one of the reasons why the Philippines, along with Korea and Malaysia, quickly “regained their pre-crisis level of per-capita income by 1999, while this took longer, till 2003, in Indonesia and Thailand,” according to the WB report.
Economist Fernando Aldaba told the OFW Journalism Consortium ® “the numbers, especially an uptick in exports, support sentiments” that remittances could help avert a crisis that this time, analysts like him say, could come from a slowdown in the United States economy.
“I would agree that factors for another Asian crisis are not present or, if there are, the countries in the region have wizened up,” Aldaba, who teaches economics at the Ateneo de Manila University, said in a phone interview.
However, Aldaba said that he wouldn’t single out remittances from Filipinos working temporarily or permanently abroad as a single instrument that could help avert another crisis.
“The 1997 crisis was marked with capital flight, and even at that time the shock to the Philippines was relatively less compared to Thailand since our money was no longer pegged to the dollar,” he explained.
Still, awash with cash from remittances, the Philippines could have the elbow room to maneuver, Aldaba said.
“Remittances could mitigate the impact of a crisis that would engulf the region if the economic slowdown in the US hit,” he added.
Likewise, Aldaba said, the right fiscal and monetary policies would still be the main weapons that the country could wield considering that the economy and the market is relatively small.
With the right mix of reining in inflation and control of money supply, he explained, the Philippine economy may weather shocks from a US economic slowdown even with a decline in remittances.
He added that he doesn’t see the latter from occurring since he believes the flow of money from Filipinos overseas hasn’t reached its peak despite the strengthening of the peso against the greenback.
“The outflow of workers hasn’t declined so unless that occurs, we may see a plateau in remittances before it decreases. But the decline wouldn’t happen in the next five years,” Aldaba said.
Even the WB notes such view, but with caution since the record-high 1.026 million Filipino workers who left for employment overseas last year, “in part reflects the lack of domestic employment opportunities.”
That, and a host of other challenges posed by the WB, remains as the Philippines joins its East Asian neighbors in marking this year as a time of prosperity a decade after a debilitating crisis.
OFW Journalism Consortium
BPI joins fray to capture remittance from Pinoys in Europe
by WILLIAM ALZONA
MAKATI CITY--BEFORE sliding to third position in the Philippine banking industry, Ayala family-led Bank of the Philippine Islands set its eyes on the profitable remittance market that Philippine National Bank previously dominated.
But with its shareholder hobbled by regulations in the United States, where bulk of remittances from some eight million overseas Filipinos go through, BPI settled for the United Kingdom.
This was what BPI president Aurelio R. Montinola III told stockholders during their annual meeting last March.
“Why London, when you can target the United States where there are more overseas Filipino workers?” a shareholder echoed what would be expected questions from the banking industry.
“Certainly, we would like to have a branch in the US, but regulatory agencies would not allow us because of our partner, DBS, is not fully engaged in bank operations,” Montinola replied.
Singapore's DBS Group, Southeast Asia's biggest bank, owns 20 percent of BPI. The rest of the shares are owned by Philippine conglomerate Ayala Corp., which also has assets and investments in real estate and water utility.
At the BPI stockholders’ meeting, executives revealed that the move to put up a branch in London, one of the world's financial centers, has been on the pipeline ever since the bank made inroads in the European remittance market.
According to its plans, BPI will shell out £20 million (or about P1.9 billion) to have a full service branch in London to beef up its remittance center currently based in Italy.
Montinola said in March BPI expects to establish a UK-registered corporation in about six months, although the Financial Services Authority of London has already given BPI its British license to operate a bank last April 26.
“We are in the stage of finalizing our systems now. We are in one location and we need a second location [for technical purposes]. We expect that we would be in the pre-operation stage by about September or October this year and then, for next year, a full operation," he told reporters after the stockholders’ meeting.
“The whole point is to grow from remittance transactions to overseas banking relationships,” he added.
Inched out
BPI’S ANNOUNCEMENT was made at a time when it would slide to third from its current position as the country's second largest financial institution, having a P473.24-billion net asset.
The slide would occur anytime in the next few weeks as regulators gave the green light for the merger of Equitable-PCI Bank Inc. and Banco de Oro Universal Bank, currently ranked fourth and fifth largest in the country, respectively.
The two banks, which will carry the name Banco de Oro-EPCI Inc., will have a combined net asset of P607.87 billion, according to its published statement of condition as of December 29, 2006.
The merged entities would dislodge Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. (Metrobank) from its top position, having a net asset of P536.61 billion.
But when BPI starts its London operations, it would be competing head on not with these two banks but with PNB, now majority-owned by tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan.
PNB has been operating a branch in London since 1976. This was later renamed to PNB Europe PLC, which also has a full banking license. Other than handling remittances, PNB's subsidiary is engaged in export-import financing and corporate and consumer lending.
PNB has 64 remittance centers, including 39 in 11 US states, nine in HK and eight in Canada. It also has 30 bank branches in several countries, with concentration of operations in the US and Canada.
BPI, however, already showed signs it means business, especially in capturing gains from the US$8-billion average annual remittance, when it dislodged PNB in 2005 from the latter’s top position in the global money-sending market.
PNB, the country’s sixth largest bank, lost the initiative last year to BPI when it captured only US$2.2 billion or about 20 percent of the remittance market compared to BPI’s claim of having managed US$3.2 billion (about 22 to 23 percent market share) in money flow.
BPI has been expanding its business aside from the overseas Filipino market, knowing that many of them are already sharing a market that can shrink and grow anytime.
Last year, it opened its Rome-Vittorio Emanuel office, its fourth remittance center in Italy, in order to handle the remittance transactions of Chinese nationals in that country.
"This office raised Italy's remittance performance by almost 300 percent from the previous year," BPI claimed in its 2006 annual report without citing specific figures.
Largesse
THE Philippines is the world third largest recipient of remittances, after India and Mexico. Last year, $12.3 billion were sent to the country, or about 10 percent of the gross domestic product.
BPI said it would mainly target the OFWs in the UK, which last year remitted $561.67 million, or about a third of the entire remittances from land-based Filipino workers for Europe, according to data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Stock estimates data from the government Commission on Filipinos Overseas for 2005 cites that the UK is home to some 52,977 immigrants from the Philippines.
CFO also estimates there are 72,638 temporary contract workers and 7,480 undocumented migrants for a total of 133,095 Filipinos in that European country. That same year's estimates showed there are 211,351 immigrants, 523,442 contract workers and 123,282 undocumented migrants, or a total of 858,075 Filipinos in Europe.
Operating in that continent, even with remittance alone, could be profitable for a bank.
For instance, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.'s Rome, Italy-based remittance center RCBC Telemoney Europe SpA. reported a net income of €162,300 (or about P10.47 million or US$220,589) from operations in three major cities.
With a full-service branch, BPI could also offer its other products even before a Filipino leaves for work in Europe.
According to Montinola, they could also offer OFWs other products like a housing loan or the unit investment trust fund aside from a savings account.
"We usually don't make comments on what we think will happen because numbers are just numbers. We will try to expand first our share and our reach,” he said.
“More or less, say, in the first three years of operation, we would sort of navigate our way in figuring how things would turn out," he said.
He, however, added that the ultimate plan was to have its other branches at the rest of Europe but "probably that will be between 2008 and 2009."
Catch up
TECHNICALLY, BPI is playing catch-up with its competitors which have established footholds in other countries since the sixties.
For instance, in August 1963, Equitable Banking Corp., the firm that bought and merged with Philippine Commercial International Bank in 1999, established its full service branch in Hong Kong. It was the first bank in the country to have foreign operations to cater mostly to Filipino-Chinese businessmen.
Currently, EPCIB has 27 remittance centers and a network of 300 correspondent banks, mostly in the US.
It took BPI more than a decade in 1974 to establish its own branch in Hong Kong to tap the same customers that Equitable and other Philippine banks had already mapped out over those years.
In the US market, for one, BPI only has a remittance center while Metrobank, Philippine National Bank, and even Allied Banking Corp., through a stake in a US bank, have already established full branches there since the eighties.
Reviewing Metrobank's financial statement for 2006 reveals that the contribution of its US operations to its total revenues only accounts for a mere 1.28 percent. But this performance contributes 2.7 percent to the bank's bottomline.
The bank's audited net income reached P5.53 billion for the year, or 46-percent higher than the previous P3.8 billion.
For the European market, there were already eight local banks with presence in London, according to the BSP website.
However, only two have full-service branches: Allied Commercial Bank UK Plc (public limited company) and sister-firm PNB.
Montinola said they expect a 15-percent increase in remittances would be coursed through this formal channel of banks.
“The difficulty with all of these projections is not really within our control. People who go abroad… would have to decide if they send money to the Philippines or not,” he added.
Montinola said he’s banking on BPI’s “superior system… to get a larger proportion of what they [overseas Filipinos] send.”
While Montinola aired his fears that Filipino deployment could slow down in the next few years due to the Philippines’s booming call center industry, he said BPI still believes this could be still far.
“Over the years, redeployment and migration are seen to be a preferred option for Filipino workers and professionals as long as the domestic economy can not provide meaningful employment,” the bank said in its annual report.
OFW Journalism Consortium
(used with permission)
MAKATI CITY--BEFORE sliding to third position in the Philippine banking industry, Ayala family-led Bank of the Philippine Islands set its eyes on the profitable remittance market that Philippine National Bank previously dominated.
But with its shareholder hobbled by regulations in the United States, where bulk of remittances from some eight million overseas Filipinos go through, BPI settled for the United Kingdom.
This was what BPI president Aurelio R. Montinola III told stockholders during their annual meeting last March.
“Why London, when you can target the United States where there are more overseas Filipino workers?” a shareholder echoed what would be expected questions from the banking industry.
“Certainly, we would like to have a branch in the US, but regulatory agencies would not allow us because of our partner, DBS, is not fully engaged in bank operations,” Montinola replied.
Singapore's DBS Group, Southeast Asia's biggest bank, owns 20 percent of BPI. The rest of the shares are owned by Philippine conglomerate Ayala Corp., which also has assets and investments in real estate and water utility.
At the BPI stockholders’ meeting, executives revealed that the move to put up a branch in London, one of the world's financial centers, has been on the pipeline ever since the bank made inroads in the European remittance market.
According to its plans, BPI will shell out £20 million (or about P1.9 billion) to have a full service branch in London to beef up its remittance center currently based in Italy.
Montinola said in March BPI expects to establish a UK-registered corporation in about six months, although the Financial Services Authority of London has already given BPI its British license to operate a bank last April 26.
“We are in the stage of finalizing our systems now. We are in one location and we need a second location [for technical purposes]. We expect that we would be in the pre-operation stage by about September or October this year and then, for next year, a full operation," he told reporters after the stockholders’ meeting.
“The whole point is to grow from remittance transactions to overseas banking relationships,” he added.
Inched out
BPI’S ANNOUNCEMENT was made at a time when it would slide to third from its current position as the country's second largest financial institution, having a P473.24-billion net asset.
The slide would occur anytime in the next few weeks as regulators gave the green light for the merger of Equitable-PCI Bank Inc. and Banco de Oro Universal Bank, currently ranked fourth and fifth largest in the country, respectively.
The two banks, which will carry the name Banco de Oro-EPCI Inc., will have a combined net asset of P607.87 billion, according to its published statement of condition as of December 29, 2006.
The merged entities would dislodge Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. (Metrobank) from its top position, having a net asset of P536.61 billion.
But when BPI starts its London operations, it would be competing head on not with these two banks but with PNB, now majority-owned by tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan.
PNB has been operating a branch in London since 1976. This was later renamed to PNB Europe PLC, which also has a full banking license. Other than handling remittances, PNB's subsidiary is engaged in export-import financing and corporate and consumer lending.
PNB has 64 remittance centers, including 39 in 11 US states, nine in HK and eight in Canada. It also has 30 bank branches in several countries, with concentration of operations in the US and Canada.
BPI, however, already showed signs it means business, especially in capturing gains from the US$8-billion average annual remittance, when it dislodged PNB in 2005 from the latter’s top position in the global money-sending market.
PNB, the country’s sixth largest bank, lost the initiative last year to BPI when it captured only US$2.2 billion or about 20 percent of the remittance market compared to BPI’s claim of having managed US$3.2 billion (about 22 to 23 percent market share) in money flow.
BPI has been expanding its business aside from the overseas Filipino market, knowing that many of them are already sharing a market that can shrink and grow anytime.
Last year, it opened its Rome-Vittorio Emanuel office, its fourth remittance center in Italy, in order to handle the remittance transactions of Chinese nationals in that country.
"This office raised Italy's remittance performance by almost 300 percent from the previous year," BPI claimed in its 2006 annual report without citing specific figures.
Largesse
THE Philippines is the world third largest recipient of remittances, after India and Mexico. Last year, $12.3 billion were sent to the country, or about 10 percent of the gross domestic product.
BPI said it would mainly target the OFWs in the UK, which last year remitted $561.67 million, or about a third of the entire remittances from land-based Filipino workers for Europe, according to data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Stock estimates data from the government Commission on Filipinos Overseas for 2005 cites that the UK is home to some 52,977 immigrants from the Philippines.
CFO also estimates there are 72,638 temporary contract workers and 7,480 undocumented migrants for a total of 133,095 Filipinos in that European country. That same year's estimates showed there are 211,351 immigrants, 523,442 contract workers and 123,282 undocumented migrants, or a total of 858,075 Filipinos in Europe.
Operating in that continent, even with remittance alone, could be profitable for a bank.
For instance, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.'s Rome, Italy-based remittance center RCBC Telemoney Europe SpA. reported a net income of €162,300 (or about P10.47 million or US$220,589) from operations in three major cities.
With a full-service branch, BPI could also offer its other products even before a Filipino leaves for work in Europe.
According to Montinola, they could also offer OFWs other products like a housing loan or the unit investment trust fund aside from a savings account.
"We usually don't make comments on what we think will happen because numbers are just numbers. We will try to expand first our share and our reach,” he said.
“More or less, say, in the first three years of operation, we would sort of navigate our way in figuring how things would turn out," he said.
He, however, added that the ultimate plan was to have its other branches at the rest of Europe but "probably that will be between 2008 and 2009."
Catch up
TECHNICALLY, BPI is playing catch-up with its competitors which have established footholds in other countries since the sixties.
For instance, in August 1963, Equitable Banking Corp., the firm that bought and merged with Philippine Commercial International Bank in 1999, established its full service branch in Hong Kong. It was the first bank in the country to have foreign operations to cater mostly to Filipino-Chinese businessmen.
Currently, EPCIB has 27 remittance centers and a network of 300 correspondent banks, mostly in the US.
It took BPI more than a decade in 1974 to establish its own branch in Hong Kong to tap the same customers that Equitable and other Philippine banks had already mapped out over those years.
In the US market, for one, BPI only has a remittance center while Metrobank, Philippine National Bank, and even Allied Banking Corp., through a stake in a US bank, have already established full branches there since the eighties.
Reviewing Metrobank's financial statement for 2006 reveals that the contribution of its US operations to its total revenues only accounts for a mere 1.28 percent. But this performance contributes 2.7 percent to the bank's bottomline.
The bank's audited net income reached P5.53 billion for the year, or 46-percent higher than the previous P3.8 billion.
For the European market, there were already eight local banks with presence in London, according to the BSP website.
However, only two have full-service branches: Allied Commercial Bank UK Plc (public limited company) and sister-firm PNB.
Montinola said they expect a 15-percent increase in remittances would be coursed through this formal channel of banks.
“The difficulty with all of these projections is not really within our control. People who go abroad… would have to decide if they send money to the Philippines or not,” he added.
Montinola said he’s banking on BPI’s “superior system… to get a larger proportion of what they [overseas Filipinos] send.”
While Montinola aired his fears that Filipino deployment could slow down in the next few years due to the Philippines’s booming call center industry, he said BPI still believes this could be still far.
“Over the years, redeployment and migration are seen to be a preferred option for Filipino workers and professionals as long as the domestic economy can not provide meaningful employment,” the bank said in its annual report.
OFW Journalism Consortium
(used with permission)
from the readers
Father Am, salamat sa pag ta-o it limog sa mga Ati. Sabagay bokon eang it Ati ro kaeo-oy sa Boracay kundi pati man ro Malaynon ag iba pa nga Aklanon nga dapat hay derecho nga maka benipisyo sa Boracay pero owa't ana nakasamit. Ati-ati eang kita kada dag-on sa Ibajay pero ro tunay nga mga Ati hay gina-eogosan it eogta.
Thanks Fr. Am for espousing the rights of our Aeta brethrens, but sad to say that one our Ibajaynon kasimanwa holding a very influential position in the province/country is one of those depriving these Aetas for their just and rightful piece of land. Bugtaw eon Aklanon!!
anonymous
Thanks Fr. Am for espousing the rights of our Aeta brethrens, but sad to say that one our Ibajaynon kasimanwa holding a very influential position in the province/country is one of those depriving these Aetas for their just and rightful piece of land. Bugtaw eon Aklanon!!
anonymous
Monday, May 7, 2007
Ofori named Misss Lawton Teen
Jennie Hanna
For Rachel Ofori, winner of Beta Sigma Phi’s first annual Miss Lawton’s Outstanding Teen 2007 Pageant winning the crown was a big surprise.
“I was in complete shock when they called my name,” she said. “Right after they said it, I saw my mom jumping up and down and my father laughing- I then knew it was for real and that I had actually won.”
Ofori took the title Saturday during the pageant held at McMahon Memorial Auditorium.
Ofori, 14, the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Ofori is a sophomore at
For her choice of evening gown, Ofori went with a yellow spaghetti-strap adorned with sequins. Her on-stage question about whether she thought a lack of physical activity was a big factor in the problem with childhood obesity (which is also her platform), she said she agreed and feels ‘if more kids would get out of the house and get active, then obesity would be limited or at least controlled.’
Ofori’s song of choice for the talent portion was Bette Midler’s “Wind Beneath my Wings” which she performed as a vocal solo.
In the spotlight
Being on stage is nothing new for Ofori.
“I began working with pageants with the Oklahoma Star program and I found that I liked it, so I decided to enter as a contestant in the future,” she said.
And that decision has paid off for her since she already had one title under her belt before competing in the
However, this current win means the most, Ofori said.
“To have all my family and friends there to cheer me on-that was the best part and made this title so meaningful,” she said.
Next stop, state competition
In addition to competing at the state level, Ofori also won a $50 gift certificate from the Arvest Bank, three tanning sessions from Riviera Tanning Spa and a free massage from Art of Tanning. Ofori also won the title of Miss Photogenic and was given a free self-portrait from Steve Miller photography.
She will also begin preparing for the state competition, which will come this summer.
“I will be working hard to get ready for the competition,” she said.
Other winners of the pageant includes Fourth runner-up Amely Anderson; third runner-up Alana Chancler; second runner-up Shayna Webb (who also took the title for best talent) and first runner-up Emily Weeks.
Lezonian hopes to become the new Miss Teen USA
Hi Guys !
This is another PRIDE of AKLAN !!! Congratulations Miss Rachel De Mariano Ofori for the job well done ! We're very proud of your accomplishments!!! Keep up the great job!! Way to go girl ! Also, CONGRATULATIONS to Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Ofori (NEE: Faith De Mariano of Lezo, Aklan) ! You did a very wonderful job in raising & nurturing this very beautiful young lady......Rachel, just bring home the BACON on this Oklahoma State competition,we knew that you could do it !!! Just believe in yourself & be yourself, that's the bottom line. Okay? We'll be there in Orlando for the National competition in August to cheer you. Okay? Just go out there & represent the tribes of AKLAN & Ghana & the rest is history ! You looked so beautiful, very elegant, with poise & all of the above.What can I say ? Hep hep HORRRRAYYYY for our Miss Rachel, Miss Teen USA 2007 !!!!!
Good luck for the fast approaching State competition !
Thanks for sharing this article too.
As Always,
Dr. Darrick & Nene Aguirre Leacock
This is another PRIDE of AKLAN !!! Congratulations Miss Rachel De Mariano Ofori for the job well done ! We're very proud of your accomplishments!!! Keep up the great job!! Way to go girl ! Also, CONGRATULATIONS to Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Ofori (NEE: Faith De Mariano of Lezo, Aklan) ! You did a very wonderful job in raising & nurturing this very beautiful young lady......Rachel, just bring home the BACON on this Oklahoma State competition,we knew that you could do it !!! Just believe in yourself & be yourself, that's the bottom line. Okay? We'll be there in Orlando for the National competition in August to cheer you. Okay? Just go out there & represent the tribes of AKLAN & Ghana & the rest is history ! You looked so beautiful, very elegant, with poise & all of the above.What can I say ? Hep hep HORRRRAYYYY for our Miss Rachel, Miss Teen USA 2007 !!!!!
Good luck for the fast approaching State competition !
Thanks for sharing this article too.
As Always,
Dr. Darrick & Nene Aguirre Leacock
Unique Sta. Cruzan Festival To Happen in Boracay
Boracay Island- One of the country’s top wedding planner is geared to preserve the wavering tradition of Sta. Cruzan Festival by gathering the collections of the local fashion designers and showcase them to both foreign and local tourists to happen on May 25 to 27 this year.
Dubbed as the Boragala (Boracay Gala) Summer ’07 Collections, the three day May Fair is also set to feature local manufacturers and entrepreneurs of crafts, food and local talents. The event will be highlighted by the parade of Little Miss Boragala participants to feature the collections of local designers in this resort island.
“The event is organized by the group of Boracaynons wanting to preserve the culture of Boracay - among them is the Sta. Cruzan festival aimed to gather Aklanons, Boracaynons, local and foreign tourists to celebrate the best of the island’s stunning creation and unique flavor,” said Izy Jingco of the Bells and Blooms.
The event will be held in D’Mall Boracay a place where most of the tourists visit because of its mall-like scenery in the resort island.
The Bells and Blooms were recently featured in several national newspapers cited for creativity in wedding preparations which is usually being held in this resort island.
In December last year, the Bells and Blooms were named in a column Prep Talk in Manila Bulletin as one of those who organized the Best Weddings in 2006.
Last year, the Bells and Blooms organized the weddings of unforgettable personalities in showbiz, politics and those belong in elite society even those of foreign nationalities.
“We wanted to give back to the Boracaynons the success we received. This is why we wanted to help local talents showcase their best so that the foreigners will know that the province of Aklan doesn’t only have Boracay to be proud of but also to its people,” Jingco said.
One of the Aklanons, Lesley Mobo, 29 is already one of the Filipinos in European countries who became famous in fashion designs. A native of Makato, Aklan his clients were European celebrities among those is hotel heiress Paris Hilton.
The organizers said the Boragala Affair is the precursor for the next bigger event in the island on November 2007 targeting the international audience in cooperation with Manila based Manila Genesis Entertainment and Management to feature Gary Valenciano and other celebrities.
For inquiries contact: Rainbow (cp #09053634693)
Dubbed as the Boragala (Boracay Gala) Summer ’07 Collections, the three day May Fair is also set to feature local manufacturers and entrepreneurs of crafts, food and local talents. The event will be highlighted by the parade of Little Miss Boragala participants to feature the collections of local designers in this resort island.
“The event is organized by the group of Boracaynons wanting to preserve the culture of Boracay - among them is the Sta. Cruzan festival aimed to gather Aklanons, Boracaynons, local and foreign tourists to celebrate the best of the island’s stunning creation and unique flavor,” said Izy Jingco of the Bells and Blooms.
The event will be held in D’Mall Boracay a place where most of the tourists visit because of its mall-like scenery in the resort island.
The Bells and Blooms were recently featured in several national newspapers cited for creativity in wedding preparations which is usually being held in this resort island.
In December last year, the Bells and Blooms were named in a column Prep Talk in Manila Bulletin as one of those who organized the Best Weddings in 2006.
Last year, the Bells and Blooms organized the weddings of unforgettable personalities in showbiz, politics and those belong in elite society even those of foreign nationalities.
“We wanted to give back to the Boracaynons the success we received. This is why we wanted to help local talents showcase their best so that the foreigners will know that the province of Aklan doesn’t only have Boracay to be proud of but also to its people,” Jingco said.
One of the Aklanons, Lesley Mobo, 29 is already one of the Filipinos in European countries who became famous in fashion designs. A native of Makato, Aklan his clients were European celebrities among those is hotel heiress Paris Hilton.
The organizers said the Boragala Affair is the precursor for the next bigger event in the island on November 2007 targeting the international audience in cooperation with Manila based Manila Genesis Entertainment and Management to feature Gary Valenciano and other celebrities.
For inquiries contact: Rainbow (cp #09053634693)
from the readers
An investment to showcase Filipino Culture? The first aborigines of Aklan especially Boracay were the Aetas. And they, thanks to providence, are still surviving to preserve their culture. Needless to say, they are essential part of the culture of Panay. Remember the barter trade between Datu Marikudo and Datu Puti? The States have Indian reservations to respect not only their culture but the dignity of the persons who were natives of the land.Till now, the Daughters of Charity have a hard time acquiring even a a title of a small piece of land to the Ati: the original settlers of Boracay and we spend millions without even thinking of them.If we want to showcase the Filipino culture in Boracay, the Aetas should be given their their rightful land. Private and government sectors need to realize that aside from these big projects, our fellow human beings are becoming strangers to their own land.
Fr. Am Mijares
Fr. Am Mijares
from the readers
Tama ka! kalolooy tana ang mga tawo sa Malay pirme. Puro sanda lang tanan (mga negosyante ag pulitiko sa Boracay) ang naga benipisyo sa mga proyekto sa Boracay, mentras ang mga ordinaryo nga tawo naga tulo lang ang laway dahil sa sobra mahal ang mga balaklon. Indi man masarangan ang presyo bay dahil owa sang trabaho dahil ang mga nataw-an sang trabaho sa Boracay mga taga iba man nga lugar indi halin sa sa Boracay!
anonymous
anonymous
Thursday, May 3, 2007
from the readers
Hope that Aklanons truly benefits this project not only the corrupt local politicians and greedy businessmen in Boracay!!!!
anonymous
anonymous
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
P1B new Boracay investment to showcase Filipino culture
Jun Ariolo N. Aguirre
Boracay Island- A P1 billion new investment is set to rise in this resort island by the Titay’s Foundation which is aimed to showcase the ingenuity of the Filipino culture and values.
In a corporate press conference held in a hotel Thursday, Milagros Lumbo founder of the said foundation bared her plans that the project will be set along Sitio Cagban in this resort island now considered an entry point to this resort island.
The
“The site is of two hectare land area and will be divided into three areas the
Based on the plan presented to the local media here, the project dubbed as the Boracay Business and
“The project has already disseminated to the contractors in Metro Manila and many of them have already inquired about the feasibility of the existence of the project in
Aside from its service features, Lumbo said that the project will be prioritizing Aklanon applicants for employment since the project is considered an Aklanon investment.
They are also planning to invite aeta leaders on how they could be inculcated in the cultural tourism the project offers so that the original Filipino cultures and traditions and will be preserved in the tourists that continue to visit this resort island.
(for inquiries on the project pls e-mail us at newsrepublic23@yahoo.com)
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