No Economic Crisis in Aklan thanks to BORAcay

The province of Aklan earned last year more than 77 Million Peso from the Jetty Ports in Caticlan and Boracay. Almost nothing has been re-invested in these jetty ports. The toilets are still run down with no toilet paper and smelly - truly world class?

However: FEES which MUST be paid:

- Jetty Port Fee (P 50 each way - will be increased later this year)

- Environmental Fee of once P. 50 (municipality forgot to include yearly increase in their haste to approve this ordinance!)

- Boat transfer (we still cannot walk over water! - still no bridge)

FEES VOLUNTARILY;

- Pick Up Fee from Resort

- Tricycle Fares Caticlan Airport - Jetty Port

- Tricycle/Van Cagban Jetty Port - Stations 1/2/3

From Panay News: MALAY, Aklan – Two jetty ports managed by the provincial government in this town registered a 196 percent increase in its collections last year.

Acting Assistant Provincial Treasurer Rey Villaruel said the Caticlan and Cagban jetty ports posted a collection of P77,521,731.37 compared to the P39,608,154.73 in 2007.

“The increase could be attributed by the high collections in terminal fees, rentals, fees on rolling cargoes and wharfage fees of roll-on roll-off vessels,” he said.

No Economic Crisis in Aklan thanks to BORAcay

great post

...wow almost 1 million extra dollars and no decent public toilets

...I guess its only world class if you dont have to wipe your *ss

Rob

No Economic Crisis in Aklan thanks to BORAcay

Bridge??? That%26#39;s never gonna happen!

I couldn%26#39;t help comparing the jetty in Cebu where we crossed to Dumaguete to the jetty in Caticlan. There was a nice little resto and waiting room, clean toilets with soap, paper and a cleaner on duty, and only one window where you buy your tickets (stapled together) and pay one fee.

The boats are big and modern, not tied together with nylon string!

In comparison, caticlan has a huge jetty but the facilities are pitiful. Dirty toilets, locks broken, no paper or water...

Jetty has no shelter from the elements while waiting outside for the boat (wait inside and you%26#39;ll be there all day).

With the volume of tourists passing through this port every day, I wonder why it is in such a pitiful state.

So were has it all gone then if it%26#39;s not being reinvested? Pocketed by some ';higher ups';?

It%26#39;s very sad to see things like this happen, sure Boracay is booming now it is one of the few places in the Philippines known to outside foreigners as a destination for holidays in the Philippines. But sooner or later if the profit they make off tourists isn%26#39;t reinvested in improving conditions the tourists will start to look elsewhere, then they%26#39;ll wonder what went wrong no doubt.

What is the story with the airport at Caticlan? I heard ages ago it was meant to be getting a new terminal and extended runway, any progress on this?

Mokong: Caticlan airport will be privatised through a BOT scheme (Built, Operate, Transfer). Expect to pay a lot of fees, when flying from that quasi airport in future.

And Sirenna, it is worse than you think. Quote from Panay News today:

KALIBO, Aklan - The provincial government is banking on Boracay Island to help spur economic activities by developing the resort island as a city-like tourism zone.

In his 40-page State of the Province Address (SOPA) on Thursday, Gov. Carlito Marquez said they will start this five-year development plan to achieve the billion-peso richer status by 2013.

The five-year project includes the proposed P500-million project of the Marine Industry Authority, which involves investing for a cable car system from Caticlan to Boracay and vice versa, land reclamation project, pier expansion and a wellness center. The project will be built through the Built, Operate and Transfer scheme.

.....

The local government of Malay, meanwhile, is also eyeing to put up a one-kilometer bridge between Brgy. Caticlan to Boracay Island to help spur economic growth.

“Right now, we are studying how much it will cost for the local government. The plan aims to regulate the flow of traffic in the resort island. It will also provide tourist buses bound from Malay to Boracay and vice versa, which we envision to avoid too many vehicles traveling around the resort island,” said Ed Sancho, executive secretary of Malay Mayor Ciceron Cawaling.

The Malay municipal government is also urging the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and other agencies to utilize the 20-hectare government property in Malay as a housing site for Boracay residents in preparation for the resort island to become a city. (end of Quote)

I%26#39;m looking into providing the cement and sand %26amp; gravle for a good price for all these projects? Want to join?

';by developing the resort island as a city-like tourism zone. ';

WHAT? That%26#39;s maddness, the island is too small for something like that, it is popular now before it is a resort island, people go there to relax or party and get away from the city environment.

Marquez and his band of political thieves have gone nuts and mad!

Absolutely unbelievable! Turning Boracay into a city??? Have they gone mad?

People go to Boracay to escape the city!

They should give priority to KALIBO becoming a city first....before Boracay!

IMO, I think it%26#39;s just all talks..and no action(what else is new?!).

The problem with our politicians is, that they now love the smell of money. The money comes from the private sector and from all the fees and taxes they collect. While the private sector struggles to sell Boracay, the politicians keep on dreaming about visions and forget, that there is a reality on ground. For boracay that means: The infrastrucutre as sewage, roads, flooding, drainage, access, electricity, etc., etc. is detiorating and can not even support a %26#39;small city%26#39; as Boracay is now.

These politicans have nothing learned and make now the same mistakes as the people in the financial sector who blew up the world finances: they speculate and dream about increasing collection of fees, taxes and other income. For them it is a G%26#39;D-given fact that business in Aklan is growing and growing - no matter what. A special case. And this is the dangerous attitude: since tourism started on Boracay the politicians assume that G%26#39;D has given them the authority to print money - no matter what.

We are here a special case, don%26#39;t worry - rest assured and happy....

This is just plain greed, pure and simple. They are killing the goose that laid the golden egg.

Once the natural beauty of the island is gone, what will be the attraction for tourists to go there?

Why not focus on improving the existing cities in the country as opposed to destroying the beautiful islands?