KALIBO, Aklan (PIA) The Island of Boracay in Malay, Aklan continues to prove its allure as a tourist haven and regain its spot in the tourism industry, as it was hailed as the Top Island in Asia in the 2022 Condé Nast Traveler (CNT) Readers' Choice Awards.
Based on the US based luxury and lifestyle travel magazine’s website, the Island, known for its white sandy beaches and pristine waters, earned a rating of 95.13 in securing the top spot.
Boracay Island bested Bali, Indonesia; Koh Samui, Thailand; Langkawi, Malaysia; which ranked second, third, and fourth, respectively.
Also included in the list were Phuket, Thailand in fifth place; Phú Quôc, Vietnam in sixth spot; Sri Lanka (7th); Okinawa and Ryukyu Islands, Japan (9th); and Phi Phi Islands, Thailand (10th).
Meanwhile, Palawan, which is also a gem and pride of the Philippines, got the eight spot with a score of 88.99.
CNT also recognized the Philippines with a score of 86.66, for securing the 30th place out of the 48 Top Countries in the World to travel to.
In a statement, Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco expressed her and the agency’s gratitude for the international awards for the Philippines based on the opinion and experience of travelers from all over the world.
She noted that such recognitions affirm everybody’s efforts
In his report, he emphasized the gains made by the province through the support of the nationally implemented Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) funded by the World Bank (WB), which he said Aklan is a proud partner.
“Already in its mid term implementation, a number of successful projects such as farm to market roads, abaca nurseries and trading center, chicken restocking, oyster and mussel production and coco oil mill have been completed boosting agro industrial development in the countryside,” Miraflores said.
He revealed that recently, the provincial government of Aklan became the sole awardee of the Certificate of Recognition for the Good Convergence Practices by the WB and the
to herald not only the country’s natural wonders but also the readiness to become the premier tourist destination in Asia.
Fasco added that she is confident that the acclaim for the country’s flagship destinations will help garner more international interest to the Philippines. (AAL/SQP/PIA Aklan)
Tourists continues to flock in Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan. Boracay, known for for its white sandy beaches and pristine waters received 122,373 tourists in September 2022. (SQP/PIA Aklan)
KALIBO, Aklan (PIA) The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) here and the local government unit of Malay, Aklan are implementing measures to prevent entry to Boracay Island of shellfish particularly oysters or “talaba” from the province of Capiz, after coastal waters of six areas there the towns of Panay, Pilar, Ivisan, Sapian, President Roxas and Roxas City turned positive for Paralytic Shellfish Poison (PSP) or red tide.
The presence of red tide in the coastal waters of Panay and Pilar towns and Roxas City was confirmed by BFAR on September 29 while Ivisan, Sapian and President Roxas towns were confirmed to have red tide on October 5.
According to John Rey De Eyoy of the Fishery Protection and Law Enforcement Group of BFAR Aklan, even before the release of Shellfish Advisories from BFAR September 29 confirming that the three areas in Capiz are positive for red tide, entry of oysters to Boracay Island had been stopped.
This is because as early as September 25 when laboratory tests in Capiz showed signs of red tide, LGU Malay, through its Municipal Agricultural Office (MAO), was already alerted by BFAR Aklan.
De Eyoy explained that BFAR Aklan and LGU Malay have quarantine officers posted at seaports particularly in this case the Caticlan Jetty Port, where people bringing in food products to the island are required to present auxiliary invoices issued from the place of origin of the goods.
“Products will not be allowed to be brought to Boracay Island without said invoice,” De Eyoy said.
It was learned during the latest Provincial Local Price Coordinating Council (PLPCC) meeting here that prior to this announcement from BFAR regarding red tide affecting some areas in Capiz, some resorts in Boracay Island had been sourcing their oyster supply from Roxas City, even labeling on their menu that such oysters are from Roxas City.
When reached for their update, MAO Malay, through Agricultural Technician for Fisheries Division Reymark Sinel, confirmed the statement from BFAR Aklan that before shellfishes and other sea products could be brought to Boracay Is-
land, documents stating the place of origin of such products should be submitted first to quarantine officers.
He said that by the time the BFAR Shellfish advisories were released on Sept. 29, the Caticlan Jetty Port was no longer allowing entry of oysters from Capiz to Boracay Island.
Meanwhile, with red tide affecting coastal waters in some areas in Capiz, BFAR Aklan will be closely monitoring coastal waters of Batan Bay in Aklan, which is shared by the municipalities of Altavas, Batan, and New Washington.
De Eyoy said when testing the coastal waters for red tide, three samples are being examined meat sample, water, and plankton.
He noted that once the tests turn negative, monitoring will only be held monthly, but if the samples test positive for red tide, monitoring and testing will be weekly. (JBG/VGV/PIA6 Aklan)
Aklan’s price inflation, that is, the annual rate of change of prices of goods and services, continues to grow up to 6.7 percent in September 2022, from 6.3 percent recorded in the previous month, according to Philippine Statistics Authority.
It is relevantly higher compared to 0.1% inflation posted in September 2021, and recorded the highest since January 2019.
The fast annual growth was mainly brought by the increasesinFood items with 9.9% from 9.4% in August; housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuelsspikes at4.7% from 4% in the past month; and clothing and footwearwhich inflated from 1.3% to 2.4% in a span of one month.
Also, faster inflations were observed in alcoholic beverages, from 8.5% to 9.4%; personal care and miscellaneous products, from 0.7% to 1.1%; health, 3% to 3.4%; and furnishings and other household maintenance products, from 7.3% to 7.5%.
On the other hand, year to year inflation slowed down for transport commodities which recorded 9.9% in August to 9.7% this month.
Prices of recreation, sport and culture, 2.3%; education
The Social Security System (SSS) released the guidelines for its two assistance programs offered to its members and pensioners residing in areas declared under state of calamity due to Super Typhoon (STY) Karding.
Under its Circular No. 2022 027, the SSS opened the Calamity Loan Assistance Program (CLAP) for members, and the Three Month Advance Pension for SS and Employees’ Compensation (EC) pensioners residing in Nueva Ecija (Province Wide); Dingalan, Aurora; Macabebe and Candaba in Pampanga; San Miguel, Bulacan; Cabangan, Zambales; Concepcion, Tarlac; Burdeos, General Nakar, Jomalig, Panukulan, Patnanungan, and Polilio in Quezon Province; and all other areas that may be declared under state of calamity by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) due to the said super typhoon.
The two programs are open for applications from October 7, 2022, until January 6, 2023.
“We hope that through these programs, we may be able to help our affected members and pensioners recover from the adverse effects of STY Karding,” SSS President and CEO Michael G. Regino said.
Under the CLAP, members may avail of a loan equivalent to one monthly salary credit computed based on the average of their last 12 monthly salary credits or the amount they applied for, whichever is lower. It has a payment term of two years (24 equal monthly installments) with a low interest rate of 10 percent per annum, computed on a diminishing principal balance. The service fee of 1% of the loan amount is waived.
To qualify, a member must: (1) have a registered My.SSS account on the SSS website (www.sss.gov.ph); (2) have at least 36 monthly contributions, six of which should be posted within the last 12 months prior to the month of the filing of application; (3) have at least six posted monthly contributions under the current coverage/membership type prior to the month of loan application for self employed, voluntary, non working spouse, and land based Overseas Filipino Worker members; (4) be a resident of a declared calamity area due to STY Karding and suffered damage or loss to property; (5)
have not been granted any final benefit claim such as permanent total disability or retirement; and (6) have no outstanding Restructured Loan or CLAP.
Applications for the CLAP must be coursed through the member’s My.SSS account. The online facility can be found under the Loans Section of the E Services Tab. For employed members, their application must be certified by their employer.
Calamity loan proceeds will be credited to the member’s Unified Multi Purpose Identification (UMID) Card enrolled as an ATM. In its absence, it may be credited to the member’s enrolled bank account in the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module (DAEM), which can either be a Philippine Electronic Fund Transfer System and Operations Network (PESONet) participating bank or Union Bank of the Philippines (UBP) Quick Card.
Pensioners in declared calamity areas due to STY Karding, on the other hand, may apply for the Three Month Advance Pension by submitting at any SSS branch a properly accomplished Application for Assistance Due to Calamity/Disaster duly certified by their Barangay Chairman. In the absence of the certification, a certification from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or NDRRMC will be accepted.
The proceeds of the advance pension will be released through check by the branch where the pensioner filed his or her application. If the check was not claimed within 10 working days from the branch’s receipt, it will be mailed to the pensioner’s mailing address.
However, pensioners with existing loans under the Pension Loan Program (PLP) are not qualified to apply for the said advance pension.
The complete guidelines of the said programs are posted at https://bit.ly/SSSCI2022 027, while the additional areas declared under state of calamity due to STY Karding are based on the situational reports of the NDRRMC. (Amiel Genova/ SSS)
MGen Benedict M Arevalo, the Commander of 3ID, said there is no truth in the allegation of the Karapatan Negros
the military is imposing lockdown in Himamaylan City following the series of encounters in Brgy. Carabalan since October 6.
"This is yet another desperate action of Karapatan Negros to hamper our peace efforts in the area that aim to protect the Himamaylanons from the terroristic activities of the CPP NPA Terrorists. We put up checkpoints as normal police and military procedures to ensure the safety of the residents living near the encounter sites and to prevent the NPAs from escaping the area. The people's safety is our top priority. Keeping them safe against the cruelty of the CPP NPA terrorists at all times is part of our sworn duty," MGen Arevalo said.
The 3ID Commander added that with the support and commitment of theLocal Government Unit and other government agencies, particularly the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the troops continuously give food packs to the affected families," he added.
In an article in The Manila Times, ACT Teachers party list Rep. France Castro said that they strongly denounce the military lockdown and the indiscriminate bombing by the Philippine Army that has caused fear and has compromised the safety of the residents of the uplands of Himamaylan.
"The unwavering support of various government agencies and stakeholders to the Army to include financial, emotional and psychological help to the affected families is commendable. We are doing our best to provide them with utmost security and support while they temporarily take refuge at the designated evacuation center," the 3ID Commander further said.LTC MAGNO M MAPALAD III (INF) GSC PA)
