Volume VII
KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA) -- The Aklan Police Provincial Office (APPO), in partnership with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) here, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) conducted a Unity Walk and Peace Covenant Signing for Secured and Fair Elections (SAFE) 2019 on Sunday, January 13 in Kalibo, Aklan. APPO Provincial Director PSSupt. Lope M. Manlapaz said the activity was aimed to drumbeat the significance of the May 2019 elections and herald the start of the election period. Manlapaz added the Unity Walk and Peace Covenant Signing is part of the advocacy to promote awareness and invoke the intervention of the Almighty
KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA) -- All the 17 towns in Aklan province have already a Negosyo Center (NC). Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – Aklan OIC-Provincial Director Ma. Carmen Iturralde, during the recent agency’s monthly press conference dubbed ‘DTI Meets the Media', said the last three Negosyo Centers launched were in Balete, Batan and Madalag towns. The establishments of NCs all over the province is a partnership between the DTI and the respective local government units (LGUs) to assist the towns’ micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in enhancing or developing
Issue 01
God for safe elections this May 2019. The walk, attended by prominent election stakeholders composed of leaders, personnel and members of concerned government agencies, religious groups, academe, students, civic and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), started at Magsaysay Park at 6:35 a.m., converging at the St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Kalibo. Prior to the walk, a short program was held at the Magsaysay Park where DILG-Aklan Provincial Director Roy Defino represented by MLGOO-Kalibo Valerie Briones, gave the welcome message while COMELEC-Kalibo Election Officer Atty. Rommel Benliro recognized participants. Lawyer Elizabeth D. Doronila, COMELEC-Aklan’s newly-assigned Provincial Election Supervisor, gave the
January 1 - 15, 2019
Peace Covenant Signing for Secured and Fair Elections in Aklan. Aklanon aspirants in the May 2019 National and Local Elections take turns in signing the Peace Covenant in front of the altar of St. John the Baptist Cathedral on January 13, after the Unity Walk, initiated by the Aklan Police Provincial Office, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Dept. of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV). (VGVillanueva/PIA)
rationale of the activity while ecumenical prayers from leaders of various religious communities in Aklan were offered. Upon the group’s arrival at the cathedral, a Holy Mass was held, followed by the Peace Covenant Signing. Aspirants for the positions of Congressional Representatives for the Eastern and Western Districts of Aklan, Governor, Vice Governor, Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) Eastern and Western Districts, and the Municipality of Kalibo joined the Peace Covenant Signing. The election period for the May 2019 their local products to be competitive in elections started on January 13 and will the markets. end on June 12, 2019, with correspondThese centers provide training, busi- ing prohibited acts as specified by the ness counseling, and referrals for other COMELEC. (JBG/VGV/PIA6 Aklan) assistance. To sustain and institutionalize the project, a signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) regularly highlighted each launching. Malay town’s Negosyo Center is located in Boracay Island as DTI-Aklan OIC-PD Iturralde said this is due to a big number of business establishments in the area, but she did not discount the possibility that another Negosyo Center will be put up in the mainland of Malay depending on the availability of funds. (JBG/VGV/PIA6 Aklan)
PIA AKLAN BALITA
Vol. No. VII Issue No. 01
ILOILO City –Thousands of foreign and local tourists are expected to flock the town of Kalibo for the celebration of its 2019 Ati-Atihan Festival, hence, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Aklan District Engineering Office, ensured that major roads are ready forthe expected huge volume of traffic all over the province. District Engineer Noel L. Fuentebella said they have completed the asphalt overlay of 4.819-kilometer road and reblocking of 1.666-kilometer road along Jaime Cardinal Sin Avenue from Kalibo to New Washington in the amount of P44.800 million and P18.619 million, respectively. Said road leads to Port of Dumaguit in the town of New Washington. The project includes installation of warning signs and application of thermoplastic pavement markings for safety of the motorists and traveling public. Likewise, the District has installed safety devices along Aklan West Road in the town of Malay, leading to the newly re-opened Boracay Island. The project, in the amount of P6.064 million, involves installation of guardrails including posts and chevron signage. Fuentebella also said that Kalibo Bridges are fully lighted, while thermo-
Re-blocked road along Jaime Cardinal Sin in Kalibo, Aklan, which is expected to be flocked by both local and foreign tourists during the Ati-Atihan Festival 2019. Photo courtesy of DPWH, Aklan DEO.
plastic pavement markings and repainting of curbs and gutters were also applied along Jaime Cardinal Sin Avenue, which serves as main thoroughfare to Kalibo International Airport. In addition, Assistant District Engineer Leo P. Bionat said they have geared up in undertaking maintenance activities along major roads in the town of Kalibo in Aklan, as part of preparation for the celebration of Ati-Atihan Festival. “Our maintenance team has started patching potholes, sealing cracks and declogging of canals along national roads, particularly in Poblacion areas,” hesaid. (DPWH-R06)
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Another maiden flight from mainland China to Kalibo, Aklan, as Air Philippines commences its inaugural flight from Kunming City, China to Kalibo International Airport on January 9, 2019. Kunming-Kalibo flights, vice versa, are scheduled every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On December 7, 2018, Nanning City, China-Kalibo International Airport flights, vice versa, commenced. NanningKalibo flights are scheduled every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Flights from Changsha City, China to Kalibo, vice versa, also opened on December 12, 2018. Changsha-Kalibo flights are scheduled every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Rene Reyes, Tourism Attache of the Philippine Tourism Office Shanghai said that the new flights aim to increase the number of tourist traffic from China to Boracay Island. On the other hand, Department of Tourism Region VI Director Atty. Helen Catalbas welcomes the new flights from China. DOT Region VI is coordinating with the Tourism Office Shanghai as part of the preparations for the Kunming-Kalibo flight. "New direct flights from China to Kalibo mean more tourists for Boracay Island and other parts of Western Visayas as these tourists also visit other destinations in the region. For this reason, the Department of Tourism Region VI is continuously conducting seminars and trainings to prepare and equip the tourism stakeholders for the growing demand of the international tourism market in terms of tourism products and services”, Catalbas said.(DOST6/MDO)
Sheila Q. Patoza Joselito Edwin R. Ramos Assistants