PIA-AKLAN BALITA VOL. VI ISSUE NO.01

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Volume VI

KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA6) - The island of Boracay generated a total of P56,147,744,220.60 in tourism receipts last year, according to the Aklan Provincial Tourism Office. The “tourist-spend”receipts in 2017 increased by 14.83 percent as compared to the 2016 figure of P48,895,469,783.40. The said earnings came from the 2,001,974 tourists the island received in 2017; surpassing the two million target. APTO record showed that the 1,052,976 foreign and 42,060 overseas Filipino tourists from January to December 2017 were able to spend a total of P38,781,844,608.00 in Boracay. Meanwhile, the 972,994 domestic tourists spent about P17,365,899,612.60 for the whole year of 2017. Chinese comprised the biggest number of foreign tourists on the island last year at 375,284; followed closely by Koreans at 356,644; and Taiwanese at 40,802. Also included in the top 10 list of foreign nationals who visited the island were tourists from United States of America with 22,648 arrivals; Malaysia with 20,585; United Kingdom 17,416; Saudi Arabia 15,944; Australia, 15,365; Russia, 14,074; and Singapore, 9,897. The local tourism office targeted 2.2 million tourist arrivals in Boracay this year. (JSC/SQP/PIA6 Aklan)

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KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA6) -- The Atiatihan Site Task Group (ASTG) which was formed by the Aklan Police Provincial Office (APPO) to secure this year’s week-long Kalibo Sto. Nino Ati-atihan Festival is aiming for ‘zero’ major incident. This is according to APPO Acting Provincial Director PSSupt. Lope Manlapaz, who said tight security must be enforced to secure the safely of thousands of Ati-atihan revelers flocking to Kalibo’s main streets during the celebration’s highlights – the traditional street dancing and the devotion to Sr. Sto. Nino by attending the Pilgrim’s Mass, daily ‘Paeapak’ and novena at the St. John the Baptist Cathedral. Since January 15, the APPO, through the task group, has established 19 police assistance centers at strategic areas in Kalibo, particulary near the festival and staging areas. Before entering the festival and staging areas, revelers will also be subjected to inspections of their bags and backpacks at pedestrian screening areas also operated by police officers. The PNP forces at assistance centers and pedestrian screening areas are augmented by Kalibo’s municipal auxiliary police. There are also checkpoints for inner border security in the towns of Numan-

January 1 - 15, 2018

A policeman (left) checks belongings of Kalibo Atiatihan revelers before they are allowed to enter the festival zones during the 2018 Kalibo Sto. Niño Ati-Atihan Festival. Source: http://www.kaliboaklan.gov.ph

cia and Banga, the neighboring towns of Kalibo, and at Barangay Pook in Kalibo, which is near the boundary of Kalibo and New Washington, another neighboring town. The checkpoints are jointly manned by the PNP and the Philippine Army. The security of this year’s Kalibo Sto. Nino Ati-atihan Festival is being augmented by 700 additional policemen from the Police Regional Office. PSSupt. Manlapaz said these policemen will be deployed in the streets and at police assistance centers to augment the local police force. First batch of these policemen from PRO6 arrived in Kalibo on January 13, while the last batch of the augmentation forces will be deployed on January 18. Kalibo Chief of Police Senior Police Continued on page… 03

KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA6) -- The province of Aklan attained for the first time its targeted 1% blood collection representing 1% of the province’s total population, days before 2017 ended. Based on records from the Provincial Health Office (PHO) here, Aklan’s 2017 total population is 600,348. 1% of this is 6,003, while actual blood units collected reached 6,053, bringing the blood collection percentage to 1.01. As in previous years, blood collection activities in the province were spearheaded by the Philippine Red Cross in

coordination with various health organizations and volunteers. Major sources of collected blood through Mobile Blood Donation (MBD) activities were the local government units (55%); Private organizations, (23%); Walk-in donors (9%); agencies, (10%); schools (2%); and religious groups (1%). Six Aklan municipalities were also able to attain their blood collection target corresponding to 1% of their respective population. These are the towns of Banga, which

was able to collect 1.56%; Madalag, 1.39%; Tangalan, 1.36%; Malinao,. 1.34%; and Batan and Lezo, 1% each. PHO-Aklan said top three of these municipalities will be awarded during the Blood Olympics activities of the province later this year. Meanwhile, the Aklan Blood Coordinating Council (ABCC), which was formed in support of the National Voluntary Blood Services Program (NVBSP) of the Department of Health, vowed to help maintain and sustain the attained 1% blood collection of Aklan. Megs Lunn, ABCC President, said Continued on page… 02


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PIA-AKLAN BALITA VOL. VI ISSUE NO.01 by Aklan Infocen - Issuu