PIA AKLAN BALITA Vol.3 Issue No.8

Volume III

KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA6) -- Women have also a big role in the economic prosperity of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation’s (APEC) 21-member economies and this the Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) acknowledged in their statement read at the close of their meeting held in Boracay Island May 24.

The statement was read by Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Gregory Domingo, MRT Chair before the conduct of the joint press conference at the lobby lounge of Shangri-La Boracay, venue of the meetings held from May 23-24, 2015.

In the statement, the Ministers Responsible for Trade reaffirmed their commitment to take concrete policies and innovative measures to further enhance women’s economic empowerment through improved access to capital, assets and markets, as well as to innovation and technology, educational and health services, and promoting women’s

KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA6) -- The opportunity to buy quality school supplies at affordable and discounted prices will once again be within reach of Aklanons with the slated holding here of the “Balik-Eskwela Diskwento Sale” on May 25-26 at the Provincial Trade Hall, Capitol Grounds, Kalibo, Aklan.

The “Balik Eskwela Diskwento Sale” will be led by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Aklan in coordination with the Provincial Government here, local dealers of school supplies and

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leadership in public and private sector.

“We welcome the establishment of the APEC Women and the Economy Dashboard as a tool to track progress in reducing barriers in women’s economic participation and informed family discussions,” the MRT statement went, as read by Sec. Domingo.

The statement also assured its commitment to integrating gender considerations across APEC activities including through cross-fora collaboration such as the “Healthy Women, Healthy Economies” initiative.

other goods.

According to DTI-Aklan Provincial Director Diosdado Cadena, Jr., participating groups will be local retailers of school supplies and basic necessities from Kalibo and other areas in Region 6.

“They will sell their products at low or discounted prices for two days at the Provincial Trade Hall”, Director Cadena said.

The project aims to give the people – the parents, teachers and students the opportunity to buy school supplies like notebooks, pad papers, crayons, pencil, ballpen, bags, school bags and uniforms and other office supplies at low prices.

Aklanons can also buy during the “Diskwento Sale” needed household items like canned goods, soap, shampoo and other necessary items.

The holding of the “Balik Eskwela Diskwento Sale” by the DTI is a regular activity of the agency before or in time for the start of classes. JCM/VGV PIA6 Aklan

MAY 16 - 31, 2015

Besides the women, the APEC MRT also acknowledged persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the workforce, by stating that they welcome the initiative to help persons with disabilities to participate in the workforce, and providing them equal access to education to enable their participation to the economy.

The commitments issued by the MRT for women and PWDs were some of the outcomes that emerged in the HighLevel Policy Dialogue on Human Capacity Building meeting to promote inclusive growth through quality education

KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA6) -- The province of Aklan is currently joining a big tourism regional event dubbed “Fiestas in the City” at the Activity Center of SM City Iloilo.

Provincial Tourism Operations Officer Roselle Ruiz said this year’s event – the 13th Western Visayas “Fiestas in the Cities” started May 18 and will culminate May 24 and participated by the 6 provinces of the region.

Ruiz said the activity has become an annual event which is jointly sponsored by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and SM City Iloilo and has become an annual venue for the provinces of Western Visayas to showcase their tourism products and attractions, how they celebrate their own way, every Filipino’s favorite occasion, the Fiesta.

Being featured in this year’s “Fiestas Continued on page… 03

PIA AKLAN BALITA

Vol. No. 3 Issue No. 8

KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA6) -- Nine (9) bicycles ideal for beach patrol along the Boracay beach front were recently received by the Philippine Army (PA) from the provincial government in a simple turnover ceremony at the ABL Sports Complex, Kalibo, Aklan.

The turnover was one of the highlights of the Spearhead Troopers Unity Ride for Peace and Progress conducted by the 12th Infantry Battalion

Bicycles to patrol Boracay Beach. Nine bicycles ideal for beach patrol are lined up neatly at the ABL Sports Complex May 16 during the Unity Ride program prior to being turned over to the Philippine Army by the Provincial Government of Aklan. The provincial goverrnment donated the bicycles to the Philippine Army for use of its beach patrol task group to help maintain peace and order and secure safety of tourists and visitors. Boracay Island is currently hosting 2015 APEC meetings. (PIA/vgvillanueva)

Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan, (PIA6) -- Aklan governor Florencio T. M ir aflor es called on delegates attending the International Conference on Enhancing Tourism Gov. Miraflores Competitiveness in the APEC Region through Alignment of Tourism and Taxation Policies to continue making tourism a reliable source of livelihood for the people.

Miraflores issued this call when he welcomed the participants of the conference May 19 at the Paradise Garden Resort and Convention Center in Boracay Island.

The Paradise Garden Resort and Convention Center is one of the venues of APEC’s Second Senior Officials’ Meeting and Related Meetings (SOM2) in Boracay Island from May 10 to 21 of this year.

In his welcome message, the governor

Philippine Army based at Camp Jizmundo, Libas, Banga, Aklan May 16.

Aklan Governor Florencio T. Miraflores personally turned over the 9 bicycles which were received for the Philippine Army by MGen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero, Commander of the 3rdInfantry Division PA. Also present during the turnover was Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco.

After the turnover, both Governor Miraflores and Rep. Haresco signed the Commitment for Peace.

According to Cpt. Lord Laurence Medina, 12th IB Civil Military Officer, each bicycle is worth P15,000.00 and donated by the Provincial Government of Aklan to aid the PA task group in patrolling the Boracay beach front efficiently for the protection of tourists and residents alike.

Cpt. Medina said the bicycles also come with helmets, to be forwarded by the provincial government later.

Meanwhile, for the unity ride, Capt.

Medina said some 120 officers and members of the Philippine Army and bike enthusiasts from Aklan joined the activity that covered 100 kilometers starting from Kalibo to Banga, New Washington, Numancia, Tangalan and back to the finish line in Kalibo.

mentioned the feats accomplished by Boracay Island as one of the most important tourist destinations not only in Aklan but in the country.

“Aklan, because of Boracay, is now known and recognized as a major contributor to the country’s economy”, Governor Miraflores told the APEC delegates.

Miraflores added that for a small province with a locally-sourced income comprising up to 45% of its total earnings, he said this could be attributed to nothing but a phenomenal result of the concerted effort by the people and the government workers.

For this, he thanked all tourism stakeholders for handling the delicate tourism industry with care which enabled the province to be recognized due to its highest contribution to locallysourced income among the country’s 81 provinces.

With the shared achievement however, the governor said it also brings another shared challenge – maintaining Boracay Island’s lead as the country’s

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Certificate of Appreciation. Aklan Governor Florencio T. Miraflores (center) receives his Certificate of Appreciation from MGen Rey Leonardo Guerrero, Commander, 3ID at the ABL Sports Complex recently during the program for the Unity Ride initiated by the Philippine Army, for supporting the peace-keeping programs of the PA in the province. At left is Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco who also received the same certificate. (PIA/vgvillanueva)

According to MGen. Guerrero, the unity ride is one good way of showing to the people that Aklan is a peaceful province and people are free to move around. He also said that biking is a good recreational sport that promotes good health and at the same time sets an example of unity and collaboration in sports and peace-making endeavors not only in a given community but throughout Aklan.

The province of Aklan had been declared in 2011 as insurgency-free and on April 25, the AFP through the Philippine Army’s 3ID handed over the Internal Peace and Security Efforts responsibility in Aklan to the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) of the province through a joint signing of a Memorandum of Agreement by Gov. Miraflores and MGen. Guerrero and Chief Supt.

Josephus Angan, PNP6 Regional Director, represented by Aklan Police Provincial Office OIC PSSupt. Iver Apellido.

(JCM/aVGV PIA6 Aklan) premier tourist destination.

For this, he said there is a need for a shared vision to assess the impact of current taxation measures in the respective economies and provide a comparative analysis of taxation levels in the travel and tourism industry against taxes imposed on other key sectors.

He too, appealed to the delegates to also help make tourism a reliable source of revenues for the respective governments urgently needed for development programs.

This year’s APEC theme is “Building Inclusive Economies, Building a Better World”. (JCM/VGV PIA6 Aklan)

PIA AKLAN BALITA

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Vol. No. 3 Issue No. 8

Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan, (PIA6) -- The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation – National Organizing Committee (APEC-NOC) remains firmly committed in encouraging responsible tourism in the wake of the influx of visitors in Boracay Island with the holding of the Second Senior Officials’ Meeting and Related Meetings from May 10-21 and the Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) meeting from May 23-24.

This assurance was issued by APEC spokesperson Asec Charles Jose at the press briefing held May 18 at the International Media Center at the EcoVillage Resort and Convention Center here.

Jose said this commitment had been initially shown through the conduct of clean-up drives along the shores of the island led by the APEC NOC together with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of National Defense (DND, Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

BORACAY ISLAND, Malay, Aklan, (PIA6) Sangka hinun-anon hanungod sa turismo ag buhis nga may tuyo nga maka-obra it polisiya para sa matarong nga sistema it buhis sa rehiyon it Asia-Pacific para sa industriya it turismo ro gintalakay kahapon sa isla it Boracay.

“Nagapati ako nga ro tama nga buhis hay kinahang-ean gid, ag lehitimo nga gamit fiscal sa ekonomiya. Daya man hay mabahoe nga lugar para sa mga pribadong negosyo sa sektor it turismo nga dapat gid maka-kontribwer para karon” hambae ni Javier Guillermo Molina, rong lead shepherd it Asia-Pacific Economic Coooperation o APEC tourism working group sa Paradise Garden Hotel.

Suno kay Molina, ro aktibidadis pang turismo sa rehiyon hay naga binahoe ag mataas pa sa ekonomiya sa pangkabilugan ag imaw man ro pinaka “dynamic” sa mga sector it ekonomiya.

Pero, sinana, dapat indi ra intindihon bilang pagpasaka it buhis.

“Ro sector ngara hay hapa matud-an nga matibay ag naka amot para makabangon ro ekonomiya. Ngani, ro mga fiscal policy makers hay dapat mag-isip nga bukon eang it ro short-term nga buhis kundi pati ro medium-term man ro may pwersa para maka obra it economic

Jose disclosed that a beach clean-up with these groups was held early morning May 18 while the previous ones were conducted on May 13 and 15.

“This forms part of our overall effort to reduce our carbon footprint. Since last year, we have been advocating for the use of less paper throughout the Philippine hosting of APEC, encouraging agencies and local government units to instead circulate information through email and social media”, Jose told the members of the international, national and local media attending the briefing.

growth ag development,” dugang pa ni Molina.

Samtang naga desinyo it bag-ong pag-buhis, ro mga policy makers hay dapat indi anay magimponer it arbitrary taxes ag levies, bangod raya hay counterproductive sa ekonomiya, sustainable tourism development ag tourist arrivals, suno kana.

Dayang bukon it matarong nga mga buhis hay makaapekto kontribusyon it sector sa atong gross domestic product, pagpanabraho, ag ku development it micro, small ag medium nga mga negosyo, dugang pa gid nana.

Nag hambae pa gid si Molina nga dapat hay mag dahan-dahan ro mga policy makers sa rondayang kaso para masegurado mga ma-maximize ro pag tubo it domestic ag international travel ag tourism s rehiyon nga owa it sab-eag.

Nag-tao pa gid it suhestyon si Molina nga ro kada ekonomiya hay mag develop Kamana ku gina hambae it United Nations World Tourism Organization o UNWTO , nga “intelligent taxation policies”, kontra sa “uniform taxation”.

Tuyo ku rayang polisiya ro kaseguraduhan efficiency it fiscal system pinaagi sa pag sunod sa nagabaylo-baylo nga environment ag mga delikado nga requirement, ag raya hay mahomo eamang kung padayunon ro mga buhis nga simple, patas ag naga tuyo nga

The APEC spokesperson also revealed the partnership with EMotors Incorporated, a Filipino-owned company and the APEC 2015 green electric mobility partner, to set up an e-trike system to transport delegates between venues in Boracay.

Jose said that as of this time, over 1,500 delegates from all 21 APEC member economies have registered for the meetings.

Theme of the 2015 APEC is “Building Inclusive Economies, Building a Better World”. JCM/VGV PIA6 Aklan

maka kre-ar it stimulus growth.

“Mga buhis nga indi mag abot sa pagpatay ku gansa nga naga itlog it bueawan. Mga buhis nga ensakto,” hambae nana.

Sobrang bahoe ro pag ugwad it travel ag tourism sa rehiyon ku mga nagtaliwan nga pilang dag-on, hambae nana, bagud hakita na nga ku sang-daon, ro kabahoe it travel ag turismo sa America hay 7 porsyento, ag sa Asia Pacific hay 5 porsyento.

Ro development sa regional tourism hay naga bahoe it manami sobra pa sa average ag raya hay maga kre-ar it abo nga trabaho ag abo nga negosyo para sa mga tawo sa APEC region, dugang pa

Aklan joins… from page 01

in the City” are three components: Province/LGU Day, intended to show the respective provinces’ local destinations and products through a series of presentations, dances and other performances; tourism and trade fair, to provide an ideal venue to sell the provinces’ unique products and to promote local tourism destinations and the Sagala, a culminating event where respective festival queens from the region join the parade and represent their town, city or province in the said Sagala.

Aklan’s representative to this year’s Sagala is Gypsy Gail Dioso, second runner up of the Mutya It Kalibo Ati-atihan 2015, according to the Provincial Tourism Operations Office. (VGV PIA6 Aklan)