Capitol’s P1.8B budget to prioritize spending on tourism, services, healthcare

The expenditures for next year target programs that will improve healthcare services, develop other tourist spots, support employment programs and the anti-drug campaign in the province of Aklan. 

Aklan governor Florencio Miraflores submitted to Sangguniang Panlalawigan for deliberations the proposed P1,814,806,333 budget for 2017. 

The proposed budget covers P1,062,207,833 regular fund and P752,598,500 for the operation of Economic Enterprise Development Department (EEDD).

Provincial Board Secretary Odon Bandiola said the annual budget increased by P300 million from this year’s P1.5 billion, which reached the P1.8 billion mark for the first time. 

After the series of budget hearings, the executive department is expecting the approval of the 2017 budget next month.

Next year’s budget will prioritize improvements of basic essential services in healthcare, social services in municipalities and barangays including Gobyerno sa Baryo program and re-develop tourism programs to promote side tours in Aklan apart from Boracay.

 

Of the annual budget, the executive department also increased allocation for the anti-drug campaign by law enforcement agencies, support for persons with disabilities and senior citizens and incentive to centenarians and for the protection of children. 

The governor said the budget proposal was drafted by the departments and evaluated by the Provincial Local Finance Committee (PLFC) through forums and conferences with the civil society organizations and stakeholders.

Miraflores added the “EEDD budget is increased by 20 percent compared to previous year due to efforts in exploring possibilities in identifying new revenue resources and innovative solutions to improve collections using the approved revenue code.”

Dr. Rafael S. Tumbokon Memorial Hospital in Kalibo, Aklan got the lion’s share of EEDD budget with P418.987 million or 56 percent of P752.598 million. The second biggest chunk of the budget is port operations with P139.334 million followed by Ibajay District Hospital with P58.490 million.

As to Godofredo P. Ramos Hospital, the executive department proposed P40.359 million while the budget for construction development and quarrying services amounted to P13.704 million.

The province also allotted P9.089 million for resort / hotel operations; P5.897 million for Provincial Academic Center and P5.212 million for commercial center operations. 

The regular budget is also rose by 11 percent which is attributed to slight growth in Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA), the main revenue source of next year’s budget. 

“The assessment of the long term development plan in relation to what were accomplished for the last three years and with consideration to the agenda of our new administration calls for a need to re-prioritize our spending pattern giving priorities to programs that need immediate attention while improving delivery of public service as a good foundation of economic growth,” Miraflores said in his budget message.

Five percent of the budget is also allotted for disaster risk reduction and management programs including construction of evacuation center and purchase of rescue equipments and supplies. 

This year’s budget theme is “Re-Prioritization Government Spending and Transforming Public Services, Linking Budget to Performance Targets with Measurable Results.”

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Men’s physique tilt unfolds in Ati-Atihan fest

Fitness enthusiasts and gym goers will have the chance to show off their bodies in Ati-Atihan Men’s Physique competition on January 6, 2017. 

The final showdown of 10 upcoming physique and fitness athletes from Aklan is a sidelight event of Mutya it Kalibo Ati-Atihan pageant. 

Cash prizes, trophies, fitness products and certificates are up for grabs in the competition organized by Kalibo Sto. Nino Ati-Atihan Foundation, Inc. (Kasafi) in partnership with Ensayo Gym Equipment, Super Fit Gym, Anne Culet Health and Wealth Gym and Cafe and the municipal government of Kalibo. 

Multi-titled bodybuilder and powerlifter Nicky Tsai will grace the event at ABL Sports and Cultural Center. 

Tsai has worked as International Federation of Body Building (IFBB) Philippines chief judge and currently the president/owner of Ensayo Gym Equipment, the largest gym equipments manufacturing company in the Philippines. He was also the 3-time Mr. Filipino-Chinese Bodybuilding Champion and a powerlifting national record holder.

The Ati-Atihan competitors are Rodelon Talco, Ryan Tugna, John Ryan Cano Abello, Josef Manuel Omemaga Tampos, Ronnel Inocencio, Joshua Diwa, Stephen Joseph Guevarra, Reynan Asdolo, Khim Perez and Ritchie Serafica. 

Kasafi chairman Albert Menez said, “definitely, this is a crowd drawer event...an opportunity for fitness buff to showcase their muscular physique, figure, fitness and their hardwork.” 

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

16 sacadas rescued, illegal recruiter nabbed

A suspected illegal recruiter in Aklan was arrested for recruiting 16 migratory sugarcane workers or sacadas on November 21.  

Police said 39-year old Richard Democrito, a resident of Linabuan Sur, Banga, Aklan, recruited and transported the victims on board a Ceres passenger bus to Iloilo province without the necessary papers from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). 

The workers from the towns of Banga, New Washington and Kalibo were enticed to work in sugarcane haciendas in Passi, Calinog and Janiuay in Iloilo. The ages of the rescued workers ranged from 20 to 50 years old. 

Prior to the arrest, a DOLE representative and Roger Zaradulla of RJZ Recruitment Agency coordinated with the Banga police station on alleged case of misrepresentation and unauthorized recruitment operation of Democrito. 

When confronted, Democrito denied he masterminded the recruitment of rescued sacadas after the entrapment operation at around 11:50 a.m. along the national highway of Venturanza, Banga, Aklan. 

The 16 workers recruited were released by the police while the suspected illegal recruiter is temporarily detained at Banga police station lock-up cell. 

Zaradulla said majority of the rescued sacadas had cash advance with the legitimate RJZ recruitment agency. 

"They are using my name to recruit sacadas. These recruiters should follow the law in recruitment, para patas ang laban, dahil kami kumpleto ang papeles," said Zaradulla, who has been in sacada business for 29 years.

According to Zaradulla, the illegal recruiter promised the rescued workers to initially pay them P2,000, but, Democrito gave them P300 only. 

Aklan has been considered as ‘sending’ province or place of origin of the sacadas.  Sacada or seasonal cane cutter working in a sugarcane plantation are usually hired as temporary migrant workers during the peak harvest and milling season, from October/November to April or May. 

The workers normally received ‘anticipo’ or cash advance to pay off debts and support their families. They are employed to do harvesting only or harvesting in combination with sugarcane peeling and hauling since there were limited job opportunities and livelihoods to earn income in their communities. 

Illegal recruitment, under the law, is defined as any act of canvassing, enlisting, contracting, transporting, utilizing, hiring or procuring workers for employment when undertaken by non-licensee or non-holder of authority.

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Bigger jet to boost Caticlan airport arrivals

Bigger aircraft are expected to bring in more tourists to Boracay Island following the Philippine Airlines (PAL) Airbus A320 jet maiden flight to Godofredo P. Ramos Airport in Caticlan, Malay, Aklan on November 18.

Caticlan airport, the second airport in Aklan and one of the country’s busiest gateways, is 70 kilometers by road from Kalibo International Airport in Kalibo, Aklan. The newest flight would allow Boracay tourists and Aklan-bound passengers to directly travel to Caticlan from Manila vice versa. 

The PAL PR2059 flight arrived at Caticlan airport at 10 a.m. at runway 6/24 with 150 passengers on board. The PAL Airbus A320 twin-jet also received the traditional water canon salute at the 1,800-meters runway of Caticlan, an expansion project of conglomerate San Miguel Corporation.

PAL will operate three times a day from Caticlan to Manila at 9:45 AM, 1:15 PM and 4:30 PM. It is offering an introductory fare for one-hour and ten minutes flight for as low as P2,636 Caticlan-Manila and P2,621 Manila-Caticlan, all-in one-way economy fares.

The airport is currently managed by TransAire Development Holdings Corp., a subsidiary of San Miguel, which owns the rights to a 25 year build-rehabilitate-operate-transfer concession deal from the national transportation department.  

Prior to airport expansion, Caticlan airport accommodates small propeller aircraft such as British Aerospace BAE-146 aircraft of SkyJet, ATR 72-500 aircraft of Cebu Pacific and 76-seat Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 operated by PAL Express due to the limited runway capability of the airport. 

During bad weather, the flights are also diverted to Kalibo International Airport, a two hour drive by land to Caticlan.  

The recent development in Caticlan airport will likely impact the number of flights in Kalibo. Aside from PAL, other airline companies are planning to launch international and inter-island flights to Caticlan using their Airbus A320 aircraft. 

The high-capacity aircraft would also increase access to Taiwan and Korea  markets with non-stop flight to Caticlan airport.

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Foreigners caught for ‘sex on Boracay beach’

Going topless and sex on the beach? Don’t do your romantic rendezvous and indecent behaviour in the world famous beaches of Boracay Island.

Two foreign tourists were apprehended in the beachfront near Station 2 in Barangay Balabag at around 2:20 a.m. of November 18 after an immigration officer caught them having sex on the beach.

Immigration Officer I Aldwin Pascua told the  police that he saw the ‘act of intimacy’ of 44-year old Briton “Irene” sitting on Italian national “Steffano” and allegedly having sex with each other. 

Police said the “immigration officer approached the suspects, who were both naked, to stop doing the act, however, the foreigners went farther at the shoreline and waive their hands trying to tease the immigration officer.”

The foreigners met hours and had a few drinks before their arrest for grave scandal by responding policemen of Boracay Tourist Assistance Center (BTAC).

Article 200 of Philippine Penal Code defines grave scandal as “the performance or doing any act which is highly scandalous as to offend against decency and good custom.”

Investigation showed Steffano stayed separately in a small resort in Station 2 while Irene in a resort in main road Station 1 in Barangay Balabag. 

Five years ago, a national television crew filmed a naked couple in Boracay Island allegedly having sex on a public beach during the New Year’s Party.

The tourism department earlier urged the establishments to post signs or warnings “to be happy and enjoy while on the island” and do certain activities privately in hotel rooms.

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL