Day: June 4, 2008
Boracay to be declared National Park
Manila (4 June) — Boracay will soon be declared a national park.
This, as President Gloria Macapagal—Arroyo is set to implement an unrepealed Martial Law Proclamation making Boracay a national park and placing its resources under the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA)’s control and administration.
The move will be made as the Chief Executive wants to protect and preserve Boracay’s tourism value which spreads throughout Aklan, while guaranteeing sustainability of the island’s resources and livelihood.
It would be recalled that the Arroyo administration is resolved in investing in vital infrastructures which also includes means to take care of the environment as a reflection of the government’s commitment to better the Filipino people’s quality of life.
In a related development, P200 million worth double lane new Ibajay bridge will be inaugurated to replace the existing Reinforced Concrete Deck Girder (RCDG) bridge, leading to the Caticlan Jetty port that serves as a jump-off point to Boracay island.
The Arroyo government has already expressed gratitude to United Kingdom’s soft loan of over P1 Billion plus a grant of P560 million for the construction of 242 UK steel bridges in the country, including the new Ibajay bridge.
This early, new Ibajay bridge is already seen as a gateway for more developments in the Panay island.
WARNING!!! If you are reading this from another blog, it is possible that this has been copied without my permission. BYAHILO: Ito ang Trip Ko!
Puerto Princesa’s Underground River gets booster from British envoy
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, June 03 (PNA) — The city government’s campaign to include Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (PPSRNP), famously known as “Underground River” got a shot in the arm from the British envoy to the Philippines, no less.
Ambassador Peter Beckingham and his wife, Jill, visited the “Underground River” on Tuesday. The attraction is one of the nominees in the ongoing worldwide search for the “New Seven Wonders of Nature”.
The couple and their party was accompanied by Mayor Edward Hagedorn during the tour of the park.
Currently, the underground river ranks No. 8, in the Live Top 77 ranking at www.new7wonders.com, the UNESCO-declared World Heritage.
Tubbataha Reef, also found in Palawan, continues to improve its rank in the contest by placing third, while Chocolate Hills ranks number 4 now.
Meanwhile, Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Quảng Ninh province, Vietnam and Cox’s Bazar is a major city and district in Bangladesh currently occupied first and second posts, respectively, in the live ranking in the website.
During his two-visit here, Beckingham is set to grace the opening of Sanders Photo Exhibit at the city coliseum 6 p.m. Tuesday and he will visit city’s baywalk area, sanitary landfill, Muslim Al Farouq Institute and Malampaya Foundation.
The park is reputed to be the longest known navigable subterranean river in the world and is the “best seller” among the numerous tourist destinations in the city.
Filipinos can still vote for Underground River, Tubbataha and Chocolate Hills until Dec. 31, 2008 and a shortlist of 21 finalists will be submitted by January 2009. (PNA)
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WARNING!!! If you are reading this from another blog, it is possible that this has been copied without my permission. BYAHILO: Ito ang Trip Ko!
Puerto Princesa’s Underground River gets booster from British envoy
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo orders special boat trip for night-lifers in Boracay Island Philippines
ILOILO CITY, June 3 (PNA) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) to purchase a boat that will ferry tourists from Boracay to Caticlan in the mainland, until 3 o’clock in the morning.
“(The) nightlife is one of the main attractions of Boracay. Those who stay in the resorts in the mainland can’t enjoy it if they have to go back at night,” the President said.
Boats usually go back to the mainland at 10 p.m.
President Arroyo said she agreed with Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano for PTA to buy a pump boat to service “the night-lifers”.
She has tasked the Aklan Ati-Atihan Chamber of Commerce and Industry to operate the boat.
Meanwhile, the President also said in order to preserve Boracay’s tourism value, “an unrepealed Martial Law proclamation declaring Boracay as a tourist zone under the administration and control of the PTA pursuant to the unrepealed Presidential Decree charging and vesting the PTA with functions and powers of tourism administration and control” should be applied.
Being part of the Super Regions plan, Central Philippines is designated as the tourism hub, with Boracay island and other tourism attractions and destinations at its core. (PNA)
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WARNING!!! If you are reading this from another blog, it is possible that this has been copied without my permission. BYAHILO: Ito ang Trip Ko!
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo orders special boat trip for night-lifers in Boracay Island Philippines
New Bacolod Silay Airport Security Lapses
I was in Bacolod City last weekend to attend some personal businesses there. No scheduled photoshoot, No festival, no press event. Just purely a personal business trip. Everything went smooth as planned until I was about to leave the City of Smiles.
I rode a van from the old Bacolod City Airport going to the New Bacolod Silay Airport, some 30 minutes drive north of the Negros Occidental capital. The preliminary security check went fine without any hassle. The check in process was a breeze. But the final security check is a nightmare.
For a person like me who has been traveling frequently. I know how the regular security measures are being implemented. And I understand why they are doing this. I don’t mind getting frisked at the airports, or taking off my footwear before getting inside the pre-departure area. I know they are part of security measures.
But what happened to me at the Bacolod Airport is different. First, I was so shocked to see that their 2 X-ray machines stationed at the final security check is busted. If I am not mistaken, the new airport at the City of Smiles was opened only this January 2008. Goodness, it has not yet even passed the half year mark and the equipments are no longer functioning.
OK, now that the machines are not working, I expect the security officers would do an “extra mile” in performing their duties. But no, I was wrong. The security personnel only opened my bag and just viewed what’s on top of it. She didn’t even care to check what’s buried at the bottom of my bag. I bet, she didn’t even know I had one camera and one extra lens in my bag.
But the security lapse didn’t end here. Knowing for a fact that there was no X-ray machine, I was also expecting to see a bomb sniffing or a drug sniffing dog, but there was none.
Then I passed through the large metal detector. I am not sure if it’s turned on or not. What surprised me is that, they did not oblige me to take off my shoes. I was already about to take off my sneakers when I overheard a lady guard telling me that there’s no need to take off shoes.
What? Is there a re policy overturning the old rule of taking off footwear? That is the very reason why, as much as possible I only wear flip flops during flight. Because it’s a hassle to take off shoes at the airport.
A male security then did frisk me but didn’t even bother to ask what’s inside my pocket. That time, in contained my mobile phone, coins, keys, ID, calling cards.
After a cup of coffee, I decided to get out of the pre departure are and go to the viewing deck. (Yep, Bacolod Airport has a nice viewing deck). When my Manila-bound plane has arrived, I then went back to the pre departure area. And since I went out, Normally, I have to subject myself to all the mandatory security procedures. The guards checked my bag as usual. But to my surprise, the male guard no longer did a body check. Hmmm. That rang the alarm bell in me. What if I had a knife in my pocket? Worse, what if I carried a handgun?
The security personnel of Bacolod Silay Airport must beef up their security procedures. And should implement all the necessary checks all the time. Because we do not know when terror attacks happen. Better be secured than sorry.
WARNING!!! If you are reading this from another blog, it is possible that this has been copied without my permission. BYAHILO: Ito ang Trip Ko!