Inside Boracay: Week 7

Inside Boracay: Week 7

Inside Boracay: Week 7 started out very wet, with strong winds, rain and a lot of flooding on the prepped roads of Boracay.  And it didn’t improve for much of the week!

Despite this the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was still out in force, even late in to the night, continuing to clear the roads of materials from demolished buildings, and working on digging the pits for the new sewage pipes.  Due to the current state of the roads, with many sections still being prepared for pipework, and the high rainfall, there was a lot of flooded areas of Boracay.

Whilst there is still work taking place on the roads, it is noticeably less than previous weeks.   It is expected that one reason for this was due to the weather, whilst the other is that DPWH is awaiting the release of the 500 million Pesos, required for the next stage of the project, before it can proceed (see below for further details).

Lhen Brutton, island photographer, was on hand to capture some photos of the DPWH’s hard work, in all weathers.

Inside Boracay: Week 7. Red Cross Boracay lead on feeding programs

Boracay’s Red Cross Chapter continue with their feeding programs, providing hot food to 316 adults and children living in Yapak and Little Diniwid on the 7th June. 

Red Cross also assisted with the Balik Eskwala Mission, providing school bags and supplies to children in Balabag Elementary School, which had been donated by members of the OneBoracay movement; Travel Warehouse Inc, Department of Tourism Boracay, Island Star Express, Paradise Garden and Le Soleil De Boracay

Inside Boracay: Week 7.  One Boracay launch fundraising efforts for Boracay

OneBoracay have some super cool fundraising T’s with proceeds going to Boracay Projects.  You can contact them on the link to their Facebook Group for further details.   

OneBoracay is also organising a Party For A Cause event for Thursday 14th June, at Resorts World Manila.  A charity concert to raise funds for Boracay’s displaced workers. Acts lining up include: PRIMO, The Arrangers Band, Draybers. 

The Entrance fee includes: One round of Drinks, Hors d’oeuvres, and a Raffle ticket.  OneBoracay shirts will be available for Sale at the venue.   

Big Thanks to all our Manila-based supporters, and those working tirelessly behind OneBoracay

Inside Boracay: Week 7.  Habagat is here!

Storms-a-brewing June 8 Video credit Islander Jay Rold.  Whilst you’re at risk of getting sand blasted and soaked through, it is actually lovely to have a clear view of the raging ocean during Habagat; normally the beach would have screens up to protect tourists enjoying the beachfront bars and restaurants, obscuring the view.

Inside Boracay: Week 7 – June 8 The Philippines to tackle its over-reliance of Single Use Plastics

Sen. Loren Legarda announces a plan to ban single-use plastics and micro-plastics.  The announcement comes 6 days after Boracay’s own Proposed Ordinance for a ban on Single Use Plastics was also announced, on Facebook by SB Maylynne Aguirre Graf. 

Sen Legarda advised at the 4th Asia-Pacific Coral Reef Symposium, held in Cebu, that the Philippines has one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world but is also a major source of plastic trash, in the world’s oceans.  The Philippines contributes 2.7 million metric tonnes of plastic waste, and 500,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste leakage per year; making it the 3rd worst plastic polluters in the World (Greenpeace Report). 

Sen. Legarda cited other countries that had already passed laws.  Sen. Legarda was quoted by Inquirer.Net as saying:

“It is now time for the Philippines to implement the same law. Banning micro-plastics and single-use plastics will help reduce waste and move people away from a throwaway culture. The waste that we produce, unless minimized and managed properly, will find its way into our oceans and will affect both marine and human life.”  

Evidence is available everywhere of Marine life dying due to ingesting plastic bags etc but recent news has now found traces of plastic in human food sources, such a Sea Salt and Mussels: The Guardian Sept 2017 Sea Salt Contaminated by Plastic

Inside Boracay: Week 7 – June 8 Month of the Ocean Photo Comp won by Boracay Islander Jenny Jara

Month of the Ocean (MOO) has taken place during the month of May, since 1999.  The aims of MOO are to highlight the importance, and significance, of conservation, protection, and sustainable management of Philippine coastal and marine resources.   

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, through its Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) Coastal Marine Division, launched a photo competition on 27th April, open to both amateur and professional photographers. 

Jenny Jara, a diver employed at Watercolors Diving Adventures, and seasoned dragonboater with Boracay Dragonforce/Dragonflies, won the competition with a photo of a Giant Frogfish taken inside one of Boracay’s divewrecks.   Jenny was presented with her award by Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu, at the Asia-Pacific Coral Reef Symposium (APCRS) in Cebu.

Inside Boracay: Week 7 – June 8. Here & Now with Agentspecialas

Here & Now is a popular shop located in D’Mall, which includes a number of recycled products made by locals and mainlanders.   Some of their most popular sellers are the sturdy bags made from recycled Kite-Surf kite material, as well as the colourful woven shopping bags made using tetra pack material; the plastic coated pouches that fruit juice comes in. 

Tetra-Packs are man-made products that take decades to break down in the environment, which makes them ideal for weaving hard-wearing re-useable shopping and beach bags, rather than be dumped for landfill. 

We just love this photo of one of the weavers, from AgentSpecialas who clearly enjoys her work.

Inside Boracay: Week 7 – June 9.  The Bleeding Hearts Club School Program  

The Bleeding Hearts Club is a charity supporting one of the island villages, particularly the children of the village.  Island Resident Finn Ronne, met with the school Principal, teachers, children and parents to set out the expectations for attendance by the children, whose enrollment and school supplies have been paid for by the charity. 

The children will start their new school year on the 11th June.

Inside Boracay: Week 7 – June 9. Women Producers attend 3 day agricultural assessment.

As reported in our Week 6 Article, Pinay Boracay  Boracay Women Producers Co-operative were invited to attend a 3 day Community Assessment, for the Department of Agricultures Urban Agriculture Pagkain Para sa Masa.

They will now wait to hear, along with representatives of Boracay’s Ati Tribe, if they have been successful in the DA & DA-attached Agencies Programs and Projects.  The groups have submitted a number of project ideas and proposals for.

Inside Boracay: Week 7 – June 10 Gift Giving

Gift Giving took place at Malabunot for 500 people, sponsored by Jin Daheng Shooting Range, the Boracay Filipino Chinese Association and Philippine Coastguard CG, Philippine Coastguard Auxillary 609 and Kabalikat Civicom 961 Boracay. 

It is the collective community spirit on this small island, that truly makes Boracay special.

Inside Boracay: Week 7 12th June Independence Day on Boracay

Early morning and the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Malay, and uniformed personnel representatives, gathered at Balabag Plaza to commemorate the 120th year of Philippine Independence.

Municipal Mayor, Ceciron S. Cawaling, spoke during the commemoration ceremony paying tribute to all Philippines heroes who have, and still defend the country.

Inside Boracay: Week 7 13th June & DPWH is awaiting the release of Funds for the new road development

Rappler reported that The Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH), Western Visaya’s Regional Office is now just waiting for the agency’s special authority.  Once this is received they will begin to to implement the widening of the road from Manoc-Manoc to Balabag. 

Because of the level of funding required for this project; set at 500 Million Pesos, the Regional Office must first have an official Special Authority Approval, from DPWH Secretary Mark Villar.  An additional budget will also be required for the remaining road section from Balabag to Yapak.

244 structures have been partially or totally demolished so far, to make way for the new 12 meter wide main road.

The DPWH also reports that 94% of the 1.46-km stretch from Cagban to Manoc-Manoc Rotunda is already workable, while 75% of the 3.80-km stretch from Rotunda to Mt. Luho Junction is also cleared.  Akelco (Aklan Electric Cooperative) have a total of 471 electric posts to set back for the new road.

1,075 truckloads of rubble and debris have been transported, by the DPWH, to a temporary area in Balabag. Sadly the island has lost 92 trees, to the road widening project.  Many residents felt that with some better planning, many of the mature Palm Trees lost (mostly from Bulabog Beach) could have been dug up and transplanted to White Beach instead.

Read the full Rappler Article here

Inside Boracay: Week 7 – Closing with Station 1 & 3 Road Updates – June 11 & 13