Aklan Supports Subic-to-Boracay Sailing Competition

Kalibo, Aklan- Governor Carlito S. Marquez, Vice Governor Gabrielle V. Calizo-Quimpo and Rep. Florencio T. Miraflores of the province of Aklan extend their full support to the upcoming Subic-to-Boracay sailing competition set to sail on Feb. 19, 2011, preceding the scheduled Boracay Cup on Feb. 22 to 26, by putting up as award to the winners the Perpetual Trophy.

The said competition, being the first sailboat racing event in the Philippines, has envisioned to put Subic and Boracay as part of the Asian Grand Prix Yachting Circuit and the sailing map of the region.

Fifteen local and international teams have expressed intention to participate in the much-anticipated sailing competition. The event is a prelude to a much bigger event which is the 200-mile international race which eyed Boracay as one of the venues of the competition. This will further bolster the tourism industry in the province of Aklan and will eventually become one of the sailing destinations in Southeast Asia, Vice Governor Quimpo said. 

The 4-day Boracay Cup, consisting of two days each windward/leaward courses and two days with one round each in the island courses, was organized by the Subic Bay Yacht Club, Lighthouse Marina Resort and Saturday Afternoon Gentlemen Sailors with the support of the Philippine Sailing Association.

Former Congressman and Commodore Ricky Sandoval of the Subic Bay Yacht Club and President of the Watercraft Ventures Inc. is leading the organizing committee together with Jun Avecila, president of the Lighthouse Marina Resort and International Race Officer Jerry Rollin.

Vice Governor Quimpo represented Governor Marquez in the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between the province and the organizers last Wednesday (Feb.9, 2011) evening at the SP Session Hall, Provincial Capitol.

LVGP Comes to Aklan

Kalibo, Aklan- The League of the Vice Governors of the Philippines will be having its 46th National Assembly to be held at Boracay Regency Beach Resort, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan on February 16-19, 2011.

The assembly will complete the 3rd Module of Diploma Course in Development Legislation and Governance of the vice governors to be conducted by the Development Academy of the Philippines.

The program aims to further capacitate the Vice Governors and make them strategic leaders with the capability to be Peace Builders, Development Instigators, Policy Makers, People’s Partner and Change Advocates.

Vice Governor Gabrielle V. Calizo-Quimpo stressed that crafting and passing and steering of legislation proceeding of every vice governor is not enough even though it is their primary task, but it is a process of inevitability to practice his/her role to be part of the development process and institute changes.

This event was realized through the initiative of the League of the Vice Governors of the Philippines under the new leadership of Vice Governor Leonides M. Fausto, National President for the year 2010-2013 with the Aklan Vice Governor as National Treasurer

Agri Production Diversifies Under Marquez

Kalibo, Aklan- In his 7th State of the Province Address (SOPA) delivered before the Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan during the later’s 3rd Regular Session on Feb. 02, 2011, Aklan Governor Carlito S. Marquez has emphasized the diversification in the province-led programs in agricultural productivity.

While acknowledging that the provincial government maintains Aklan as a surplus rice producer through the years, Marquez said that Aklan’s agricultural thrusts have diversified and ventured into vegetable production, corn production program, fishery projects, abaca production, mango production, banana production and tree plantations, among others.

The governor revealed that a total of 13, 260 mango seedlings were already planted in a 221 hectare-area provincewide and thousands more of tree seedlings were already distributed for planting by the provincial government’s nursery at Nalook, Kalibo.

Through the support of the DA field office in Region VI, some 41, 560 suckers worth P1.33 Million of “lakatan” banana planters were distributed to 320 farmer- beneficiaries, he said.

In 2010, the governor reported a total abaca fiber production of 1,242,344 kilograms with a total estimated value of P50 Million, slightly reduced from a production level of 1,461,292 kilograms in 2009 due to the fiber mosaic disease. But the infestation was placed under control with the help of the Fiber Industry Development Authority. As of December 2010, a total of 4, 208 hectares has been planted to abaca involving 4, 109 farmers, he added.

Five-million pesos worth of hybrid rice corn seeds (1,428 sacks) were distributed last year to 1,845 farmers’ provincewide to jumpstart the hybrid corn production program.

To compliment crop production, Aklan has aggressively embarked on fishery projects like the massive establishment of concrete artificial reefs, fish enhancing devices, shoreline protection and rehabilitation, techno-demo on high saline tilapia culture in cage, modified extensive tilapia culture in pond, oyster culture while maximizing the distribution of bangus fingerlings, the governor further elaborated.

A pilot project on pangasius fish culture, the next big thing in fishery, has been established which may present new business opportunities for Aklanons, Marquez emphasized.

He also cited the successful P1.9 Million Lambaklad project at Baybay, Makato, Aklan which netted more than half a million pesos in net income after 6 months of operation.

Two more projects of the same kind will be established at Mabilo, Kalibo, costing P1.9 Million and another P3 million worth in Katipunan, Buruanga.

Vice Guv Vows a Productive and Responsive SP

Kalibo, Aklan- In her message to all capitol employees of the province during the flag raising ceremonies on Monday (February, 07, 2011), Aklan Vice Governor Gabrielle V. Calizo-Quimpo expressed confidence of a productive and responsive provincial legislative body with the new composition of the Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan for term 2010-2013.

Quimpo vowed that as regular presiding officer of the SP, the body will always work harmoniously and has a pleasant relationship with the chief executive of the province in order to attain a sustained development of Aklan.

The lady vice governor also expressed amazement of the composition of the new SP which according to her seems to represent two successive generations, the old and the young.

The first (the old) generation, she said, is composed of the veteran legislators, the Honorables Nemesio P. Neron, Daisy S. Briones, Jean O. Rodriquez, Rodson F. Mayor and the neophyte but already a seǹior citizen-president of the provincial federation of the Liga ng mga Barangay, Edina Gelito.

Quimpo further emphasized that the young generation of SP members is composed of the Hon. Jose Enrique M. Miraflores, son of former Ibajay Mayor, former Governor, and now Congressman Florencio T. Miraflores, the Hon. Victor Manuel Garcia, the son of former Ibajay Mayor, former Aklan Seǹior Board Member and former Governor Roberto A. Garcia, Sr., the Honorable Phoebe Clarice L. Cabagnot, the daughter of former two-termer Governor of Aklan, Corazon Legaspi, Cabagnot, the Hon. Jonna Morales-Torres, the young lady president of the Philippine Councilors’ League, Aklan Chapter, the Hon. Raymar A. Rebaldo, former Kalibo Mayor and a descendant of notable political leaders of Aklan, the veterans and three-termers but youthful members Selwyn C. Ibarreta and Gerick M. Templonuevo and the Aklan SP’s “Niǹo Bonito”, the Hon. Bob Augusto Legaspi, the provincial SK Federation President and a descendant of the famous Legaspi political clan.

Quimpo emphasized that the SP under her is always cooperative to every request of the Provincial Governor for legislative action on matters affecting the welfare and interest of the provincial government employees.

This is evident, she said, in the passage of the 2010 and 2011 annual budgets of the province which provide for salary increases and bonuses of the provincial government employees.

Marquez cites BIR, DTI Prov’l. Offices Performance

Kalibo, Aklan- Governor Carlito S. Marquez has cited the notable accomplishments of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Department of Trade and Industry provincial offices in Aklan which to him has immensely contributed to the economic growth of the province.

In his 7th State of the Province Address delivered during the 3rd Regular Session of the Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Feb.2, 2011, Marquez singled out BIR Aklan for increasing its tax collection performance by 14.8%, from P578.9 Million in 2009 to P664, 714,186 in 2010, or an increase of a whopping P85,741,295.

Effectively, BIR Aklan exceeded its collection goal for 2010 of P641, 852,000 by 3.56%, or by P22, 862,186.

Though Aklan has reduced its dependency on IRA allotment share to only 62%, well below the national average LGU dependency rate of 79%, the provincial government of Aklan receives a sizeable more than half a billion-peso IRA share of its about a billion-peso annual budget.

Marquez, likewise, praised the DTI Aklan provincial office for the robust performance in export and domestic sales generated by Aklan producers.

Exports registered US$202.000 in 2010 mainly generated by the exports of piǹa cloth, abaca and nito crafts and coco sugar products.

Domestic sales of local producers reached the P129, 903,200 mark mainly through participation in local, regional, national and international trade fairs.

Provincial Government is Financially Healthy-Marquez

Kalibo, Aklan- The provincial government of Aklan under the administration of Governor Carlito S. Marquez has posted a net income of P93, 074,874 last year out of a total gross income of P829, 050,689.

These figures were contained in a 37-page State of the Province Address of the provincial chief executive delivered during the 3rd Regular Session of the Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan on February 2, 2011.

The 2010 provincial government’s net income from operations increased by 27% over that of 2009’s net income of P73, 369, 681, Marquez said.

The 2010 gross income of the province has increased by 14% to P103, 080,510 from the 2009 level of P725, 970,178, the governor further elaborated in his SOPA.

The rosy 2010 financial figures from the operations of the provincial government of Aklan, Marquez added, were attained despite of the economic crunch pervading worldwide where the Philippines is not spared.

Marquez, likewise, has noted that as of 2010, the provincial government is only 62% dependent on its share from internal revenue allotment from the national government, a drastic reduction from the province’s 78% dependency in 2006.

It has to be noted that out of the P829, 050,689 in 2010, the LGU Aklan received a total of P516, 999,816 as it share from the internal revenue taxes.

Supposedly, the provincial government of Aklan would have currently qualified as a first class province, however, the next income classification for local government units has yet to take place in year 2012.

Marquez Acknowledge SP Support

Kalibo, Aklan- As in the previous State of the Province Addresses of Governor Carlito S. Marquez since 2005, the incumbent provincial chief executive expresses his gratitude and appreciation of the full support of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to his administration during his 7th State of the Province Address delivered during the 3rd regular session of the body on February 3, 2011.

Marquez acknowledged the holding of 43 regular and 6 special sessions of the provincial legislative body in 2010 wherein 262 resolutions, 48 appropriation ordinances, 10 general ordinances and 1 tax ordinance were enacted.

The year that passed for the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan was capped with the approval of the almost a billion-peso annual general fund and economic enterprise development budget proposed by Gov. Marquez.

“Let this be a day, therefore, of thanksgiving to our Sangguniang Panlalawigan. Thanks to their Presiding Officer, Honorable Vice Governor Gabrielle Calizo-Quimpo whose passion for legislative propriety and good governance can only be exceeded by her passion for the betterment of Aklan and the Aklanons”, Marquez praises for the Vice Governor reverberated throughout the session hall and SP building where four TV monitors where installed for the occasion.

The delivery of the State of the Province Address (SOPA) of the Governor lasted for 85 minutes with the municipal mayors, municipal vice mayors, department and national agencies heads, law enforcement authorities, representatives of non-government organizations and people’s organizations, academe and the media in attendance.

“To the veterans Hon. Selwyn Ibarreta, Hon. Nemesio Neron, Hon. Daisy Briones, Hon. Rodson Mayor, Hon. Jean Rodriguez, Hon. Gerick Templonuevo and to the new blood recently injected into our legislative arm: Hon. Jose Enrique Miraflores, Hon. Victor Garcia, Hon. Phoebe Clarice Cabagnot, and Hon. Raymar Rebaldo. Thank you too, to our sectoral representatives, PCL President, Hon. Jonna Torres; ABC President, Hon. Edina Gelito; And SK President, Hon. Bob Augusto Legaspi”, Marquez said thanking the present composition of the SP.

Expect “Major, Major” Tourism Related Investments in Aklan

Kalibo, Aklan- During his 7th State of the Province Address (SOPA) delivered during the 3rd Regular Session of Aklan SP presided by Vice Governor Gabrielle V. Calizo Quimpo, Aklan Governor Carlito S. Marquez hinted the coming in of billions of pesos of tourism related investments in Aklan soon.

Foremost, Marquez cited the P2.5 Billion modernization and expansion of the Caticlan Airport on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) project to be undertaken by the Trans Aire Development Holdings Corporation. The project is designed for the widening and extension of the airport runway, construction of the 200-square meter two-storey passenger terminal building and the installation of navigation and air traffic control facilities.

The Aklan Governor also mentioned the multi-billion development of a 500-hectare property in Malay and Nabas owned the Akean Resorts Corporation to be undertaken by the Alphaland Corporation which will develop the area into a world-class tourism complex.

Among the facilities planned to be installed are polo and equestrian facilities, water villas, water sports, and residential estates.

Marquez, likewise, revealed the further expansion of the Kalibo International Airport this year which will entail public investments of about P235 Million to finance the extension of the runway, renovation of the old terminal building, elevated roadway and vehicular parking area.

Aklan’s tourism industry is on the upswing with tourist arrivals in Boracay increasing by 20% from 649, 559 in 2009 to 779, 666 in 2010. Of the number 278,531 were foreign tourists increasing by 44.41% from 192, 873 in 2009.

In 2010 tourist arrivals netted for Aklan an estimated P14.3 Billion in terms of tourism receipts.