“The Philippine Statistics Authority said the contribution of the tourism sector to the economy grew 11.2 percent year-on-year last year”
UNDOUBTEDLY one of the top tourist destinations of the country, Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan is known for its white sand beaches.
Over the years, the government has been working to ensure Boracay remains an attraction to both local and foreign visitors.
In 1997, when Boracay was reported contaminated with coliform, then President Fidel V. Ramos flew there and led a group of swimmers to dispel the reports. The athlete and sportsman that he was, FVR bathed in the waters of Boracay showing visitors it was safe to do so.
In 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte, signed Proclamation 475 declaring a state of calamity in three barangays – Balabag, Manoc-Manoc and Yapak – of Boracay Island and the temporary closure of Boracay as a tourist destination.
He declared the island a “cesspool” because of overcrowding, uncontrolled development and disregard for environmental standards.
A DENR-led Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force was tasked with supervising the rehabilitation of Boracay. Four years after its closure, the DENR announced its successful rehabilitation.
Boracay can be reached by air or ferry and land transfers. For those who wish to travel by air, there are two airports nearby: the Kalibo International Airport and the Caticlan Airport, the latter being the closest to Boracay and is a popular transit hub to the island paradise and one of the busiest airports in the Philippines with over three million passengers by last year’s figures.
Caticlan Airport was officially renamed Godofredo P. Ramos Airport via Proclamation 500 signed by then President Benigno S. Aquino in Nov. 7, 2012.
Former Aklan Congressman Ramos is known as the Father of Aklan who authored Republic No. 1414 that provided for the separation of Aklan from Capiz. He was also a former Governor and a Justice of the Court of Appeals.
This month the new passenger terminal building of Caticlan Airport broke ground with no less than President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as guest of honor.
With him were DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon and San Miguel Corporation Chairman/CEO Ramon S. Ang.
SMC subsidiary TransAire Development Holdings Corp. operates the airport and oversees its modernization. Its runway which used to accommodate only turbo propeller aircraft has been expanded. The runway expansion was completed in 2016 to accommodate bigger jets.
The construction of the passenger terminal building has been delayed due to right-of-way issues, among others.
It was in 2024 when the contract to design and construct the building was awarded to Megawide Construction Corp. RSA said construction of the passenger terminal building can be done in two years.
“While some of the right-of-way issues are being worked out, we have made enough progress, and with the design now ready, we can finally start building the PTB. We are confident that we can get this job done in 24 months,” RSA said.
Once completed, the terminal is expected to serve seven million passengers annually and accommodate 3,000 passengers simultaneously.
It will have six passenger boarding bridges, 36 individual check-in counters, improved security screening areas and baggage handlings systems for efficient passenger traffic. With the capacity to accommodate jet airliners, direct flights to and from regional destinations will be possible thus decongesting the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
“We are slowly putting together the building blocks of our policy of opening up our areas, tourist areas, our business areas, to international travelers without having to go through the Manila airport,” President Marcos, Jr. said during the groundbreaking ceremony, adding upgrading the airport is essential to boost regional tourism and help spur economic development.
The Philippine Statistics Authority said the contribution of the tourism sector to the economy grew 11.2 percent year-on-year last year.
At current prices, the share of tourism direct gross value added to the gross domestic product reached 8.9 percent in 2024.
Meanwhile, Aklan Governor Jose Enrique Miraflores said the new passenger terminal building will boost the tourism industry as he cited the province’s growing role in national tourism. “We remain committed to making every gateway to the province world-class and future-ready,” he said.
DOTr Secretary Dzon cited the importance of public-private partnership in improving the transport infrastructure as he thanked SMC for its commitment to complete the project in 2027.
“Through this project, Boracay will strengthen its position as a premier destination while boosting the tourism economy and improving travel comfort for both domestic and international passengers,” Dizon said.
SMC is an active partner of the government in its transport infrastructure projects. It is currently undertaking the rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport through the New NAIA Infra Corp. and the New Manila International Airport (Bulacan Airport) through the San Miguel Aerocity, Inc.
Among its transport infra projects are the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway, Pangasinan Link Expressway, the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road, South Luzon Expressway, and the Skyway System, and the NAIA Expressway.
(The author is president/chief executive officer of Media Touchstone Ventures, Inc. and president/executive director of the Million Trees Foundation Inc., a non-government outfit advocating tree-planting and environmental protection.)
