Boracay suffers P44M damage from ‘Seniang’
BY NESTOR P BURGOS JR
ILOILO CITY -- The damage wrought by typhoon “Seniang” (international codename: Utor) on the vacation island of Boracay cost at least P44 million, resort owners and the tourism department said.
Susan Trinidad, executive director of the Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI), which is composed of the owners of resorts, restaurants and other businesses on the island, said damage to structures of resorts and other businesses reached P35 million.
This amount does not include the speedboats, yachts, and motorboats damaged or destroyed by the strong winds and huge waves that hit the island on December 9 and 10, Trinidad said.
At least 45 resorts incurred damage after strong winds toppled electric posts, uprooted trees and pried off roofing material, according to a report of the Boracay Special Tourist Police Office (BSTPO). The island has more than 200 resorts, hotels, restaurants and other business establishment.
Two boat operators died at the height of the typhoon and two others remain missing, officials said.
But the Department of Tourism (DOT) and resort owners said the damage had "minimal effect" on tourist arrivals on the island although the BFI said it would take at least two weeks before the situation returns to normal.
Helen Camarista, DOT assistant regional director in Western Visayas, said they have received reports of cancellations of reservations for 12 rooms in two resorts.
"The resorts are still fully booked especially by balikbayans [Filipinos returning from abroad] and foreigners who will spend their Christmas and New Year on the island," Camarista said.
Trinidad said the bulk of tourists are expected to arrive next week, when the island would have substantially recovered from the effects of the typhoon.
She placed the cost of lost income due to cancellations at P2 million although she added they are still waiting for reports from their members.
Transportation between Boracay and Caticlan, the jump-off point from the Aklan mainland, remained crippled, however, as up to 60 percent of boats were damaged or set adrift by the winds and sea currents, Aklan Representative Florencio Miraflores said in a telephone interview.
The DOT has issued an advisory that the cleanup and repair of structures on the island would be completed in a few days.
Boracay, part of Malay town, was among the hardest hit areas of Aklan province, which has been placed under a state of calamity.
Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez said damage to agriculture reached P254 million as of Tuesday. The worst hit areas include the towns of Ibajay, Nabas, Malay and Buruanga.
Marquez said electricity has been restored in the capital town of Kalibo and neighboring municipalities but most of Aklan was still without electricity as of Thursday.
In Caluya, Antique, the damage to infrastructure caused by Seniang reached almost P3 million.
Susan Trinidad, executive director of the Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI), which is composed of the owners of resorts, restaurants and other businesses on the island, said damage to structures of resorts and other businesses reached P35 million.
This amount does not include the speedboats, yachts, and motorboats damaged or destroyed by the strong winds and huge waves that hit the island on December 9 and 10, Trinidad said.
At least 45 resorts incurred damage after strong winds toppled electric posts, uprooted trees and pried off roofing material, according to a report of the Boracay Special Tourist Police Office (BSTPO). The island has more than 200 resorts, hotels, restaurants and other business establishment.
Two boat operators died at the height of the typhoon and two others remain missing, officials said.
But the Department of Tourism (DOT) and resort owners said the damage had "minimal effect" on tourist arrivals on the island although the BFI said it would take at least two weeks before the situation returns to normal.
Helen Camarista, DOT assistant regional director in Western Visayas, said they have received reports of cancellations of reservations for 12 rooms in two resorts.
"The resorts are still fully booked especially by balikbayans [Filipinos returning from abroad] and foreigners who will spend their Christmas and New Year on the island," Camarista said.
Trinidad said the bulk of tourists are expected to arrive next week, when the island would have substantially recovered from the effects of the typhoon.
She placed the cost of lost income due to cancellations at P2 million although she added they are still waiting for reports from their members.
Transportation between Boracay and Caticlan, the jump-off point from the Aklan mainland, remained crippled, however, as up to 60 percent of boats were damaged or set adrift by the winds and sea currents, Aklan Representative Florencio Miraflores said in a telephone interview.
The DOT has issued an advisory that the cleanup and repair of structures on the island would be completed in a few days.
Boracay, part of Malay town, was among the hardest hit areas of Aklan province, which has been placed under a state of calamity.
Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez said damage to agriculture reached P254 million as of Tuesday. The worst hit areas include the towns of Ibajay, Nabas, Malay and Buruanga.
Marquez said electricity has been restored in the capital town of Kalibo and neighboring municipalities but most of Aklan was still without electricity as of Thursday.
In Caluya, Antique, the damage to infrastructure caused by Seniang reached almost P3 million.
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