Aklan gov't has done its homework on Marina project studies - PPDO
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan – Provincial Planning and Development Officer Engr. Roger Esto said the dialogue between the technical people of the province and the Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI) and the municipal government of Malay on the controversial Malay reclamation project was considered fruitful.
“The Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) has did its part, in meeting us together, and find ways on how to open the communication lines between the two parties,” Esto said over DyRU Super Radyo Kalibo.
Right now, the BFI and LGU Malay had requested for the thorough studies of the multi-million project which was presented before by the provincial government, including the impacts of the reclamation project on the environment.
“These (studies) are the tools put in order by the provincial government anchored on the premise of having perceptions and problems regarding the environment in the island of Boracay,” said Esto.
“The provincial officials were given the leeway to explain the project to stakeholders, thanks to Vice Governor and presiding officer Gabrielle Quimpo, who handled well the proceedings. That was a good meeting because everybody was given the opportunity.”
Esto said the issues on environment were tackled so well that even the 1999 Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) of the province was thoroughly scrutinized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Iloilo before the issuance of the 2010 ECC.
“For us, the province has done its homework, has done its part, on the studies. Even the financial consultants hired professors from the University of the Philippines (UP) in governance to study the financial and economic aspects of the Aklan Marina project, which was presented in the Aklan SP last year by Prof. Jorge V. Sibal,” Esto said.
The provincial government, Esto added, had exhaustively done the necessary basic requirements under the provisions of DENR and the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA).
The P260 million Aklan Marina project, adjacent to the existing Caticlan jetty port in Barangay Caticlan, involves the reclamation of 2.6 hectares to provide infrastructures for private and public establishments.