Nothing is lost in Caticlan reclamation project - Marquez
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan - The provincial government is helping the private sector to attract more tourists by investing in infrastructures to provide better services in Catilclan jetty port in the town of Malay.

Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez said despite opposition of some sectors, the Marina complex project in the jetty port will push through that would accommodate more pump boats to service tourists once the reclamation is completed.

“Today, five pump boats are serving the passengers for Boracay Island at a time in the gateway Caticlan terminal. How about if 1,000 tourists arrived in the jetty port... it would take at least 30 pump boats to ferry them to the island. That 45 minutes of waiting to reach the island is already a bad experience for Boracay-bound tourists,” Marquez said in his Governor’s Report to the People last Friday.
“This reclamation is a government led project which intends to develop the coastal areas of Barangay Caticlan. We did not wait for private investors to provide additional facilities for our tourists. Nothing is lost in this project," the governor stressed.

Marquez said,” over the years, tourists are complaining of the facilities in the jetty port such as rest rooms that are good for three persons and waiting lounge that is too small for inbound travellers of Boracay Island.”
Provincial Planning and Development Officer Engr. Roger Esto said the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) has given the go signal for the provincial government on October 19 to start the Phase I construction involving 2.6 hectares in Barangay Caticlan.

The Phase I is estimated to cost P260-million which involves the expansion of the existing Caticlan jetty port and terminal, a modern and airconditioned waiting lounge and construction of berthing wharf
Esto said the provincial government has submitted to the PRA the requirements for the final site development, reclamation methodology, engineering design, source of bidding materials and its quarry permits, hydraulic modeling, stability of rivetment structures, mathematical modeling of tidal behavior for Caticlan area, design analysis of drainage system and other geohazards requirements.

"The project is technically and financially stable. It is also environmentally sound as cited in the environmental compliance certificate issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on April 27," Esto added.

Marquez said the provincial government, backed by the Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan, intends to start the multi-million reclamation project before the year ends.

Earlier, the Boracay Foundation Inc (BFI), a group of business owners in the island of Boracay, has urged the DENR to stop the implementation of the project, citing, threats to environment. A militant fisherfolks organization also asked President Benigno 'Noynoy' Aquino III to terminate the project in Barangay Caticlan.