Boracay infra ports development ahead of APEC

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Ahead of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) possible hosting of Boracay Island for the ministerial meeting next year, the national government will develop Caticlan and Cagban ports in Malay, Aklan into ‘all-weather ports’. 

Caticlan port administrator Niven Maquirang said the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) is allocating P207-million for the infrastructure projects in Caticlan port and P71-million for the extension and widening of existing Cagban port.

Maquirang said the national government is also looking to upgrade the facilities as world-famed Boracay Island is under considerations by APEC organizers to host high-level ministerial meetings on May 2015.

DoTC is set to bid out the Caticlan port development while the Cagban port expansion project will soon be underway for APEC next year. 

Last week, APEC National Organizing Council inspected high end hotels and island facilities as pre-requisites for the hosting of upcoming APEC ministerial meetings. 

“Ang mga resorts and hotels sa Boracay ay ready sa mga makarang mga meetings, but the roads and ports natun ay kinahang-ean na maayos pa bago ang APEC,” Maquirang said.

“We hope maka-bid out na ang DoTC for Caticlan port para maumpisan na it mga contractors.” 

According to Sangguning Bayan Rowen Aguirre, the APEC hosting of Boracay Island is waiting  for the approval of President Benigno Aquino III since the APEC NOC already assessed the readiness of the island.    

Aguirre is designated by Malay mayor John Yap to head an inter-agency local task group in preparations of the local government for the APEC ministerial meetings in the island resort. 

Ahead of APEC Summit, the task group is also discussing contingency plans and from many aspects with government agencies. 

Meanwhile, Maquirang said the government also targets to expand the facilities of the Caticlan and Cagban ports that will handle increasing passenger traffic, around 6,000 passengers daily, and a number of international cruise ships to Boracay Island for the next five to ten years. 

It also plans to put up an alternate port in the northernmost portion of Barangay Yapak to decongest the volume of passengers in Cagban port in Sitio Cagban in Barangay Manoc-Manoc.