P260-M world-class Caticlan port construction all set

[OceanBreezeInn]

The Aklan provincial government is scheduled to start early next month the construction of a world-class jetty port in Caticlan, Malay, Aklan as part of its plan to accommodate the continuing influx of tourists, both domestic and overseas, to the famed resort island of Boracay.

A ride on board a motorized ferry boat from Caticlan to the worldfamous white-beach island takes about 25 minutes.

Aklan Governor Carlos S. Marquez said they are already set to begin the expansion project of the Caticlan jetty port as they already have the necessary documents issued by pertinent government agencies.

Marquez said the project will cost around P260 million, with the amount to be raised through a bond flotation. "We are about to start the construction of a world-class jetty port for Caticlan which will form part of our preparations for the arrival of the anticipated over a million tourists expected to come to Boracay in 2012 or 2013,” he said.

The Aklan governor said the project will be a big help to local businessmen, including resort owners, in Boracay businessmen and resort owners even as he informed that the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) has already given the province approval to start reclaiming 40 hectares of the sea beside the existing Caticlan jetty port.

The expansion project will cover only some 2.56 hectares, Marquez said. He said the decision to expand the existing jetty port in Caticlan after it became apparent that the port had become too busy as part of the Philippine Nautical Highway. Caticlan is a popular roll-on roll-off port (RORO) connecting Boracay and the rest of Aklan to the Panay mainland and other parts of the Western Visayas region.

Aklan Provincial Planning and Development Officer, Engineer Roger M. Ecto said the project will be completed within a year by the project’s private contractor. He said the project will be self-sustaining as it is expected to be a very lucrative income-generating project of the province.

Ecto also added that the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region VI has already issued the needed Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) for the project, a clear indication that the Aklan provincial government has complied with the country’s environmental laws.

Source: mb.com