Politics – FAQ.ph

Why Boracay Is Closed for Tourism: Everything You Need to Know

September 10, 2018 By FAQ Leave a Comment

The Philippines has a lot to offer when it comes to the best travel destinations around the world. The island of Boracay, for instance, has been a popular travel spot for beach bums, party-lovers, and travelers who want to have fun under the sun.

However, recent announcements from the country’s president himself shocked local and international tourists who want to finally step on the white sand beaches and swim in the pristine waters of this paradise: Boracay has been closed for tourism because of the government’s plan for its rehabilitation. The official closure is expected to last six months from April 26.

This article will tell you everything that you need to know about the recent Boracay closure. Here are the most commonly asked questions about Boracay being closed to the public – and the answers to keep you informed.

1. What were the factors that led to the island’s temporary closure?

There are several factors that led to the island’s temporary closure. Some have been observed for years while others have only been recently discovered after the government finally put their focus on the island destination. Here they are.

Too many annual visitors

While many people found the Boracay closure both shocking and sad, others claim that they actually saw it coming. The island-paradise gets millions of visitors every year and this small little town couldn’t really keep up with the growing numbers of tourists and travelers from all over the world.

Illegal building on protected lands

Several hotels and other types of accommodations have been built on the island. While some of these establishments followed the local environmental laws, experts found out that half of all the famous buildings on the island were actually built on recognized protected lands.

Environmental Issues

The popularity of Boracay boosted the local economy and benefited small and big business, but the environment was the only one taking all the bad effects of over-tourism – and this is one of the primary reasons why the national government mandated the temporary closure of the island.

Ill-managed sewerage system

Boracay’s infrastructure was not able to keep up with the demands of millions of yearly visitors, especially when it comes to the island’s sewerage system. According to reports, the entire network was ill-managed, and several waste materials were found out to have been dispersed directly to the beach water – a perfect scenario that has dramatically contributed to the growth of harmful coliform bacteria and other types of algal growth.

Overall waste disposal management

Even with the sewage treatment as well as the solid waste disposal system available on the island, there is still a majority of hotels and residential homes that do not benefit from this infrastructure.

Moreover, the solid waste problem has increased dramatically in the island, especially during peak season. According to the reports, the entire island produces an average of 90-115 tonnes of solid waste every day, and there are only 30 tonnes that make it to the nearby island’s landfill.

2. How long do tourists have to wait for Boracay’s reopening?

The early announcements by President Rodrigo Duterte stated that the closure for the purposes of rehabilitation should last for a maximum of six months. The plan was implemented on the 26^th day of April, but recent reports suggest it might take more than that. Nonetheless, investors are positive that it might be sooner than promised.

However, as the local government focused on efforts to rehabilitate the island, more problems and issues started to emerge.

3. As soon as Boracay reopens, what changes should the public expect?

When Boracay finally reopens, locals and foreign tourists should expect several changes not only in infrastructure but also in the policies that will be implemented on the island.

Limits of guest and visitors

After Boracay finally reopens, the local government may have to impose limitations on the number of tourists that visit the island. While this is still not official, many environmental advocates, as well as the Tourism Department, think that doing so is very crucial to the full recovery of the island.

Better Infrastructure

Because of the current problems with the sewerage system and the challenges of better waste management, locals and tourists should expect that these will be the primary focus for rehabilitation and improvement in infrastructure. For starters, pipes that illegally dispose waste into the sea will be removed, preventing harmful algal bloom and reducing the formation of Coliform bacteria in the island’s waters.

Roads will be also wider, especially specific road systems that run from the northern to the southern part of the island. Additionally, the government plans on building a new circumferential road and complete it before reopening the island to tourism.

Relatively higher rates

There is a big possibility that rates for accommodations, goods, and services in Boracay might increase. According to several tourism officials, making Boracay more expensive will not only lessen the visitors and guests of the island, it will also reduce the demand of the island’s resources.

4. How did the closure affect the country’s economy?

Revenues from tourism are one of the biggest in the country, and the closure of Boracay has undoubtedly affected the Philippine economy. According to analysts, over PHP 1.9 billion will be lost from the expected 6-month Boracay rehabilitation.

5. Conclusion

Boracay’s temporary closure may have affected the business and tourism sectors of the island, but the government believes that it was a sacrifice that they must take so that the next generation can still experience the true beauty of this island paradise.

Why Many Filipinos Will Vote for Duterte

November 28, 2015 By Rig Man 8 Comments

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte leading the blowing of horns during the Torotot Festival 2015 in Davao City: Photo by Bro. Jeffrey Pioquinto, SJ via Flickr. See more photos here.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte led in the results of the recent survey conducted by Pulse Asia in Metro Manila on November 11 and 12, 2015 (source: Manila Bulletin). On November 27, 2015, he finally filed his certificate of candidacy for president in the 2016 elections, giving all his supporters the hope and joy they all have been wanting for all this time.

Many Filipinos call him the “phenomenon”, the “country’s last hope”, and the “man of no-nonsense action”. His popularity in the social media is overwhelming. While we cannot deny the accomplishments he achieved as the Mayor of Davao City, it’s still somehow a mystery to many of us how he earned such fame and how he influenced a lot of Filipinos to eagerly want him as the next president of the Philippines.

Below are my opinions based on my observations, experiences and some statistical data on why many Filipinos will vote for Duterte in the 2016 presidential election. [Read more…]

7 Reasons Why Rody Duterte could Win the 2016 Presidential Election

November 23, 2015 By Rig Man 11 Comments

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte lighting candles and offering a prayer in memory of those we lost during Typhoon Yolanda. Photo via Rody Duterte’s Facebook Page.

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has finally decided to run for president in the May 2016 National Elections. But does he have the chance to pull it off? Do his supporters have the basis to call him the next president of the Republic of the Philippines? Most of us already knew the story of Duterte’s journey to presidency. So without further ado, here are 7 reasons why he could win the 2016 presidential election. [Read more…]

Is Vote-buying Illegal in the Philippines?

October 26, 2015 By Rig Man Leave a Comment

vote buying

Is vote-buying illegal in the Philippines? Yes, vote-buying is illegal in the Philippines. According to Section 261 (a) of the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines (Batas Pambansa Blg. 881), vote-buying and vote-selling are among the prohibited acts which are punishable by the said law. [Read more…]

Top 12 Richest Politicians in the Philippines

October 23, 2015 By Lyza R. Sabornido Leave a Comment

Richest Filipino politicians

The life of a politician in the Philippines is as controversial as the life of actors and actresses in the showbiz; their lifestyle is always scrutinized by the people. Most of the time, they are blamed for the poverty experienced by their constituents.

In accordance to Republic Act No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, politicians are required to submit their duly accomplished Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) to declare their assets such as real properties and cars, their liabilities such as loans, debts and dependents. And of course, their net worth or what is left of their assets minus the liabilities.

Based on the summary report of filed Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) for 2014 of members of the House of Representatives and Senate of the 16th Congress, it shows that Senator Cynthia Villar remains to be the richest politician in the Philippines. While, ANAKPAWIS Party List Representative, Fernando “Ka Pando” L. Hicap remains to be the poorest with a net worth of only P95, 572 although this figure has already increased compared to P37, 722 back in 2013. [Read more…]

6 Reasons Why Jojo Binay could Win the 2016 Presidential Election

September 27, 2015 By Rig Man 12 Comments

Vice-president and presidential aspirant Jejomar Jojo Binay at a meeting with municipal mayors. Image via Wikimedia Commons

First of all, I’m not a supporter of Binay, Roxas or Poe – the three who have already officially declared their presidential candidacies for the coming 2016 elections. As of this day, I’m still undecided as to whom my vote will go for the presidential poll. I’m writing this article to give some ideas, clues and updates about our country’s endeavor to elect the most deserving leader who will bring us to peace and prosperity.

There are several Filipinos, especially the netizens, who think that Binay is already a certain loser in his bid to presidency because of the many allegations of corruptions that are thrown against him. However, there are some facts and other information that they might have overlooked. Here are 6 reasons why Jojo Binay could still win the 2016 presidential election: [Read more…]

How to Register with the COMELEC Biometric Registration

September 22, 2015 By Lyza R. Sabornido 2 Comments

No Bio No Vote

The upcoming 2016 Presidential Elections is one of the most talked about topic these days. Three Presidential candidates have already announced their interest in running for the highest position in the Philippine government and there are already a lot of issues that are coming out too. People are expressing their opinion about the candidates some bashing some showing support but before we focus on the elections, there is something every Filipino should have to be able to truly express what they want for our country. I am talking about securing voter’s ID.

As we might have observed, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), rolled out a campaign to collect voters’ biometric data for next year’s election with the slogan ‘No Bio, No Boto’ or ‘No bio, no vote’. You might have seen their tarpaulins along highways and busy streets but most people have no idea as to what is the reason why we need to have our biometric data collected by the commission. So COMELEC also used various ways to spread information to people such as social media youth drives and malls. [Read more…]

11 Ways to Identify a Corrupt Leader

September 20, 2015 By Rig Man 8 Comments

Crocodiles are usually associated with corrupt politicians in the Philippines. But in reality, crocodiles aren’t greedy. Crocs have slow metabolism and they only eat an average of one full meal per week. They can even survive for months without food. Public domain image from Pixabay.com

The Philippine national and local elections are fast approaching. With all the problems our country is facing, i.e., poverty, malnutrition, high unemployment rate, lack of infrastructures, and traffic congestion, we cannot afford to elect corrupt leaders, especially a corrupt head of the state.

A corrupt politician isn’t only someone who steals the money of the people but corruption also has many other forms that many people don’t realize. A corrupt leader could also be someone who corrupts his promises, duties, responsibilities, and the trust that the public is giving him or her.

The future of our children depends on our votes. Once again, political aspirants will come to us like job applicants wanting to be hired. Don’t make a mistake and hire the wrong ones. Here are 11 ways to identify if a political aspirant is corrupt or not. [Read more…]

Top 12 Most Liked Philippine Presidentiables on Facebook

September 10, 2015 By Rig Man 4 Comments

Possible or qualified candidates in the 2016 Presidential Poll. Photos grabbed from their respective official Facebook pages.

There are 40 million estimated number of Facebook users who are 18 to 65 years old from the Philippines according to Facebook’s Ads Manager. This huge number is already 80 percent of the 50 million voters who are already registered for the May 2016 local and national elections.

However, not all of those 40 million Facebook accounts are unique, genuine, or are using accurate personal information such as age and location. Nevertheless, we can’t still deny the fact that there are millions of Filipinos who are using Facebook and that their voting power can make a big difference in the 2016 national poll results.

Almost all Filipinos who are using the Internet use Facebook, whether it’s on their desktop computers, tablets or smart phones. Though it might be far from the actual 2016 presidential poll results, it’s interesting to see the numbers of people who liked the official pages of people who will run or might run in the coming elections.

If you are curious about who the most liked presidentiables on Facebook are, here are the top 12 possible or qualified presidential candidates who have the highest number of likes on their Facebook Pages as of September 10, 2015. [Read more…]

7 Signs that Elections in the Philippines are already Near

August 14, 2015 By Rig Man Leave a Comment

How do we know that the national elections in the Philippines are already near? Well, we don’t need to witness politicians formally filing their candidacy. We don’t need to see influential people and institutions endorsing their favorite candidates. The breeze of elections in the country is palpable even a year before it’s held.

Here are 7 signs that elections in the Philippines are already near:

1. Lots of roads are getting reconstructed or repaired
I’m not sure if this is true all over the country. But here in our province, it has already been a trend that road repairs and reblocking are happening when the elections are already approaching. I’m not certain why is it happening. Perhaps our roads are just made to last for 3 years or 6 years? Who knows? I heard the news that lots of road reblocking are also happening right now in Metro Manila. So I guess it’s happening across the country. What do you think?

2. Politicians are becoming a favorite guest on TV shows
Politicians, especially those who have massive followers, are hot commodities when elections are nearing. They become celebrities who can make any TV station’s rating soar. Thus, they become a favorite guest on talk shows and even on sitcoms. So have you already spotted one?

3. Politicians are getting closer to the masses
When the elections are already near, we see politicians frequently visiting the masses, attending fiestas, commencement ceremonies, school anniversaries, et cetera. We even see them having lunch with the poor and do the “kamayan” (using one’s bear hands in eating). And when asked if they are doing it as part of their political campaign, their answer is not affirmative.

4. Political ads are already visible online and off
The official and legitimate start of the campaign period in the Philippines for the national candidates (i.e., president, vice president, senators and party-lists) usually start 90 days before the elections. However, we can already watch political ads on televisions as early as 9 months before the elections. And in social media, where it is difficult to regulate political ads, expect to see sponsored political ads on Facebook as early as a year before the election day.

5. Printing businesses are already getting busier
The demand on tarpaulins and other materials used for campaign is rising when elections are near. If you own a printing business, you can surely feel it. It’s like all the money in the country are just spent on every politician’s will to win the election. I hope it’s not the taxpayers’ money.

6. There are surveys here and there
The hype is getting stronger with surveys of the top candidates for president, vice-president and senators. These political surveys are getting picked up by media and disseminated to the public. But the question is… can we trust these surveys? Well, it’s up to you.

7. The political battle begins.
Black propagandas are unleashed, political enemies are persecuted or even jailed, laglagan na (confessing to prove that someone is guilty), the battles in the political arena begin. But remember that the battles are only part of the country’s unending political war.

The signs I mentioned above are only based on my personal observations. My goal is to present them to the public and learn if the Filipino people also have the same thoughts as I do. So which among the signs above have you already seen or felt?

What other signs can you add to the list? Feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions in the comments below.