Search This Blog

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Boracay visitor arrivals surpass half-million mark, generates P10 B tourism receipts

Kalibo, Aklan – Tourists arrivals in Boracay Island have surpassed the half-million mark a month before the year ends, records from the Provincial Tourism Office here show.

From January to November of this year, a total of 547,305 tourists, domestic and foreign, visited the island. Their arrival in the island generated a total of P10,062,326,737.00 in tourism receipts, with the foreign tourists contributing P6,535,377,089 and the locals adding P4,770,800,330.

Of the more than half a million arrivals in the island within the eleven month period, 189,005 were foreigners; 300,955 domestic and 57,345 were Overseas Filipinos.

Foreign tourists registered the highest arrival during the month of August numbering 19,023, while domestic tourists crowded the island during the month of April with 75,739. They also came in droves in the month of March with 35,330; May, 51,464 and June, 29,832.

With still a month to go before the year ends, more tourists, foreign and local, are still expected to visit Boracay especially during this holiday season.

Last year, total tourist arrivals in Boracay reached 558,084. Translated to tourism receipts, their arrival generated P10.2 Billion. By 2010, Aklan anticipates that arrivals will reach the one million mark.

Tourism is one of the anchor industries of the province of Aklan, along with agriculture. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)

Aklan solon assures passage of Cheaper Medicines bill soon

Kalibo, Aklan – The Cheaper Medicines Bill is to be passed soon, because its passage is very important and will benefit Filipinos needing medicines.

This was the assurance given by Aklan Congressman Florencio Miraflores recently, conveyed to his constituents in a radio interview on the current activities of the Congress as far as passage of important bills are concerned.

Miraflores said the Cheaper Medicines Bill will be passed as soon as some amendments get cleared.

“Amendments to the bill being introduced by some congressmen must be studied and clarified so that objectives of the bill may not be circumvented,” Miraflores said.

The Aklan solon also said the bill has the full support of lawmakers from Western Visayas, singling out Congressman Ferj Biron who himself owns a chain of pharmacies in Iloilo.

Just this week, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo asked lawmakers to work on the passage of the proposed 2008 budget, the Cheaper Medicines Bill, and the amendment to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001.

Aside from these priority bills, Congress leaders likewise assured the passage of six more bills in the last six session days and these are the establishment of a credit information bureau; amendments to the University of the Philippines charter, magna carta for small and medium enterprises, personal equity retirement fund, agriculture competitiveness enhancement fund, and civil aviation.

President Arroyo also reiterated her instructions to her Cabinet to ensure a steady supply of affordable rice and cheap medicines, especially during this Christmas season. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)