BRIDGES generally conĀnote progress. The proposed bridge connecting Caticlan and Boracay Island in Aklan, however, can lead to the Paradise Islandās destruction.
The Conde Nast Travelerās surĀvey for Readersā Choice Award recently declared Boracay as Asiaās best island. The accolade adds to other recognitions of BoĀracayās glamor and glitz that have made it a tourist draw. PreservĀing the islandās natural assets is surely more logical than a bridge to its downgrade and eventual destruction.
Six months after the governĀment closed Boracay, order has returned to the island, prompting people to conceive schemes, inĀcluding the bridge, for its exploiĀtation. For certain, the bridge will allow the free entry of squatters. Likewise, overloading the island with visitors will irreversibly abuse its pristine beaches, decimate its land area, encourage skyscrapers that distort its landscape, deplete water resources, invite morally distorted occupations, and subvert peace and order.
Exposing Boracay to obsessive development will forever ruin its charm and unique desirability. Even under local government regulation, the island has become an expensive place to visit, an adverse compliment that can only progressively worsen.
It is on account of these serious concerns that during its 24th NaĀtional Press Congress, the PublishĀers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI) General Assembly passed a resolution supporting the collective voice of the people of Caticlan and Boracay opposing the misplaced bridge initiative.
Junk the bridge project, preĀserve Boracay!
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Liberating six million Filipinos (1.1 million families) from poverty in just three years, as reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), is no mean feat. Of the countryās 100 million populaĀtion, PSA reported that poverty incidence has shrunk to 17.6 milĀlion in 2018 from 23.5 million in 2015.
Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, a noted economist who chairs the House Ways and Means ComĀmittee, attributes the impresĀsive feat to āDutertenomics,ā the administrationās socio-economic masterplan.
āDutertenomicsā includes the ambitious āBuild, Build, Build program which has already creĀated some two million jobs, and the Salceda-authored Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act, the masterplanās first reform package.
The feat exceeds expectations considering the 6.7% inflation last year due to hiked food prices. Aside from helping fund āBuild, Build, Build,ā TRAIN reduced perĀsonal income tax and increased the take-home pay of 99% of 7.5 million wage earners.
The poverty reduction feat also ādilutes criticisms against the TRAIN which many said will only worsen poverty,ā Salceda noted.