2009 MIss Earth Beauty Pageant in Boracay

Catherine Untalan, Miss Earth Philippines executive director, said that they have been urging several stakeholders in this resort island to ensure that Boracay is clean once the candidates from all over the world arrive on November 18.

The Miss Earth Philippines recently led hundreds of volunteers from the Boracay Special Protection Office, Malay local government, Philippine Dental Association-Boracay, Philippine Coast Guard-Auxiliary, Boracay Foundation Incorporated and the Boracay executives in a coastal clean-up activity.

The activity was in coordination with the Agham group dubbed as Bora-Kay Linis 2009 (Boracay so clean).

“The Miss Earth Foundation finds Boracay as the appropriate venue for the pageant night. We hope that every sector in Boracay would cooperate as we are promoting not only Boracay but also we would give impression to the world that we can be good stewards of the environment,” Untalan said.

This year’s Philippine representative to the Miss Earth pageant is Sandra Seifert from Negros Occidental province.

Boracay News

Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) geologist Dr. Ricarte Javellosa warned that levelling such hill to the ground would change wind patterns in the area, causing white sand particles in the vicinity to be moved and deposited in Tablas Strait, instead of Boracay Island.

”Boracay’s white sand beaches can be gone in no time,” he said on the side of Kapihan sa Sulo forum.

He raised necessity of maintaining the mound, noting ‘Amihan’ and ‘Habagat’ winds converging in Caticlan on each side of the hill are deflected towards Boracay Island, enabling these to transport white sand particles there.

”If the hill is eliminated, there’ll be no deflection anymore so wind will bring these particles elsewhere,” he said.

Javellosa said authorities must review the environmental clearance certificate issued by the DENR to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC)-initiated P2.5-billion runway expansion project.

DENR issued the ECC in 2006 to give way for the development of the Caticlan airport into and an international facility, Javellosa said.

Javellosa also said that upgrading of the Caticlan airport into an international facility would jeopardize tourism in Manila, traditionally the country’s main international gateway.

”Tourists won’t be passing through Manila anymore since they’ll be flying directly to Boracay via Caticlan,” he said.

He said project proponents need not extend the existing 950-meter runway by some 2.1 kilometers stretching all the way to the hill and beyond since confining its additional length to the required 1.6 kilometers only will enable the airport to meet domestic demand already.

”Extending the runway across the hill will also require government to spend extra for purchasing such land,” he said.

Limiting the runway’s additional length to what’s required only won’t cost as much because the State already acquired land covered by this distance, he said.

Aside from compromising Boracay Island’s white sand beaches, Javellosa warned of other environmental nightmares which he said might ensue if authorities level the hill to the ground.

”This will destroy Boracay’s very good micro-climate conditions which are necessary in beach formation,” he said, referring to rain and warm weather occurring on either side of the hill.

He also cited drying up of lakes as among environmental disasters from such destruction.

”Hydrologic distortion will happen,” he warned.

Javellosa also expects Caticlan to experience stronger earthquakes if the hill is levelled to the ground.

”That hill is a seismic dissipater so it’ll be a pity to lose it,” he said.

This month, everyone can avail of the following specially-prepared cuisine and celebrate the Christmas season with these events:

• Bibingka Station at the Sands Restaurant, serving bibingka with Queso de Bola and Salted Egg topping
• December 12 & 13, 18 to 31, 2008, 7-10pm, PhP150+ per person
• Holiday Dinner Buffet – December 18 to 23, 26, 27, 29 & 30, 2008, PhP1,100+ per person
• Traditional Noche Buena Feast, featuring traditional Filipino Noche Buena fare – December 24, 2008, 7-10pm, PhP1,100+ per person
• Buon Natale Dinner Buffet – December 25, 2008, 7-10pm, PhP1,100+ per person
• Bounty of the Sea, delicious seafood served fresh – December 28, 2008, PhP1,250+ per person
• A Classy Duo at the Sands Restaurant, piano and saxophone music by Michael Tambasen and Jojo Bergantin – December 28 to 31, 2008, 7pm
• New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner and Countdown Party, with the GMT Band ushering 2009 with dance tunes from the ‘60s to current popular hits, and a fireworks display at the stroke of midnight – December 31, 3008, 7-10pm, PhP3,200++ per person (adults), PhP950++ per person (children 7 years old and below)

For more information on Discovery Shores Boracay and their many treats this Christmas, guests are encouraged to visit the hotel’s official website at www.discoveryshoresboracay.com/, where they can make direct online reservations and get instant confirmation on their bookings with ease.

About Discovery Shores Boracay

Located on the pristine white sand beaches of Boracay Island in the Philippines, Discovery Shores is the first luxury resort that was built in the area. With spacious guest rooms that all have furnishings combining traditional and modern amenities, the resort also has a restaurant, bar, function room, and spa. The resort also takes pride in their 14-metre high waterfall that cascades from an infinity edge pool that’s also complemented by a swim-up pool bar.

The campaign, dubbed “Save the Climate, Save Boracay” highlighted over the weekend a workshop on energy efficiency and “what resorts can do to lessen their climate footprint.”

The initiative gathered global environmental advocate group Greenpeace and experts from the Green Architecture Movement of United Architects of the Philippines, Aklan Electric Cooperative (Akelco), and Solar, Wind and Electric Power, Inc. (SWEP).

A Renewable Energy (RE) exhibition demonstrating how solar power can work for resorts as well as tourists was also organized by Solar Generation, the Greenpeace’s youth movement.

“Save the Climate, Save Boracay,” the first of its kind in the Philippines, was launched last June during the “Save the Climate Philippine Tour” of Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior.

A manifesto signed by Boracay’s tourism industry stakeholders pushes for the inclusion of energy efficiency measures and promotion of renewable energy use as part of environmental management plans for the island, particularly in the construction or expansion of establishments and the provision of regular energy audits.

It also promotes skills trainings and workshops for establishments to ensure the continuation and replication of successful practices in the areas of energy and water conservation as well as ecological waste management.

“Save the Climate, Save Boracay” is supported by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Tourism (DOT), Malay municipal government, Task Force Boracay, Boracay Foundation, Inc. (BFI), Philippine Chamber of Commerce-Boracay (PCCI-Boracay), and Boracay Association of Resorts, Restaurants and Independent Allies (BARRIA).

The initiative was made possible through a grant from the Foundation for the Philippine Environment.

“This is an initiative to focus attention on climate change issue and the need for all to take assertive action. Tourism that is so dependent on natural and socio-cultural environment needs to be in the forefront working with conservationists and all citizens to achieve the goal,” Greenpeace Southeast Asia Campaigner Beng Reyes-Ong said in a statement.

Ong explained: “The tourism sector is particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. For example, in the Philippines, the DOT’s Anchor Destinations are vulnerable to permanent or episodic flooding. These sites include premier beaches, mangrove forests and world-class dive spots.”

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, the tourism sector contributes to climate change through greenhouse-gas emissions largely from the transport and accommodation of tourists.

“Becoming energy efficient to address climate change is a win-win situation. Resorts will save money by saving electricity while contributing to mitigating climate change impacts. Tourists can also learn about climate change solutions from the resorts for awareness when they go back home or visit other places,” said Ong.

The records from the PTO were displayed during the weeklong statistical exhibit held at the lobby of the Provincial Capitol Building here as one of the activities of the province in observance of Statistics Month.

For the period, foreign tourists were counted at 144,502 while domestic tourists were at 291,953. Overseas Filipinos who visited the island, on the other hand, reached 44,702.

Total tourism receipts generated for the period reached P8,845,301,593.80. Of these, foreign tourists contributed P4,996,561,255.60 while local tourists contributed P4,482,594,990.50.

The report from the PTO also yielded last year’s top ten foreign nationalities who visited the island. Korean visitors had the biggest number with 128,909 followed by Japan, 35,294; U.S.A., 13,362; China, 12,720; United Kingdom, 5,514; Hong Kong, 4,514; Germany, 4,351; Taiwan, 3,621; Australia, 3,420 and Canada, 3,158.

By 2010, the island of Boracay targets to have 1,000,000 visitors. This year’s figures are still expected to swell as there are three more remaining months of the year.