[ Manila Bulletin Online ] November 27, 2008
By BOY RYAN B. ZABAL
BORACAY ISLAND, Malay, Aklan — Aklan Gov. Carlito Marquez is urging the local government of Malay to fast track the approval of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) for this island resort.
Marquez said the CLUP is important in the tourism industry and development of this island.
"The Department of Tourism (DoT) had submitted the results of their detailed study after several weeks of planning. If there are revisions, the Malay Sangguniang Bayan officials should now act and approve the Boracay CLUP so that the Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan could deliberate for final approval," the governor said in his monthly Governor’s Report over DyRU Super Radyo Kalibo.
The proposed Boracay CLUP is a product of multi-sectoral consultations this year with stakeholders, community leaders and government agencies to sustain the tourism industry and to preserve the island’s environment.
Under Executive Order 72, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan should review and approve the CLUP of municipalities for its developmental plans and identification of investment growth areas.
Marquez stressed that CLUP will restore order on the island and address Boracay’s problems and designates specific areas in the 1,032-hectare island for the technical, organizational, and institutional aspects of environmental protection and infrastructure needs.
This year, arrivals in this vacation island from January to October recorded 534,126 domestic and foreign
tourists, of which, 162,642 were foreigners, 325,349 were local tourists and 46,135 were overseas Filipinos.
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