Not everyone welcomes bridge project to Boracay
ILOILO CITY—The municipal government of Malay in Aklan province has yet to receive a formal notice to build a bridge connecting Boracay to the mainland, but a group of boatmen and operators is already opposing the proposed construction, fearing the loss of their livelihood.
The bridge was pitched as a public-private partnership (PPP) solution aimed at improving the transport of goods, facilitating waste disposal, and improving emergency response during typhoons and heavy rains.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), on its website, described the project as “an unsolicited project proposal” with a 1.2-kilometer limited-access bridge infrastructure between Boracay Island, one of the country’s leading tourist destinations, and the main island of Panay, through Malay town.
Godofredo Sadiasa, consultant for the Caticlan-Boracay Transport Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CBTMPC), said members of their cooperative had taken loans amounting to almost P500 million to invest in 48 fiberglass boats in compliance with the government-mandated modernization rules only to be threatened by a project that could render their investment obsolete. CBTMPC’s membership comprises of at least 500 boatmen and 40 boat owners.
In 2021, Sadiasa said CBTMPC members had to replace their wooden-hulled boats with fiber-reinforced plastic boats following the termination of their certificate of public convenience.
“These boats aren’t just businesses. They are our way of life,” he said in a local radio interview this week.
A boatman usually earns around P25,000 to P30,000 a day during regular days and from P35,000 to P45,000 during peak tourism season running from October to May.
A part of their earnings goes to their operators.
“Each passenger pays a fare of P50 for a one-way trip. Each boat has around 50 to 70 passengers and during regular days, each boatman [takes] five to seven trips. During peak season, they have more than 10 trips,” said Kim Pana, who works in a hotel in Boracay and whose cousin is a boatman.
Travel time from the port of Malay to Boracay is around 7 to 10 minutes.
Beyond the economic hit, local leaders and boatmen were increasingly alarmed by the project’s potential ecological footprint.
Easing congestion
Sadiasa said that the construction could damage Boracay’s delicate coral reefs and the broader marine ecosystem which have been the foundation to the island’s appeal and economy.
Boat operators on the island earlier organized a series of protests, including a motorcade that saw dozens of vehicles traveling from Barangay Caticlan to Barangay Poblacion on Oct. 10.
But the DPWH said the bridge “is not envisioned to cater vehicular through traffic, so as not to congest the island, but will be provided with loading/unloading areas on both ends to process the movement of commuters, solid waste, goods and supplies.”
It identified San Miguel Holdings Corp. as concessionaire of the P8-billion project.
Negotiations between the government and the original proponent negotiating teams, according to the DPWH, have been “successfully concluded” on July 19. The DPWH described its status as “ongoing processing for project approval.”
The project also aims to manage the environmental carrying capacity of Boracay Island.
This will open up a new all-weather access for vehicles and pedestrians, “encouraging people to consider alternative accommodations and activity centers at the mainland.”
The bridge is also seen to relieve Boracay “from pressures due to overcrowding and overuse of existing facilities, which ultimately produces adverse environmental impact.”
Public opinion
According to the Department of Tourism, Boracay Island remains the top destination in Western Visayas, hosting 2.12 million tourists in 2023.
Other details of the project, including the bridge’s design, had yet to be announced.
Acting Malay Mayor Frolibar Bautista stressed the importance of public opinion, urging groups and individuals to weigh in on the project’s impact.
“As long as the majority agrees and there’s a win-win solution for those affected by the bridge, especially the pump boat operators, we need to move forward with caution,” he said, noting the need for a comprehensive consultation with local stakeholders.
The municipal council of Malay, in a resolution dated Oct. 10, said it had not received any formal proposal or application for the construction of the Boracay bridge.
It, however, promised to the public that any infrastructure proposals would pass through stringent scrutiny and consultations.
Aklan Gov. Florencio Miraflores, for his part, has opposed the project, arguing it could undermine businesses on the island and essential services reliant on tourism.
Vice Gov. Reynaldo Quimpo said the provincial board was also drafting an official position paper opposing the project.
In a Facebook post, Quimpo lamented the lack of proper consultation with local officials, residents and business owners.
In a statement early last month, the Aklan provincial government had warned that Boracay’s already delicate ecosystem might face further strain, adding to worries about potential job losses and revenue drops that could reach P361 million annually.
