The World Wildlife Fund Philippines continues to help us, Romblomanons, in preserving and protecting the natural resources of Sibuyan Island by promoting its newest program called the "Direct Debit Donor Program," where a volunteer donates an amount of P300-P500 per month to the WWF Philippines through debit and/or credit cards like Visa and Mastercard.
This project aims to raise funds for the protection of dolphins and whales [and butandings] inhabiting and enjoying the rich marine life in Sibuyan Sea, for reforestation and preservation of greeneries nationwide, and for continuing environmental education and awareness among our people.
Prior to this, WWF-Philippines has initiated the development of livelihood systems among the Sibuyan Mangyan-Tagabukid, the indigenous group of the area, through farm extension, technological demo farms and credit. WWF has also assisted the group in obtaining a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title and preparing a management plan covering 7,900 hectares of ancestral land.
For more information, you may visit http://www.wwf.org.ph/.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
WWF Philippines Reaches Out to Sibuyan Island
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Rolling the Wheels of Justice
Prior to 2007, many court cases have languished by the wayside, owing to the lack of judges. The Prosecuting arm of the province had also been greatly undermanned, hobbled by the fact that only one public prosecutor had been doing the thankless job of attending court hearings all over the whole province. Needless to say, the detrimental result was that people had become estranged from the justice system, and consequentially, from the government as a whole. To all perspectives, such an overwhelming state of neglect was paralleled only in the neglect that had been callously wrought to the medical services and hospital system in the province.
Enter Congressman Madrona. Daring the odds presented by the past dispensation, he thus spearheaded efforts to jump-start the sputtering wheels of justice in the Province of Romblon by paving the way for the installation of a fresh batch of judges, namely: Hon. Ramiro R. Geronimo (RTC Branch 81, Romblon, Romblon); Hon. Edwin Buffee (MCTC—San Agustin, Romblon); and Hon. Glen Santos (MCTC—San Andres Romblon). This present infusion of judges certainly complements the gallant judgeships of Hon. Jose M. Madrid (RTC Branch 82, Odiongan, Romblon), and Hon. Cirile F. Foja (MCTC—Odiongan, Romblon), who had expressed oneness with the good Congressman in the drive to give more in law to those who have less in life in the province.
In the same thrust, the good Congressman had already made written representations to the Department of Justice and its Regional Offices, so that additional public prosecutors may be appointed or at least detailed in Romblon, in order to reinforce the valiant efforts of the lone-workhorse of a Provincial Prosecutor, Hon. Arsenio R.M. Almadin. In the meantime, the good Congressman had dialogued with the bigwigs of the local justice system towards a more efficient allocation of court schedules in order to maximize the availability of practicing lawyers and public prosecutors, with the end-view of expediting the termination of cases and avoiding unnecessary delays and expenses being suffered by poor litigants.
In terms of affording support mechanisms to employees or personnel in the justice system, the good Congressman also keeps his doors open in order to provide reasonable financial assistance to them, by way of travel and other allowances, so that they will be able to keep abreast of challenges as public servants by attending conventions and seminars for the enhancement of theirs craft or skills.
As if his resolve was not clear already, the good Congressman had also made an unexpected appearance at the Annual IBP-Romblon Chapter Election of Officers, last March 2009 at the Provincial Capital. Needless to state, his appearance and active participation during the affair was a welcome and heartfelt surprise to the IBP members and officers. That appearance was a far-cry, and unprecedented, considering that at no other time had any public official shown such a keen and hands-on interest in the dispensation of justice in the Province of Romblon.
It has been said that an inefficient justice system is where the absence of the government most sorely felt, especially by the indigent litigants. Kudos to Congressman Madrona's efforts. One can almost see Lady Justice’s smile shining on the Province of Romblon. Kudos! - http://romblonpost.com
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
PCG, Romblon folk shoo whales back to sea
Radio dzBB’s Carlo Mateo quoted Coast Guard commandant Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo as describing the local villagers as heroes for coming to the rescue when they spotted the whales off the coast of Odiongan town, a third class municipality in central Romblon.
The latest stranding happened on the heels of an earlier similar incident in Bataan where some 300 melon-headed whales suddenly emerged off the shore off Pilar and Orion towns. Local fishermen and authorities waded into the water and successfully drove the whales away, but not after three whales had died.
Picking up lessons from the Bataan experience, Tamayo said the Coast Guard employed safer and more effective measures to help the mammals make their way back to deeper parts of the ocean.
Tamayo said he has already mobilized his team to troop to the waters and conduct regular monitoring to avoid a similar scenario from happening anew.
The Coast Guard official said he thinks the whales could have lost their way as an effect of global climate change.
Over the weekend, around 200 pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins also found their way off the shorelines of the Narcoopa Beach on King Island, a part of Tasmania. Only around 60 of them were safely ushered back to the sea.
The series of whale stranding has already prompted the International World Ocean Conference to take up the matter when its members convene, the report added.
Perplexed experts have yet to ascertain the actual cause of the unusual behavior of the whales, with some attributing it to a seismic movement beneath the ocean while others saying such whales tend to stay close together at all times. - Mark Merueñas, GMANews.TV
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Search for Magdiwang Ultimate Idol 2009!
2009 MaGdiWaNg ULtiMaTe IdOL 10,000
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
ROMBLON HONORS ITS OUTSTANDING ROMBLOMANONS
Nomination forms are available at the following offices: Romblon Capitol Office at the Office of the Governor – Mrs. Shie Mariveles; Odiongan Satellite Office – Mrs. Eve Formilleza; or at Romblon Investment and Tourism Promotion Office (RITPO) located at Room 201 GJ Bldg., 385 Quezon Avenue, Quezon City – Mrs. Myla Villegas. Likewise, nomination forms can be downloaded from the official website of the Provincial Government of Romblon. The deadline for submission of nominations is on February 13, 2009 (Friday).
The Selection and Awards Committee is composed of ATTY. LUIS JAY FORMILLEZA III, Executive Assistant III from the Office of the Governor, as Chairperson; DR. JETER S. SESPEÑE, President of Romblon State College, as Vice Chairperson; ATTY. ROMEO ROBISO, representing Forward Romblon, as Co-Vice Chairperson; MRS. SEÑA G. OÑAS, Secretary of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, as Secretary and Member; and other members are MR. JOEY VENANCIO, Journalist and Publisher; MR. RAUL BARREDO, representing Forward Romblon; MR. ESTANISLAO M. FAMATIGA, Executive Assistant II and Officer-In-Charge of the Provincial Cooperatives Office; DR. NIÑO REY B. FONDEVILLA, Medical Officer IV; and ATTY. RODOLFO R. RANION, Provincial Legal Officer, as Member.
Governor Natalio “Jojo” F. Beltran III said that the launching of the first ever search for Outstanding Romblomanons and which will be held annually is the province’s way of granting due recognition to their exemplary accomplishments with the hope that they be emulated by others, and also a way of extending appreciation for the things they have done for the province and the country as a whole.
Based on the awards guideline and mechanics, nominations are sought for Romblomanons of excellence from all backgrounds and all fields of endeavor including but not limited in the following categories: education; engineering and construction; entrepreneurial leadership; finance; historical and cultural advocacy; humanitarian service; journalism; law; medicine; movie and television arts; government service; science and technology; spiritual leadership; sports; and statesmanship. Gov. Beltran further announced that special citations and posthumous commendations will also be awarded at the Araw ng Romblon Celebration.
from: Nicely
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
UP study warns: Romblon Island at risk of massive slide from rains!
A study conducted by the University of the Philippines-National Institute of Geological Sciences (UP-NIGS) revealed that Romblon Island is at risk of landslide in the magnitude of what Southern Leyte’s St. Bernard town experienced this year if it is hit by excessive rainfall or a strong earthquake.
UP-NIGS professor Dr. Carla Dimalanta said that based on their study, a collision between the Palawan Microcontinental Block and the seismically-active Philippines Mobile Belt will affect the Romblon Island Group (RIG).
The study was entitled "Geophysical, Geological and Geochemical Investigations on the Arc-Continent Collision Zone in the Romblon, Tablas and Sibuyan Islands, Romblon Province."
"(There was an) assessment of possible geologic and other hazards (in the Romblon Island Group)," Dimalanta said.
According to Dimalanta, the group found shattered rocks in the island province, a very important factor which could trigger a landslide similar to what happened to barangay Guinsaugon, St. Bernard on Feb. 17 following days of heavy rainfall.
"Matigas ang rocks pero because of the fault and structures, naging shattered yung rocks," Dimalanta said, adding that the island province also have steep slopes which make them at risk of landslides.
She said that the group is planning to talk with officials of the province to prepare the residents against these natural disasters.
"The provincial government can incorporate (this study in) coming up with disaster mitigation plan and land use plan," Dimalanta said.
In their executive summary, the researchers said, "This study identified some potential natural hazards, which may pose risk on the Romblon Island Group. These include meteorological-, volcanological-, and seismic-related hazards, the most notable of which are rain-induced and earthquake-induced landslides, tsunamis and tornadoes.
"The appropriate mitigating measures such as a hazard preparedness and awareness program must be put into place by the provincial and local government units."
The study, said to be "the first integrated geological, geochemical and geophysical investigation of a collision-related feature," has also found that Palawan island and some smaller islands had been "separate from the Philippine archipelago" since the rocks in the other parts of the country are different from that in Palawan."
Dimalanta said that Palawan rocks are a fragment of Mainland Asia.
"This is a significant finding in the history of the country," she said.
She said Romblon Island had been included in the study since geologists believe that it is part of the Palawan Microcontinental Block.
The study, funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) and monitored by the agency’s Philippines Council for Industry and Energy Research and Development (PCIERD), started late in 2004 and ended last December, Dimalanta said.
The professor said that after the completion of the study, the group will analyze Romblon groundwater resources this summer while another collision aspect study will be done on Buruanga in Panay island also within this year.
The landslide in barangay Guinsaugon have buried alive some 2,000 people, including elementary pupils, last February.
Dimalanta earlier had said that Southern Leyte’s relatively loose volcanic rocks, thick soil cover, fractured and fragmented Philippines Fault Zone segment, hydrothermal alteration, and too much rain caused the landslide in Guinsaugon.
by: Madel R. Sabater
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Battleship Musashi - Plan to refloat off Sibuyan Island
Battleship Musashi sunk by allied forces in World War II.
A Japanese group visited yesterday Sibuyan Sea off this island province as it bared a plan to refloat a big Japanese warship that was sunk in the area on Oct. 24, 1944 during a great naval battle between the allied forces and the Japanese Imperial Navy in World War II. The Japanese, group headed by Kiyoshi Goto of the Japanese government and Toshihiko Suzuki, chief executive officer of AIPAC (Asian Countries and Islands Optical Fiber Communication and Philippines Property in Asia), made yesterday an offer to the Philippine government to refloat the sunken Japanese warship in the Sibuyan Sea.
The Japanese offer calls for the conversion of the warship into a tourist attraction which could be made a symbol of friendship between the Philippines and Japan.
Goto and Suzuki, who arrived the other day in the country from Japan, said that their group would shoulder all the expenses for the refloating of the warship.
The two Japanese executives came all the way to this historic island to drop flowers and sprinkle champagne at the area in Sibuyan Sea where the warship was sunk during World War II.
The group is proposing to develop the area into a tourist destination for the benefit of the Filipinos and the Japanese, particularly the relatives of the crews of the sunken warship.
As this developed, Gen. (retired) Dominador C. Resos Jr., president of the Romblon Cultural Heritage Association Inc. (ROCHAI), is inviting foreign dignitaries, including US Ambassador Kristie Kenney and top Japanese Embassy officials, to witness and recall once again the Battle of Sibuyan Sea, which is described as "the greatest and deadliest naval battle ever recorded in the history of World War II," that took place on Oct. 24, 1944.
"Join us in our return to this tragic chapter of World War II when the blue waters of Sibuyan Sea turned blood red, caused by the mixture of blood shed by the international soldiers led by the protagonists, American and Japanese soldiers, and their respective allies," General Resos said.
Dubbed as "the world’s biggest battleship," Japan’s Musashi with 1023 of her crew sank to her watery grave in the seabed of Sibuyan Sea. One hundred or more warships and aircraft also sank and gave company to Musashi on the ocean floor.
Shortly after the furious naval battle, historians say, some 2000 bodies of soldiers floated in the Sibuyan Sea waters.
Some of the bodies drifted to coastlines and beaches, including those of Boracay Island and Carabao Island.
Resos said that old folk, fishermen, and amateur "ghostbusters" had claimed that Sibuyan Sea is full of mysteries, saying "it is haunted and enchanted.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Recovered bodies from ‘Princess’ now at 36 - Coast Guard
A radio dzBB report quoted Coast Guard commandant Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo as saying that as of Tuesday afternoon, the number of bodies recovered on Tuesday alone rose to 16, raising the total number of bodies retrieved from the capsized ship to 36.
Divers from salvage group Harbor Star and counterparts from the Coast Guard had been searching the ship since Sunday for remains of more than 500 passengers trapped inside.
Tamayo said he has instructed the divers to search all accommodation spaces, including other decks of the ship, for remains.
"Ginagawa natin ang lahat na paraan (We are doing all we can)," Tamayo said in an interview on dzBB radio.
He also said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has a team on standby to identify bodies that will be retrieved from the capsized vessel.
The Sulpicio Lines-owned MV Princess of the Stars capsized off Romblon last June 21 at the height of typhoon "Frank."
Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV
Friday, October 24, 2008
Survey of Princess of the Stars for bodies starts
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has started surveying the M/V Princess of the Stars off Romblon to locate the bodies of passengers who were trapped when the vessel sank at the height of typhoon “Frank” last June 21.
PCG commandant Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said, “We have already met with the officials of Sulpicio Lines Inc. and the salvaging firm Harbor Star and when they said they were ready to conduct the survey operations, we told them to go ahead.”
But Tamayo said there is no definite timetable for the retrieval of the bodies.
Earlier, salvors removed 400 packs of the toxic pesticide endosulfan as well as Bayer Crop Science products, and siphoned off 176,000 liters of bunker fuel from the sunken ship.
At least 33 people survived the sea tragedy. More than 200 have been confirmed dead, while 515 others were listed as missing.
In Cebu City, meanwhile, acting Mayor Michael Rama gave assurance that the bodies that would be recovered will not be brought to Cebu unless they are cleared of contamination by toxic substances carried by the vessel.
Rama said the bodies will first undergo thorough examination by the Department of Health to ensure that they do not pose any public health risk.
Dr. Renato Bautista, head of the National Bureau of Investigation-Disaster Victims Identification, also promised to preserve the remains in their best possible form to facilitate easy identification.
from: www.philstar.com
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
The Mystery of Pier 12
In the aftermath of the MV Princess of the Stars maritime disaster, the blame culture once again reared its ugly head in the local maritime industry as accusing fingers flew all over the place. Sulpicio Lines even had the nerve to put the blame on PAG-ASA for its erroneous weather bulletin on typhoon Frank. Why? Does PAG-ASA own the typhoon that it really does not have control of? It’s a lot different in the case of Sulpicio Lines because it owns MV Princess of the Stars and it has full control of its ship whether it wants it to sail in bad weather or not. Officials of the company said that they left the discretion to sail with the captain. Yeah right! Tell me about it. If the captain did not sail because of bad weather, do you think the management would be very happy losing a couple of millions in that Manila-Cebu trip? Then, there’s the brewing issue between Sulpicio Lines and Del Monte over a chemical shipment. While all these make up for ‘newsworthy’ items in today’s media, these only obscure the real issue at hand.
Without meaning to make a parody of the tragedy, the real issue is getting to the bottom of the mess so that appropriate actions can be take n to minimize, if not prevent, future maritime disasters. How can we minimize sea tragedies if the Board of Marine Inquiry (BMI) only gives culpable parties mere slaps on the wrist? Did you know that Sulpicio Lines was not meted a fine for the MV Doña Paz - MT Vector collision on December 1987? Did you know that the owner of MT Vector was fine a meager P5,000 for the accident? Is that the worth of the more than 4,300 lives that perished in the world’s worst maritime disaster in the last 21 years? Did you also know that Sulpicio Lines was never fined by the BMI for the sinking of MV Princess of the Orient in September 1998?
As a seasoned marine engineer and having inspected a number of domestic passenger vessels in the past and discovered glaring deficiencies in the process, I strongly recommend that the BMI should start unmasking the mystery of Pier 12, if only to get to the bottom of the spate of maritime disasters that seems to have found a home in the turf of Sulpicio Lines. Consider this fact: MV Doña Paz, MV Princess of the Orient, and MV Princess of the Stars were actually the flag ships of Sulpicio Lines at the time they sank. A flag ship is usually the biggest in the fleet and something that the shipowner is proud of because it is the company’s ‘signature’ ship. Those ships of Sulpcio were big ones. MV Princess of the Stars was in fact, the biggest domestic passenger ferry in the Philippines, before it capsized off Sibuyan Island.
Doesn’t anybody from BMI or anybody who has the right shipping intellect find it mysterious when a 23,824-GRT ship can easily go into North Harbor and berth at Pier 12 without running aground? About eight years ago, Enrique Aboitiz Jr. was saying that it would be very difficult to berth a 15,000-GRT ship in North Harbor. Obviously, because the draft or the depth of the water will not allow bigger ships to go in, much less berthed alongside any of the piers. But how come Sulpicio Lines managed to do so with the significantly bigger MV Princess of the Stars some two years after Aboitiz made the pronouncement? In getting to the bottom of the issue, we also need to get to the bottom of the ship, where the ballast tanks are located. And here lies the answer to the mystery of Pier 12 and Sulpicio Lines’ spate of maritime disasters, whether the company’s management admit it or not. Their flag ships were not ballasted at all. Because if the ship’s ballast tanks were only pressed, that would have ensured stability and trim to those ill-fated vessels, Sulpicio Lines would not have been able to operate those vessels in North Harbor. The deeper draft of their big ships would only allow them to stay at the anchorage because going further to the pier would mean taking all the silt under North Harbor’s murky waters all the way to the berth. In fact, during the BMI probe following the sinking of MV Princess of the Orient in September 1998, the vessel’s chief mate admitted in his testimony about his lack of awareness about the ship’s ballast tanks or even how to press it.
Following the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy, I also joined a team from MARINA led by Administrator Vic Suazo to inspect the vessels of Sulpicio Lines in Cebu on June 27, 2008. I only boarded one ship and I noted a number of deficiencies already particularly with regards to lashings and cargo stowage. I did not bother inspecting the other ships because it would just be ‘same difference’ as I would say. BMI should consider this premise: ‘A non-ballasted ship combined with improper lashings and stowage of cargo, plus possible alteration of the ship make the perfect recipe for a maritime disaster.’ Now it’s time for the BMI to pursue it to the end and make the culpable parties pay the price of gross, albeit intentional, negligence.
by: NELSON P. RAMIREZ
Most Outstanding Marine Engineer Officer, PRC, 1996
Most Outstanding Student, ZNSAT, 1970
Outstanding Achiever of the Year, Province of Zamboanga del Norte, 2006
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
SIBUYAN EXPRESS
Zacarias G. de Guzman St., Quiapo Manila
landline: (02) 736-3551/(02) 4883627
mobile: 0918-2132659 / 0928-7557146
Sibuyan Express carries on advancing and fulfilling its mission to reach out to the Romblo manon community that will ultimately help every kababayans.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Sibuyan folk ready to help in retrieval operations
DZBB's Carlo Mateo reported Wednesday that the command post would prepare handle at least 700 bodies expected to be recovered from the vessel.
San Fernando mayor Nanette Tansingco said the command post would be set up one kilometer away from Ground Zero, near the command post of the Coast Guard's oil spill response team.
Tansingco said the post would extend assistance to Titan Salvage, the firm contracted by MV Princess of the Stars owner Sulpicio Lines Inc., to retrieve the bodies.
Titan would also retrieve a shipment of endosulfan, a toxic pesticide, from the vessel that sank last June at the height of typhoon "Frank."
Meanwhile, a team of doctors and toxicologists from the University of the Philippines Philippine General Hospital is due to arrive in the area on Aug. 22.
The team is due to analyze the water at the 5-km radius around the capsized vessel.
from: gmanews.tv
Monday, July 21, 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Outcry of Disappointment
I’ am deeply saddened for what happened to M/V Princess of the Stars. Many lives where lost because of this accident. Some of them are nowhere to be found. This tragedy causes panicked not only for the families and friends of the victims, but also for the people of Sibuyan Island
Why?
Fishing is one of the main sources of income for Sibuyanons. According to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), there is a possibility that fishes could have fed off from the bodies inside the vessel. The water could have been contaminated from the septic waste and other chemicals that might have spilled off into the water.
My brother used to have 3 fishing boat in Magdiwang (another town in
Belinda Raymundo, chief of the BFAR product testing laboratory, advised people to thoroughly rinse and take off the internal organs of all the fish they would be buying from the market.
She also said the best way to prepare fish dishes is to have the fish deeply fried to ensure that bacteria are killed.
There are many questions, which needs an answer. Who will be punished this time? Sulpicio Lines? Coast Guard?
Hmmmm!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Investors eye island town of Romblon as another Boracay - Carabao Island
Only a 15-minute boat ride from world-famous Boracay, San Jose has taken advantage of the construction moratorium on its neighboring island by welcoming foreign and local investors willing to develop this carabao-shaped island into the next tourism haven in the country.
Already, some investors from the European Union,Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan have been talking with government officials on the prospect of establishing businesses in San Jose, which is only a 30-minute flight from Manila.
Concerned about the overcrowding and congestion in Boracay, where resorts and buildings continue to rise, the Deparment of Environment and Natural Resources recently ordered a moratorium on construction on the island.
Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona said the DENR order is a good opportunity for Romblon to offer to foreign and local investors the potentials of San Jose where the proposed Romblon Special Economic Zone Authority will soon rise. (BR)
from: Manila Bulletin
Romblon promotes islet as the 'new Boracay'
from: www.sunstar.com.ph
THE decision of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to ban construction on Boracay Island could lead the way for the discovery of another world-class tourist destination near the area.
Romblon Representative Eleandro Jesus Madrona said foreign businessmen are eyeing the island-town of San Jose in Romblon as an alternate site for their tourism investments.
Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo
Madrona said some investors from the European Union, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan have begun talking with government officials on the prospect of setting up businesses in San Jose, a carabao-shaped island that is only 30 minutes by plane from Manila and 15 minutes by boat from Boracay.
Alarmed by the overcrowding and congestion in Boracay where resorts and buildings continue to rise, the DENR recently ordered a moratorium on constructions on the island.
Romblon officials, headed by Madrona and Governor Natalio Beltran III, said the DENR's move is a good opportunity for the province to offer to foreign and local investors the beauty of San Jose where the proposed Romblon Special Economic Zone Authority will soon rise with the expected start of construction of a modern international airport in October.
The airport, which can accommodate airbuses and other huge aircraft, will cost an estimated P5 billion, of which P1 billion has already been reportedly advanced by its developer, Boracay Holdings, to buy out families holding titles to lands to be affected by the proposed project.
Madrona, Beltran and other Romblon officials said foreign investors have shown interest in relocating to San Jose following the DENR moratorium after discovering that the island also has powdery white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters that could rival, if not exceed that of Boracay.
The officials said the businessmen were also attracted by the real estate in San Jose which, aside from being four times bigger than Boracay, is still virtually unoccupied and owned by original settlers who have been residing in the area for years.
The price of real estate in San Jose is much lower, according to the officials, adding that the town's present population is only a little more than 8,000. "This means that the water and power supply in the island is sustainable until the next 15 or 20 years," they said.
The continuous and uncontrolled development and migration to Boracay, which a favorite destination of foreign tourists, have reportedly discouraged investors who also find taxes in the island "quite high."
In their meeting with investors from Europe, Taiwan, Korea and Japan recently, Madrona and Beltran assured that the province will impose "much less" local taxes compared to those imposed in the country's other tourist destinations.
"That is provided for in my House Bill (HB) 1629 that I filed recently," Madrona said. The measure outlines the potentials of Romblon as a tourist and investors destination and the incentives that it can offer to businessmen.
Madrona said foreign investors are interested in putting up multimillion-peso hotels, business centers, first-class restaurants, condominiums, a gold course and other facilities before the expected completion of the airport in 2010.
San Jose Mayor Filipino Tandog said this early, residents of the island are "ecstatic" with the scheduled construction of the huge airport, a project that will generate employment and other opportunities for the island-town where fishing and farming still remain as the main sources of the people's income. (Sunnex)
