BORACAY – Foreign nationals and non-Aklanon tourists entering this resort island will soon be charged with higher environmental fee.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan approved Malay, Aklan’s Municipal Ordinance No. 431 imposing the new charges – P300 for foreign tourists and P150 for non-Aklanon visitors.
The Sangguniang Bayan of Malay passed the ordinance on Nov. 9, 2020 and was reviewed by the Provincial Board.
The ordinance exempts Aklanons, returning Aklanons (balikbayans) as well as their children and grandchildren, including persons 12 years old and below, from the environmental fee.
A 20 percent discount is also given to students, persons with disabilities and senior citizens who are Filipinos.
According to Sangguniang Bayan member Maylynn Aguirre Graf, the environmental fee will be used to fund efforts aimed at preserving and maintaining Boracay Island.
Since 2005, tourists – foreign or domestic – pay a uniform environmental fee of P75 based on Municipal Ordinance No. 230.
“The present environmental fee of P75 is not enough to support the needs of the prime tourist destination in Aklan. This new ordinance is crucial and necessary given the mounting impact of arrivals of tourists to Boracay Island,” said Graf.
The new environmental fee is on top of the P100 terminal fee imposed in Caticlan and Cagban (Boracay) ports for foreign tourists and non-resident Aklanons by the provincial government of Aklan.
Fees collected at the Caticlan jetty port will be shared by the provincial government of Aklan and lsocal government of Malay in accordance with the conditions of a memorandum of agreement.
Barangay Caticlan will also get its share of environmental fee from the local government of Malay.
The ordinance specifically mentions a penalty for misrepresentation as an Aklanon in the payment of environmental fee. Violators will be fined P2,500 without prejudice to the legal actions to be filed against them.
Aside from the new environmental fee, the local government of Malay also increased the terminal fee at Tabon port (Caticlan) from P50 to P100.
Graf said the current Tabon terminal fee is too small to sustain the operations of Tabon Port (Caticlan), the alternative gateway to Boracay Island during the habagat season and inclement weather.
Aklanons, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police personnel on official mission or assignment, Philippine Postal Corp. employees delivering mail, persons with disabilities 60 years old and above, and persons 12 years old and below, are exempted to pay the Tabon port terminal fee under Municipal Ordinance 2020-430.
All terminal fees in Tabon port are solely deposited to the general fund of the local government of Malay, and may be shared with the local government unit of Barangay Caticlan.
Misrepresentation to secure the exemption is penalized with a fine of P2,500.
Senior citizens, students and persons with disabilities below 60 years old may avail themselves of the 20 percent discount in the payment of Tabon port terminal fee./PN
