Tourists keep coming in
after ‘Frank’ hit Boracay

By BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

BORACAY – Department of Tourism (DOT-6) Director Edwin Trompeta is optimistic of Aklan’s future and that this island which Typhoon “Frank” battered last week.

The country’s tourism department has never stopped promoting Boracay as a premium tourism destination, he stressed.

“Tourism officials were in the cities of Fukuoka, Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo in Japan last June 15 to 21 during the 4th Philippine Business Mission. DOT highlighted normalcy in Boracay’s tourism operations,” Trompeta revealed.

He also stressed that direct flights from Taipei, Taiwan continue at the Kalibo International Airport.

Trompeta said power, communication and transportation facilities in Boracay are back to normal.

The road to Caticlan, Malay, is unhampered and passable, he added.

“Next month, the tourism department is bringing Japanese travel agents and media representatives to tour the famous island resort,” Trompeta said.

The back portion of the resort island and the main tourist area were not affected.

Meanwhile, Gov. Carlito Marquez, chairman of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC), estimated the typhoon’s damage at P1.570-billion worth of infrastructure, agriculture and school buildings as of Saturday. The death toll rose to 51.

Libacao Mayor Charito Navarosa said that out of the 10 missing persons reported, one was confirmed dead.

"Mostly likely, landslides occurred in the hinterlands of Libacao. We saw fallen trees with roots and branches in Brgy. Ortega, but we could not determine the exact location of the landslide. The Dumalaylay and Timbaban rivers in Madalag are also muddy," he said./PN