Monday, September 19, 2005

Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Is Boracay PNP Unit Capable of Instant Response?

“Just imagine, had we went there to report an accident, the victim would already be dead before a response could be made.” This is a remark of Judge Niovady M. Marin, presiding judge of Branch 5, Regional Trial Court, Kalibo, Aklan of his experience with Boracay Island Police office.
It was about 5:00 o’clock in the afternoon, Saturday, September 10, 2005. Judge Marin with Ms. Josie Raz dela Cruz were on their way to Kalibo. They came from Carmela de Boracay Hotel where they attended as guest lecturers of the Annual Convention of the Professional Criminology Association. Judge Marin discussed the Role of Forensic Specialist in the Administration of Justice.
Ms. Josie Raz dela Cruz is a faculty member of the Philippine National Police Academy and Document Examiner of the PNP Crime Laboratory.
Judge Marin and Ms. dela Cruz sent someone to get a tricycle to transport them to boat station. But after a long wait, no tricycle came.
So they decided to request the Boracay Police Assistance Unit to conduct them to the boarding area at Tambisaan, Boracay as there were three police service vehicles parked. At that time, it was already raining hard according to Judge Marin.
But the Duty Officer told Ms. dela Cruz “to wait for no driver is available.” Someone was sent to look for the driver. “More than 10 minutes elapsed, no driver came”, said Judge Marin. They just rode on the first tricycle that passed by.
Is this the kind of Boracay Police Unit that Col. William Macavinta, Gov. Carlito S. Marquez, and Cong. Florencio T. Miraflores visualized? Not really but a police unit that is responsive to prevent criminality and foster peace in the community.
The request for a lift to Tambisaan of Judge Marin and Ms. Josie Raz dela Cruz was merely a test how fast the Boracay Police Unit can respond to any emergency.
-o-
The latest shining glory of the Pilipinos and the Philippines was in the evening of September 11, 2005 (September 10 at about 10 o‘clock in the morning in the Philippines). The three Pilipino boxers put down their respective opponents in their respective fights all in abbreviated matches one after the other.
Rey Bautista of Candijay, Bohol demolished his Colombian opponent in the third round who landed in the hospital after the fight.
Veloria whose roots came from Tagudin, Ilocos Sur put out his Mexican opponent after two minutes of the first round. The fight was schedule for 12 rounds, but when the Hawaiian punches were landed on the Mexican body and face, the Mexican just went down.
The most awaited fight of the evening held in Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, USA was between Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao and Velasquez.
But after a series of Pacquiao’s left and right punches landed to face, to the body and back to the face, Velasquez stumbled to the canvas in the sixth round. When he stood up, he whispered to the referee “NADA”. The fight ended at 2 minutes and 59 seconds of the sixth round.
-o-
Magsaysay Lines has proposed to the Local Government of Aklan to install “Modern Comprehensive Transport System” for Aklan tourism particularly Boracay Island. The proposal covers the transport services from the point at the airport to Caticlan Jetty Port to Boracay landing station up to the respective hotels of the visitors. For those departing guests, the same services will be provided up to the check in counter of the plane at the airport.
According to the proponent, this is world class. Nobody is against world class facilities and services. Everybody is agreeable to modernization. However, world class facilities and services for whom? Modernization for whom?
According to Mr. Fred Sadiasa, president of the transport cooperative, some 3,000 heads of families will be affected once the Magsaysay Lines will operate in Aklan.
May the officials concerned both national, provincial and municipality of Malay will study deeply the proposal especially the socio-economic, peace and order aspect of the Magsaysay Lines proposal.
If the 3,000 heads of families has five dependants each, some 18,000 people will be directly deprived of a livelihood they have developed since the existence of Boracay. Can the government provide assistance to the local transport system so as to attain global competitiveness?
The government is mandated to assist the development of cooperative organization to be more competitive so that it can be an instrument toward economic empowerment. /MP mailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com

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