Aklan Gov’t Mulls Bora Unified Ticketing System

By Boy Ryan Zabal

The provincial government of Aklan is pushing for the implementation of the Unified Ticketing System to ease the travel of visiting tourists entering via the Caticlan Jetty Port to the famous resort island of Boracay.
Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez revealed that the system to be initiated by the province came after a thorough study of the present collection system. At present, collection fees consist of environmental fee, boat fare and terminal fee which are paid before a tourist can board a motorized pump boat. This fees are collected separately.
"We are fully aware of this hassle to tourists both local and foreign," Marquez told reporters in a press conference recently.
A non-Aklanon tourist pays P50 environmental fee collected by the local government of Malay aside from the P19.50 boat fare charged by the Caticlan Boracay Transport Multi-purpose Cooperative (CBTMPC) and the P20 terminal fee charged by the provincial government of Aklan.
Marquez said the Unified Ticketing System would guarantee a systematic, computerized and hassle-free collection of fees in the Caticlan and Cagban Jetty Ports – all major economic enterprises of the province.
"The collection system from the jetty ports to incoming passengers or tourists will be synchronized with the computerization of the provincial hospital this year," he further said.
Caticlan Jetty Port is a major component of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway of the national government which collections reached P15-million for the first six months of the year 2006.
Meanwhile, Governor Marquez also revealed that he would put the multi cabs into operation once the Boracay Land Transport Multi-purpose Cooperative accepts the proposal of the province under a rent-operate-own scheme.
Otherwise, the provincial government would decide to give the multi cabs to a transport group in the town of Banga for a similar scheme, he said.
Bora Transport Coop Warns Erring Boatmen
In another development, the Caticlan Boracay Transport Multi-purpose Cooperative (CBTMPC) urged its employees and boatmen to practice the highest standard of service to tourists visiting the famous resort island of Boracay.
CBTMPC chairman Godofredo Sadiasa said the need to improve the transport services should be prioritized by the cooperative with unquestioned customers services to passengers who ride on their motorized pump boats.
"We are serious in disciplining our boatmen and employees after observing due process. We afford them the right to be informed of the complaints and evaluates the sanctions to be imposed," Sadiasa said.
Though the one-entry one-exit policy of the provincial government is held in abeyance, the boat cooperative is strongly supporting its implementation to protect and secure the tourists and the residents in the island.
The one-entry one-exit scheme also aims to clean up the beachfront of motorized pump boats and to strengthen the security of the island from unwanted elements.
The appeal was part of the ongoing efforts of the boat cooperative to police the ranks of erring boatmen and employees. CBTMPC, established in 1996 has 90 pump boats owned by members and some 300 boatmen.
Boat dispatchers are deputized to maintain order in Cagban and Caticlan Jetty Ports. The boatmen of motorized pump boats were trained by the cooperative on how to handle and secure the baggage of incoming guests to the resort island including customer service, Sadiasa added. /MP mailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com