Plight of Boracay vendors worries local officials

Kalibo , Aklan — Where to relocate hundreds of vendors,   mostly transients,   displaced by monstrous fire which struck Boracay late last month is creating a big headache to local officials of Malay and Aklan .

This serious problem surfaced during last Friday's meeting of the reactivated Boracay Tourism Development Council presided by Aklan Gov. Carlito S. Marquez with Congressman Florencio T. Miraflores and Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Jose S. Yap in attendance.

The meeting was attended by regular members of the council composed of stakeholders, barangay officials of Boracay and Caticlan ,   municipal officials of Malay,   and representatives of local and national government agencies.

It was learned that these vendors numbering 134 were stallholders of the Boracay Talipapa which was razed to the ground during the January fire.

It was further learned that these vendors erected their temporary tent-stalls right in the white beach after they were no longer allowed by the Tirols to occupy the lands where their stalls which were burned were previously erected.

Lara Salaver ,   Chairman of the Boracay Foundation, Inc., said Malay Mayor Ceciron S. Cawaling and the foundation had already negotiated with the owner-proprietor of Mona Lisa to accommodate temporarily the vendors within the vicinity of the resort for six months until after a final relocation site can be found.

But Marquez and Miraflores ,   to make sure that the accommodation by Mona Lisa is only on temporary basis, wanted to have a written agreement among the Mona Lisa Resort owner,   Boracay Tourism Development Council and the municipal government of Malay.   These vendors cannot permanently occupy the Mona Lisa lot because it is very proximate to the white beach.Cawaling said he is also negotiating with the Tirol families for a lasting relocation site for these vendors ,   although it was learned that the Elizaldes are also willing to offer their land for the said purpose. (Odon S. Bandiola )