Bona fide Text
Bora?
My attention was called when I was reading a column from an old national daily one Saturday morning. This involved how a lot of people, particularly the young ones, "re-named" one of the best tourist spots of the Philippines – Boracay Island.
Perhaps in today's generation where we live in a texting world, most of the words are corrupted, that is why instead of calling it Boracay, they would prefer calling it Bora.
Bora may sound "sosyal" for some especially somewhere living in the Northern part of the country but in one way or another they are re-naming the island and making a lot of domestic tourists and foreigners confused. Is Bora also Boracay? Nope. Definitely not.
Slang name for some or more pleasing to the ears of socialites but it creates injustice to the name of the island and to the province of Aklan as well.
FYI, President Gloria Macapacal Arroyo called Aklan the "Golden Province" of the Philippines because it contributed much to the wealth and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country.
For the record, last year, Boracay visitors surpassed the half-million mark, counting 596, 748, which translated to P10.9 billion in tourist receipts as posted by the Philippine Information Agency.
Moreover, the province of Aklan is already anticipating that Boracay visitors will reach the one million mark in 2010.
No wonder that PGMA even stressed that Boracay is earning for Aklan and for the whole Philippines during the commemorative program held last April 25, 2008 at ABL Sports Complex in celebration of Aklan's golden anniversary as a separate province from Capiz.
White beach is Boracay's biggest tourist attraction. It stretches about four kilometers on the western side of the island.
Boracay is often called one of the "World's most beautiful tropical islands," because of its pristine, white powdery sand and the crystal-clear blue water of the surrounding sea.
The island is also a sanctuary of bats and other forest animals found in Bat Caves which excites nature lovers. Staying in Boracay would not be complete without exploring the Crocodile Island, a popular destination for picnics, diving expeditions and marine excursions. Also, one of the highlights of the seven-kilometer island is the beautiful, uncrowded beaches and coves such as Puka and Balanghai Beaches.
Resorts from first class down to economy sprouted like mushrooms not only in the beach front but even in the mountainous areas of the three communities: Yapak, Balabag and Manoc-Manoc.
Tired of playing beach volleyball, banana boat riding, underwater diving and other water sports? Try playing golf in the 18-hole par-72 golf course located at Barangay Yapak.
Boracay is one hot spot for clubbing and good place for unwinding; walking along the seashore while Rastafarian beat is in the air. For lovers, acoustic music makes every single night more romantic.
Henna tattoo stands are seen in every corner of Boracay. Bathing suits and board shorts are worn in no exception at all. Of course, body massage is still in!
Making Boracay Island as one of the best spots here in the Philippines and making it well-known to other countries is no joke. It takes a lot of ways and means making this island popular to the world.
So let's give justice, Bora is not Boracay after all.