Tourists queue at the Caticlan Jetty Port Terminal, the primary entry point to Boracay. —PHOTOS BY NICOLE FAITH MONTIEL

MALAY, Aklan — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has awarded the ₱7.78-billion Boracay bridge project to San Miguel Holdings Corp. (SMHC), drawing opposition from local officials, transport groups, and environmental advocates.

The contract for the proposed 2.54-kilometer bridge, a major infrastructure plan in Malay, Aklan, that would directly connect Barangay Caticlan to the premier tourist destination Boracay Island, was finalized last March 25.

It covers the design, financing, and construction of the bridge intended to ease access to Boracay, which has long been dependent on boat transport.

The DPWH has positioned the project as a solution to logistical constraints, but it has drawn opposition from various sectors. “Boracay is a gift from nature. Save her from corporate greed” is the statement highlighted in a petition opposing the project that has circulated among residents. 

Campaign poster circulating among local residents and environmental advocates —PHOTO FROM GIL DELOS SANTOS VIA FACEBOOK

According to the DPWH and SMHC, a key subsidiary of corporate giant San Miguel Corp. which operates the Caticlan airport, the bridge is a key component of the project. The proposed design is not just for vehicles but includes utility conduits meant to streamline solid waste haulage and water systems, which they identified as critical infrastructure needs for the densely populated resort island.

Under the plan, two lanes dedicated to public transport and service vehicles, as well as sidewalks and side lanes for pedestrians, will be built.

Vehicles navigate the congested approach to the Caticlan Jetty Terminal. —PHOTO BY NICOLE FAITH MONTIEL

Transport cooperative

The proposed bridge poses potential economic risks for the Caticlan-Boracay Transport Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CBTMPC), which operates passenger boats serving as the main transport link to the island.

The cooperative is currently repaying a ₱135-million loan used to modernize its fleet, including fiberglass boats valued at up to ₱9 million each.

“CBTMPC is not a business, it is a livelihood,” Godofredo Sadiasa, former chair and current consultant of the cooperative, said in an interview with CoverStory.ph.

Sadiasa said members currently earn between ₱1,500 and ₱2,800 per day, and their income could be affected if demand for boat transport declines.

He called the proposed shift away from marine transport a “deep insult” to workers who have invested heavily in compliance with government transport modernization programs.

Local business perspective

A souvenir shop owner, who requested anonymity to avoid possible business repercussions, said the bridge could benefit large businesses by potentially increasing tourist arrivals. She said her sales are also closely tied to the volume of visitors in the area.

But while larger businesses may benefit from improved logistics, small-scale operators and transport workers could face an uncertain future.

A project information memorandum outlines a “user-pays” toll system for bridge access.

Based on preliminary estimates, current ferry fares of around ₱60 (one-way) could be significantly lower than projected bridge tolls under earlier pricing models, though final rates have not been confirmed.

Page 40 of the Project Information Memorandum exhibits initial based regulated fees. —SCREENGRAB FROM DPWH WEBSITE

The memorandum states that residents and workers may be subjected to a different fee structure upon presentation of valid identification, and that tourists would continue to pay the environmental and terminal fees set by the local government. “Tourists” are defined as persons who are neither residents nor employees of Boracay.

Some stakeholders said higher access costs could affect daily workers and discourage budget travelers if not properly regulated.

Carrying capacity

Environmental concerns remain central to the debate over the project.

Marine science agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the United Nations Environment Programme, have documented in general studies that large-scale coastal construction can lead to sedimentation, which may damage coral reefs by blocking sunlight and affecting marine ecosystems.

Christian Velasco, a former hotel worker familiar with the area, cited coral formations in the Caticlan-Boracay channel as an area of concern.

“While improving transport access may address logistical concerns, such developments could come at the cost of ecological sustainability,” Velasco said.

A carrying-capacity study (Ecoplan) prepared for the Department of Tourism states that development must be guided by environmental limits. It defines carrying capacity as “the level of use…beyond which unacceptable impacts will occur.”

Page 19 from the Project Information Memorandum illustrates the proposed passenger and pedestrian flow for the bridge. —SCREENGRAB FROM DPWH WEBSITE

It further states that planning should determine “what kind of change is acceptable” in relation to environmental conditions, infrastructure pressure, and visitor experience.

Stakeholders said a fixed bridge connection could add pressure to Boracay’s already strained environmental and infrastructure systems if not carefully managed.

Government response

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said the DPWH recognizes the need to address concerns raised by local stakeholders.

“The DPWH is here to help facilitate, but it is very important that the concerns of local stakeholders—especially the province and the municipality of Malay—are addressed. I was assured by SMHC, particularly by Mr. Ramon Ang, that these concerns will be addressed properly,” Dizon said.

He said the bridge is intended to support environmental management on the island by improving the transport of solid and liquid waste, which is currently done by boat.

Project proponents said the development will comply with existing regulations, including Administrative Order 2025-36, which requires adherence to approved land use, zoning, and environmental carrying capacity limits in Boracay.

However, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said that as of April, SMHC has not yet filed an application for a new environmental compliance certificate, or ECC, a key requirement before major infrastructure projects can proceed.

The absence of an ECC application means the project has yet to undergo the full environmental impact assessment process required under Philippine law.

As the project moves forward, divisions among stakeholders take firm shape.

Government agencies emphasize potential improvements in infrastructure and service delivery, and many residents, transport workers, and business owners raise concerns over possible livelihood disruption, environmental impact, and access costs. 

First published in CoverStory – May 8, 2026

A scenic view of white powdery sand beach in Boracay. —GIL DELOS SANTOS FB PHOTOS

BORACAY ISLAND—John Neil Gregorio, 22, had just completed a four-year computer science course when an uncle prodded him to take on the job of a service crew member in an Indian restaurant in Boracay last August. 

Despite the meager starting daily wage of P300, with free meals and board, he bit the bullet, seeing a chance to save up enough to allow him to pursue his chosen career and an office desk in an IT outfit.

After 15 days, his wage was raised to P350, but he had to pay half the P2,500 charge for a room he was sharing with three other workers. 

Three months later, Gregorio was back at home in Pandan, Antique, a fourth-class municipality about 50 minutes by bus from Caticlan’s jetty port, Boracay’s jump-off point in Malay, Aklan. 

His employer had shut down the restaurant due to bankruptcy. A second job in a food market stall paid P50 more but still proved too little to be of use.

“Mai-mai” told a different story. She decided to stay put as a food service attendant in a hotel chain despite a new company policy designed to cut down on operational costs: working only 20 days in a month and spending 10 days idle with no pay. 

As a single parent supporting a 2-year-old child that she left in the care of her mother in the family home in Makato, Aklan, Mai-mai felt that she had no choice.  

Most poor residents of Aklan and neighboring Antique think of the world-renowned Boracay as a paradise for seekers of employment and leisure, as well as a hub for small-scale entrepreneurs. Widely regarded as the Philippines’ premier tourist draw for its beaches of powdery white sand, glorious sunsets, and fun water recreation activities, it holds out a promise of a convenient, easy life. 

But signs of a business drag have appeared over the past several months—to almost everyone’s frustration.

‘Economic yield, not numbers’  

“I Love Boracay” photo shoot venue for tourists in Balabag Wetland Park. —PHOTOS BY JUN BANDAYREL

Last Nov. 7, the number of tourist arrivals since January came up to some 1.8 million, according to the tourism office of Malay, which has jurisdiction over Boracay. With this figure, it had already met its target for 2023, yet still fell below those of 2022 and the period in 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic hit.  

“The problem is that we focus on the numbers, not on the economic yield,” said Gil delos Santos, owner of Roy’s Rendezvous, who has embarked on a personal crusade to bring Boracay back to its luster. 

“It is being felt on the ground, by the stakeholders and the different sectors,” he said.

In a CoverStory.ph interview last Nov. 25, Delos Santos stressed: “Acknowledging the problem is the initial step toward identifying and implementing remedies that can help restore Boracay’s business sector to its former vibrancy.” 

The young businessman appealed for local government policy changes in a presentation to Malay officials on Nov. 13. He cited the low influx of hotel and resort check-ins, few bookings and restaurant customers, and an “alarming level of income than usual.” 

These, he said, have resulted in layoffs, forced leaves, reduced business hours, unpaid rentals and business closures—concerns aired similarly by other business leaders, residents and workers.

“We’re struggling through the months, with 40-50% occupancy,” said May Ann Oluwaldare, general manager of the 51-room Microtel by the Wyndham in Barangay Yapak, during the Kapihan sa Boracay Forum hosted by the Boracay Foundation Inc. on Nov. 25. 

She, however, said she expected an improvement to 80-90% by December.

Another forum guest, Nilda Serrano, general manager of Le Soleil de Boracay, said: “We’re doing good, except September with 40% occupancy, but we hoped to hit 80% in November and full occupancy in December.”

Workers have aired their own complaints, too, like three days off a week for those doing hotel housekeeping, and more days off than duty days for some fast-food waiters, CoverStory learned.

Optimism

“I Love Boracay” photo shoot venue for tourists in Balabag Wetland Park. —PHOTOS BY JUN BANDAYREL

Felix Gregorio delos Santos, the local tourism officer, was quoted by the state-owned Philippine Information Authority as saying that Malay was “optimistic” that the number of visitors would reach 2 million by December based on the current trend of arrivals.

Of the 1,825,758 visitors recorded lately, 1,433,024 (or nearly 80%) were locals and 357,066 (or 20%) were foreigners, largely Koreans and Chinese. The remaining 35,668 were vacationing overseas Filipinos. 

Malay’s tourism office said the figures were still below the prepandemic levels, but noted that inbound tourism markets were showing signs of increasing arrivals, with 5,000 to 6,000 tourists per day.

Gil delos Santos said the local government must look beyond the numbers. “Concentration on numbers rather than on economic yield is an incomplete equation,” he said.

He noted that tourist arrivals were generally low compared to those of previous years and foreigners were few. He observed as well a decrease in “medium to high-paying tourists” and an “upsurge” in budget-conscious travellers.

Moreover, he posted on his Facebook account that 2024 does not look good for Boracay with the Asian market, as economic experts had predicted. 

“Direct flights to Caticlan and Kalibo airports from Korea, China, and Taiwan have been limited or cut already. What else can Boracay expect in terms of tourist arrivals?” he said, adding:

“Our Asian neighbors are done and over with Boracay’s bureaucracy—policies that kill convenience for travelers: entry requirements, beach regulations, high cost and extra fees.” 

Other destinations

Rules for tourists.

The trend could be an offshoot of a government policy to open and develop other tourist destinations, like Bohol and Palawan, Gil delos Santos said. He raised suspicion that decision-makers intend to direct tourists “to other islands who want to get a share [of] the hospitality pie.”  

Under the National Tourism Development Plan (2023-2028), the Department of Tourism will “diversify” the Philippines’ tourism portfolio through “multidimensional tourism.” This means that the national government is pushing other tourism destinations, Delos Santos said.

He mentioned Bohol as a “serious competitor” and a “threat” to Boracay. The island-province has many places to offer tourists, like Chocolate Hills, Alona Beach, Balicasag Island, tarsiers’ sanctuary and the Loboc River, and its airport is near these areas, he pointed out.

“Changes need to happen now. We need to pivot to the rejuvenation path, unless we want to decline further,” Delos Santos said. “Our local leaders should take the first step first—to realize that actions need to be taken now … before it becomes too late.”

For starters, he said, authorities must act on “key issues affecting negative tourist experience,” such as cutting long lines, reducing jetty port transactions to two minutes in a single-step process flow, conducting professional customer-service training for all port personnel and service providers, and improving Caticlan airport operations, and the number, frequency and prices of flights.

On Nov. 15, Aklan Gov. Jose Enrique Miraflores announced the “good news” to local and foreign tourists that hotel booking vouchers will no longer be required from them.

‘Updates’ 

The governor also introduced the following “updates”: 

• Allowing beds and umbrellas on the beach.

• Extending time for night swimming to 9 p.m.

• Serving of food and drinks on party boats.

• Suspending the P20,000 fee for foreign tour guides.

After a disappointing three-month stay in Boracay, John Neil Gregorio, the computer science graduate, said he was no longer keen on working on the island. He said he would rather stay in Pandan, where he is now employed as a foundation employee. 

On the other hand, Mai-mai, 25, the service attendant and breadwinner, said she felt “a little sad [about the work conditions] but still happy that Boracay is regaining its previous energy, although slowly.”

Read more: One island paradise, five worlds

First published in CoverStory – December 1, 2023

By Aiya Cantomayor

MIAGAO, Iloilo—Tucked among the ancient trees and mountains in this town is Barangay Cagbang, where tradition thrives in the clay molded patiently by its people for generations.

The homegrown art and soul of pottery have kept alive not only the local culture but also the community’s livelihood.

To reach Cagbang, one travels some 40 kilometers south of Iloilo City via the Iloilo-Antique Road. The highway traverses the coastal towns of Oton, Tigbauan, Guimbal and Miagao. Past the historic Miagao Church, it turns inland into narrow roads that snake through the hilly terrain of Cagbang. The final stretch of the trip is a beautiful uphill drive to where pieces of earth are made into art.

The highly skilled potter Josie Fortugana, 67, lives in the heart of Cagbang. He has dedicated his life to preserving the local culture through pottery. His family, along with the rest of the community, has been making pottery for generations.

Cagbang has long been known as a major pottery center in Iloilo, being the only source in the whole province of traditional earthenware such as the banga (water jars), kalan (stoves), and kulon (cooking pots).

Family business

“The pottery tradition began with our elders,” Tatay (father) Josie told CoverStory, speaking in the local language. “My mother started making pottery when she was 12 years old. She learned the craft and mastered it until she married my father, who also knew how to make pottery. You could say it’s a family business and a true part of our family.”

“This has been our livelihood for decades, and I’ve been helping with the work since I was a child. It’s how we make a living,” he said.

Tatay Josie’s mother, Enriquita Tantioco Fortugana, made headlines back in 2013 as the oldest surviving potter from Cagbang until she died at 93. Her legacy paved the way for the recognition of Cagbang’s traditional pottery, which is now one of Miagao’s tourism draws.

While Tatay Josie focuses on traditional pots, one of his nephews, Rey F. Cabatingan, pursues the beauty of figurative clayware.

Living workspace

The entire Cagbang is a living workspace, with many homes continuing the craft as their main means of livelihood. Tatay Josie spends most of the day in his workshop, a humble hut that stores half-used clay, sharp tools, and a battered DIY pottery wheel. Pottery items, both finished and unfinished, occupy every corner of the workshop.

The mountains and their rich soil are the source of raw materials for the village craftsmen, who follow practices and methods predating modern machinery. The process involves rigorous steps to ensure high-quality earthenware.

Raw brown soil is dug and collected from a slope near where they live, but which can be reached after an arduous climb—a challenge, especially for the elderly potters who make up the majority of the artisans. The land is not theirs; they pay ₱100 a month for access to the area.

“You have to dig the earth because the clay used for pottery is the one from deep below, not the one on top,” Tatay Josie explained. “The top part, with stones, has a lot of textures, unlike the one underneath which is soft and fine. This process is what we call ‘dakot.’”

At the workspace, the haul undergoes the traditional preparation of kneading by foot to soften the soil enough to turn into clay for molding.

“We stomp on the clay, then sprinkle it with water as we go to soften it up,” he said. “This phase is called ‘lubak,’ and it’s how we create the clay we’ll use for shaping. After that, we shape it on the pottery wheel.”

Shaping the clay is the highlight of pottery-making; it is an intricate process and requires keen attention to detail. Tatay Josie uses a cloth to smooth the edges and corners of the clay, as well as to form it into his desired shape. Each turn of the wheel, along with the evolving figure, becomes a piece born out of passion.

The molded pots are left in the sun for three days or more, depending on the weather, until they are bone-dry. Tatay Josie then applies a natural earth pigment called “hibo” or “lupang pula,” which is said to have been used since prehistoric times for body paint, cave art and decorative purposes. The pigment comes from pulverized fine dust mixed with water to produce a dense fluid that serves as natural paint.

Tatay Josie wields a special translucent, crystalline stone to erase the pot’s rough texture and polish it for a soft, smooth appearance.

The last step of the indigenous process is cooking the pot in the ground kiln called “pagba.”  Stones serve to elevate the pots in the kiln, with a bamboo framework for support. The fire is lit underneath with “paklang” or coconut leaves; “dagami” or grass and “labhang“ rice stalks are placed atop the pots to trap the heat.

Cooking the pots requires constant attention, as the bamboo support must be watched and replaced to prevent the entire structure and the pots from collapsing.

Challenges

Being a traditional potter like Tatay Josie is not easy. Time, a declining number of customers, and modern ways of pottery are the biggest challenges. His products are priced lower when bought directly from his home than in city markets.

“Our pots are sold at low prices so that many people will buy them,” he said, hoping that this could draw more customers.

In Tatay Josie’s workshop, the value of a pot is set by its size and kind. Small earthenware souvenirs can be had for ₱20, while the medium pieces sell for ₱50–₱75. The huge, tall pots, which require tedious labor, cost between ₱700 and ₱1,000. For a full collection, a set of three sells for ₱2,000.

The meager profit from these sales is just enough to sustain his family’s daily needs.

Decreasing demand and limited access to buyers explain why the Cagbang potters are slowly losing market recognition. They are even outperformed by the makers of hablon (a hand-woven textile material made with a traditional wooden loom called “tiral”), who live closer to the town proper.

Moreover, the younger people of Cagbang are losing motivation to learn and continue making pots due to the hardships of work.

But despite the market decline and the youth’s waning interest, Tatay Josie continues to make pottery in order to preserve his mother’s legacy. To him and his calloused hands, heritage and culture are the soul of his community, giving Cagbang an identity that will resonate through time.

First published in CoverStory – October 13, 2025