Ferry to Sabang

[rhadamantus]

muelle is a cool place to scooter by, yup. just not with the diving gears and everything. hehehehe.

its purely just to generate more revenue. on a related note, i am still not over the fact that i have to pay Php100 to rent a motorcab from the Boracay Island drop off point to any station area along white beach.

 

[Babydamulag]

Yeah, what they said.....<room is getting wavy as I think>.......so, take an airplane, land in Kalibo, have our guy put your stuff in our van, take a relaxing 1 hour drive in the country while watching a DVD on the screen, check in to your wonderful new room, drink your refreshing papaya/mango shake and wait for the dive briefing.....easy

 

[eagerbeaver]

Going to muelle will add 30mins to the actually transfer time, add 20mins to that to dock at the pier, and another 20 to get sorted out paying your "environmental user fee". And then add to that the fact that you have to do the same when leaving Sabang.

So over 2hrs in additional travel time plus more expensive boats as they have to travel further, and an environmental user fee of probably p100 total.

An environmental user fee which has no outline on who is in charge of the money, who will decide how to distribute it and who will handle the distribution.

No businesses in the area effected have been asked for their input in any part of this process, or allowed to offer advice; or had their queries as to why it can't be done differently answered.

Will this effect divers and local businesses - absolutely. Local divers maybe not so much. But after traveling for 30hrs anyway an additional 1hr is not going to be popular; nor is increases to what is already a prohibitively expensive transfer cost.

Don't get me wrong - paying to protect the environment is crucial...but there's a right way and a wrong way.

This move will not only effect tourists; all local residents will also have to check in at the new ports of entry, any time they want to go to Batangas for the day - reduced fees though thank god! Is this really practical? Of course not...

Anyway, is there anything we can do about it? Possibly...if you are a local visitor to the area please talk to your regular dive operator about how you can help.

Who am I? Now that's a secret, but most of you here know me

 

[rhadamantus]

but what is with this hiding behind some identity?

 

[chip104]

Who am I? Now that's a secret, but most of you here now me

Alright Larry, quit it with the sock puppet.... :28:

But thanks for shedding more light on the info. It's a shame that they did not ask input from the local businesses. It would be nice to know where the extra revenue will go.

 

[eagerbeaver]

but what is with this hiding behind some identity?

It's a sensitive issue in the local community with the Mayor willing to "take action" against people who question his judgement. Fair?

 

[chip104]

It's a sensitive issue in the local community with the Mayor willing to "take action" against people who question his judgement. Fair?

Sounds fair to me, Pak... :28:

 

[rhadamantus]

It's a sensitive issue in the local community with the Mayor willing to "take action" against people who question his judgement. Fair?

hmmmn... no wonder he co-owns almost every girlie bar in Sabang.

baaaahhhh.... i am not really sure how a local visitor or diver can help stop this if the people in the local community are already afraid coming out in the open about their true feelings on this move.

besides, he fully knows it so well that it will not stop divers from coming to the area (the dive sites are still one of the better ones, actually) just as it didn't stop tourist from flocking boracay even though the island is becoming more like malate on a powdery white sand everyday.

 

[clgsamson]

hmmmn... no wonder he co-owns almost every girlie bar in Sabang.

baaaahhhh.... i am not really sure how a local visitor or diver can help stop this if the people in the local community are already afraid coming out in the open about their true feelings on this move.

besides, he fully knows it so well that it will not stop divers from coming to the area (the dive sites are still one of the better ones, actually) just as it didn't stop tourist from flocking boracay even though the island is becoming more like malate on a powdery white sand everyday.

correction Mags, Pasay Rotunda-Edsa cor Roxas Blvd on powdery white sand. It stinks!

You just don't notice it but while you are partying the night away in some joint in the beach, some of the establishments along the beach dig their little canals and start emptying their septic tanks toward the ocean. First bathers the following morning gets the complementary itch/rashes the whole day. Ecoli is a nice word too.

 

[rhadamantus]

correction Mags, Pasay Rotunda-Edsa cor Roxas Blvd on powdery white sand. It stinks!

You just don't notice it but while you are partying the night away in some joint in the beach, some of the establishments along the beach dig their little canals and start emptying their septic tanks toward the ocean. First bathers the following morning gets the complementary itch/rashes the whole day. Ecoli is a nice word too.

now that you've mentioned that kuya caloi, i remember that there is actually a portion of the white beach that stinks in the evening! somewhere near the boundary of station 1 and station 2. but in most cases, i am always drunk in boracay during the evening and if i am awake the morning after for a dip in the ocean, i am too hung over to notice the water quality or the rashes...

so, correction gladly accepted. yours is more apt.