• If we consider Boracay the hen that lays the golden egg, it is just but natural and proper for all of us to be protecting that hen--GERI executive director Wilbur Chan

THE Global Estate Resorts, Inc. or GERI, which operates Boracay Newcoast, takes a leap on the campaign for the environment of Boracay by raising public awareness among tourists the value of protecting the ecology of the paradise island through simple but effective means.

The campaign, laid down through informative posters, was launched to raise awareness among tourists in keeping the island clean amid enjoyment and relaxation.

In partnership with the Municipality of Malay, the campaign was lauded for being "very timely" and with a precise objective to motivate tourists to be environment-minded when they are in the island.

'VERY EFFECTIVE'

"Posters like 'Reuse Reduce Recycle' 'Conserve H20' 'Please Do Not Litter' 'No Smoking on the Beach' 'Don't Extract Sands & Peebles' are just so moving and they really help in inculcating in the minds of our guests and tourists, may they be locals or foreigners, to be very careful even in disposing of their personal trash. And it is very effective because it is like a personal reminder for one to do what is right," Mayor John Yap said.

Yap also lauded GERI for tapping the Aeta group in Boracay who led the posting of the campaign posters.

Councilor Wilbec Gelito, chair of the Committee on Tourism, said "Sometimes, somehow, we really need to do something like this as a wake-up call to our guests and tourists and for them to do their share in taking care of Boracay which is the country's jewel and tourism pride. It has to be pointed out that they will enjoy more staying here if we can maintain the ecology of the island and that each and every one of us has the responsibility for Boracay to stay clean, its waters crystal clear, its sands powdery and fine, and our coasts free from garbage."

PROTECTING THE HEN THAT LAYS THE GOLDEN EGG

GERI executive director Wilbur Chan said that the initiative is part of GERI's continuing program to raise awareness and environmental consciousness in protecting Boracay's ecology.

"If we consider Boracay the hen that lays the golden egg, it is just but natural and proper for all of us to be protecting that hen. That is why we need all the support for this advocacy. Indeed, it must be a concerted effort and we are glad to be a part of it," he said.

"We at GERI consider this as our responsibility to preserve and make a better Boracay. And it is one way to show to the world that we have started to elevate our island to international platform, where its inhabitants and visitors respect and value the nature that God has blessed us," he adds.

BORACAY PLEASE, NOT BORA

The campaign also features the advocacy "Boracay please, not Bora" in support of the campaign to call Boracay not by any other name as it brings a negative connotation of the island's identity.

On March 28, this year, GERI donated two 21-seater coasters to service the underprivileged students in the mainland Malay who cannot afford a ride in going to school.

Chan said the donation was just a part of GERI's commitment for the less fortunate emphasizing, "rest be assured that we will continue to support programs that will benefit the local community."

WORLD-CLASS RESORT OFFERINGS

Boracay Newcoast is an integrated tourism estate with world-class resort offerings. It is the first and only master-planned leisure oriented community in Boracay and a fresh tourism inspired development that will help Boracay attract more tourists and investors over the long-term.

Dubbed as a sweet fusion of Greece's Santorini and Boracay, the Newcoast project will make one enjoy living in Santorini while enjoying the perfect sands of Boracay.

Themed after Miami's South Beach, Key West's Fishing Village and the Mediterranean, Newcoast will feature retail shops, restaurants, beachfront hotels, wellness centers and a grand plaza.

Renowned hotels such as The Remington, The Hilton, The Maxims, and the Marriot will soon rise in the Newcoast site along with a village that will serve as a residential district, the only exclusive village in the island which has its own private white-sand beach.*