A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT FIRMLY OPPOSING THE BORACAY BRIDGE PROJECT

As of this writing, the Boracay Foundation, Inc. (BFI) has drafted separate letters to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and to the Senate, formally expressing the business sector’s grave concerns and firm opposition to the proposed Boracay Bridge Project.

The letters were written in light of the enacted 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA). According to the Department of Budget and Management (Official Gazette, Jan. 5, 2026), the Boracay Bridge Project (BBP) is officially listed under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Infrastructure Projects with an appropriated Strategic Support Fund intended for preparatory costs such as right-of-way acquisition, Bureau of Internal Revenue fees and charges, and other incidental expenses.

In its letter to the President, BFI stated: “On behalf of Boracay Foundation Inc. and the thousands of residents, workers, and business owners whose lives are bound to Boracay’s long-term survival, we write with the utmost urgency and seriousness to register our firm opposition to the proposed Boracay bridge project being advanced by San Miguel Corporation, with a reported counterpart allocation of ₱1 billion from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

This communication is not submitted lightly. It reflects grave concern that the project, if pursued, will permanently alter Boracay’s physical character, destabilize its communities, and undermine decades of environmental protection and sustainable-tourism efforts.”

BFI also cited the President’s own remarks during the July 14, 2025 groundbreaking of the new Boracay Airport passenger terminal in Caticlan, when he underscored the cultural and experiential value of the ferry crossing:

“The ferry experience is very important and very much part of the Boracay experience. I remember coming here as a vacationer. Pag sakay mo sa bangka, eto na, bakasyon na ito. That’s when the vacation really starts.”

The foundation warned that the bridge “threatens Boracay’s very identity,” noting that the island’s insular geography has enabled effective regulation, environmental recovery, and visitor-capacity management, factors critical to protecting its fragile ecosystem and sustaining tourism.

BFI further pointed out that the Governor and Congressional Representative of Aklan have publicly opposed the project, reflecting widespread provincial resistance. The letter also highlighted unresolved infrastructure priorities affecting Boracay, including the long-delayed completion of a new airport terminal that continues to constrain tourism flow and local commerce. “Proceeding with yet another megaproject under these circumstances raises serious questions of priority, accountability, and public interest,” the letter stated.

The Boracay Airport in Caticlan is owned and operated by Trans Aire Development Holdings Corp. (TADHC), a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation (SMC) Infrastructure, which has operated the airport since 2010. 

BFI concluded its appeal to the President with a direct call to action: “Mr. President, we respectfully but firmly urge your immediate and personal intervention: to halt any movement toward implementation and to direct the conduct of transparent, independent, and genuinely participatory consultations involving local communities, environmental experts, tourism planners, and civil-society groups. Projects of this magnitude, capable of permanently reshaping a national treasure, demand the highest standards of prudence, integrity, and public accountability.

We fear that the bridge project, if advanced without demonstrable necessity and overwhelming public consent, will irreversibly redefine what Boracay is and whom development in the country truly serves.”

In its letter to the Senate, BFI requested: “We therefore respectfully request the Senate’s intervention through the exercise of its oversight and legislative functions, including the conduct of inquiries in aid of legislation, the review of funding allocations, and the scrutiny of environmental, social, and economic impact assessments related to the bridge proposal. Transparent governance and public accountability are indispensable when projects of this scale affect a national icon and thousands of Filipino families.”

Meanwhile, the Committee of the Whole of the Sangguniang Bayan of Malay held a public hearing on February 5 at the SB Session Hall to discuss a proposed resolution expressing the strong objection of the people of Malay to San Miguel Holdings Corp.'s Caticlan-Boracay bridge proposal.

Stay tuned for updates on our online channels and in the next edition of Boracay Sun News.