Aklan gears up for tourist rush ahead of John the Baptist feast

AKLAN, Philippines – Local governments in Aklan and the police are preparing for an anticipated surge in beachgoers and cold spring-bound tourists in the province in time for the annual celebration of the Feast of Saint John the Baptist on June 24.

Police said they were preparing security measures because they expect people seeking respite from the urban heat to come to the province and flock to beaches and several cold springs, especially in Nabas town.

Captain Moonyen Joseph, Nabas town police chief, told Rappler on Wednesday, June 21, that they will be fielding policemen to several cold springs in time for the feast.

“We anticipate many to come because of the warm weather. Tourists and residents would be heading to different cold springs in Nabas,” she said.

Annually, many Aklan residents flock to the beaches on June 24, the feast day of Saint John the Baptist, which is celebrated by many Roman Catholics.

For many Aklanons, the feast day brings blessings and healing to those who go to bodies of water, which the Catholic saint has been associated with.

While Nabas is known for cold springs, it is also known in Aklan as the gateway to the world-famous Boracay Island. It is where the landing area of the Godofredo Ramos Airport, also known as Caticlan or Boracay Airport, is located. The airport’s outbound area is in Caticlan.

In the adjacent town of Malay, police chief Lieutenant Colonel Dicksie Don De Dios said they have scaled up security measures too, with the anticipated surge of tourists bound for Boracay.

Based on the record of the Malay Tourism Office, Boracay registered 95,997 foreign and local tourists from June 1-15.

In New Washington in Eastern Aklan, town Mayor Jessica Panambo said the local government is also preparing for several activities related to the Saint John the Baptist feast day.

New Washington is the hometown of the late Jaime Cardinal Sin and is famous for its oysters. It is also where the MM Resort and Convention Center, the largest inland resort in the province, is located.

Panambo said the town would showcase all sorts of seafood on that day.

The town is organizing dance and beach parties and cooking contests on June 24.

In Kalibo town, Mayor Juris Bautista-Sucro said the police security is also in place because it will be the center of the activities for the feast day in Aklan. June 24 is Kalibo town’s annual feast day in honor of the saint.

Kalibo started the celebration with a food festival on Wednesday night, June 21, and the festivities include the town’s traditional boat race, boxing at the beach, and other fun games at Pook beach, leading to the feast day. – Rappler.com
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