BORACAY ISLAND, Malay — Migration in the municipality of Malay, where the tourist island of Boracay is located, increased in the past five years, a recent census of the Commission on Population (POPCOM) in Region 6 (Western Visayas) showed.
The migration census showed that a total 3,728 in-migrants, or those who transferred from other places in the country, were recorded in Malay, This figure is about seven percent of its current population of 53,387, Director Harold Alfred P. Marshall of POPCOM-6 said.
The migration census conducted from October 1 to November 30 last year is the first to be conducted in the region, Marshall said in an interview during the turn-over ceremony of the 2017 Migration Data Sourcebook to the local government unit of Malay on Tuesday afternoon.
Based on the study, recorded in-migrants in the town were mostly residing in three barangays of Boracay. Recorded in-migrants in Barangay Manocmanoc reached to 1,777 followed by Balabag with 1,128, and Yapak with 296.
For the mainland, Caticlan has 284 in-migrants while 243 are scattered in 13 other barangays.
From only 163 new in-migrants in 2012, the in-migrants continuously increased in five years with the highest recorded migration in 2017 with 1,455.
Based on the census, in-migrants of Malay mostly belonged to the working age population from 20 to 29 years age-group, most of them working in the tourism sector.
Marshall said the migration data are timely because of the island’s problem on congestion.
“Aside from the influx of tourists, congestion in Boracay is also brought about by migration,” he added.
“The workbook can help the LGU have evident-based migration and development policies as well as in updating their comprehensive land use plan and zoning ordinances,” Marshall added.
Aside from in-migrants, there were also 44 immigrants recorded in the island.
Marshall said there is a need to establish a migration information system to ensure efficient registry among inhabitants and migrants in the barangays of the town.
To ease congestion in the island and spread development, POPCOM also recommended creating a development council among adjacent municipalities.
“We have to spread resources proportionately,” he said.
Meanwhile, Malay Mayor Ceciron Cawaling said the data on migration will greatly help the municipal government “provide the kind of social service that the local residents and migrants deserve”. ( Karen Bermejo/PNA)
