ORIENTAL Mindoro will have another tourism haven aside from Puerto Galera with the development of Polakay Island through a P300-million resort project to be undertaken by Ibayo Island Resort Corp. (IIRC) and the local government of Palo.
The project, to be known as the Polakay Island & Adventure Resort on Kabilang Ibayo Island, also known as Polakay Island, already broke ground last week and is targeted for completion in three years.
IIRC signed a foreshore lease agreement and joint-venture deal with the municipality of Pola to pave the way for the development of Polakay. It is being positioned as an ecotourism haven for both foreign and local tourists and will be an alternative destination to the already-popular Puerto Galera.
“Polakay Island & Adventure Resort is envisioned to be an ecotourism resort highlighting the natural wonders of Kabilang Ibayo Island, including its rich biodiversity,” Roderick A. Ongcarrenceja, IIRC president, said in a statement.
Ongcarranceja said that for its initial phase of development, Polakay Island & Adventure Resort will have hotels, villas and clustered cottages totaling 132 rooms for a capacity of 300 guests. The island resort will be positioned as an alternate tourist destination to Puerto Galera.
Civil works started in 2004 when Pola Mayor Alex Aranas allocated P30 million for the construction of a bridge connecting Kabilang Ibayo Island to the mainland of Pola, a fourth-class coastal town with fishing as the main livelihood of its 31,000 residents.
On Feb. 14, 2006, President Arroyo proclaimed a certain portion of Kabilang Ibayo Island as an ecotourism park by virtue of Proclamation 1002. This island boasts of more than 3 kilometers of beachfront and 400 hectares of mangroves, which is home to fireflies and a wide variety of fauna.
