SMC denies withdrawal claim as opposition to Boracay bridge project

Conflicting statements have emerged over the proposed P7.78-billion Boracay Bridge project after Aklan Gov. Jose Enrique Miraflores announced that San Miguel Holdings Corp. (SMHC) had withdrawn from the undertaking, a claim promptly denied by San Miguel Corp. (SMC) President and Chief Executive Office Ramon Ang.

Miraflores disclosed during a consultative meeting in Boracay on May 27 that Ang supposedly agreed not to pursue the project following discussions about mounting opposition.
According to the governor, Ang recognized the strong resistance against the bridge proposal and decided not to continue with the project to avoid conflict with residents and affected sectors.

The announcement was welcomed by participants in the consultation, many of whom have opposed it over its potential environmental impact and its implications for Boracay’s tourism-driven economy.

However, Ang disputed the governor’s statements, telling GMA News Online that reports claiming SMC had backed out of the project were “not true.”

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan formally rejected the project through a resolution approved in October 2025, while the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Aklan chapter and several Boracay-based business organizations have likewise expressed opposition.

Legal questions remain unsolved as the project has yet to secure the approval of the Aklan provincial board, a requirement under the Local Government Code for national projects affecting local communities and the environment.

Despite its uncertainty, the Department of Public Works and Highways previously awarded the unsolicited proposal to SMHC in April, leaving the project’s future unclear.