KALIBO, Aklan -- A number of Boracay airport employees will lose their jobs by February 16 due to change in management, the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) said.

Carmela Abellar, Dole-Aklan acting chief, said the department's role is to serve witness on February 15, when the separation pay of the affected employees will be released.

"Our office will see to it that benefits of the displaced employees are properly addressed. Once they receive their dismissal pay and signed, the employees do not have the right to complain to labor," Abellar said in an interview.

The Boracay airport, also known as the Godofredo Ramos Airport, in Barangay Caticlan, Malay, Aklan is a private airport under the Transaire Corporation, a San Miguel Beer company. The airport caters to tourists going to and from Boracay Island.

"The management told me that they are having difficulty in managing the airport due to the different policies of various aircraft. An employee could serve more than one companies with different policies. To prevent chaos, the management deemed it proper to turn over several positions to the airline companies in the operation of the airport," said Abellar.

"Although airline companies promised to hire displaced employees because they are already familiar with the operation, it is still not a guarantee that displaced employees would be immediately hired," she added.

The Caticlan airport was taken over by the San Miguel four years ago, as they want it developed into an international airport. (SunStar Philippines)