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A Boost For Tourism
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Puerto Princesa, Palawan
Almost P2 billion ($39.2 million) worth of infrastructure projects funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Puerto Princesa city is boosting its P5.2 billion ($102 million) development plan, which will make it ready for a massive tourism promotion that aims to bring in 600,000 tourists in only 3 years.
Known as the Philippines’ last frontier because of its strong environmental program, Puerto Princesa wants to be the country’s number one tourist destination for ecotourism. It is currently among the top major tourist destinations in the country. At its height, tourism arrivals reached 170,000 but have since gone down drastically with the terrorism scare caused by 9-11 and the infamous kidnapping by the Abu Sayyaf at one of its popular island resorts in 2001. Starting in the third quarter of 2002, tourist arrivals have increased with the city gaining popularity as a conference and sports destination.
The man behind the city’s ambitious development is Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn. He says he is not in a hurry to promote his city yet as he is still implementing his development plans, which put a premium on sustainable development above all else. Among the government’s infrastructure beautification and improvement efforts are widening a main street, Rizal Avenue; reclaiming the wharf; and putting a promenade along the boulevard. He is also purchasing additional police cars and hiring more police officers to beef up the current police force.
Complementing his sustainable development efforts are major infrastructure projects funded by ADB that were recently completed or are nearing completion, including an arterial road network, sanitary landfill, and fisheries project.
A MANGROVE SEEDLING farm in Puerto Princesa
The P1.6 billion Palawan North Road is a 134-kilometer (km) road stretching from the city to Roxas, cutting travel time from 4–5 hours to just 1.5 hours. The concrete road was made with a special concrete paver, making it much smoother than normal concrete roads. Engineers boast that it is a world-class road. The road, completed in 2004, is part of ADB’s Sixth Road project that aims to improve infrastructure in the countryside to boost economic development. The project, located along the northeast coast of Palawan, consists of the 80.34- km Puerto Princesa–Langogan road and the 54.14-km Langogan–Roxas road.
“These nice roads are a catalyst for development. Normally, investors, when they come, first look at the road network for the delivery of goods and products. Roads are a major aspect of development,” says Mayor Hagedorn. “We would like to thank ADB for making us a part of their major programs, particularly in infrastructure.”
The Palawan North Road boosts the tourism economy of the province, which is one of only two industries after agriculture. It leads to major tourism spots, including Honda Bay, Underground River, and its famed world-class resorts.
Another ADB-funded project is the P200 million ($3.9 million) sanitary landfill in barangay Sta. Lourdes, touted to be the first local government-controlled sanitary landfill in the country. It was one of the projects submitted for ADB funding in 1991 under the Philippine Regional Municipal Development project. It is now operational and the mayor is inculcating solid waste management among his constituents by having a proper waste disposal from the source.
“If you don’t have a comprehensive solid waste management program and you get a huge influx of tourists, you won’t know how to address the garbage problem. So we’re lucky that before the influx of more tourists, we are now ready for a massive solid waste management program,” Mayor Hagedorn says.
The project will cover the entire urban population and more than half of the rural population. The required capacity is for 20 years’ waste generation. With the implementation of the zero waste management program under Republic Act 9003, the city expects that the life span of the sanitary landfill will extend to 50 years or more.
The sanitary landfill will be implemented in six phases on a 26.9-hectare lot. Phase 1 covered the construction of a leachate treatment plant and pumping station; composting plant; and auxiliary facilities such as access road, perimeter fence and gate, cutoff ditches and drainage system, monitoring wells, protection dikes, gas vents, waste recovery shed, equipment yard and wash bay, weighbridge, guardhouse, and administrative building. Dump trucks and a landfill vibratory compactor were also purchased.
The third ADB project in the city is the Fisheries Resource Management project, which supports the strong environment vision of Mayor Hagedorn. Under the P40 million ($784,300) project, 370 hectares have been declared fish sanctuaries, prohibiting fishing and any other human activity. “We are achieving our goal of sustainable development and poverty reduction,” says the mayor. The city also maintains mangrove nurseries.
“ Because of the trust and confidence of Palaweños, I promised I am going to protect the resources that rightfully belong to them ”
- Edward S. Hagedorn
Puetro Princesa Mayor
The project has an income diversification component that provides microfinancing for activities such as crab fattening and fish drying. The project is targeted at promoting sustainable livelihoods for fisherfolk who were once engaged in destructive and/or unsustainable means of fishing. It covers 56 coastal barangays (villages). In Honda Bay alone, 18 coastal barangays benefit from the project while 22 are covered in Puerto Princesa Bay.
Ironically, the mayor has a strong environmental advocacy not because he has been an environmentalist all his life, but because he was among the first loggers in Palawan. “The turning point was when I was elected mayor in 1992. It was a humbling experience that I am not from here and yet I was elected. That’s what changed my outlook. Because of the trust and confidence of Palaweños, I promised I am going to protect the resources that rightfully belong to them.”
This strong environmental advocacy has had its rewards, garnering for the mayor and his city numerous environmental awards from both local and international organizations.
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