Manila, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) is working with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in preparing a tourism development program that will ensure sustainable and livable environment for El Nido and Coron, two fast-growing destinations in Palawan province known for their pristine natural beauty and diverse marine life.
In conjunction with the DOT, the ADB has identified El Nido and Coron as two localities requiring environmentally sustainable investments in urban facilities and marine environment protection in anticipation of an influx of tourists visiting the islands over the next decade.
“Palawan is known as the country’s ‘last ecological frontier’ and we want to ensure its rich marine ecosystem, particularly in El Nido and Coron, will be protected amid the rapid growth in tourist demand,” said Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.
The project is part of the DOT’s Transforming Communities Towards Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable Tourism (TouRIST) Program, a coordinated effort by various government agencies and local stakeholders in partnership with multilateral development banks in implementing sustainable tourism destination development in the country.
ADB will be supporting the DOT-led program by offering solutions and financing to address the immediate need for vital urban infrastructure and services, such as solid waste management, drainage and sanitation, and clean drinking water in El Nido and Coron. ADB will also help build the capacity of local stakeholders to protect and conserve healthy oceans and rehabilitate key biodiversity-based tourism sites. The project is planned for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2020.
“This project is critically important for ADB because we share with the Philippines government the goal of seeing local economies thrive on an environmentally sustainable path. Tourism, when managed properly, can be a catalyst for inclusive development that can lift residents of El Nido and Coron out of poverty,” said ADB Country Director for the Philippines Mr. Kelly Bird.
Secretary Romulo-Puyat has created a project steering committee composed of senior officials from the National Economic and Development Authority, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and the Departments of Finance, Public Works and Highways, Interior and Local Government, Environment and Natural Resources, Health, and Transportation.
