Holistic approach to preserve beauty of El Nido launched

In a bid to preserve and conserve El Nido's terrestial and marine

ecosystems and uplift the lives of its local communities, the Philippine

Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) has launched recently its three

Sustainable Habitat development programs in El Nido, Palawan, one of

the country's famous tourist destinations.

The PRRM El Nido projects consist of interrelated parts: the El Nido

Community-Based Conservation and Development Program which balances

community development goals and environmental concerns, including

maintaining the biological diversity of El Nido's terrestrial and marine

ecosystems; the El Nido Solar Energy Pilot Project which aims to provide

affordable alternative energy to the villages in El Nido without affecting the

environment and the PRRM Ecodevelopment Tourism Program which aims to

develop tourism in the island that is environmentally sustainable without

damaging the natured habitats in El Nido.

The launch was attended by the townsfolk, members of media, local officials

and local and foreign dignitaries that included Tourism Sec. Gemma

Cruz-Araneta, PRRM president Rep. Wigberto Tanada, PRRM chairperson

and former senator Helena Benitez, Palawan Gov. Salvador Socrates,

Ambassador George Theodore Arnold of The Netherlands, Engineer Victor

Guash, representative of the Spanish Technical Cooperation office and El Nido

Mayor Edna Lim and Vice-Mayor Edwin Vidal.

El Nido, located in the northernmost tip of the island province of Palawan and

about 430 kilometers southwest of Manila, is known for its diverse and unique

biodiversity ranging from the terrestrial down to the coastal that contain a

variety of flora and fauna. Its pristine waters and wide coral cover offer an ideal

habitat for the growth of a variety of plants and animals. These ecosystems

are made up of unique habitats such as limestone cliffs, caves, mangrove

forest, seagrass communities and coral assemblages. Moreover, the

municipality also possesses a very high aesthetic value and archeological

importance. A variety of artifacts and ecofacts dating back to the 17th and

18th century were discovered. The Bacuit Bay area of El Nido where El Nido

resorts are located, has been established as a marine reserve by the

Philippine government.

"Palawan can truly be called, kanlungan ng kalikasan - a sanctuary, a refuge,"

said Rep. Ta?ada, the newlyelected PRRM president during his speech at the

launching ceremonies held at the poblacion grounds of El Nido.

Unfortunately, El Nido is being faced by threats of deforestration caused by

illegal logging, shifting cultivation and resultant siltation of the Bacuit Bay

which endangers the terrestrial and marine ecosystem; conversion of forest

areas into agricultural land by slash and burn farming, substitution of higher

value crops, increased dependence on fertilizer and pesticides, over harvesting

and using destructive fishing methods; increase of unregulated tourism

activities which bring about incompatible use and development of tourists

sites; lack of funds for the protection and management, over population; high

incidence of malaria and diarrhea; absence of waste management system for

both solid and liquid and of meeting the potable water and energy requirement

of the municipality's fast growing population.

Recent inteventions have been made to help preserve and conserve El Nido's

beauty with the implementation of the United Integrated Protected Areas

Program (NIPAP) assisted by the European Union including seven other sites

across the country. It is also in this light that the PRRM has decided to

establish sustainable habitat development programs in the island of El Nido.

"PRRM's field programs across the country are geared towards helping build

models for self-governing, selfsustaining rural communities. We try to address

the varying needs of the communities ranging from health to education, from

shelter to livelihood to resource regeneration by linking specific components

aimed at addressing specific needs into an integrated area-development

framework. Program implementation is anchored on strong community

participation, on building and enhancing people's capacities to actively pursue

their own development path," Rep. Tanada said.

Supported by the Dutch government, the five-and-a-half year El Nido

Community-Based Conservation and Development Program (ENCBCDP)

intends to approach the problem of conserving El Nido's natural resource with

the local community playing a central role. It aims to uplift the lives of the local

communities dependent on the resource base through the sustainable

management of El Nido's terrestial and marine ecosystems.

With an estimated total cost of US$3.9 million, the project shall cover all the

18 barangays of the municipality of El Nido. A 1.8 hectare lot in barangay Villa

Libertad adjacent to the Lio Airport will be constructed into a community

training center.

The Netherlands has been supporting nine environmental projects in the

country such as efforts in coastal zone management, protection of marine

environment and forestry. Its total contribution has reached about P660

million. During the launching ceremonies, Dutch Ambassador Anrold

encouraged each one involved to be proactive in working as partners toward

the attainment of goals and objectives and to ensure proper implementation in

the interest of survival of the Philippine environment.