El Nido acts to protect ecosystem

MANILA, Philippines - The municipal government El Nido, Palawan has undertaken a series of environment programs to protect its fragile eco-system, rehabilitate its natural resources and develop its full tourism potentials.

El Nido Mayor Leonor Corral said the municipal government has started to implement what is called an eco-tourism development fee (ETDF) to help sustain the town’s tourism and environmental efforts.

Under the ETDF ordinance authored by councilors Nieves Rosento and Rico Fernandez, tourists will pay P200, while non-El Nido Palawan residents will pay P100 and students, P50. Tickets will provide access to tourism sites within El Nido and is good for 10 days.

Half of the fund will go to environmental protection, resource rehabilitation, solid waste management and tourism development. Other recipients are the Protected Area Office (10 percent), barangay coastal resource management and watershed projects (10 percent), administrative costs and information materials (20 percent), and the municipal general fund (10 percent).

Corral said pro-jects to be funded by the ETDF include regulation of tourism activities, such as installation of marker buoys, training of tour guides on ecology, and enforcement of carrying capacity in tourist spots.

Future projects include construction of tourist facilities such as comfort rooms and visitor information centers.

The town is also implementing a multi-sectoral “dive/snorkel for a cause” campaign to rid El Nido of crown of thorns, a large sea star that preys on coral polyps.

The program is spearheaded by the Coastal Resource Management Office, Municipal Desk Environment Office, the Philippine Navy’s Special Operations Group, El Nido Divers Association, El Nido Guides Association, and the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary.