DOT eyes rehab, not closure of El Nido

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) is pushing only the rehabilitation and not the closure to tourists of El Nido, Palawan, according to Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.

Puyat told The STAR that the heads of an interagency task force composed of the DOT and Departments of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) would meet on Aug. 1 to come up with a decision on El Nido.

She was reacting to reports that the DILG is recommending the closure of Corong-Corong and Bacuit Bays in El Nido due to fecal coliform levels.

”The three of us are waiting for the report (from the DILG and DENR), but the DOT side as of now, I’m only pushing for rehab,” Puyat said.

The members of the interagency task force inspected El Nido and Panglao in November last year. Concerned local government units (LGUs) were given until last May to comply with environmental and easement laws.

Puyat said El Nido and Panglao are ”too big to close.”

She had earlier said the islands would be rehabilitated not with the same strict six-month closure implemented in Boracay, but through closer partnerships with LGUs.