ADB, Tourism dep’t make investment plans for El Nido and Coron

In anticipation of more tourist arrivals in the coming years, the Asia Development Bank (ADB) and the Department of Tourism (DOT) on Wednesday identified two fast-growing tourism areas in Palawan in need of investments.

El Nido and Coron are two localities requiring investments in environmentally sustainable urban facilities and marine environment protection, the Manila-based ADB said.

“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,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said.

ADB will support DOT-led programs that offer solutions and financing to address the need for vital urban infrastructure and services.

These include solid waste management, drainage and sanitation, and clean drinking water in El Nido and Coron.

ADB will work with local stakeholders for the protection and conservation of oceans and the rehabilitation of key biodiversity-based tourism sites, the bank said.

The project is set to be delivered from October to December 2020.

“This project is critically important for ADB because we share with the Philippine government the goal of seeing local economies thrive on an environmentally sustainable path,” ADB Country Director for the Philippines Kelly Bird said.

“Tourism, when managed properly, can be a catalyst for inclusive development that can lift residents of El Nido and Coron out of poverty,” he added. —Joahna Lei Casilao/VDS, GMA News