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This Week in Palawan (December 8 to 14, 2018)

El Nido rehab, new transportation routes, and more updates for your Palawan travel

By: Keith Anthony S. Fabro | December 08, 2018
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El Nido rehab

El Nido was once a sleepy fishing village turned a booming tourism town.



With the holiday season in full swing, you might consider going on a vacation to Palawan. And most likely, you’re one of the many travelers who have El Nido on top of their mind. As you may know, this tourist town is going through cleansing and for good reason! Whether you plan to embark on a solo trip or in a group, we assure you this week’s roundup will help you reach this top destination stress-free. So before you take advantage of your days off to travel, we encourage you to read on first.


Weather: Passing morning showers, partly sunny


This week’s going to be partly sunny with some passing morning showers around, AccuWeather forecast shows [1]. If you see clouds hovering, don’t cancel your travel plans right away as the chance of seeing rain is low to moderate. During the day, you could feel the warmth of December, with the average temperature at 27 0C. At nighttime, wear your sweater as it is relatively colder, with the average temperature at 21 0C.


Traffic News: Transport route plan due for implementation


Commuters and motorists in Palawan should expect new routes for private and public transportation. This as the Provincial Planning Office and the Provincial Board are in the process of finalizing the route plan, which needs approval from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board [2]. The route plan is expected to solve the franchising problem of shuttle vans in the province after the police’s Highway Patrol Group implemented a crackdown this year. If you traveling in Palawan as a tourist, you can avoid hassle by picking a registered tourist van to ensure that it is following a route prescribed in the plan.


Travel Updates


New air base in Palawan up for construction

By first quarter of 2019, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) will start constructing its 300-hectare air base in Balabac, an island town in southernmost Palawan [3]. The provincial government, which purchased the area and turned it over to the PAF, said it may also serve as the location of a proposed airport to be constructed to increase tourism influx. For many years, Balabac has been off the travelers’ radar until recently. With its unspoiled beaches and the sprouting of a handful travel agencies offering packaged tours around this island town, no wonder it’s gradually gaining popularity.


El Nido undergoes 6-month rehabilitation

The recent visit of top government officials in El Nido marked the start of a six-month rehabilitation aiming to improve the town’s water quality and to enforce coastal easement and carrying capacity policies [4]. While in El Nido, you’ll see how the national and local governments are working together to finish the town’s centralized sewage treatment plant within the given timeframe. Strolling by the beach, you might notice the demolition of easement-violating establishments. Also, since carrying capacity policy is strictly being implemented in Small and Big Lagoons, you have to reserve your slot a day before your tour.


New policy: El Nido implements ‘no ECC, no business permit’


Some 500 businesses in El Nido will now be required to follow the town’s “no environmental compliance certificate (ECC), no business permit” policy come permit renewal in January 2019 [5]. The ECC ensures business operations would not pose irreversible damage to El Nido, as it is part of a protected area. When in El Nido, do your part in helping to preserve the town’s exceptional environment by choosing a hotel, a travel agency, and restaurants with business permits. You can tell if they are legally operating if these permits are displayed visibly in their reception area and if they willingly issue official receipts.



References
[1] https://bit.ly/2BWFTwV
[2] https://bit.ly/2rqPVjQ
[3] https://bit.ly/2E5xQiP
[4] https://bit.ly/2SzDT2X
[5] https://bit.ly/2RFDnRb
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author
About Keith Anthony S. Fabro
Keith Anthony Fabro is a freelancer based in Narra, Palawan. He explores the great outdoors, talks to strangers, and designs promotional materials for a living. In his free time, he practices mindful meditation or reads anything about personality psychology and the natural environment, all while listening to mellow music. When inspiration strikes, he writes spoken poetry. He can live with just water and chocolates.
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Disclaimer: All articles in the Consumers Magazine of Yoorekka are for general information and entertainment purposes only. Although careful research has been made in writing them, Yoorekka does not make any warranty about the completeness and accuracy of all information presented in our articles. Our content is not intended to be used in place of legal, medical, or any professional advice.
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