By DAVID CASUCO (First of two parts)
PUERTO PRINCESA city Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn said the province of Palawan, which is generally regarded as the Philippines last frontier, is not yet ready for massive tourism.
In an exclusive interview, Hagedorn, who was responsible for transforming Palawan into eco-tourism destination, told the California Examiner that the needed infrastructures have to be in place before the city government will consider opening the province to maximum tourist traffic.
“We have to rebuild the airport, we need to build more roads and hotels.” said Hagedorn.
The flamboyant mayor added that while the province, especially the northern part, is essentially a tourism magnet, his government will go by environment-friendly development or sustainable development.
By sustainble development, Hagedorn was talking about building tree-lined roads and thoroughfares, more parks and resorts with excellent environmental management, and allowing only industries that do not harm the balance of nature.
Also, the mayor pointed out that the citizens of the province must continue to respond to the challenge to keep Palawan’s natural pristine beauty.The citizens of Palawan enforce the law of littering much like they are God-give statutes. And rightly so, as they are protecting God's wondrous natural creations.
It is a common knowledge in the city that Mayor Hagedorn himself had to pay P200 fine for breaking the law. His violation: He threw a cigarette butt on the sidestreet of Rizal Avenue, one of the city’s main streets.
When asked to confirm if the story is true, Mayor Hagedorn said it did happen. He admitted that he, indeed, paid the fine of P200, and had apologized for his violation.“There is a sense of pride (among the residents) that Puerto Princesa has been named the cleanest and the greenest city (in the country),” he said.
The province, according to Hagedorn, is now committed to developing the economy of the people in a sustainable way.
Earlier, Hagedorn has made an appeal to President Arroyo and Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Ace Durano of the Department of Tourism for the launching of a serious and massive nationwide campaign for Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park’s (PPSRNP) quest in the search for the “New Seven Wonders of Nature.
”The Subterranean River National Park has the lead right now in the Group E Forests, National Parks and Nature Reserves category, but a few days after it tumbled to second position in the live ranking against rivals in the ongoing global search.Aside from tourism industry,which bring in a big chunk of the government revenues, the city’s industries are agriculture and farming. The province produces coconut, banana, and rice. It also supplies fish and other marine products to Metro Manila and other Asian countries.
And while regulations are in place for controlled development in Palawan, the lure of a lucrative tourism revenue is just as irresistible. Recently, the province has developed five new eco-tour attractions that include The Iwahig River firefly tour, which this writer took courtesy of the Legend Hotel, arguably the best bet in hotel accommodation in Puerto Princesa.The firefly tour is a one-and-a-half hour nocturnal boat ride down mangrove-lined, brackish water of Iwahig River.
The stillness and serenity of the ride is occasionally broken by the paddle of the boatmaster, usually a volunteer student from the Palawan State University. The eerie glow of the bioluminescence of fireflies and the faint whispers of the tropical wind make the experience an awe-inspiring journey. (davidlvnow@aol.com)
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