Palawan targets poverty reduction in new tourism plan

MANILA, Philippines — The Palawan government has crafted a tourism program to push for economic growth in the province aimed at reducing poverty level from 56 percent to 27 percent.

Palawan Governor Jose Alvarez said this planned “economic renaissance” would involve a Ro-Ro (roll-on, roll off) infrastructure as well as the planned regional airports.

He said the building of four regional airports in the province would bring in a target of five million tourists. The regional airports in Coron, Balabac, San Vicente and Taytay municipalities would bring in the tourists to Palawan which boasts of famed destinations like El Nido, Coron and Cuyo, where the ultra exclusive Amanpulo resort is located.

He said poverty incidence has been reduced by four percentage points to 56 percent since he assumed office but this is still not enough to make a dent on the poverty level in the province.

Alvarez said the three provinces (Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental and Palawan Del Sur) envisioned under RA 11259,  which President Duterte signed on April 5, 2019, can be entitled to an internal revenue allotment of P60 billion that could be used in reducing poverty incidence.

He said that the target poverty reduction to 26 percent is achievable since tourists have now reached 2.5 million, up from a measly 300,000 tourists when he began his term in 2013.