El Nido inks deal for urban planning
The El Nido local government signed Tuesday an agreement with Palafox Associates Philippines (Palafox) to formulate its urban master development plan. The memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed by Mayor Nieves Rosento and architect Felino Palafox, Jr., principal architect and urban planner of Palafox. Palafox presented a 30-minute slideshow of its urban master development plan proposal. Mayor Rosento said the proposal is compliant to their vision “to develop El Nido without compromising the integrity of its natural environment.” Palafox told Palawan News that El Nido has a lot to offer not only locally but to the whole world, and the help of its residents is important to maintain it as a prime tourist destination. “El Nido has many potentials to offer hindi lang sa local but to the whole world and the stakeholders’ active response to local government’s programs like this ay napakahalaga as we will conduct a series of consultations,” he said. She said the urban planning will focus on the redevelopment of the town center, Nacpan Beach Tourism Development Zone, Tourist Docking Facility site, and Heritage Center in Barangay Sibaltan. She expressed optimism that her town can follow the master plan as the future of El Nido depends on it aside from heeding national laws on environmental protection and municipal land use. “This is not only for us but for the next generations na gusto natin ma-assure na ang El Nido ay forever kaya nais natin gawin ang orihinal na plano at pananaw para sa El Nido with involvement ng lahat ng ating mga sectors o stakeholders para sa isang sustainable at mas enhanced na tourism destination,” she pointed out. El Nido is the first town in Palawan to undertake urban master planning with Palafox, she said, encouraging residents to cooper- ate with the consultations it will conduct. “Ito ‘yong ating pangarap at kinabukasan kaya we are open to hearing your voice,” she said adding that “every sector and stakeholder should take part when the consultations reach their barangays.”