By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo / Special to the BusinessMirror
TOURISM investors in San Vicente, Palawan, are fervently waiting for the opening of the municipality’s new airport before they push their resort-development activities to full scale.
This developed as the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) announced about P3.73 billion in investments are needed to develop the San Vicente Tourism Economic Zone (TEZ).
Among the investment opportunities are a water supply and distribution with sewage treatment plant (P365 million), power utility (P2 billion) and resort hotels (P1.36 billion).
While these investments are being sought from the private sector, Tieza Deputy COO Joy Bulauitan said the agency is willing to fund the infrastructure projects. “We have an approved budget for water and sewerage system, access roads, modular docking facility, tourism-information center, Tieza office and feasibility study for power [generation],” she said.
San Vicente, famous for its 14.7-kilometer long white beach along Imuruan Bay, is being touted as the “new Boracay”. So far, there is only one major resort in the area, but tourists also have the option for homestays via AirBnb.
Tieza also confirmed “all the big players in Boracay are already in San Vicente”, which
Bulauitan pointed out to mean that well-known resorts on the popular island in Aklan have already bought properties along the white beach of San Vicente. While she declined to identify these developers, one of them, Century Properties, announced in 2015 that it would be developing a P20-billion resort in San Vicente.
“[San Vicente] is expected to be transformed into a dynamic and environmentally
sustainable tourist destination,” she said in Tieza’s press briefing on Wednesday.
But resort developers may still have to wait a while longer before pushing through with the opening of their beachfront properties.
In a text message, Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation and Airports Roberto C.O. Lim told the BusinessMirror, “The target date of opening of the San Vicente Airport for general aviation operations only [no commercial flight]is last quarter this year.”
He added, “Removal of the hill obstructing the runway is still ongoing.” Pressed for a target for the airport’s opening to commercial flights, Lim said: “Let’s revisit that in June.”
The P56-million San Vicente Airport Development Project was awarded by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in December 2012, and was supposed to be completed by March 2014, or 360 days after the receipt by its contractor, BCT Trading and Construction, of the March 2013 notice to proceed.
“Also, we had a problem with a resident there who refused to allow our contractor to pass by his property in hauling of materials away from the site,” Bulauitan explained.
Tieza funded the elimination of the hill obstruction, which cost P236 million, although as per the DOTr’s notice to proceed in March 2013, this was supposed to be included already in the project terms, along with the construction of vehicular parking area, security fence, perimeter fence and drainage system, and runway extension.
“Our project engineer confirmed the target completion of the hill obstruction by March,” Bulauitan said. But she stressed, the airport is already being used for chartered/private planes. According to the local government, the present airport can accommodate Category 2B aircraft, or those with wingspans between 15 meters and 24 meters. These include Embraer EMB 110, Cessnas (208A, 402C, 441 and below), Beechcrafts (1900, 200, 58), aircraft made by de Havilland Canada and by Piper Aircraft Inc.
She also said Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Airways have already inspected the
airport and conducted their due diligence.
Aside from helping jump-start the development of the San Vicente TEZ, the airport is also a gateway to the popular resort destination of El Nido, she said. The Ayala Group owns the only airport in El Nido, such that its carrier, Swift Air, is the only one allowed to use it. “So most tourists still have to travel six hours from Puerto Princesa to El Nido,” said Bulauitan.
As per the San Vicente master plan, which was completed in 2014, Tieza is eyeing the development of beach and mountain resorts, agri-tourism area, cultural heritage tourism area, retirement village, accommodation facilities, the airport and cruise tourism facilities in the TEZ.
She stressed that the master plan will help prevent San Vicente from “going the way of Boracay”, in that the TEZ will be carefully developed, “with proper easements implemented”. The development of Boracay, popular around the world for its powdery white-sand beach, has been criticized for its overcommercialization because of the unbridled construction of resorts, some of which have eaten into the beach itself.
Tieza, formerly the Philippine Tourism Authority, is an attached agency of the Department of Tourism tasked to provide support infrastructure and facilitate investments in TEZs nationwide. These are carried out through its main functions—infrastructure development; designation, regulation and supervision of TEZs; management of its existing assets or facilitation of their privatization; and administration of the collection of the Philippine Travel Tax.
3 comments
Eco-town San Vicente will be transformed into a “dynamic and environmentally sustainable tourist destination” as TIEZA claims. But there is no mention on the power source that will energize the whole area including the airport. If they really know what sustaionable is then they should have started with renewable energy ( wind & solar ). Regenerative and organic agriculture, sustainable poultry,hog and dairy industries and bee farms with a pro-poor tourism strategy should be adopted.
San Vicente already has its own electricity, particularly in the Long Beach area. There are five barangays which are partly served by electricity. The present source of electricity are a 1 unit 500 KW, 1 unit 250 KW and 1 unit 160 KW generating sets operated by National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) which is sold to consumers through Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO). Serving 24 hours since December 2014. Remote areas, however, uses solar energy.
There is a long way to go to make this a really nice destination. There isn’t even an ATM in the whole area, prices are already too high on boat transportation etc. Private car transportation is TERRIBLE, you risk to be be killed going from El Nido to Puerto Princesa or other places. 130 km/h with a fully loaded Toyota Hiace even with extra seats on bad roads was what we experienced, passing the school area in 80 km/h even the sign says 10 km/h. Crazy people rule this transportation business.