El Nido - Palawan

Wikitravel:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Nido,_Palawan

El Nido Part 1

El Nido, officially the Municipality of El Nido, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Palawan, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 41,606 people.

It is about 420 kilometres (260 mi) south-west of Manila, and about 238 kilometres (148 mi) north-east of Puerto Princesa, Palawan's capital. A managed resource protected area, it is known for its white-sand beaches, coral reefs, limestone cliffs and as the gateway to the Bacuit archipelago.

El Nido is currently ranked 4 in Condé Nast Traveler's list of "20 Most Beautiful Beaches in the World."  CNNGo has called it the Best Beach and Island destination in the Philippines for its "extraordinary natural splendor and ecosystem."

Geography

Situated in Bacuit Bay, El Nido, covering a land area of 465.1 square kilometres (179.6 sq mi) in the northernmost tip of mainland Palawan, is bordered by the Linapacan Strait in the north, the Sulu Sea in the east, and the South China Sea in the west. It is composed of 45 islands and islets, each has its own unique geological formations. The highest peak is at Cadlao Island, towering up to 640 metres (2,100 ft) above sea level.

Together with Sulu Archipelago, Sabah, and South China Sea, El Nido, being part of Palawan, is located in the tectonically active and seismically active Sunda Plate, a plate that is entirely separate from the Philippine Mobile Belt to which the rest of the Philippines belongs. The Permian to Paleogene rocks and limestone cliffs of El Nido are similar to those that can be found in Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, Guilin in China, as well as Krabi in Thailand, all of which are part of the Sunda Plate.

History

El Nido has been inhabited by humans as early 2680 BC, or even up to 22,000 years ago. This was confirmed by the fossils and burial sites, dating back to the Late Neolithic Age, that can be found in many caves and excavation sites surrounding the municipality, particularly in Dewil Valley's Ille Cave in New Ibajay. Chinese traders had been regularly visiting the area of Palawan for its edible birds' nests during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The island was mentioned in Chinese records of 1225. Chau Ju-Kua, a trade commissioner of the port of Chuan wrote about the island, Pa-Lao-Yu or Land of Beautiful Harbors in his book Chu Fan Chi.

The town traces its roots from a small Tagbanwa village called Talindak. Some time in the 16th century, waves of migrants from Cuyo Islands came here to settle. In the 1800s, the Spaniards arrived, and they moved to the part where the present-day Población and Mabini are located. The first Spanish families were the Canovas, Vázquez, Ríos and Rey. In 1890, the Spaniards renamed it as Bacuit. At the time, the center of the town was Cabigsing, then known as Inventario. Chinese families moved into the area about the same period, first settling in Langeblangeban. The first Chinese settlers were named Lim, Chin, Liao, Edsan, Ambao, Que-Ke, Lim Piao, Yu His, Pe Phan and Pe Khen.

During the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, the town was under the jurisdiction of the Municipality of Taytay, which was the capital of the former Province of Calamianes from 1818, and the Province of Castilla, the area of what is now known as northern Palawan, from 1858. It remained part of Taytay until 1916 when it formally became an independent municipality. The new municipality was then known as Bacuit.

On June 17, 1954, Republic Act No. 1140 was approved changing the name of the town from Bacuit to its present name El Nido after the edible nests of swiftlets (collocalia fuciphaga), found in the crevices of its limestone cliffs. These nests, nido in Spanish, the main ingredient for the gourmet nido soup, are being sold at approximately US$ 3,000 per kilogram.

In 1957, the following barrios were created:

• Villa Paz comprising the sitios of New Igabas, Candolay, Malapaho, Mabeñgeten, Dewel, Nalbekan, and Lapia;
• Bebeladan comprising the sitios of Mainlong, Bolabod, Balete, Culiong, Codongnon, Vigan, Pagawanen, Langeblangeban, Talulap, Bocboc, Miadiao, Avirawan, Pita, Deboluan, Balay-Bacaco, Kiminawit, Pamontonan, Simpian, Binabanan, Tegas, and Pinacpanacan;
• Bagong-Bayan comprising the sitios of Manogtog, Cadleman, Pinagtual, Omao, Nami, Tebey, Bato, Tuñgay, Cataaban, and Lomocob;
• Pasadeña comprising the sitios of Lamoro, Cagbatang, Bulalacao, Pinañganteñgan, Quinawañgan, Nagbaclao, Colantod, Loblob, and Badiang;
• Sibaltan comprising the sitios of Turatod, Buluang, Santa Monica, Senodioc, Laolao, Caboñgan, Tapic, Panian, Guitan, Loro, and Nagcalasag;
• Barotuan comprising the sitios of Taberna, Locaroc, Nagpan, Yocoton, Calitang, Wawa, Makinit, Canoling, Mabañgaon, and Mapeldeten;
• San Fernando comprising the sitios of Panian, Madorianen, Dipnay, Maubog, Guenleng, Palabuayan, Parañgaycayan, San Pablo, and Olac-olacan; and,
• Villa Libertad comprising the sitios of Calelenday, Taolili, Boloc, Inigtan, Mepague, Matolatolaon, Dao, Batbat, Madacotdacot, Nasigdan, Semenled, Bancalen, and Cagbanaba. In the same year, the barrio of Oton was renamed to Mabini.

Because El Nido was quite remote from most of the inhabited islands in the Philippines, its pristine beauty was hidden to the world until 1979 when a sea accident happened in Bacuit Bay. As the story goes, "a tuna line disabled a dive boat's propeller in the middle of the night forcing it to drop anchor in an inlet. The following morning, the divers woke up to an amazing scenery of skyscraping dark cliffs, thick green forest, white sandbeach, sparkling water and, rising above it, a series of magnificently sculpted jade islands."

In 1983, a dive station was established in Miniloc Island by a group of divers who were on board the dive boat M/V Via Mare. In the same year, major tourism commenced in El Nido, when the Ten Knots Development Corporation, a Filipino-Japanese joint venture company, opened a divers' resort on Miniloc Island, and an airstrip (Lio Airport) at Villa Libertad on the mainland. In 1992, the company set up a second resort on Pangulasian Island, and in 1998, the third and largest Ten Knots resort on Lagen Island. The opening of the third resort coincided with the destruction of the Pangulasian Resort by fire. During this period several other tourism establishments were developed, paving the way for tourism to become a thriving economic sector.

El Nido is a showcase of the Philippines' geological and biological diversity. In recognition of the importance of its unique ecosystem, the Philippine government made the entire area of El Nido first to a turtle sanctuary in 1984, then to a marine reserve park in 1991, and finally in 1998, to that of a managed resource protected area.

In April 2019, a bill dividing Palawan into three provinces was passed into law after the bill was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte. The three new provinces are Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental, and Palawan del Sur. A plebiscite will be held in May 2020 to decide on whether Palawan will be divided into three provinces or not. Some civil society groups opposed the proposed division, claiming that there was no extensive public consultation, which was later proven as consultations and a study were only made in a single town, El Nido. Additionally, reports have confirmed that China's Shanghai Electric Corporation has been tapped by the government to overtake Palawan's electric industry once the province has been divided in 2020. The proposed electric base of the Chinese corporation will be at El Nido town, near the West Philippine Sea, which China has claimed as its 'integral territory'.

Protected Area status

Establishment

In 1984, the then Ministry of Natural Resources issued the Administrative Order No. 518, establishing a 360 square kilometres (140 sq mi) maritime area in El Nido as a turtle sanctuary. In 1991, the rest of the Bacuit Bay, including its island and islets, was proclaimed by the Philippine government as a marine reserve. A year later, by virtue of Administrative Order No. 14 Series of 1992 of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, this area was expanded even more. In 1998, its status was elevated to that of a protected area, and it included even the terrestrial ecosystem of El Nido and portions of Taytay.

Extent and scope

The so-called El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area is the largest marine sanctuary in the entire Philippines. The Protected Area status accords the areas of El Nido and portions of its neighboring town of Taytay a place among the eight priority sites in the country in need of conservation. The Protected Area covers a total of 903.21 square kilometers, of which 40% are terrestrial and 60% marine.

The provincial government has mobilized its citizenry to actively participate in various environmental conservation and protection programs, such as the "Bantay Gubat" for forest protection, and the "Bantay Dagat" for the marine life preservation. Patrolling within the Protected Area especially in the marine zones is regularly conducted with the help of the World Wildlife Fund - Philippines that allocates funds to support the said activity. Other logistic support is by the concerned municipal governments. The Palawan Council for Sustainable Management (PCSD) provides legal assistance during the litigation of cases filed by the Protected Area Office (PAO).

As a protected area, the Philippine government needs approximately US$ 180,000 annually to protect and manage its natural resources. Tourists are encouraged to pay US$ 0.50 per day as conservation fee for the duration of their visit at the Municipal Tourism Office or the Office of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), which are housed in the Municipal Building in Calle Real. This was embodied in the PAMB Resolution No. 08 series 2000 from the National Integrated Protected Area Program (NIPAP) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

El Nido, being one of the most diverse ecosystem in the country, is protected for its unique flora and fauna, and pristine geologic formations. These include:

• limestone cliffs, the home of the swiftlets
• 50 white sand beaches
• 5 types of forest (the lowland evergreen rainforests found in the mainland and islands such as Miniloc, Lagen and Pangulasian; semi-deciduous forests; forests over limestone; beach forests; and, the mangrove forests found mostly around major rivers and creeks in the mainland)
• 3 major marine habitats
• 16 endemic and 10 threatened species of birds (including the Palawan hornbill, the Palawan shama, the Palawan tit, Palawan scops owl, and the Palawan peacock pheasant)
• 6 species of marine mammals endemic to Palawan (including dolphins and its native dugong)
• the Palawan tree shrew, the Palawan stink badger, the Palawan spiny rat, the Palawan anteater, and the northern Palawan tree squirrel
• 4 species of endangered marine turtles (hawksbill, olive ridley, leatherback and green sea turtles)
• 100 species of corals, 45 of which belongs to the genera of hard corals
• 813 species of fish

Climate

The climate in El Nido is distinguished by two seasons: generally dry, from December to May, and wet, from June to November. April and May are typically the driest months, while the heaviest rainfall occurs around August. The Northeast wind blows from December to March, occasionally interchanging with the North wind during December to February. The Southwest wind is felt from June to October while the East wind, the mildest of all winds, blows during the months of April and May.

The average surface temperature ranges from a low of 22 °C to a high of 33 °C. The coolest temperatures are usually experienced during the month of January, while the hottest temperatures are felt in April and May.

Sea conditions

The current in El Nido differ from very slight to moderate depending on tidal conditions. Divers and snorkellers can swim back to the boat without difficulty since currents are usually very manageable.

The average water temperature ranges from 24 °C to 26 °C during the months of December to March and 26 °C to 29 °C during the months of April to November.

Water visibility ranges from 3 meters to 10 meters from December to February, 10 meters to 30 meters from March to May, and 10 meters to 15 meters from June to November. The best time for diving at El Nido is during the months of March to May, as surface conditions are good.

Demographics

In the 2015 census, the population of El Nido was 41,606 people, with a density of 45 inhabitants per square kilometre or 120 inhabitants per square mile.

The first town census of 1918 showed El Nido having a population of 1,789. In the period between 1980 and 1990, the population grew up to 18,832. Based in the 2000 census, the annual growth rate is 3.58% . This is higher than the average annual population growth rate for the whole country for the periods 1990 to 2000 and 2000 to 2007, which was only 2.34% and 2.04%.

According to the 2007 census, El Nido has a population of 30,249 people in 6,311 households in its eighteen barangays. Eighty-five percent of the population are living in the rural barangays, while only fifteen percent of them are in the Población area.

Ethnic Groups

The original settlers of El Nido were the Tagbanwas and Cuyunons. Throughout the centuries, there has been a constant migration of Tagalogs, Hiligaynon, Bicolanos, Ilocanos, Chinese and Spaniards. There are also a small number of Germans and Koreans. Intermarriage between ethnic and linguistic groups are not uncommon in El Nido.

Languages

The main language is Filipino, which is largely based on Tagalog. In addition, many people are very proficient in English, Hiligaynon, other Visayan languages, and Bicolano. A small but significant percentage of the population speaks or comprehends Cuyonon, the native Visayan language of the Cuyo Islands and most parts of Palawan.

Education

El Nido has more than ten public elementary and secondary schools located in most of its barangays. El Nido Central School and El Nido National High School, which are both located at the Poblacion, have the largest facilities and number of students, among these schools. Recently, the Palawan State University opened its El Nido campus in New Ibajay, offering extramural programs and studies.

Economy

The main industries of El Nido are fishing, agriculture and tourism, being a popular diving location. Edible nest-gathering is also an economic activity, although it is seasonal. Coconut, palay, cashew, banana, and mango are its major products.

Communucations

El Nido town is currently served by a permanent Smart Communications tower in the neighboring mountains. As of June 2017 a temporary Globe Communications tower sits on a private lot along Rizal St with plans to construct a permanent tower in the works.

4G LTE signal is strong in El Nido town but fails to reach much further down the road. The signal from both carriers barely reaches Corong-Corong.