SENATOR Juan Edgardo Angara has filed a bill seeking to declare the Pag-asa Island Cluster in Kalayaan, Palawan as an ecotourism destination and protected area.
Senate Bill 2938 seeks to declare the island as a special ecological tourism zone. The government will promote and develop the area as a tourist destination while protecting its natural resources.
The Pag-asa Island, located 480 kilometers off southwestern Palawan, is the second largest island in the whole of Kalayaan Island Group (Spratlys) in the West Philippine Sea, and is the only island in the Spratlys occupied by the Philippines.
The Kalayaan Island town is a fifth-class municipality of Palawan and is home to around 300 civilian residents.
"With its impeccable beauty, the island is an ideal tourist destination. The rich biodiversity and Filipino heritage of the island truly reflects the beauty of a paradise that our country should be proud of," Angara said.
Palawan was hailed as the top island destination in the world for the second straight year by Conde Nast Traveler, an award-winning US travel magazine, in its Readers' Choice Awards 2015.
The senator said that while Kalayaan Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon Jr. is dreaming to add the Pag-asa Island cluster among Palawan's top tourist destinations, various development projects on the island are still being deliberated.
The measure, Angara said, seeks to provide the necessary support for such efforts of the Municipal Government of Kalayaan by declaring it an ecological tourism area.
The bill mandates the creation of the Pag-asa Island Ecotourism Clusteer Governing Board that will rationalize all efforts pertaining to environmental protection and making the tourism industry a major source of livelihood and an avenue for employment generation.
Angara said the board will be handled by Palawan governor as chairperson, fifth district Palawan representative as co-chairperson, Environment Regional Executive Director for Region Mimaropa as vice chairperson, and Tourism Regional Director for Mimaropa as co-vice chairperson.
The remainders will be the Kalayaan mayor, Pag-asa barangay chairperson, Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command chief, a member of a non-government organization whose advocacy is environment preservation, a member of the academe, a representative of the business sector, and a representative of the private sector.
In addition, the proposed measure also seeks to declare the islands of Parola, Kota, and Panata as protected areas under the National Integrated Protected Areas System.
"The board, in coordination with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, is mandated to prepare, develop, and implement an ecotourism master plan to ensure environment and ecosystem protection and preservation, and to promote tourism and job generation to boost the economy of Kalayaan," Angara said. (Sunnex)