THE Palawan government recently launched an ambitious project to promote the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) in the West Philippine Sea as a destination for wildlife adventure-seeking tourists.
The maiden voyage occurred March 19, 2023 in five stops—Ulugan Bay in Puerto Princesa, Lawak Island, Patag Island, Likas Island and Pagasa Island.
In what was dubbed the “Great Kalayaan Expedition,” tourists sailed on board Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Melchora
Aquino (MRRV-9702), for seven days and six nights. The “unique” adventure includes experiencing marine wildlife awaits tourists such as the bird sanctuary in Lawak Island and turtle sanctuary in Likas
Island.
“We have a very vast playground for sports fishing and scuba diving,” said Khenjap Hupanda, program manager of Kalayaan Tourism Development Project.
Hupanda said the Palawan tourism office wants to tap tourism as the main economic driver for residents of Kalayaan Island municipality, a fifth-class municipality that is heavily dependent on the national government for its operation.
He said 95 percent of the 200 residents in Pagasa Island are heavily dependent on fisheries for a living. Fishermen usually earn P500 per day from commercial fishing.
With KIG being promoted as an ecotourism destination, fishermen can earn as much as P1,500 per day from fishing enthusiasts.
“We’re looking at least at a 50-percent shift to sports fishing or tourism. We can improve the economic conditions of our local fishermen in Pagasa Island and promote sustainable fishing,” Hupanda said.
The fishing activities under the Great Kalayaan Expedition would be
“highly regulated” for catch and release only.
“Our vision is by 2040, we want to be the center of adventure tourism in Palawan,” Hupanda said, noting that expedition cruising is now famous in other Palawan islands like El Nido and Coron.
Other claimants in the Spratlys have already tapped tourism in the islands they are controlling.
Malaysia has developed Swallow Reef as a diving destination. China also has opened the Paracel Islands to tourists. Vietnam recently offered “special sovereignty cruise” to Vietnamese tourists in reefs and islands in the Spratlys.
Former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio said developing the KIG as a tourism destination is a good way to establish sovereignty claims.
“We have a long way to go,” he said, noting that the area is still militarized and the islands are still very far away from Palawan mainland.
The tour package for Great Kalayaan Expedition costs P120,000 per person, broken down thus:
■ P113,000 operational
expenses
■ P4,000 entrance fees (LGU- revenue code)
■ P1,500 environmental fees (LGU – revenue code)
■ P1,500 sustainable tourism development fee (LGU-Revenue Code)
Image credits: PCG
