Executive Summary of Tourism Master Plans of San Vicente Flagship Tourism Enterprise Zone San Vicente, Palawan, Philippines 1 INTRODUCTION Background In line with the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) is the dispersion of tourism activities in designated Tourism Development Areas (TDA). One result of the NTDP is the Flagship Tourism Enterprise Zone Program (Flagship TEZ Program) of the DOT and TIEZA. In this program, the DOT and TIEZA take on a proactive role to seek out areas, which can be developed into TEZs, and be catalysts of socio-economic change. Last June 27, 2013, the TIEZA Board approved the identification of Rizal Park Complex, Manila and San Vicente, Palawan as Flagship TEZs. Through a competitive bidding process, Palafox Associates was awarded the contract to craft the Conceptual and Integrated Tourism Master Plans for San Vicente, Palawan. The formulation of master plans is well in line with the Tourism Act of 2009, or Republic Act 9593, which states that the application for the designation of a site as a Tourism Enterprise Zone must be accompanied by a Development Plan approved by TIEZA Objectives The following are the objectives of the consultancy engagement with Palafox Associates: Develop a Conceptual Tourism Master Plan (CTMP) for the entire San Vicente, with more focus on the identified four (4) Tourism Clusters (TCs) in San Vicente that have high potential for tourism development. Determine the existing tourism resources of the identified four TCs of San Vicente using as reference previous studies and existing plans. Define and formulate institutional reforms that will ensure inclusive growth such as but not limited to community-based tourism and livelihood projects. Develop an Integrated Tourism Master Plan (ITMP) for the Tourism Cluster 1 (TC1) or the Long Beach area as priority site for designation as a Tourism Enterprise Zone (TEZ) under Republic Act No. 9593 and its implementing guidelines. Identify the specific nature and scale of development in TC1 and its phasing over time. Obtain an indication of the financial and economic viability of the development in TC1. Determine the institutional, operational, and management arrangement in the implementation of the CTMP and the ITMP. Identify the business and financing models for implementing, operating and maintaining the Project, and recommend the most suitable model among them. Determine the projects that may be undertaken by TIEZA and/or DOT taking into consideration the latter’s convergence programs with other government agencies such as DPWH, as well as the corresponding costs of each undertaking. Highlights of the Plan The Tourism Master Plan of San Vicente, Palawan intends to create a comprehensive plan that will transform the designated Flagship Tourism Enterprise Zone into one of the leading tourism destinations of the Philippines. In addition to the 14-kilometer Long Beach, other tourism assets offer a variety of attractions and features in San Vicente. Examples of niche tourism categories that previously have not yet been recognized but which San Vicente is identified to have great potential in are agri-tourism and eco-tourism for the vast agricultural lands and the existence of Protected Areas such as mangrove forests and coral reefs in the site. 2 The Municipality of San Vicente is most known for its long stretch of white sand beach, the Long Beach. In order to preserve this feature, the easement is 50-meters from the High Water Mark, with guidelines for allowable uses in the 30 to 50 meter zone. To preserve the character of the beach, the existing vegetation and the tree line in the 0 to 50 meter zone must not be compromised to build the allowable uses. To guarantee that the beach remains a public amenity, access roads along the whole stretch have been proposed especially since all of the beachfront properties already belong to private owners. These access roads are recommended to be at approximately every 400 meters, a comfortable walking distance for most people. While the roads are intended to be for pedestrian use, in the event of emergencies, they can also provide access for emergency vehicles. While development is not fully in place yet at the Flagship TEZ, it is recommended that road networks already be planned. It is recommended that there be a hierarchy of road uses and users, wherein roads closer to the beach be smaller in width and will be mostly used by pedestrians, cyclists, and public transportation. Meanwhile, roads located more inland can be wider and can cater to larger vehicles such as service and delivery vehicles. Additionally, providing road access to areas inland can positively influence the land values in these areas so that they also benefit from the development. Utilities must also be planned before full development takes place in the Flagship TEZ. By using population and tourist arrival projections, the demand for services can already be anticipated. The provision of utilities should be able to meet the demand and beyond. It is recommended that utilities be places underground, not only for the aesthetic advantages for the tourism destination, but also since they are better protected against extreme weather conditions. As San Vicente is part of the Eco-towns Project of the Climate Change Commission, the recommendations of the Master Plan support its goals to improve the resiliency of San Vicente’s communities and ecosystems against the impacts of Climate Change. Utilities and services that are clean and renewable are recommended for their contributions to sustainability. Activities that are pollutive and have detrimental effects for the environment are not recommended, such as the use of Coal-Fired Power Plants and Mining Activities. 3 PROJECT CONTEXT International, National, Regional, and Provincial Settings It is necessary to consider the wider context of the site in order to understand the implications of its development to these settings and vice versa, in addition of course to its immediate surroundings. The Philippines is an archipelagic nation located in Southeast Asia. Its strategic position places it at the geographical center of the world, at the crossroads of the Americas and Asia, Europe, Africa, and Oceania. Its location has given it the advantage of being in an ideal location for trade and tourism. PALAWAN PROVINCE Palawan is the westernmost province of the Philippines. The island province is surrounded by: the West Philippine Sea to its west, the Sulu Sea to its East, the Calamianes Group of Islands to its north, and the island of Borneo to its south. With 42,500 hectares of mangrove forests, having 31 species and 90% of the known mangrove species in the country. Tubbataha Reef in the municipality of Cagayancillo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site while the nearby Puerto Princesa National Subterranean River is one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. The island is abundant in mineral resources such as marble, silica, limestone, nickel, chromites, copper, iron, pyrite, sulphur, guano and rock phosphates, mercury, gold manganese and oil. MUNICIPALITY OF SAN VICENTE QUICK FACTS Region: MIMAROPA (Region IV-B) Province: Palawan Founded: January 2, 1972 Barangays: 10 Area: 1,657.98 sq. km. Population: 30,919 (2010 Census) Total Density: 19 persons/sq. km. Ethnic Groups: Cebuano, Cuyunen, Ilonggo, Agutayno, Tagalog, Waray, Masbateno, Tabanua, Mindoreno, Bicolano Climate: Dry Season begins in December until May Wet/Rainy Season begins in June until November Northeastern winds (Amihan) prevails from November to May Rough coastal waters characterize the season of the southwestern (habagat) winds Attractions: White sand beaches, coral reefs, waterfalls, forest cover and mangroves, various endemic flora, serves as a habitat for the 23 of the 25 wildlife species found in Palawan 4 Brief account of the Municipality of San Vicente The municipality of San Vicente was created on June 21, 1969 by virtue of Republic Act 5821. It officially functioned as a distinct municipality on January 2, 1972. San Vicente is located in the northwestern side of the main island of Palawan and is 186 kilometers away from Puerto Princesa City. Has a forest area of 82,080.09 hectares and 22 identified islands and islets within its municipal boundaries. Classified as a first class municipality, San Vicente is nestled in the northwest of Palawan’s mainland, bounded by the South China Sea in the West, the municipality of Taytay in the North, Roxas in the East and the City of Puerto Princesa in the Southwest. Bases on the 2010 NSO Census, San Vicente has a total population of 30,565 at a growth rate of 6%. Population increases by 3,500 from 27,065 in 2008 based on CBMS survey within a 2-year gap. The total number of households is 6,460 with average household size of 5 members. Fishing and farming are the major economic activities in San Vicente wherein 29.50% and 25.77% respectively are engaged in it. Rice and coconut are the major agricultural crops and fish products are adequate in the municipality. San Vicente’s 14km (8.7mi) of beachfront is being converted into an emerging tourist destination that will be the beneficiary of government spending on infrastructure. The nearest international airport to San Vicente is the Puerto Princesa International Airport. The construction of the San Vicente Airport is currently ongoing and it is expected that this shall be operational in the near future. General Land Classification Map of San Vicente 5 PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS, WORKSHOPS, AND TECHNICAL MEETINGS Over the duration of the project, the Project Team had met with the various stakeholders of San Vicente. It is essential for the project to consider the vision, expectations, and plans of other stakeholders in order to arrive at a proposal that incorporates all of these to become truly inclusive and well-rounded. Public Consultations and Workshops The public consultation and meetings were successful in that the team was able to capture the sentiments and learn of the concerns of the stakeholders.