A French national who lost his phone while visiting this coastal town was reunited with the device the same day, following swift action by local tourist police.
The Palawan Police Provincial Office confirmed that Nicolas Rvideff, a foreign visitor, reported the loss of his black iPhone 14 to the Tourist Police Assistance Center (TPAC) in El Nido on Friday, June 14.
Led by Police Captain Emilie M. Valdez, acting chief of the Tourist Police Unit, officers immediately launched efforts to trace the missing item. Within hours, the phone was recovered and returned to Rvideff, who had feared the device was permanently lost.
The Tourist Police did not disclose further details on how the phone was retrieved, but noted that the incident demonstrates the unit’s commitment to ensuring a safe and visitor-friendly environment in one of the country’s top tourism destinations.
El Nido, which relies heavily on tourism, has strengthened visitor protection protocols in recent years by deploying a dedicated tourist police force.
Officials said the rapid resolution of the case is part of ongoing efforts to bolster public confidence in the municipality’s safety and security systems, particularly for foreign guests.
