Palawan Governor Jose Chavez Alvarez bared his priority plans for Coron town, which is topped by the construction of the needed facilities including an airport and the 50-hectare reclamation area in Tourism Mile.
As part of the expanding urban area and increasing economic activities, the provincial government will prioritize the construction of a hospital, sewerage system, water system, covered courts with solar lighting, storm drain and improvement of roads.
“Most establishments have slowly made their way into the reclamation area for tourism activities, and then we will fix your road, sidewalks, storm drain and enough leeway for pedestrians,” he said.
One of the most important infrastructure for Coron town is an airport, which is expected to further boost the tourism potential of the locality, with the influx of tourists coming from different parts of the world.
“If there’s a political will, then we can build that airport. Help us build this tourism enclave in this part of the Philippines. This airport, whether some sectors like it or not, we will do it. If in a discussion, people will try to engage you that this airport is not needed, you’ll try to expound very forcefully that we need this airport because Coron is such a beautiful place and a large tourism region together with Busuanga and Culion, the region can surpass the tourist arrivals of Kota Kinabalu, (Malaysia),” said Governor Alvarez.
Another development is the opening of sea route from Coron to Mindoro which is expected within the year or next year.
Of the overall tourist arrival in Palawan, Coron has the second highest number of tourist arrivals next to Puerto Princesa City.
Per records from the Provincial Tourism Office, out of the total 1.8 million tourists, there are 1,278,318 who visited Puerto Princesa City, while 208,100 visited Coron. El Nido ranked third with 149,948 tourist arrivals.
Coron town is within Coron Island, which together with about 50 other minor islets are part of the Calamian Archipelago in Northern Palawan that separates the South China Sea from the Sulu Sea.
The town’s Kayangan Lake, believed to be the home of various spirits and deities, is one of the most sacred places for the indigenous Tagbanwa people in the area.
Being the town’s biggest tourism draw and a sacred place, the lake’s cleanliness and conservation is vital for the town’s economic growth.
The municipality is home to the Coron Island Natural Biotic Area, which is listed in the natural category of the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.