Governor Jose Chavez Alvarez confirmed that regular sea travel route from Palawan going to Kudat, Sabah and Kinabalu in Malaysia will open by 2020.
Palawan Provincial Information Office said that the Governor made the announcement during the Tourism Summit 2019 of ASEAN Business Advisory Council Philippines on May 2, 2019 in Manila.
“Get excited about Palawan. Drive all the way to the equator via our nautical and build highways through Malaysia. That is our invitation to everyone and that will happen before the end of next year,” he said.
In preparation of the regular trip to Malaysian cities, the Provincial Government prioritized the implementation of infrastructure projects that has direct contribution to the local tourism industry, such as the ongoing construction of two regional airports in San Vicente and Coron. The province proposed for the opening of international airports in Brooke’s Point and Taytay, the incoming capital towns of the proposed provinces of Southern Palawan and Northern Palawan respectively.
“One in the north and another in the south. So the North American market can directly land in Taytay and also the north European market can directly land there,” Governor Alvarez said.
He also announced of the opening of the roll-on roll-off (RORO) routes that will connect the provinces of Palawan and Mindoro which will start next year.
“I’m asking you to be excited as we are in Palawan, we’ll building a highway from Manila to Batangas and Batangas one hour to Mindoro, three hours to southern Mindoro and [another] three hours you are in Coron and this will be available by next year,” Governor Alvarez said.
He explained that the 600-kilometer six lane highway expansion project because this will shorten the travel time in going to the different towns of Palawan. He said that among his priority is the delivery of basic services including health care service and provision of water supply in the barangays.
“We’re building 15 hospitals every 100 kilometers. That’s a very nice and well-equipped hospitals to make the tourists very comfortable and of course confident in going to the islands. We’re doing all the water infrastructures for every barangay … to have clean and mineral water-quality available for the residence and also for the tourists,” he said.
He further said that in the next years, Palawan will be ready to accommodate 5 Million tourists every year starting 2024. The tourism industry is the prime propeller of Palawan’s economy. Last year, the province’s tourist arrival reached 1.8 Million.
“As of two years ago, it already contributed 36 % to the local economy and Palawan contributes 55% of the total MIMAROPA economy. Since 2013 our GDP is -1 percent and in 2017 because of our economic trust and also our tourism trust drove us up to 6.2 in 2017. That’s why Palawan is so changed now,” Gov. Alvarez said.