El Nido, officially the Municipality of El Nido ( cyo, Banwa i'ang El Nido, tgl, Bayan ng El Nido), is a 1st class
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
in the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of
Palawan
Palawan (), officially the Province of Palawan ( cyo, Probinsya i'ang Palawan; tl, Lalawigan ng Palawan), is an archipelagic province of the Philippines that is located in the region of Mimaropa. It is the largest province in the country in ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 50,494 people.
It is about south-west of
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
,
and about north-east of
Puerto Princesa
Puerto Princesa, officially the City of Puerto Princesa (Cuyonon: ''Siyudad i'ang Puerto Princesa''; fil, Lungsod ng Puerto Princesa), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Mimaropa region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, ...
, capital of Palawan.
A
managed resource protected area,
[Destination: El Nido](_blank)
Accessed 24, 2008. it is known for its white-sand beaches, coral reefs, and limestone cliffs, as well as for being the gateway to the Bacuit archipelago.
History
El Nido has been inhabited by humans since early 2680 BC, or even up to 22,000 years ago. This was confirmed by the fossils and burial sites, dating back to the
Late Neolithic Age, that can be found in many caves and excavation sites surrounding the municipality, particularly in
Dewil Valley's Ille Cave in New Ibajay. Chinese traders had been regularly visiting the area of Palawan for its edible birds' nests during the
Song Dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
(960-1279). The island was mentioned in Chinese records of 1225.
Chau Ju-Kua, a trade commissioner of the
port of Chuan wrote about the island, ''Pa-Lao-Yu'' or ''Land of Beautiful Harbors'' in his book ''
Chu Fan Chi.''
The town traces its roots from a small
Tagbanwa village called ''Talindak.'' Some time in the 16th century, waves of migrants from
Cuyo Islands
The Cuyo Archipelago or Cuyo Islands, is a group of about 45 islands lying to the northeast of the Philippine island of Palawan.''Traveler's Companion Philippines 1998'' p.214 Kirsten Ellis, Globe Pequot Press Globe Pequot, 1998 It lies south of ...
came here to settle. In the 1800s, the
Spaniards
Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance peoples, Romance ethnic group native to Spain. Within Spain, there are a number of National and regional identity in Spain, national and regional ethnic identities that reflect the country's complex Hist ...
arrived, and they moved to the part where the present-day Población and Mabini are located.
The first Spanish families were the Canovas, Vázquez, Ríos, and Rey. In 1890, the Spaniards renamed it ''Bacuit''. At the time, the center of the town was Cabigsing, then known as Inventario.
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
families moved into the area about the same period, first settling in Langeblangeban. The first Chinese settlers were named Lim, Chin, Liao, Edsan, Ambao, Que-Ke, Lim Piao, Yu His, Pe Phan, and Pe Khen.
During the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, the town was under the jurisdiction of the
Municipality of Taytay, which was the capital of the former ''Province of Calamianes'' from 1818, and the ''Province of Castilla'', the area of what is now known as northern Palawan, from 1858. It remained part of Taytay until 1916 when it formally became an independent municipality.
The new municipality was then known as Bacuit.
On June 17, 1954, Republic Act No. 1140 was approved changing the name of the town from Bacuit to its present name El Nido after the edible nests of
swiftlets
Swiftlets are birds contained within the four genera ''Aerodramus'', ''Hydrochous'', ''Schoutedenapus'' and ''Collocalia''. They form the Collocaliini tribe within the swift family Apodidae. The group contains around thirty species mostly confine ...
(''
collocalia fuciphaga''), found in the crevices of its
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
cliffs
In geography and geology, a cliff is an area of rock which has a general angle defined by the vertical, or nearly vertical. Cliffs are formed by the processes of weathering and erosion, with the effect of gravity. Cliffs are common on co ...
. These nests, ''nido'' in
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
, the main ingredient for the gourmet nido soup, are being sold at approximately
US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
3,000 per kilogram.
In 1957, the following barrios were created:
* Villa Paz comprising the sitios of New Igabas, Candolay, Malapaho, Mabeñgeten, Dewel, Nalbekan, and Lapia;
* Bebeladan comprising the sitios of Mainlong, Bolabod, Balete, Culiong, Codongnon, Vigan, Pagawanen, Langeblangeban, Talulap, Bocboc, Miadiao, Avirawan, Pita, Deboluan, Balay-Bacaco, Kiminawit, Pamontonan, Simpian, Binabanan, Tegas, and Pinacpanacan;
* Bagong-Bayan comprising the sitios of Manogtog, Cadleman, Pinagtual, Omao, Nami, Tebey, Bato, Tuñgay, Cataaban, and Lomocob;
* Pasadeña comprising the sitios of Lamoro, Cagbatang, Bulalacao, Pinañganteñgan, Quinawañgan, Nagbaclao, Colantod, Loblob, and Badiang;
* Sibaltan comprising the sitios of Turatod, Buluang, Santa Monica, Senodioc, Laolao, Caboñgan, Tapic, Panian, Guitan, Loro, and Nagcalasag;
* Barotuan comprising the sitios of Taberna, Locaroc, Nagpan, Yocoton, Calitang, Wawa, Makinit, Canoling, Mabañgaon, and Mapeldeten;
* San Fernando comprising the sitios of Panian, Madorianen, Dipnay, Maubog, Guenleng, Palabuayan, Parañgaycayan, San Pablo, and Olac-olacan; and,
* Villa Libertad comprising the sitios of Calelenday, Taolili, Boloc, Inigtan, Mepague, Matolatolaon, Dao, Batbat, Madacotdacot, Nasigdan, Semenled, Bancalen, and Cagbanaba. In the same year, the barrio of Oton was renamed to Mabini.
Geography
El Nido is situated in Bacuit Bay and covers a land area of .
It is in the northernmost tip of mainland Palawan and is bordered by the
Linapacan Strait in the north, the
Sulu Sea
The Sulu Sea ( fil, Dagat Sulu; Tausug: ''Dagat sin Sūg''; Chavacano: ''Mar de Sulu''; Cebuano: ''Dagat sa Sulu''; Hiligaynon: ''Dagat sang Sulu''; Karay-a: ''Dagat kang Sulu''; Cuyonon: ''Dagat i'ang Sulu''; ms, Laut Sulu) is a body o ...
in the east, and the
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...
in the west. El Nido includes 45 islands and islets,
each with its own unique geological formations. The highest peak is at Cadlao Island, towering up to above sea level.
Together with
Sulu Archipelago,
Sabah
Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indone ...
, and
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...
, El Nido, being part of Palawan, is located in the tectonically active and seismically active
Sunda Plate
The Sunda Plate is a minor tectonic plate straddling the Equator in the Eastern Hemisphere on which the majority of Southeast Asia is located.
The Sunda Plate was formerly considered a part of the Eurasian Plate, but the GPS measurements have ...
,
[On Shaky Ground](_blank)
. a plate that is entirely separate from the
Philippine Mobile Belt
In the geology of the Philippines, the Philippine Mobile Belt is a complex portion of the tectonic boundary between the Eurasian Plate and the Philippine Sea Plate, comprising most of the country of the Philippines. It includes two subduction z ...
to which the rest of the Philippines belongs. The
Permian
The Permian ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system which spans 47 million years from the end of the Carboniferous Period million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Triassic Period 251.9 Mya. It is the last period of the Paleoz ...
to
Paleogene
The Paleogene ( ; British English, also spelled Palaeogene or Palæogene; informally Lower Tertiary or Early Tertiary) is a geologic period, geologic period and system that spans 43 million years from the end of the Cretaceous Period million yea ...
rocks and limestone cliffs of El Nido are similar to those that can be found in
Ha Long Bay
Ha may refer to:
Agencies and organizations
* Health authority
* Hells Angels Motorcycle Club
* Highways Agency (now ''National Highways''), UK government body maintaining England's major roads
* Homelessness Australia, peak body organisation ...
in
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
,
Guilin
Guilin ( Standard Zhuang: ''Gveilinz''; alternatively romanized as Kweilin) is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is situated on the west bank of the Li River and borders Hunan to the nort ...
in
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, as well as
Krabi
Krabi ( th, กระบี่, ) is the main town in the province of Krabi (''thesaban mueang'') on the west coast of southern Thailand at the mouth of the Krabi River where it empties in Phang Nga Bay. As of 2020, the town had a population of 3 ...
in
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
, all of which are part of the
Sunda Plate
The Sunda Plate is a minor tectonic plate straddling the Equator in the Eastern Hemisphere on which the majority of Southeast Asia is located.
The Sunda Plate was formerly considered a part of the Eurasian Plate, but the GPS measurements have ...
.
Barangays
El Nido is politically subdivided into eighteen
barangay
A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolitan ...
s. Four of which are situated in the ''Población'' (town proper), and are also known by their respective zones.
* Bagong Bayan
*
Buena Suerte (Zone II)
* Barotuan
* Bebeladan
* Corong-corong (Zone IV)
* Mabini (formerly Oton)
* Manlag
* Masagana (Zone III)
* New Ibajay
* Pasadeña
* Maligaya (Zone I)
* San Fernando
* Sibaltan
* Teneguiban
* Villa Libertad
* Villa Paz
* Bucana
* Aberawan
Climate
The climate in El Nido is distinguished by two seasons: generally dry, from December to May, and wet, from June to November. April and May are typically the driest months, while the heaviest rainfall occurs around August. The Northeast wind blows from December to March, occasionally interchanging with the North wind from December to February. The Southwest wind is felt from June to October while the East wind, the mildest of all winds, blows during April and May.
[Philippine Country](_blank)
Accessed August 25, 2008.
The average temperature ranges from a low of to a high of . The coolest temperatures are usually experienced during the month of January, while the hottest temperatures are felt in April and May.
Demographics
![El Nido Calle Real - panoramio](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/El_Nido_Calle_Real_-_panoramio.jpg)
In the 2020 census, the population of El Nido was 50,494 people, with a density of .
The first town census of 1918 showed El Nido having a population of 1,789. In the period between 1980 and 1990, the population grew up to 18,832.
Accessed August 24, 2008. Based on the 2000 census, the annual growth rate is 3.58%. This is higher than the average annual population growth rate for the whole country for the periods 1990 to 2000 and 2000 to 2007, which was only 2.34% and 2.04%.
According to the 2007 census, El Nido has a population of 30,249 people in 6,311 households in its eighteen
barangay
A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolitan ...
s. Eighty-five percent of the population are living in the rural barangays, while only fifteen percent of them are in the
Población area.
Ethnic Groups
The original settlers of El Nido were the
Tagbanwas and
Cuyunons. Throughout the centuries, there has been a constant migration of
Tagalogs
The Tagalog people ( tl, Mga Tagalog; Baybayin: ᜋᜅ ᜆᜄᜎᜓᜄ᜔) are the largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines, numbering at around 30 million. An Austronesian people, the Tagalog have a well developed society due to their ...
,
Hiligaynon,
Bicolanos
The Bicolano people or the Bikolanos ( Bikol: ''Mga Bikolnon'') are the fourth-largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group. Males are usually referred to as ''Bicolano'', and ''Bicolana'' is used for females. Their native region is commonly referred ...
,
Ilocanos
The Ilocanos ( ilo, Tattao nga Iloko/), Ilokanos, or Iloko people are the third largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group and mostly reside within the Ilocos Region in the northwestern seaboard of Luzon, Philippines. The native language of the Ilo ...
,
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
and
Spaniards
Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance peoples, Romance ethnic group native to Spain. Within Spain, there are a number of National and regional identity in Spain, national and regional ethnic identities that reflect the country's complex Hist ...
. There are also a small number of
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
and
Koreans
Koreans ( South Korean: , , North Korean: , ; see names of Korea) are an East Asian ethnic group native to the Korean Peninsula.
Koreans mainly live in the two Korean nation states: North Korea and South Korea (collectively and simply refe ...
. Intermarriage between ethnic and linguistic groups are not uncommon in El Nido.
Languages
The main language is
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
, which is largely based on
Tagalog. In addition, many people are very proficient in
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
,
Hiligaynon, other
Visayan languages
The Bisayan languages or Visayan languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages spoken in the languages of the Philippines, Philippines. They are most closely related to Tagalog language, Tagalog and the Bikol languages, all of which ar ...
, and
Bicolano. A small but significant percentage of the population speaks or comprehends
Cuyonon
Cuyonon is a regional language, regional Bisayan languages, Bisayan language spoken on the coast of Palawan and the Cuyo Islands in the Philippines. , the native language of the Cuyo Islands and most parts of Palawan.
Economy
![El Nido Fishing Village - panoramio](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/El_Nido_Fishing_Village_-_panoramio.jpg)
The main industries of El Nido are
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
,
agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
and
tourism
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...
, being a popular
diving location
Recreational diving or sport diving is diving for the purpose of leisure and enjoyment, usually when using scuba equipment. The term "recreational diving" may also be used in contradistinction to "technical diving", a more demanding aspect of ...
. Edible nest-gathering is also economic activity, although it is seasonal.
Coconut
The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...
,
palay
Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticated ...
,
cashew
The cashew tree (''Anacardium occidentale'') is a tropical evergreen tree native to South America in the genus ''Anacardium'' that produces the cashew seed and the cashew apple accessory fruit. The tree can grow as tall as , but the dwarf cult ...
,
banana
A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguis ...
, and
mango
A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree ''Mangifera indica''. It is believed to have originated in the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South a ...
are its major products.
[Official Website of the Province of Palawan](_blank)
Accessed August 28, 2008.
As a tourist destination, El Nido has been included in ''
Condé Nast Traveler
''Condé Nast Traveler'' is a luxury and lifestyle travel magazine published by Condé Nast. The magazine has won 25 National Magazine Awards.
The Condé Nast unit of Advance Publications purchased ''Signature'', a magazine for Diners Club memb ...
''s list of "''20 Most Beautiful Beaches in the World'',"
CNNgo has called it the Best Beach and Island destination in the Philippines
[The Philippines' best beaches and islands](_blank)
. ''CNN Go website''. Accessed May 15, 2012. for its "extraordinary natural splendor and ecosystem."
Government
![El Nido Municipal Hall](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/El_Nido_Municipal_Hall.JPG)
El Nido is governed by a Mayor and a Vice Mayor, who are elected to three-year terms. The
Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
is the executive head and leads the municipality's departments in executing the municipal ordinances and improving public services. The
Vice Mayor
The deputy mayor (also known as vice mayor, assistant mayor, or mayor ''pro tem'') is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official that is present in many, but not all, local governments.
Duties and functions
Many elected dep ...
heads the legislative council consisting of eight councilors, or more commonly known as
Sangguniang Bayan members. The
Municipal Council
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counci ...
is in charge of creating the municipality's policies in the form of
Ordinances and
Resolutions.
Seal
The municipality seal shows a silhouette of the territory of El Nido inside an armor-shaped picture. The famous marble and limestone cliffs represent the nestling ground of the
swiftlets
Swiftlets are birds contained within the four genera ''Aerodramus'', ''Hydrochous'', ''Schoutedenapus'' and ''Collocalia''. They form the Collocaliini tribe within the swift family Apodidae. The group contains around thirty species mostly confine ...
. Behind it is the oil rig, representing the areas within its administrative boundaries that are found to be rich in
oil
An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated ...
and
natural gas
Natural gas (also called fossil gas or simply gas) is a naturally occurring mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons consisting primarily of methane in addition to various smaller amounts of other higher alkanes. Low levels of trace gases like carbo ...
such as the
Malampaya Sound, which is 50 kilometers
within its borders, and the Cadlao Oilfield in Bacuit Bay area. At the bottom of the picture is the rice field, with the carabao head superimposed at the center, and on the other side, the sea, with the fish and the squid in situated the middle, representing
farming
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
and
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
, the two main industries of its people.
Protected Area status
Establishment
In 1984, the then Ministry of Natural Resources issued Administrative Order No. 518, establishing a maritime area in El Nido as a turtle sanctuary. In 1991, the rest of Bacuit Bay, including its island and islets, was proclaimed by the Philippine government as a marine reserve. A year later, by Administrative Order No. 14 Series of 1992 of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources ( fil, Kagawaran ng Kapaligiran at Likas na Yaman, DENR or KKLY) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for governing and supervising the exploration, developmen ...
, this area was expanded even more. In 1998, its status was elevated to that of a protected area, and it included even the
terrestrial
Terrestrial refers to things related to land or the planet Earth.
Terrestrial may also refer to:
* Terrestrial animal, an animal that lives on land opposed to living in water, or sometimes an animal that lives on or near the ground, as opposed to ...
ecosystem of El Nido and portions of
Taytay.
[UNESCO:El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Area](_blank)
August 26, 2008.
Extent and scope
The so-called El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area is the largest marine sanctuary in the entire Philippines. The
Protected Area
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
status accords the areas of El Nido and portions of its neighboring town of
Taytay a place among the eight priority sites
in the country in need of
conservation
Conservation is the preservation or efficient use of resources, or the conservation of various quantities under physical laws.
Conservation may also refer to:
Environment and natural resources
* Nature conservation, the protection and manageme ...
. The Protected Area covers a total of 903.21 square kilometers,
[Palawan Council for Sustainable Development: El Nido - Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area](_blank)
Accessed 26, 2008 of which 40% are terrestrial and 60% marine.
Accessed August 24, 2008.
The provincial government has mobilized its citizenry to actively participate in various environmental conservation and protection programs, such as the "Bantay Gubat" for forest protection, and the "
Bantay Dagat" for marine life preservation.
Patrolling within the Protected areas, especially in the marine zones is regularly conducted with the help of the
World Wildlife Fund - Philippines that allocates funds to support the said activity. Another logistic support is by the concerned municipal governments. The Palawan Council for Sustainable Management (PCSD) provides legal assistance during the litigation of cases filed by the Protected Area Office (PAO).
As a protected area, the Philippine government needs approximately
US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
180,000 annually to protect and manage its natural resources.
[Palawan Council for Sustainable Development: Protected Areas](_blank)
Accessed September 05, 2008. Tourists are encouraged to pay
US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
0.50 per day as a conservation fee for the duration of their visit to the Municipal Tourism Office or the Office of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), which are housed in the Municipal Building in Calle Real.
This was embodied in the PAMB Resolution No. 08 series 2000 from the National Integrated Protected Area Program (NIPAP) of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources ( fil, Kagawaran ng Kapaligiran at Likas na Yaman, DENR or KKLY) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for governing and supervising the exploration, developmen ...
(DENR).
El Nido, being one of the most diverse ecosystems in the country, is protected for its unique flora and fauna, and pristine geologic formations. These include:
* limestone cliffs, the home of the
swiftlets
Swiftlets are birds contained within the four genera ''Aerodramus'', ''Hydrochous'', ''Schoutedenapus'' and ''Collocalia''. They form the Collocaliini tribe within the swift family Apodidae. The group contains around thirty species mostly confine ...
* 50 white sand beaches
* 5 types of forest (the lowland evergreen rainforests found in the mainland and islands such as Miniloc, Lagen and Pangulasian; semi-deciduous forests; forests over limestone; beach forests; and, the mangrove forests found mostly around major rivers and creeks in the mainland)
* 3 major marine habitats
* 16
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
and 10
threatened
Threatened species are any species (including animals, plants and fungi) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future. Species that are threatened are sometimes characterised by the population dynamics measure of ''critical depensat ...
species of birds (including the
Palawan hornbill, the
Palawan shama, the
Palawan tit,
Palawan scops owl
The Palawan scops owl (''Otus fuliginosus'') is an owl endemic to the Philippines only being found on the island of Palawan. It is found on tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Description
EBird describes the bir ...
, and the
Palawan peacock pheasant)
* 6 species of
marine mammals
Marine mammals are aquatic mammals that rely on the ocean and other marine ecosystems for their existence. They include animals such as seals, whales, manatees, sea otters and polar bears. They are an informal group, unified only by their relia ...
endemic to Palawan (including
dolphins
A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (t ...
and its native
dugong
The dugong (; ''Dugong dugon'') is a marine mammal. It is one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees. It is the only living representative of the once-diverse family Dugongidae; its closest m ...
)
* The
Palawan tree shrew, the
Palawan stink badger
The Palawan stink badger (''Mydaus marchei''), pantot or tuldo in the Batak language, is a carnivoran of the western Philippines named for its resemblance to badgers, its powerful smell, and the largest island to which it is native, Palawan. Like ...
, the
Palawan spiny rat, the
Palawan anteater, and the
northern Palawan tree squirrel
The Northern Palawan tree squirrel (''Sundasciurus juvencus'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forest
A forest is an area of land domin ...
* 4 species of endangered marine turtles (
hawksbill
The hawksbill sea turtle (''Eretmochelys imbricata'') is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Eretmochelys''. The species has a global distribution, that is large ...
,
olive ridley
The olive ridley sea turtle (''Lepidochelys olivacea''), also known commonly as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Cheloniidae. The species is the second-smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in th ...
,
leatherback
The leatherback sea turtle (''Dermochelys coriacea''), sometimes called the lute turtle or leathery turtle or simply the luth, is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths of up to and weights ...
and
green sea turtles
The green sea turtle (''Chelonia mydas''), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus ''Chelonia''. Its range exten ...
)
* 100 species of corals,
[The ceramic corals of El Nido](_blank)
Accessed September 10, 2008. 45 of which belongs to the genera of hard
coral
Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and sec ...
s
* 813 species of fish
Infrastructure
Transportation
Air
El Nido Airport
El Nido Airport ( hil, Hulugpaan sang El Nido; fil, Paliparan ng El Nido) , also known as Lio Airport, is an airport serving the general area of El Nido, located in the province of Palawan in the Philippines. It is located in the barangay of V ...
also known as Lio Airport is the primary and sole airport serving the town of El Nido.
[El Nido: Transportation](_blank)
/ref>
Roads
The main roads of El Nido are organized around a set of radial and circumferential roads that radiate and circle in and around the town proper and its rural barangays. Its interconnected roads are connected to the major highway that leads to Puerto Princesa
Puerto Princesa, officially the City of Puerto Princesa (Cuyonon: ''Siyudad i'ang Puerto Princesa''; fil, Lungsod ng Puerto Princesa), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Mimaropa region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, ...
, Palawan's capital. Daily Buses and jeepneys depart at San Jose Terminal in Puerto Princesa for El Nido. Tricycle
A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to trike, is a human-powered (or gasoline or electric motor powered or assisted, or gravity powered) three-wheeled vehicle.
Some tricycles, such as cycle rickshaws (for passenger transport) and freight trikes, ...
s are used for short-distance trips around the town proper.
The 60 km national road between Taytay and El Nido was rehabilitated, and this has helped boost tourism and business activity in the area.[Official Website of the Province of Palawan: Infrastructure](_blank)
Accessed September 10, 2008.
Seaports and piers
The main port in El Nido, which is under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Ports Authority
Philippine Ports Authority ( fil, Pangasiwaan ng Daungan ng Pilipinas) is a government-owned and controlled corporation under the Department of Transportation as an attached agency. It is responsible for financing, management and operations ...
(PPA), is located in Buena Suerte (Zone II), although a number of small and accessible wharfs, such as the San Fernando pier, are being used in other rural barangays. A number of ferry and other sea vessels owned by Atienza Shipping Lines and San Nicholas Shipping Lines have regular trips from Manila to El Nido.
Utilities
The Población area is part of the service areas of electric utility, Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO), a division of the National Power Corporation
The National Power Corporation ( fil, Pambansang Korporasyon sa Elektrisidad, also known as Napocor, NPC or National Power), is a Philippine government-owned and controlled corporation that is mandated to provide electricity to all rural areas of ...
operating with .423 megawatts
The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James Watt ...
of electricity. Other barangays use solar panels
A solar cell panel, solar electric panel, photo-voltaic (PV) module, PV panel or solar panel is an assembly of photovoltaic solar cells mounted in a (usually rectangular) frame, and a neatly organised collection of PV panels is called a phot ...
and electric generators. The island resorts generate their own electricity. Water services are accessible in protected water tables and facilities. Ten percent (10%) of the population can avail of the 'Level II Water System', or communal faucet,[Official Website of the Province of Palawan: Public utilities](_blank)
Accessed August 28, 2008. by the municipal government, while majority of them are still dependent on deep wells and natural springs. Internet services is available in few establishments with wireless broadband
In telecommunications, broadband is wide bandwidth data transmission which transports multiple signals at a wide range of frequencies and Internet traffic types, that enables messages to be sent simultaneously, used in fast internet connections. ...
access.El Nido FAQs
. Accessed March 29, 2010.
Education
El Nido has more than ten public elementary and secondary schools located in most of its barangays. El Nido Central School and El Nido National High School, which are both located at the
Poblacion
''Poblacion'' (literally "town" or "settlement" in Spanish language in the Philippines, Spanish; ) is the common term used for the administrative center, central, downtown, old town or central business district area of a Philippines, Philippi ...
, have the largest facilities and number of students, among these schools. Recently, the
Palawan State University
The Palawan State University also referred to by its acronym PSU is a public government-funded higher education institution in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. It was established
History
The Palawan State University, the first state unive ...
opened its El Nido campus in New Ibajay, offering extramural programs and studies. Some of the lower grade school located in Calitang. Calitang Elementary School, Pasadeña Elementary School, Barutoan Elementary School, Bucana Elementary School and Lamoro Elementary School.
See also
*
El Nido Airport
El Nido Airport ( hil, Hulugpaan sang El Nido; fil, Paliparan ng El Nido) , also known as Lio Airport, is an airport serving the general area of El Nido, located in the province of Palawan in the Philippines. It is located in the barangay of V ...
*
References
External links
Palawan Council for Sustainable Development: Palawan Flora and Fauna*
Philippine Standard Geographic Code
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
br>
Local Governance Performance Management System
{{World Heritage Sites in the Philippines
Municipalities of Palawan
Protected areas of the Philippines
Beaches of the Philippines
Tourist attractions in Palawan