MANILA — The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) urged the government to take a long, hard look at the proposed closure of El Nido and Coron in Palawan to tourists, taking note of how such a move would impact local enterprises, as well as employment.
The PCCI said the national government should hold a dialogue with key stakeholders to discuss rehabilitation plans before considering the closure of the two major tourist destinations in Palawan.
“Closing El Nido and Coron will not be good for business, particularly for the legitimate industry stakeholders (i.e., hotels, resorts) who will suffer the most from cancellation of bookings and reservations for the coming months. It will also affect a lot of local livelihoods and jobs,” the country’s largest organization said in a statement Wednesday.
The business group also backs the statement of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat that there should be no complete shutdown of El Nido and Coron, instead, establishments that have violated environmental laws should be “heavily fined.”
“PCCI also urges concerned LGUs (local government units) not to wait for the national government’s intervention but rather be more proactive in identifying and cleaning up their respective illegal waste disposal and sewer issues,” PCCI added.
In 2017, tourist arrivals in El Nido alone reached 200,000 and are expected to be higher this year with the six-month closure of Boracay.