PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — In a bid to contribute to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and cut Palawan’s poverty index, the provincial government held here recently a master planning development workshop facilitated by urban designer Felino Palafox Jr. of Palafox Associates (PA).
Governor Jose Alvarez said Monday that having the master plan would eventually enable the province to contribute at least five percent in the GDP from the current one percent.
He also believes that moving to have a comprehensive and dynamic long-term planning to guide Palawan’s future growth and development would be beneficial to their target of bringing down its 55 percent poverty index to 20 percent in the next 10 years.
“This master planning can preserve the whole Palawan, to be there not only for the next 4th generation but forever when everything is in place,” he said in his speech.
Alvarez also added that the master plan would help preserve Palawan’s environment, which one of the pillars of its progress.
During the activity, Palafox presented the master plan they crafted for the town of San Vicente, northern Palawan, which was recognized as one of the Top 8 Plans in the world.
Its features include both conventional and determined visitor and population forecasts until 2044 by allowing taller buildings away from the beach; banning parallel fences to the ocean, and building footprint of 50 percent is proposed.
Funded by Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), the master plan of San Vicente also proposes an access to the beach every 400 meters, which is the average walking threshold with minimum with about three meters to accommodate emergency vehicles.
Among others, the beach area in San Vicente would also have community centers within 800 meters. It will have open spaces for the public, toilet facilities, security outposts, and banks, among others.
Palafox said it would take the province over five years to implement the master plan, but this would be sped up, anyway, since Governor Alvarez committed full support.
Among the attendees of the workshop are municipal mayors and local government planners.
The master plan, which would be the result of the workshop, will be presented to the province as soon as it has been completed, according to him. (Celeste Anna Formoso/PNA)
