El Nido 2 (from Wikipedia)

Población (Town proper)

The Población, consisting of barangays Buena Suerte, Corong-corong, Maligaya and Masagana, sits in a sheltered bay with a pier at one end along a crescent beach, and is flanked by the area's famous limestone cliffs on the eastern section and hills on the western side. It is a small town center with tree-lined streets, and the lifestyle is laidback.

The Municipal Building, which houses the offices of the head of the municipality, the local legislature and several local government agencies, is located at the middle of the town square between Calle Real and Abdulla Street. It is interconnected with other buildings that house other government facilities such as the Rural Health Unit, Municipal Circuit Trial Court, El Nido Post Office, just to name a few.

Seal

The municipality seal shows a silhouette of the territory of El Nido inside an armour-shaped picture. The famous marble and limestone cliffs represents the nestling ground of the swiftlets. Behind it is the oil rig, representing the areas within its administrative boundaries that are found to be rich in oil and natural gas such as the Malampaya Sound, which is 50 kilometers^[10] within its borders, and the Cadlao Oilfield in Bacuit Bay area.^[11] At the bottom of the picture is the ricefield, 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 and fishing, the two main industries of its people.

Protected Area status

Establishment

In 1984, the then Ministry of Natural Resources issued the Administrative Order No. 518, establishing a 360-square kilometer maritime area in El Nido as a turtle sanctuary. In 1991, the rest of the Bacuit Bay, including its island and islets, was proclaimed by the Philippine government as a marine reserve. A year later, by virtue of Administrative Order No. 14 Series of 1992 of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, this area was expanded even more. In 1998, its status was elevated to that of a protected area, and it included even the terrestrial ecosystem of El Nido and portions of Taytay.^[8]

Extent and scope

The so-called El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area is the largest marine sanctuary in the entire Philippines.^[12] The Protected Area status accords the areas of El Nido and portions of its neighboring town of Taytay^[8] a place among the eight priority sites^[6] in the country in need of conservation. The Protected Area covers a total of 903.21 square kilometers,^[13] of which 40% are terrestrial and 60% marine.^[14]

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 the marine life preservation.^[10] Patrolling within the Protected Area 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. Other 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).^[13]

As a protected area, the Philippine government needs approximately US$ 180,000 annually to protect and manage its natural resources.^[14][6] Tourists are encouraged to pay US$ 0.50 per day as conservation fee for the duration of their visit at the Municipal Tourism Office or the Office of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), which are housed in the Municipal Building in Calle Real.^[14] 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 (DENR).^[10]

El Nido, being one of the most diverse ecosystem in the country, is protected for its unique flora and fauna, and pristine geologic formations. These include:

• limestone cliffs, the home of the swiftlets
• 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 and 10 threatened species of birds (including the Palawan Hornbill, the Palawan Shama, the Palawan tit, Palawan Scops Owl, and the Palawan Peacock Pheasant)
• 6 species of marine mammals endemic to Palawan (including dolphins and its native dugong)
• the Palawan Tree Shrew, the Palawan Stink Badger, the Palawan Spiny Rat, the Palawan Anteater, and the Northern Palawan Tree Squirrel
• 4 species of endagered marine turtles (hawksbill, olive ridley, leatherback and green sea turtles)
• 100 species of corals^[15], 45 of which belongs to the genera of hard corals
• 813 species of fish

Climate and sea conditions

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 during December to February. The Southwest wind is felt from June to October while the East wind, the mildest of all winds, blows during the months of April and May.^[16]

Surface Temperature

The average surface temperature ranges from a low of 22°C to a high of 33°C. The coolest temperatures are usually experienced during the month of January, while the hottest temperatures are felt in April and May.^[16]

Water Current

The current in El Nido differ from very slight to moderate depending on tidal conditions. Divers and snorkellers can swim back to the boat without difficulty since currents are usually very manageable.^[16]

Water Temperature

The average water temperature ranges from 24°C to 26°C during the months of December to March and 26°C to 29°C during the months of April to November.^[16]

Water Visibility

Water visibility ranges from 3 meters to 10 meters from December to February, 10 meters to 30 meters from March to May, and 10 meters to 15 meters from June to November. The best time for diving at El Nido is during the months of March to May, as surface conditions are good.^[16