Consequences of Tourism-related Factors to the

Water Resources of El Nido, Palawan

P. A. Regoniel, M.R.A.A. Gonzales, A.R. Miraflores, Jr., R.D. Bero,

C. Smith, R. Richards & M. Elorde

Usapang Turismo: El Nido Sustainable Tourism Forum

July 17-18 , 2017
Topics

 Introduction
 Study Site
 Methodology
 Results and Discussion
 Conclusions & Recommendations
 Introduction
 El Nido – a popular tourist destination
 Sustained increase in population brought unwanted
externalities like water pollution
 High coliform -3,000 percent of allowable limits
 Results to LBM, sepsis, cholera
 LGUs took action but appears to be insufficient because
water pollution persists
 A need to better understand the situation = research
 Capturing Coral Reef Ecosystem Services (CCRES) Project
– UQ with PSU conducted systems analysis
Study Site
 Barangays Studied:

 Masagana
 Maligaya
 Buena Suerte
 Corong-corong
Focus Group Discussion

1. Facilitator
Methodology
2. iPad Driver
3. Recorder/Documenter
4. Runner

Equipment
1. Pico-projector
2. iPad (SESAMME App)
3. Laser pointers
4. Back-up laptop (Excel)

Data Organization and

Cleaning

Model Preparation using

Vensim, a systems modeling
software

Validation FGDs One of the FGDs (with output) conducted in El Nido.

Results and Discussions
Rich picture of the
interaction
between activities
and resources
 Waste Disposal-Related Results & Discussion
Activities in El Nido

• Solid waste disposal tops the

list
• Solid and liquid waste (SLW)
disposal is a major problem in El
Nido
• Respondents expect SLW to
increase except for Buena
Suerte
• Participants desire a decrease
in SLW despite current lack of
waste transport and disposal
equipment and facilities
 Other Sources of Results & Discussion
Water Pollution

• Tourism development
prominent in Buena Suerte =
increase in dry docking
activity
• Tourism facilities and
community services that
support travel,
accommodation, and
recreational activities can
cause water pollution
• Indiscriminate waste
disposal compounds the
effect of SLW disposal
Tourism-related Pressures
Population growth
Migration

Tourism development
Resort development
Outcomes of Water Pollution
 Unwanted algal growth
 Coral death due to
sediments trapped
 Reduced water transparency
 Health risks to bathers:
acute febrile respiratory
illness, ear and eye ailments
 Oxygen deficiency = fish kills
 Benthic fauna mortality
 Decline in economic welfare
Interaction between tourism-related factors and water resources in El Nido.
 Best Case Intermediate Intermediate Worst Case
Base Case
Policy Parameters Scenario Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario
Scenario
(Sustainable) (Alternative 1) (Alternative 2) (Unsustainable)

Proportion of septic tanks

pumped per pumpout/week 0.1% 2.0% 0.5% 1% 0%
(35 years)

Land area for urban development 29.61K ha 5K ha 7K ha 35K ha 44.41K ha

100 sqm/house 50 sqm/house 75 sqm/house 125 sqm/house 150 sqm/house

Land area per house

20% 0% 50% 80% 100%

Proportion of rice field using
fertiliser

Total land zoned for agriculture 12K ha 6K ha 9K ha 18K ha 24K ha

 Intermediate Intermediate
Base Case Best Case Worst Case
Performance Indicators Scenario 1 Scenario 2
Scenario Scenario Scenario
(Alternative 1) (Alternative 2)

Population 73.3 K 71.7 K 73 K 73.5 K 73.6 K

Septic Tank (N) 31.11 1.22 23.96 13.04 33.00

Septic Tank (P) 31.11 1.22 23.96 13.04 33.00

Stormwater (N) 142 tons 124 tons 133 tons 136 160

Stormwater (Sediment- N) 142 tons 124 tons 133 tons 136 160

Runoff- Nitrogen 9.21 tons 6.27 tons 8.39 tons 10.3 10.7

Runoff- Sediment 145 tons 101 tons 136 153 157

Rice Production 42.1 k ha 762 ha 18.2 ha 59.3 ha 58.4 ha

Stakeholder Decisions to Address
Water Pollution
1. strictly implement policy or enforce
rules and regulations
2. effectively manage the municipality's
natural resources
3. conduct information and education
campaign (IEC)
4. build public infrastructures
Conclusions

 Tourism-related factors impact both to the human

population and the freshwater and marine ecosystems

 Systems analysis revealed points of intervention that

facilitate informed decision making
Recommendations
 Proportion of septic tanks pumped per pumpout/week
(35 years)
 Land area for urban development
 Land area per house
 Proportion of rice field using fertilizer
 Total land zoned for agriculture
 Further study to understand tourism-water resources
dynamics (i.e., use of empirical data to predict future
scenarios)