Life in Puerto Princesa, the capital city of Palawan, depends largely on tourism. From small businesses that cater to tourists to infrastructure projects like hotels, almost 15,000 people benefit from the sector in one way or another.
When the pandemic forced the city to restrict the entry of tourists, it also restricted one of its main sources of livelihood. P5 billion of potential tourist receipts had been lost every year for the past two years, according to Demetrio Alvior, Jr., city tourism officer.
“Now, we’re on third year and losses continue to pile-up every day. But so far, the worst was when another disaster struck while the pandemic was still raging,” Alvior said, recalling the damage brought about by Super Typhoon Odette last December.
With people being told to stay at home, tourist destinations were losing money across the country. According to the Department of Tourism, visitor receipts dropped by 83 percent in the first year of the pandemic, amounting to P82.24 billion in 2020 from P482.15 billion in 2019.
Tourism helped put Puerto Princesa among the country’s top destinations. Now, after a super typhoon that came in the middle of a pandemic, the city hopes tourism might help save the local economy too.
Puerto Princesa reopened its shores to domestic visitors last December 8, Alvior said. But then Odette hit the city more than a week after, damaging the people’s access to electricity, drinkable water, and even to the outside world.
Thousands were left homeless since their houses were destroyed by the devastating typhoon.
The damage to tourism infrastructure and livelihood reached more than P300 million, according to the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).
This, on top of the damage brought about by the pandemic, had at times brought the sense of loss in the city “beyond comprehension,” said Alvior.
But with the cooperation of the public and private sector, the city is determined and is paving the way to recover.
“For the past two years since the outbreak, we never ceased to hope that the future will be better. The year 2022 is no different,” Alvior said.
The renewed sense of optimism comes more than a week after the Philippines started accepting fully vaccinated foreign tourists from 157 visa-free countries. They no longer have to undergo quarantine upon arrival.
