‘Palawan can become a center of education like Dumaguete did, thanks to Silliman; Los Baños, thanks to UP; Naga and CDO, thanks to Ateneo; and Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod and Davao, thanks to the many centers of higher education located there.’
I WAS in Palawan yesterday, not to party-party in Amanpulo (which was fake news anyway spread by people who rant and rave about fake news!) but to visit the once sleepy town of Bataraza. At the southernmost point of the mainland, Bataraza, if I am not mistaken, is now the most populous, and the richest, of all non-city LGUs in all of MIMAROPA, including the province of Palawan where only Puerto Princesa is richer. What makes this so is the presence of two mining operations in Bataraza’s Barangay Rio Tuba, namely, Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTN) and the first nickel metal hydride processing plant in the Philippines called Coral Bay Nickel Corporation (CBNC).
I actually was at Barangay Rio Tuba to attend the annual meeting of the RTN Foundation, which was established by the principals behind RTN and CBNC, namely, Nickel Asia and Sumitomo Metal Mining Philippines.
Honestly, I try to fly to Palawan as often as I can using whatever official excuse I can find. I am sure anyone who has been to Palawan will understand me – even if I am not much of a beachgoer and have never ever been to Amanpulo all my life (and never imagine I ever will!).
But taking the road trip back from Rio Tuba to Puerto Princesa – a 250km-plus trip over excellent concrete roads that are six lanes wide at times – I was reminded of a conversation I once had with a former governor of the province when I shared with him a wild idea I had about how to make Palawan boom.
Grant universities from Manila large tracts with some tax incentives, I suggested. The rest will follow.
Here’s why:
Imagine a teen graduating from high school who takes an entrance exam at, say, DLSU. He makes it. And then he realizes there is a DLSU campus in Puerto Princesa (or Roxas or Aborlan towns) in Palawan.
Then it hits him: if he chooses to enroll in Palawan, he would be at least one hour by air away from mom and dad – a great idea always for a teen.
What’s more, on weekends, instead of flying back to Manila he could drive with his friends to the beaches of San Vicente, or Honda Bay, or even El Nido. What a life, yes?
For urban necessities there’s an SM and a Robinsons mall. There’s a good hospital in the Adventist. And many excellent homegrown dining options and bars, too.
Then think of his mom and dad. The mom tells the dad, “Your son wants to study in Palawan! Dios mio, he will be so far from us!” But then dad says, “Why don’t we buy a property there?” and before you know it there is a boom in subdivisions (Hello VistaLand, Megaworld and Ayala) and everything else follows.
Palawan can become a center of education like Dumaguete did, thanks to Silliman; Los Baños, thanks to UP; Naga and CDO, thanks to Ateneo; and Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod and Davao, thanks to the many centers of higher education located there.
Bawal lang UP and PUP to lessen chances of student activism – but don’t you think it’s a great idea?
Now, how do I sell this idea to Gov. Dennis Socrates or Mayor Lucilo Bayron?
