Case Study of Palaui
BRANDING AN ISLAND: THE PALAUI STORY by Chen Reyes-Mencias
09272795807
http://www.bluewaterconsultancy.info http://www.palaui.info Twenty years ago I set foot on an island that was nothing but fantastic. It is at the tip of
Luzon 642 kms. north of Manila. At that time it was a logistical nightmare to go there and so my last thought before I headed back home was that it may be the first and last time for me to see it.
The island is called Palaui and is located in Sta.Ana, Cagayan. In 2005 I was hired by the Cagayan
Economic Zone Authority to manage a community-based sustainable tourism project on the same island that I thought I would never be able to visit again due to its inaccessibility. It came as a surprise to me though that not only was the road leading to Sta.Ana excellent, there were already hotels and resorts in the area.
Palaui Island is a protected area that was declared in Aug. 16, 1994 by virtue of Proc. No.
447 under the category of protected landscape and seascape. In Feb. 14, 1995 it became part of the
Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport. It has a total land area of about 3,000 ha. And about
2,000 ha water area. The forest resource of the island is considered unique since five forest types can be found in the area namely: beach forest, molave forest, mangrove forest, dipterocarp forest, and mossy forest.
The three trails on the island – Lagunzad,
Leonardo and Siwangag – provide lifeenhancing and educational experiences.
Beach at Cape Engaño identified by CNN as third of ten best beaches in the Philippines.
The coastal and marine resource of the island is endowed with rich species of soft and hard corals and seagrasses which serves as spawning and nursery ground of various fish and marine species. The Island also offers vast frontiers of untapped natural resource, scenic tourist spots, as well as beautiful beaches. One side of the Island also serves as harbor and refuge for sea vessels during typhoons and other
09272795807
http://www.bluewaterconsultancy.info http://www.palaui.info Twenty years ago I set foot on an island that was nothing but fantastic. It is at the tip of
Luzon 642 kms. north of Manila. At that time it was a logistical nightmare to go there and so my last thought before I headed back home was that it may be the first and last time for me to see it.
The island is called Palaui and is located in Sta.Ana, Cagayan. In 2005 I was hired by the Cagayan
Economic Zone Authority to manage a community-based sustainable tourism project on the same island that I thought I would never be able to visit again due to its inaccessibility. It came as a surprise to me though that not only was the road leading to Sta.Ana excellent, there were already hotels and resorts in the area.
Palaui Island is a protected area that was declared in Aug. 16, 1994 by virtue of Proc. No.
447 under the category of protected landscape and seascape. In Feb. 14, 1995 it became part of the
Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport. It has a total land area of about 3,000 ha. And about
2,000 ha water area. The forest resource of the island is considered unique since five forest types can be found in the area namely: beach forest, molave forest, mangrove forest, dipterocarp forest, and mossy forest.
The three trails on the island – Lagunzad,
Leonardo and Siwangag – provide lifeenhancing and educational experiences.
Beach at Cape Engaño identified by CNN as third of ten best beaches in the Philippines.
The coastal and marine resource of the island is endowed with rich species of soft and hard corals and seagrasses which serves as spawning and nursery ground of various fish and marine species. The Island also offers vast frontiers of untapped natural resource, scenic tourist spots, as well as beautiful beaches. One side of the Island also serves as harbor and refuge for sea vessels during typhoons and other