The Sangguniang Bayan of El Nido recently passed an ordinance amending Section 5 of Ordinance No. 010 series of 2013 entitled “An ordinance regulating all boat owners/operators servicing island hopping at the Municipality of El Nido, Palawan.”
The said section 5 pertains to the El Nido's new island hopping rates.
The new ordinance was approved on November 27, 2018, which indicates the following rates:
Tour A – P1,200 per person and islands to be visited are Big lagoon, Simizu Island, Payong-payong, Secret Lagoon, and Seven Commandos.
Tour B – P1,300 per person and islands to be visited are Pangulasian Island, Cudognon Cave, Cathedral Cave, Snake Islandand Pinagbuyutan Island.
Tour C – P1,400 per person and islands to be visited are Secret Beach, Hidden Beach, Matinloc Shrine, Tapiutan Island and Helicopter Island.
Tour D – P1,200 per person and island to be visited are Small Lagoon, Nat-nat Beach, Cadlao Lagoon, Pasandigan Cove, Paradise Beach, and Ipil Beach.
Tour guides, food items and purified water are included in all tour packages while the tours without food shall be less by P200.
Children ages 2-12 years old are given 50 percent discount, while 20 percent discount is given to senior citizens and students.
Also in the new ordinance, Small Lagoon and Big Lagoon can no longer be availed in one tour package. Big Lagoon remained in Tour A while Small Lagoon is transferred to Tour D.
The separation of two lagoons in one tour package is an effort of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of El Nido to address the issue of overcrowding and to regulate its carrying capacity.
Implementation of the said ordinance shall take effect after 15 days of posting in conspicuous places in the municipality of El Nido, Palawan. (OCJ/PIA-MIMAROPA/Palawan)
