Puerto Princesa Palawan | Philippine News Agency: President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is set to arrive on Thursday in Bataraza town, some 275 kilometers south from this city, for a brief and tourism economic growth visit in southern Palawan.
First district Rep. Antonio Alvarez confirmed that President Arroyo left Manila Thursday morning where she brought private investors to lure investments, particularly in the construction of airport in Balabac, located southern tip of the province.
Reports disclosed that President will fly to Palawan after her trip in Tawi-Tawi, where inspected a aquaculture project and led in the implementation of National Food Authority's food-for-school program in the said province.
The construction of airport in Balabac was mentioned by the Chief Executive during 2006 State of the Nation Address (SONA) aimed to enhance the tourism competitive advantage of Palawan, as part of the Central Philippines under the "Super Regions" concept.
Balabac has vast potential for tourism, where the Balabac Strait Corridor links the Sulu Sea with the South China Sea and serves as the passageway of marine lifeforms from plankton to fishes, sea turtles and marine mammals (dolphins and whales).
It is a known haven for about 24 true mangrove out of 34 species reported in the Philippines.
The strait reportedly hosts five life stages of the sea turtles in relation to their habitats: mating/nesting, hatching, pelagic, developmental, sexually mature, and feeding stages.
Balabac qualifies as one of the important sea turtle habitats in the Philippines as well as in the Indian Ocean and South East Asia region.
Both Alvarez and Rep. Abraham Mitra lauded the initiative of President Arroyo to bring investments in southern part of the province to boost tourism and create much needed jobs.
Mitra authored a bill creating Southern Palawan Special Economic Zone that will promote economic activities made attractive to investors.
The last time Arroyo visited Bataraza was on April 2005 where she inaugurated the $ 180-million Coral Bay Nickel Corporation (CBNC) expanded Hydrometallurgical Processing Plant (HPP) that produces nickel.
The nickel plant brought more jobs to the residents and beefed up the treasury of the Bataraza municipal government.
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