Official Website of the Province of Palawan

MISSION AND VISION

Our Vision for Palawan- a province where people, culture, religion and economy are in harmony with the environment and natural resources living in a peaceful, orderly and prosperous communities- are all geared towards our common development goal of uplifting the quality of life of our fellow Palaweños and protecting and sustaining the use of the province’s environmental resources. Likewise, uplifting the quality of life connotes that the least among the citizens has the decent minimum of food, clothing, shelter and dignity and the chance to make his or her life the fullest it can be.

The Development Policies

Pursuant to and cognizant of the foregoing, Palawan’s development shall be carried out in a manner that will realize the provincial vision and the desired goal of an improved quality of life of the people.

Specifically, it is envisioned that the process of effective and efficient development shall be guided by the following basic principles and considerations.

Economic Stability

Employment opportunities shall be expanded to reduce unemployment rate.
Incentives to attract capital investments in Palawan shall be provided.
Employment assistance shall continue to be the major tool in reducing high unemployment rate.
Coordination in the implementation of agriculture related programs/ projects shall be ensured and strengthen.
Community-based tourism with the participation of indigenous people shall be encouraged in consonance with the province’s tourism development.
Tourism related establishments shall comply with Tourism Code and Standards of the Province.
Tourism programs and projects shall support sustainable development.
Tourism promotion and marketing programs shall be intensified with private sector participation.
Tourism guides shall be licensed by Local Government Units/ Municipal Tourism Office.
The Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council shall be strengthened in every municipality.
Assistance to the needy and under priviledged self-employed group or individual shall be maximized.
Community developments approaches shall be developed as an instrument for equalizing opportunities in socio- economic endeavors.
Strict enforcement of quatantine laws and security to maintain the sanctity of Palawan’s internationally recognized foot and mouth disease- free province.

Socio- Cultural Advancement

The development of health services shall concentrate on primary health care, quality integrated public health, hospital services and research – based interventions.
The Local government units shall enforced the immediate implementation of Magna Carta for Health Workers and all other benefits provided for under the existing laws.
Health manpower capabilities shall be enhanced and updated to ensure delivery of quality health services.
Health services shall periodically be provided to areas without permanent health personnel.
The government and private sectors shall exert effort to reduce birth rate without violating the concerned individual’s belief and convictions.
Values Education Program shall be strengthened in all learning areas.
Scholarship and opportunities for advancement shall be provided especially for the underprivileged members.
Relevant manpower skills training shall be intensified to enable those who have been deprived to acquire necessary skills to become productive members of the society.
Educational opportunities shall be expanded to include technical and technological courses essential to development.
The education sector and the provincial government shall undertake documentation, preservation and promotion of Palawan Culture.
Necessary assistance shall be extended by the City, Municipal and Provincial Government in all aspects of education particularly in those areas where the national government failed to provide.
The education sector shall be commissioned by the Provincial Government to conduct research on improving the quality of education in the province.
The provincial government shall provide support to educational programs of accredited private educational institutions particularly the technical and vocational institutions as long as it is accordance with the law.
The welfare and interest of the basic sectors (family, women, disable, elders, and indigenous people) shall be protected and enhanced.
Housing development as a component of social justice shall be encouraged and adequately supported.
Gender and development shall be incorporated in the local development plans & programs.
Disaster preparedness and mitigation plan shall be incorporated in overall development agenda of the Local Government Units.
The government shall maximize the participation of the private sector and the religious sector in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of social services at the barangay level.
Voluntary simplicity shall be encouraged as a desirable value among Palaweños.
All non- government organizations catering social welfare services must be duly registered or licensed and accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and Local government Units.
Programs and projects for children must be anchored on fundamental rights (Convention on the Rights of Children based)
Registration and issuance of identification cards to fishers and migrants in every municipality shall be encouraged.

Environmental Sustainability and Ecological Balance

Implementation of integrated coastal resource management shall be encouraged in the proper utilization, conservation and protection of coastal areas.
Strict enforcement of regulatory measures shall be undertaken for flora and fauna products.
Zero- waste management policy shall be adopted by every municipality.
Environmental protection and enhancement shall concentrate in preventing the destruction and over- exploitation of resources.
Conservation of natural resources shall be the major concern of the government and non- government organizations and the public in general.
Continuous reforestation shall be intensified in open, denuded and other critical areas.
Environmental protection, enhancement and resource utilization shall be supported by scientific studies.
Establishment of protected areas as a tool for conservation of species and habitats shall be encouraged.
Maintain a balance between environmental protection and economic development.

Governance and Local Democracy

Program/Project implementation shoul be based on priorities set by the provincial development council.
Foreign funded projects implemented in the province should utilize regular employees for project sustainability.
Foreign funded programs and projects must submit annual report to the Provincial Government and provide data or information upon termination of programs/ projects.
Municipal Land Use Plans shall be consisted with the Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) and Strategic Agricultural and Fishery Development Zones (SAPDZ).
The installation of Data Banking System in Local Government Units shall be intensified.
Strict implementation of tax measures for revenue generation shall be imposed properly and justly.
To aid tax revenue generation, all business operators and professionals are required to secure tax clearance from Muncipal Treasurer’s Office where their property is located before processing and/ or allowing renewal of their licenses, to operate their businesses and practice their professions or occupation in the province.
Fines shall be imposed to establishment not submitting accurate monthly tourism arrival report.
Research shall be undertaken to include culture and arts components in the tourism products/ activities.
The integration of culture and arts in tourism shall be referred to the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) and the IPRA Law.
Safety measures against terrorism shall be intensified.

Major Goals and Objectives

Consistent with, and supportive of the development vision and policies the MTDP stes the following goals and objectives:

Anti- poverty measures through productivity and job creation;
The Universal delivery of basic services for people empowerment;
Community – based programs for people participation;
The promotion and marketing of income- generating industries that will absorb employable and graduating youth;
The laying down of necessary infrastructure that will promote investments and that are directed towards supporting the aforementioned agenda;
Defined roles of development zones and municipalities in the development of the province to achieve rational physical and economic growth;
Institutionalized participation of concerned sectors (government – local and national, non- government organizations, private sector, people’s organizations and communities) in Palawan’s development;
Protection of the natural environment