CASE STUDY: PALANAN

THE TOWN THAT TIME FORGOT

Introduction:
Palanan is locatedin the sierra madre mountain ranges of northeastern
Luzon, Isabela. The indigenous people of Palanan are called Dumagats or
Agtas.

S.W.O.T ANALYSIS:

STRENGHTS:

-Primary mode of transportation is by plane through the Palanan Municipal

Airport.
-No pollution reaches Palanan.
-Palanan offers a wide aaray of habitat types including limestone, forests,
forests over ultrabasic soils, montane forests, beach forests, mangrove and
three types of lowland forests.
-Its pristine beaches teeming with marine life are a lure to beach lovers,
scuba divers, and snorklers.
-Its rich Avifuana is bound to attract birdwatchers.
-Its heavily

They have tourist attractions such as:

Aguinaldo Park/Shrine Digoyo Cave Digoyo Point

Dicangrayan Falls Dominalno Lake Disadsad Falls
Hagdan na Bato Ancient Burial Site Palanan
Wilderness/Rainforest
Payong na Bato Sabang Area/Island Sisangkilan Falls

Tatlong Bato Tumarindik Culasi Beach.

HIGHLIGHTS:
•Of 216 bird species recrded, 75 were endemic to the philippines.
•21 globally threatened bird species were recorded, including a
subspecies of collard scops owl not previously known to science.
•There were indications that up to 60% of all plant species of the
philippines could be found in Palanan. The estimated 5,000 species
found at the site represented more plant species that exist in all
Canada. Finding also indicated that Palanan ranked in the world's
recorded top ten for woody plant diversity.
•Indicated a population of seriously threatened Dugong.

WEAKNESSES:
-Palanan is an isolated area (no roads)
-Lack of Facilities such as schools, health posts,
OPPORTUNITY:
-Eventhough the forest isolates the people of Palanan, it is still their source of
livelihhod. Gathering rattan from hills provides imoprtant and potencially
sustainable local industry.
-Carabao logging is there important source of income.
-House building, wood working and crafts made from forest products provides
employment in Palanan.
-Gathering shells, fishing, collecting

THREATS:

-Deforestation has already begun inside the western boundary of the

wilderness at an alarming rate. Small scale of illegal logging is taking its toll
in the heart of the reserve.
-Uncontrolled harvest of rattan.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

Given its very rich natural resources, how would you develop Palanan as an
ideal ecotourism destination?

What types of Facilities should be built in order to protect the area?

Should a road be built in order to develop the area for ecotourism? what are
the complications in building the road?

How should we consider the local community and the indigenous people in
planning the ecotourism plan in the area?

CONCLUSION:

Plan to preserve the quality of life and the forest of Palanan, as well as the
future of the Dumagats who are so much part of the cultural heritage of this
wilderness.

Stopping the destruction will require the combined efforts of government,

civic, and citizens groups committed to actively protecting Palanan and
helping meet the development needs of local people.

Create a realistic management plan for the wilderness. A plan should lay out
a realistic program of conservation and development for the area based on
sound land-use management principles.

Illegal activity must be controlled, logged areas must be allowed to

regenerate, economic alternatves to forest destructions must be developed,
and research into the unique biology of the area must continue.