Палауанның Эл-Нидо муниципалитеті

Municipality in Palawan, Philippines

El Nido, officially the Municipality of El Nido (, ), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Palawan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 50,494 people. It is about south west of Manila, and north east of Puerto Princesa, capital of Palawan. it is known for its white sand beaches, coral reefs, and limestone cliffs, as well as for being the gateway to the Bacuit archipelago.

El Nido, also known as Bacuit, has been inhabited by humans since at least 2680 BC, possibly as early as 22,000 years ago. This was confirmed by fossils and burial sites dating back to the Late Neolithic Age that can be found in many caves and excavation sites surrounding the municipality, particularly in Dewil Valley's Ille Cave in New Ibajay. Chinese traders regularly visited the area of Palawan for its edible birds' nests during the Song dynasty (960–1279). The island was mentioned in Chinese records of 1225. Chau Ju Kua, a trade commissioner of the port of Chuan, wrote about the island, Pa Lao Yu or Land of Beautiful Harbors, in his book Chu Fan Chi. was approved, changing the name of the town from Bacuit to its present name, El Nido, after the edible nests of swiftlets (collocalia fuciphaga) found in the crevices of its limestone cliffs. These nests, nido in Spanish, the main ingredient for the gourmet nido soup, are being sold at approximately US$ 3,000 per kilogram. In the same year, the barrio of Oton was renamed to Mabini.

El Nido is situated in Bacuit Bay and covers a land area of a plate that is entirely separate from the Philippine Mobile Belt to which the rest of the Philippines belongs. The Permian to Paleogene rocks and limestone cliffs of El Nido are similar to those that can be found in Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, Guilin in China, as well as Krabi in Thailand, all of which are part of the Sunda Plate.

The climate in El Nido is distinguished by two seasons: dry, from December to May, and wet, from June to November. April and May are typically the driest, while the heaviest rainfall occurs around August. The northeast wind blows from December to March, occasionally interchanging with the north wind from December to February. The southwest wind is felt from June to October while the east wind, the mildest of all winds, blows during April and May. The average temperature ranges from a low of to a high of The coolest temperatures are usually experienced during January, while the hottest temperatures are felt in April and May. Based on the 2000 census, the annual growth rate is 3.58%. This is higher than the average annual population growth rate for the whole country for the periods 1990 to 2000 and 2000 to 2007, which were only 2.34% and 2.04% respectively. According to the 2007 census, El Nido has a population of 30,249 people in 6,311 households in its eighteen barangays. Eighty five percent of the population are living in the rural barangays, while only fifteen percent of them are in the Población area.

The original settlers of El Nido were the Tagbanwas and Cuyunons. Throughout the centuries, there has been a constant migration of Tagalogs, Hiligaynon, Bicolanos, Ilocanos, Chinese and Spaniards. There are also a small number of Japanese and Koreans. Intermarriage between ethnic and linguistic groups is not uncommon in El Nido.

The main language is Filipino (Tagalog). In addition, many people are very proficient in English, Hiligaynon, other Visayan languages, and Bicolano. A small but significant percentage of the population speaks or comprehends Cuyonon, the native language of the Cuyo Islands and most parts of Palawan.

The main industries of El Nido are fishing, agriculture and tourism, being a popular diving location. Edible nest gathering is also an economic activity, although it is seasonal. Coconut, palay, cashew, banana, and mango are its major products. As a tourist destination, El Nido has been included in Condé Nast Travelers list of "20 Most Beautiful Beaches in the World," and CNNgo has called it the best beach and island destination in the Philippines for its "extraordinary natural splendor and ecosystem."

El Nido is governed by a mayor and a vice mayor, who are elected to three year terms. The mayor is the executive head and leads the municipality's departments to execute the municipal ordinances and improve public services. The vice mayor heads the legislative council consisting of eight councilors, more commonly known as Sangguniang Bayan members. The municipal council is in charge of creating the municipality's policies in the form of ordinances and resolutions.

The municipality seal shows a silhouette of the territory of El Nido inside an armor shaped picture. The famous marble and limestone cliffs represent the nesting ground of the swiftlets. Behind it is the oil rig, representing the areas within its administrative boundaries that are found to be rich in oil and natural gas such as the Malampaya Sound, which is 50 kilometers within its borders, and the Cadlao Oilfield in Bacuit Bay area. At the bottom of the picture is the rice field, with the carabao head superimposed at the center, and on the other side, the sea, with the fish and the squid in situated the middle, representing farming and fishing, the two main industries of its people.

In 1984, the then Ministry of Natural Resources issued Administrative Order No. 518, establishing a maritime area in El Nido as a turtle sanctuary. In 1991, the rest of Bacuit Bay, including its island and islets, was proclaimed by the Philippine government as a marine reserve. A year later, by Administrative Order No. 14 Series of 1992 of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, this area was expanded even further. In 1998, its status was elevated to that of a protected area, including the terrestrial ecosystem of El Nido and portions of Taytay.

El Nido Airport, also known as Lio Airport, is the primary and sole airport serving the town of El Nido.

The main roads of El Nido are organized around a set of radial and circumferential roads that radiate and circle in and around the town proper and its rural barangays. Its interconnected roads are connected to the major highway that leads to Puerto Princesa, Palawan's capital. Daily buses and jeepneys depart at San Jose Terminal in Puerto Princesa for El Nido. Tricycles are used for short distance trips around the town proper. The national road between Taytay and El Nido was rehabilitated, and this has helped boost tourism and business activity in the area.

The main port in El Nido, which is under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), is located in Buena Suerte (Zone II), although several small and accessible wharves, such as the San Fernando pier, are being used in other rural barangays. Several ferries and other sea vessels owned by Atienza Shipping Lines and San Nicholas Shipping Lines have regular trips from Manila to El Nido.

The Población area is part of the service areas of electric utility, Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO), a division of the National Power Corporation operating with 0.423 megawatts of electricity. by the municipal government, while the majority of them are still dependent on deep wells and natural springs. Internet services are available in a few establishments with wireless broadband access.

El Nido has more than ten public elementary and secondary schools located in most of its barangays. El Nido Central School and El Nido National High School, which are both located at the Poblacion, have the largest facilities and number of students, among these schools. Recently, the Palawan State University opened its El Nido campus in New Ibajay, offering extramural programs and studies. Some of the lower grade schools are located in Calitang, such as Calitang Elementary School, Pasadeña Elementary School, Barutoan Elementary School, Bucana Elementary School, and Lamoro Elementary School.