Panglao, a booming municipality in the province of Bohol, is known for its stunning
beaches, rich marine biodiversity, and world-class resorts.
Tourism is the main economic driver of this locality, attracting thousands of visitors
every year.
However, Panglao also faces several challenges in its transportation system, such
as lack of regular and reliable public transport, lack of pedestrian infrastructure, and
lack of a comprehensive transportation network plan.
These issues affect not only the mobility and safety of the residents, but also the
quality of experience and satisfaction of the tourists.
To address these challenges, Panglao partnered with the Council of Asian Liberals
and Democrats (CALD), an organization of liberal political parties in Asia, to develop
a smart mobility plan that will transform Panglao into a more livable and sustainable
destination.
CALD convened the local officials and stakeholders of Panglao on 12-15 October
2023 for a workshop on smart mobility, with the theme “Transforming Smart Mobility
Ideas into Local Government Solutions.”
The workshop was facilitated by experts on public transportation, active
transportation, and local government and policy for transportation.
The training also involved site visits and sectoral consultations to observe the state
of transportation in Panglao and to identify “hot spots” or areas where transportation
issues were most prevalent.
According to Panglao Vice Mayor Noel Hormachuelos, “Despite the fact that tourism
is the primary driver of our economy, we could not draw in more visitors if our
transportation system is inefficient, inconvenient, or ineffective.”
Hormachuelos said Panglao is committed to improving its transport system to
enhance its tourism potential and to provide better services to its constituents.
He thanked CALD for extending technical assistance and guidance to Panglao in
developing its smart mobility plan.
Sarah Arrojado, a transport specialist who served as one of the resource persons for
the workshop, said Panglao has the potential to further boost its economy by
enabling better access to places of interest and attracting more tourists through
improving its transport system.
Arrojado said an ideal public transport system should be reliable, safe, accessible,
affordable, as well as convenient and comfortable.
She also emphasized the importance of making walking and cycling easier, as these
modes of transportation can unlock several economic, health, and environmental
benefits for everyone, stressing that integrating these modes in the long run to
achieve an intermodal transport system can transform Panglao into a world-class
destination that will set it apart from other tourist spots in the country.
Through the input and guidance of the experts, the participants were able to identify
potential interventions to address the transportation issues in Panglao.
These interventions included: establishing designated stops for public transport;
providing pedestrian facilities such as sidewalks, crosswalks, and bike lanes;
developing a transportation network plan that considers the current and future
demand for mobility; conducting training for drivers of public transport on traffic laws,
rules and regulations; upgrading public utility vehicles to make them more
convenient and road-worthy; among others.
The participants also discussed the benefits, plans, funding sources, executive and
legislative requirements, stakeholders and offices involved, and potential barriers for
each intervention. These served as preliminary guide for Panglao’s transport plan.
Panglao Councilor Dennis Hora of Panglao, who also participated in CALD’s smart
mobility event in Jakarta, Indonesia last July 2023, said he believes the plan that
would come out from the workshop would serve as their guide in implementing the
best practices in both public and active transportation.
Hora said he hopes that this shift in focus from private to public transport would
benefit not only their town but also the nearby local government units.
The town lawmaker expressed his gratitude to CALD for initiating this project and for
choosing Panglao as one of their pilot areas.
Apart from Panglao, CALD will also work with San Mateo, a municipality in Rizal
province near Metro Manila, to develop their smart mobility plans before heading to
neighboring countries in Indonesia, Taiwan, and Thailand.
In his closing message, CALD Secretary General Francis “Blue” Abaya said “What
transpired here in Panglao in the past two days is crucial. It’s an important milestone
in our Smart Mobility Project, which we launched last year, to push for opportunities
to consolidate ideas and efforts in providing inclusive, safe, efficient, equitable,
accessible, and sustainable transportation for the people.”
“This event, I hope, is a first of many discussions to come to further develop mobility
plans and to sustain the exchange of ideas on new and revolutionary approaches to
transportation,” Abaya added.
The workshop was organized with the support of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation
(FNF) for Freedom and in partnership with AltMobility PH, a group of policy
advocates who promote sensible and humane transport policies which create a
system that is safe, accessible, and dignified.