The city government’s campaign to include Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (PPSRNP), famously known as “Underground River” got a shot in the arm from the British envoy to the Philippines, no less.

Ambassador Peter Beckingham and his wife, Jill, visited the “Underground River” on Tuesday. The attraction is one of the nominees in the ongoing worldwide search for the “New Seven Wonders of Nature”.

The couple and their party was accompanied by Mayor Edward Hagedorn during the tour of the park.

Currently, the underground river ranks No. 8, in the Live Top 77 ranking at www.new7wonders.com , the UNESCO-declared World Heritage.

Tubbataha Reef, also found in Palawan, continues to improve its rank in the contest by placing third, while Chocolate Hills ranks number 4 now.

Meanwhile, Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Qung Ninh province, Vietnam and Cox’s Bazar is a major city and district in Bangladesh currently occupied first and second posts, respectively, in the live ranking in the website.

During his two-visit here, Beckingham is set to grace the opening of Sanders Photo Exhibit at the city coliseum 6 p.m. Tuesday and he will visit city’s baywalk area, sanitary landfill, Muslim Al Farouq Institute and Malampaya Foundation.

The park is reputed to be the longest known navigable subterranean river in the world and is the “best seller” among the numerous tourist destinations in the city.

Filipinos can still vote for Underground River, Tubbataha and Chocolate Hills until Dec. 31, 2008 and a shortlist of 21 finalists will be submitted by January 2009.

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