Puerto Princesa Palawan Underground River

Votation for the second stage began in January 7, 2009. A total of 261 nominees and multinational nominees have been classified into 7 groups which are: Landscapes/Ice Formations, Islands, Mountains/Volcanoes, Caves/Rock Formations/Valleys, Forests/National Parks/Nature Reserves, Lakes/Rivers/Waterfalls, and Seascapes. Palawan’s Underground River is at second place under the category of Forests/National Parks/Nature Reserves, with the Amazon River at no. 1 (source: Ranking © www.new7wonders.com). Only 77 of the 261 nominees will remain after voting ends in July 7, 2009. People who took part in the first stage of the poll may vote again in the ongoing second stage.

Sec. Ace Durano in Palawan

“Once again we urge Filipinos from all over the world to keep their eye on the prize. All the voting and support have already generated immense publicity for our country. It would indeed be a feat for the Philippines if the Puerto Princesa Subterranean Park becomes one of the 7 phenomenal sights in the world,” said Ace Durano, Secretary of Tourism.

Renowned as the world’s longest underground river, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park also features a stunning limestone karst mountain landscape. Inside its large chambers are stalactites and stalagmites formations, while at the mouth of its cave
thrives a bustling ecosystem which includes monkeys, large monitor lizards, and squirrels.

“We ask everyone to join us on this long but gratifying road to victory. But more than the people’s votes, we urge preservation and protection of our natural sites because they are the irreplaceable
wealth of our country,” said Eduardo Jarque, Jr., Tourism Undersecretary for Planning and Promotions.

After the top 77 candidates have been determined, the New7Wonders Panel of Experts, led by Prof. Dr. Federico Mayor, former Director-General of UNESCO, will then take over to select the 21
Finalists.

Voting will resume after selection of the 21 Finalists. The nominees will compete for vote against candidates within their category. Simultaneous with the voting, the New7Wonders World Tour will visit the 21 Finalists to give each a chance to be seen by the whole world.
The final 7 will be announced in 2011.

Top officials of SEAIR led by its president Avelino Zapanta, together with Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes, Rep. Antonio Alvarez and Puerto Princesa City Vice Mayor Lucilo Bayron led the ribbon cutting ceremony held at the city’s airport terminal building prior to the inaugural flight.

”We are Palawan’s airline”, Zapanta told PNA, citing that for several years that Palawan has been its exciting destination helping spur development in the tourism sector in the province.

”Our program is flying from paradise to paradise”, he added.

He said their airline will bring in tourists from the country’s gateways to the province’s exotic tourism destination.

Zapanta said the opening Puerto Princesa-Kota Kinabalu route is a manifestation of the airline’s commitment being designated as the official government’s carrier in the Brunei- Indonesia- Malaysia- Philippines East Asia Growth Area (BIMP EAGA).

He recognized that previously, a regional airliner already serviced the said international route, but did not prosper.

He said they have implemented “total system approach”, looking on the operational deficiencies like relatively high service and airport charges.

But he believed that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and local government officials will support them by declaring tax holiday on tourists and businessmen coming from BIMP-EAGA member countries in an effort to boost the tourism industry of Palawan.

Meanwhile, Gov. Reyes congratulated the SEAIR for embarking a historic international flight to Malaysia allowing passengers to visit world-renowned destinations in Palawan, whose dilemma is geographical isolation.

Reyes assured the SEAIR management to help in the production of tourism promotion materials in its flight in an effort to sustain the airline operation.

He said the new route will promote air linkages towards enhancement of trade, investment, tourism and cultural exchange between two areas.

He recalled that BIMP-EAGA leaders agreed to have a direct flight between this city and four member countries will increase air traffic and trade linkages.

The leaders approved the granting of Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights that legalizes the facilitation of passengers and cargo services in the airports of Manado and Tarakan in Indonesia; Labuan and Miri in Malaysia; and Puerto Princesa, Palawan and General Santos in the Philippines.

The governor also aired his intention to help SEAIR’s promotional campaign through inclusion of its tourism marketing promo dubbed as “Visit Palawan in 2009”.

The “Visit Palawan in 2009” will be tentatively launched this coming December 15, he said.

In order to drum up the exchange of tourists, Reyes said the provincial government is contemplating to grant travel incentives traveling in the said route.

”We could provide them 2 to 3 days stay in our province and grant travel incentives to them” he said.

Palawan’s Subterranean River, Sulu Sea’s Tubbataha Reef and Bohol’s Chocolate Hills continue to top the list of the ongoing New 7 Wonders campaign.

Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano, said “The response of people and support from our fellow Filipinos are very evident in this turn out, and we can expect increased tourist awareness of country’s beautiful treasures.”

Esteemed as one of the real highlights of Palawan, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park still is at the top spot.

The limestone cave that the river passes through is thought to be one of the longest navigable river-traversed tunnels in the world, and travelers say that a journey into the darkness of this riverine cave is a truly unique experience.

Durano added, “Having three nominees from the country gives us a strong hope to be included in the National Qualification round, set next year.”

Following in 4th rank is the famous Chocolate Hills, a sea of grassy hills that stretch as far as the horizon.

Named so because of their chocolate brown color in the dry season, these hills have become a near ubiquitous icon for Bohol.

Scientists explain that the 1,268 near-identical hills, with sizes ranging from 40 to 120 meters, are the result of the uplifting of ancient coral-reef deposits, followed by erosion and weathering.

Eduardo Jarque, Jr., DOT Undersecretary for Tourism Planning and Promotions, explained, “The Philippine sites are real gems in this worldwide campaign. Our country is blessed with natural wonders that were not created or significantly altered for aesthetic purposes -– a basic guiding criterion in the search.”

Protected marine sanctuary Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park, ranks 5th. Divers from different parts of the world have noted its beauty and the diverse species present in the site. Among these are manta rays, lionfish, tortoises, clownfish and sharks, including many that are endangered.

Only one nominee from country will be allowed to proceed for the next stage.

According to the organizers, until the end of 2008, countries with more than one nominee will be racing to choose the national representative that is allowed to continue.

“Though choosing between three different yet equally unique wonders may be a difficult task, Filipinos should carry on in casting their votes and making their mark,” noted Jarque.

He added that people knowing about the existence of the country’s natural wonders is one of the most effective ways of enticing them to visit.

“The Philippines is fortunate indeed to be rich in natural resources. We join the campaign in promoting nature’s wonders from all over the world,” he remarked.

Guided with the slogan ‘If we want to save anything, we first need to truly appreciate it!’, the New 7 Wonders campaign is aimed at more awareness and more tourism income to help natural treasures be better preserved for future generations.

Following the resounding success of the New7Wonders of the World campaign, in which more than 100 million votes were cast and which took democracy to a global level, they believe that New7Wonders of Nature campaign will significantly raise awareness of the incredible variety and beauty of nature around us.

There are three major stages in the campaign: the Nomination Stage, the National Qualification Stage, and the Finalist Stage, where 21 finalists will be chosen.

For the Finalist stage, the 21 New7Wonders of Nature Finalists will be put to popular vote in early 2009.

Voting will continue throughout 2009 and into 2010. During this time, the New7Wonders World Tour will visit each of the Finalists to allow them to present themselves to the voters across the globe.

Everyone is encouraged to view the live ranking and cast their votes online at http://www.new7wonders.com/nature/en/liveranking/. SMS and phone voting will be phased in for the Finalist stage by 2009.

The other candidates in the top 7 are: Ha Long Bay of Vietnam, 2nd; Cox’s Bazar Beach in Bangladesh, 3rd; Al Hasa Oasis of Saudi Arabia, 6th; and the Ganges River (India/ Bangladesh) at 7th.

As of September 29, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is at no. 1, Chocolate Hills is at no. 4, closely followed by Tubbataha Reef at no. 5 while Mayon Volcano is at no. 11.

The New 7 Wonders of Nature is an ongoing campaign sponsored by the New 7 Wonders Foundation based in Switzerland.

The same group initiated the New 7 Wonders of the World project last year, wherein seven new sites were officially chosen after a successful poll which posted 100 million international votes.

“We are pleased with the current rankings. But as the finale draws near, we should be more persistent in urging Filipinos to vote and actively promote our candidates,” Joseph “Ace” Durano, Secretary of the Department of Tourism (DOT) said.

Although the competition mandates that only one of the country’s nominees will be included in the official 7, Durano said that having four strong candidates at this stage is a great boost for Philippine tourism.

“The whole world is tuned in to this competition. Even if only one of our candidates remains in the final 7, we have gained so much publicity for our country as a destination with diverse natural sites,” added Durano.

Regarding the criteria for the nominees, Eduardo Jarque, Jr., DOT Undersecretary for Planning and Promotions said, “Nominees must meet one of the following criteria: it must be a natural site, a natural monument or a natural landscape. There must be no human interference involved in the creation of the sites.”

Jarque also cited that only a candidate entered by a country’s Official Supporting Committee is considered a certified contender.

“Mayon Volcano, Chocolate Hills, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park and Tubbataha Reef are all official candidates,” he said.

Some of the 77 nominees are still waiting for official support, while others have pending requirements. The rest are multi-national candidates which await support from each of the country which nominated them, Jarque concluded.

The New 7 Wonders of Nature has three stages of competition – the National Qualification, the Nomination and the Finalist stage.

In the National Qualification which is ongoing, the country’s official nominee will be determined after all the votes have been tallied on December 31, 2008.

The Nomination stage is where countries with no candidates may continue submitting their nominees until July 7, 2009. During this phase, the group’s Panel of Experts led by Federico Mayor, former Director-General of UNESCO, will review the top 77 nominees and choose the 21 finalists which will be announced on July 21, 2009.

The 21 New 7 Wonders of Nature candidates will be competing for the last time in the Finalist stage that will run from 2009-2010. Each of the finalists will have a chance to be presented to global voters through the New 7 Wonders World Tour which will visit and document each of the 21 nominated sites.

The top sites are: No. 2 Ha Long Bay, Vietnam; No. 3 Cox’s Bazar Beach, Bangladesh; No. 6 Al-hasa Oasis, Saudi Arabia; No. 7 Ganges River, Bangladesh/India; No. 8 Ali Sadr Cave, Iran; No. 9 Sundarbans Forest, Bangladesh/India; No. 10 Lake Saiful Maluk, Pakistan.

They arrive in droves at Puerto Princesa, and proceed almost immediately to points of destination in Coron, Busuanga, El Nido, Sabang, Taytay, Roxas, and other equally magnificent tourist and dive spots tucked away in the more than 1,700 islands of Palawan.

However, those who do not have the time to journey to these remote islands can experience unforgettable terrestrial and aquatic adventures right in the heart of this capital city of Palawan.

This is because Puerto Princesa is one of the biggest cities in the Philippines. Seventy-five percent of its area is dense forest cover that holds the world’s biggest sanctuary of old and replanted trees.

Few places on earth can match the distinction of this perennially green city of Palawan of having two World Heritage sites.

St. Paul National Park, an ecosystem of more than 5,000 hectares of mountainous forests, mazes of caves, powdery white beaches and a spectacular eight-kilometer underground river that winds through St. Paul Mountain and empties to the South China.

This subterranean pride of Puerto Princesa is reputedly the longest underground river in the world with its wide hallways, cathedral-like chambers and great pillars of centuries old limestone formations.

To reach the mouth of the underground river you can either hike or take a boat.

To better see large monitor lizards darting about the rocks and bushes, and monkeys cavorting on the thick canopies of trees, the more adventurous choose to trek the winding wooden paths and bridges of the Monkey Trail that stabs deep into the jungle.

The park is the natural habitat of about 60 species of birds, many of which are endangered, including the magnificent Palawan peacock.

Ninety-eight nautical miles off Puerto Princesa lay Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park, a 96,000-hectare coral atoll in the Sulu Sea.

This second World Heritage site is the home of enumerable species of reef fishes, sea turtles, manta rays and dugongs. Because of its teeming marine life, and coral formation of exceptional beauty, this marine park is the diving destination of choice in Palawan by professional divers.

Closer to home, in the mid-eastern coast of this city, dive enthusiasts also flock to Honda Bay where dive sites equally well-known for their good reefs and coral boulders such as Panglima Reef, Arreceffi and Pandan islands are located.

This city beckons to all who appreciate the eternal beauty and wonders of Nature to take care of our environment so that our succeeding generations will have something to remember us by.