INFRASTRUCTURE and tourism-related development are now underway as the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) has been named as one of the new seven natural wonders of nature in a worldwide poll. The beauty of the longest subterranean river in the world located in Palawan was selected along with Brazil’s Amazon region, Vietnam’s Halong Bay, Argentina’s Iguazu Falls, South Korea’s Jeju island, Indonesia’s Komodo and South Africa’s Table Mountain, according to the Switzerland-based New7Wonders Foundation.
The list of “provisional” winners was posted at about 3 am on Saturday, about six hours after the close of voting on Friday.
“This is a victory for the whole country. The selection of PPUR as a natural wonder will boost the country’s image as a tourist spot that will have more valuable effect in our economy,” Puerto Princesa tourism officer Rebecca Labit told the BusinessMirror.
Among the top priorities of President Aquino and Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn is the improvement of the airport and access roads, Labit said.
Due to the expected tourist influx, a series of dialogue and trainings are already under way for the hotel and resort sector, transport sector, tourist guides and boatman.
“More challenges are ahead of us to truly prove that our country has this awe-inspiring natural asset,” Labit said.
P20 billion in tourism revenue
PRIOR to the campaign for the contest, more than 160,000 visit the underground river and grew by as much as 425,000. Labit said the number of tourists would even double in the coming years and would eventually rake in more income for the country.
The underground river is known for its unique and outstanding scientific, biological and geological features and has been declared in 1999 as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. It was also dubbed as a National Geological Monument in 2003.
The site is an 8.2-kilometer navigable underground river that runs beneath the limestone karst mountain that flows directly into the South China Sea. It is believed to be the longest underground river in Asia.
Navigating the complex underground river, one can see visible formations of stalactites and stalagmites that have developed over 20 million years.
Earlier, Hagedorn said the announcement of the PPUR as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature would help the country generate by as much as P20 billion.
The inclusion of the PPUR in the New 7 Wonders of Nature can help generate at least P10 billion to P20 billion worth of tourist revenues for the country, he said.
“In our business, we are ready and will adjust accordingly to the influx of tourists that will be brought by the declaration of PPUR as a natural wonder,” said Ruben Tan Jr., owner of the Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort and the Puerto Pension Bed & Breakfast.
Tan told the BusinessMirror that as early as 2007, the impact of the PPUR has already affected the business community in the city positively with the brisk construction of hotels and resorts in the city.
Hagedorn has expressed his gratitude to the support of President Aquino as well as from various civic society and the national government and line agencies such as the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
“We are proud of the inclusion of the PPUR and we are happy that we made positive change when we helped campaign for it not only in the Philippines but also abroad,” said Celeste Anna Formoso, national chairman of the JCI Puerto Princesa Peacock Inc.
Last-minute campaigning
THE PPUR had been vying against 27 other natural sites since 2009, with originally 440 contenders in more than 220 countries. The idea was initiated by Bernard Weber, the founder and president of the New7Wonders Foundation, who was with President Aquino in the last hour of voting on Friday.
In announcing the “provisional” list of winners, Weber said, “We have seen huge interaction and participation on every continent of our globe with different levels of motivation and styles of campaigning across countries and supporters.”
He said the voting calculation is being checked, validated and independently verified, and the confirmed winners will be announced starting early 2012 during the official inauguration ceremonies.
“The new wonders that have been selected are the people’s choices. It will bring our natural heritage onto the same level of appreciation as that which has been made by humans,” he said.
Last month Weber conducted a surprise visit to the unique long-stretch underground river where he was awed by its feature, saying, “It’s a masterpiece of nature.”
Indeed, during and even in the final hours of voting on Friday, countries have “aggressively” campaigned in different styles.
On the last day of voting, the New7Wonders airship floated over Iguazu Falls on the border of Argentina and Brazil.
In Switzerland, one of the most memorable images of the campaign was that of a Polish balloon team from the Masurian Lake District taking off from Chateau-d’Oex.
In Dubai, one who has lead and voted is His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.
Celebrating the fact that they represent Korea in the worldwide poll, Jeju islanders turned out in force and created a giant, human “N7W” sign.
Bikers also set out on a cross-emirate tour to generate support for the UAE finalist, the Bu Tinah Island.
A group of Israeli motorcyclists traveled from the Dead Sea, the lowest place on Earth, to the Himalayas, the highest place on Earth, to promote the Dead Sea.
In the Philippines, President Aquino made a last-ditch effort and urged all Filipino citizens to vote. The country’s telecommunications companies—Globe Telecom Inc., Smart Communications Inc. and Sun Cellular—have united in an effort to boost PPUR’s chances through the “Pera sa Kweba” text promo where a lucky winner will have a chance to win P25 million.
“Now it’s time for the country to celebrate this recognition as a reminder for us that we have indeed a wonderful nature that we need to take good care of,” Labit said.
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