Palawan underground river in race for world’s 7 new wonders

MANILA – The famous underground river on the island province of Palawan in Southern Luzon is now a step closer to being named as one of the world’s “new seven wonders of Nature,” the secretary of the Department of Tourism disclosed.

Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said the Subterranean River National Park, located in Palawan’s capital city of Puerto Princesa and recognized as a World Heritage Site by the UN, has been selected as the official bet of the Philippines in the contest sponsored by the Switzerland-based New7Wonders Foundation.

Durano said the official letter informing him that the Palawan river had qualified for the second phase of the voting was signed by Tia Viering, the head of communications of the foundation based in Zurich, Switzerland.

Joining Durano in expressing elation over the choice of the Palawan river was Mayor Edward Hagedorn of Puerto Princesa City.

Hagedorn pointed out the selection of the river is an affirmation of the city’s combined efforts to promote the place as a world-class destination and its commitment to preserve a “wonderful natural heritage” for the next generations.

The underground river runs for 8.2 kilometers and set on a large primeval karst foundation in the northwestern coast of Puerto Princesa.

Meanwhile, Durano said those that failed to hurdle the first round of the contest are the other Philippine entries like erstwhile leader Tubataha Reef also found in Palawan, Chocolate Hills in Bohol province in the Visayas, Mayon Volcano in Albay province in the Bicol Region, the Hundred Islands National Park in Pangasinan province in Northern Luzon, Mount Pinatubo in Zambales province in Central Luzon and Taal Volcano in Batangas province in Southern Luzon.

Quoting from Viering’s letter, Durano said the Palawan river shares the spotlight with the Coral Triangle, a multinational participant.

Spanning Eastern Indonesia, parts of Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and the Solomon Islands, the Coral Triangle is described as the global center of marine biodiversity and one of the world’s top priorities for marine conservation.

Durano added a total of 261 nominees are in the second phase of the worldwide balloting and are now one step closer of being chosen one of the Official New7Wonders of Nature contest.

He disclosed the 261 national and multinational nominees from the 222 participating countries feature iconic locations such as the Grand Canyon in Colorado in the US, Loch Ness in Scotland, the Black Forest of Germany and Mount Fuji in Japan alongside the Amazon, the Danube, the Dead Sea, the Great Barrier Reef, Iguazu Falls, the Kalahari Desert, Mont Blanc and Niagara Falls.

Of the original 441 nominees, 180 or more than 40 percent were eliminated. Those selected will become the pool from which the 21 official finalists are chosen.

A panel of experts will select the 21 finalists from the top 77, which will be announced on July 21 this year, the foundation announced.

When the third and final phase of the voting begins, the people of the world will have about two years to choose from the 21 finalists for the world’s “7 new wonders” to be revealed in 211.

The organizers said they expect over one billion people throughout to world to cast their votes in the contest.

For his part, Durano said the campaign is expected to promote and increase awareness and appreciation of the different spectacular sites all over the world.

Durano, who was chosen as one of The Outstanding Young Men” of the Philippines in 2008, said: “With billions of supporters all over the globe, promotion of spectacular sites from all over the world has been set to greater heights. It is also very important to call on the sustainable promotion of these tourism sites, which are Nature’s blessings.”

You can make the Palawan underground river one of the New 7 Wonders of the World by casting your vote online.

To vote, visit The New7Wonders Official Website.

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