Govt urged to promote tourism, forget mining in Palawan
Now that the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) is officially part of the New Seven Wonders of Nature, the government should consider dropping mining in Palawan in favor of promoting tourism there.
The suggestion came Sunday from Puerto Princesa Bishop Pedro Arigo, who said the PPUR's status stresses the need to conserve and protect the environment.
“We don’t need mining because tourism alone, using the pristine beauty of nature of Palawan creates livelihood for the people without destroying the environment,” Arigo said at the sidelines of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines' ongoing plenary assembly in Manila.
He added that while mining in Palawan may offer some temporary employment, it threatens to destroy their most precious resources — water and soil.
Arigo said the Catholic Church and other organizations will continue their campaign against mining and other threats to the environment.
“Mining operations there are ongoing. It’s just sad to say that our enemy (in this fight) is the government,” he said.
On Saturday, Bernard Weber, president of the Zurich-based New 7 Wonders, said the PPUR is among the world’s seven new wonders of nature. He also confirmed the inclusion of Jeju Island in South Korea. The rest are still being tabulated and verified.
Arigo lauded the efforts of various organizations and people who campaigned and voted for the Palawan River to be one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.
“The truth is there was really a hard work and we in the Church also helped in the campaign locally and internationally,” he said. — KBK, GMA News
The suggestion came Sunday from Puerto Princesa Bishop Pedro Arigo, who said the PPUR's status stresses the need to conserve and protect the environment.
“We don’t need mining because tourism alone, using the pristine beauty of nature of Palawan creates livelihood for the people without destroying the environment,” Arigo said at the sidelines of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines' ongoing plenary assembly in Manila.
He added that while mining in Palawan may offer some temporary employment, it threatens to destroy their most precious resources — water and soil.
Arigo said the Catholic Church and other organizations will continue their campaign against mining and other threats to the environment.
“Mining operations there are ongoing. It’s just sad to say that our enemy (in this fight) is the government,” he said.
On Saturday, Bernard Weber, president of the Zurich-based New 7 Wonders, said the PPUR is among the world’s seven new wonders of nature. He also confirmed the inclusion of Jeju Island in South Korea. The rest are still being tabulated and verified.
Arigo lauded the efforts of various organizations and people who campaigned and voted for the Palawan River to be one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.
“The truth is there was really a hard work and we in the Church also helped in the campaign locally and internationally,” he said. — KBK, GMA News
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