Palawan river in ‘New Seven Wonders of Nature’ top 14

The Puerto Princesa Underground River in Palawan is now one of the 14 finalists for the list of the New Seven Wonders of Nature, the movement behind the recognition announced past midnight Saturday. The Puerto Princesa Underground River joins the Amazon, Bu Tinah Island, Dead Sea, Great Barrier Reef, Halong Bay, Iguazu Falls, Jeita Grotto, Jeju Island, Kilimanjaro, Komodo, Masurian Lake District, Sundarbans, and Table Mountain in the latest short list, as announced by the group New7Wonders on its website. Electronic votes through text messaging and Internet voting ended Friday. “We extend our congratulations to the top 14, and wish them the best of luck going forward to the announcement of the provisional New7Wonders of Nature," the group said. The group New7Wonders will release the list of the seven winners at 7:07 p.m. GMT (3 a.m. Manila time), the group said on its website. Govt-led effort In the Philippines, the government spearheaded the campaign to vote for the Puerto Princesa Underground River as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature. President Benigno Aquino III himself led the Internet and text voting for the Philippine river last June. Over 42,000 barangays also took part in a synchronized text voting for the said natural wonder in October. “Sa tulong ng mga barangay, sigurado na panalo na ang Puerto Princesa Underground River," Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo said. The Philippine entry’s recognition as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature is seen as a potent boost to the country’s tourism.
The global spotlight on the Puerto Princesa Underground River comes at a time when the government is boosting its tourism campaign by highlighting the country’s natural beauty. “We deserve a visit from the world," said Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez in a one-on-one interview with GMA News TV “State of the Nation" anchor Jessica Soho. Known for its unique and outstanding scientific, biological, and geological features, the Puerto Princesa Underground River became a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site in December 1999. The river was also declared as a National Geological Monument in December 2003. – Paterno Esmaquel II/ELR, GMA News