Puerto Princesa Underground River - New 7 Wonders of Nature

Every Filipino is praying and looking forward to the Puerto Princesa Underground River to be one of the official New 7 Wonders of Nature. And that I am keeping my fingers crossed. With that, I TGIF.

T.G.I.F. ---> Thank GOD I am a Filipino!

Provisional Winner

Puerto Princesa Underground River was chosen as one of the provisional New 7 Wonders of Nature. The voting calculation is now being checked, validated and independently verified, and the confirmed winners would be announced starting early 2012 during the Official Inauguration ceremonies. Congratulations to all Filipinos!

More Updates

The Philippines' Puerto Princesa Underground River, the Amazon rainforest, Vietnam's Halong Bay and Argentina's Iguazu Falls were named among the world's new seven wonders of nature, according to organizers of a global poll.

The other three crowned the world's natural wonders are South Korea's Jeju Island, Indonesia's Komodo, and South Africa's Table Mountain, said the New7Wonders foundation, citing provisional results.

Final results will be announced early 2012, said the Swiss foundation, warning however that there may yet be changes between the provisional winners and the final list.

Sites which have failed to make the cut include Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro, the Dead Sea and the US Grand Canyon.

The poll organized by Swiss foundation New7Wonders has attracted great interest, mobilizing celebrities including Argentinian football star Lionel Messi calling on fans to pick his home country's Iguazu Falls.

The results came after a long consultation process lasting from December 2007 to July 2009, when world citizens were asked to put forward sites which they deemed were natural wonders.

More than a million votes were cast to trim the list of more than 440 contenders in over 220 countries down to a shortlist of 77.

The group was then further cut to the 28 finalists by a panel of experts.

Anyone in the world was then able to vote for the final seven via telephone, text messages or Internet social networks.

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

It is located about 50 kilometres (30 mi) north of the city centre of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. The river also called Puerto Princesa Underground River. The National Park is located in the Saint Paul Mountain Range on the northern coast of the island. It is bordered by St. Paul Bay to the north and the Babuyan River to the east. The City Government of Puerto Princesa has managed the National Park since 1992. It is also known as St. Paul's Subterranean River National Park, or St. Paul Underground River. The entrance to the Subterranean River is a short hike from the town of Sabang.

PPUR

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (PPSRNP) is one of the most important biodiversity conservation areas of the Philippines. It features a spectacular limestone or karst landscape that contains an 8.2 km long underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it flows directly into the sea, and the lower half portion of the river is brackish and subject to tidal influence. The area also represents significant habitat for biodiversity conservation. It contains a full mountain to the sea ecosystem and protects forests, which are among the most significant in Asia.

The PPPSRNP is designated a core area for the Palawan Biosphere Reserve under the Man and Biosphere Program. In recognition of its globally significant natural properties, it was inscribed to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s of (UNESCO) List of Natural World Heritage Sites. Inscription to the list confirms the exceptional and universal value of the Site that deserves to be protected for the benefit of all humanity.

The PPSRNP is managed by the City Government of Puerto Princesa based on a program centered on environmental conservation and sustainable development. It has the distinction of being the first national park devolved and successfully managed by a Local Government Unit. It has been cited as an example of best practices for biodiversity conservation and sustainable tourism in the Philippines.

The Puerto Princesa Underground River is reputed to be the longest navigable underground river in the World. It is one of the few such rivers which the public can easily experience and appreciate. It is the official entry of the Philippines and is 1 of the 28 finalists to the Search for the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

It is a source of pride and a key element in the identity of the people of Puerto Princesa in particular, and of the Philippines as a whole.

New7Wonders

Founded in 2001 by filmmaker Bernard Weber in Zurich, the foundation New7Wonders is based on the same principle on which the seven ancient wonders of the world were established. That list of seven wonders was attributed to Philon of Byzantium in ancient Greece.

New7Wonders said its aim is to create a global memory by garnering participation worldwide. But even as the natural wonders poll came to a close, the New7Wonders foundation has set its eyes on a new survey -- the top seven cities of the world. Participating cities will be announced on January 1, 2012.

Mommy Mai