Underground River makes it to '7 Wonders' list

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines’ Puerto Princesa Underground River made it as one of the world’s natural wonders based on the provisional results of a global poll to choose the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

The other finalists are the Amazon rainforest, Vietnam’s Halong Bay, Argentina’s Iguazu Falls, South Korea’s Jeju Island, Indonesia’s Komodo, and South Africa’s Table Mountain, according to Bernard Weber, founder-president of New7Wonders Foundation based in Zurich, Switzerland.

“I would like to thank the many champions, citizens, voluntary organizations, public bodies and governments that have helped promote the New7Wonders of Nature campaign over the past four years, starting with over 440 locations from over 220 countries and all the way to the 28 finalist candidates from whom the New 7 Wonders of Nature have been chosen,” Weber said in a statement on the foundation’s website.

The Swiss foundation said the results are based on the initial counting of votes which ended last Friday.

Final results will be announced in early 2012, but the organizers said changes are expected between the provisional winners and the final list.

More than a million votes were cast since the start of the search in 2007 to trim the list of more than 440 contenders down to a shortlist of 77. The number of contenders was then further cut to the 28 finalists before the final seven provisional winners.

The votes were cast through text messages and Internet.

The results will be checked, validated and independently verified. Once the voting validation process is completed, the New7Wonders will then work with the confirmed winners to organize the official inauguration events.

“We congratulate each of the participants on achieving their provisional New7Wonders of Nature status, and look forward to completing the confirmation process to celebrate their own Official Inauguration ceremony early in 2012,” said Weber.

Victory for Filipinos

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje expressed gratitude to Filipinos all over the world for the successful election of Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) as among the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

“The Almighty wrought this masterpiece of nature, but we thank our people for its election as one of the seven best among the many wonders that nature has scattered all over our planet,” Paje said.

He added: “By taking the time and making the effort to vote for the PPUR through text messages and through the Internet, our people - both at home and abroad as well as our many friends among the international community - we were able to amass the number of votes necessary to catapult the PPUR from a local to a global jewel. This is definitely a victory for the Filipino people.”

Paje described PPUR’s victory as a “collective accomplishment of Filipinos around the world.”

He also lauded the government agencies involved in the campaign, particularly the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Tourism, which served as chair and co-chair of the task force, respectively, and the private sector led by businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan, Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn, and publicist Tony Abaya.

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo said PPUR’s victory is a great honor for the Philippines.

“It’s a great honor that the PPUR was chosen as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Naipakita natin ang ating pagkakaisa para sa isang napakagandang bagay (We have shown our unity for a good cause),” he said.

Robredo said that a day before the final voting ended last Friday, the DILG mounted a “last-ditch” effort by ordering local government officials, from governors down to barangay leaders, to vote for the PPUR.

Agencies under the DILG, including the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, were also ordered to urge their members to vote for the Underground River.

Senators Pia Cayetano and Loren Legarda lauded the inclusion of PPUR in the list of provisional winners of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

Cayetano noted that the inclusion of the PPUR, while still unofficial, was already a significant feat considering that there were originally 400 contenders from over 200 nations when the poll began in 2007.

“I congratulate everyone who voted, campaigned and kept vigil to boost and sustain the bid of our very own Puerto Princesa Underground River to make it as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature,” she said.

 The PPUR’s inclusion in the provisional list of winners affirms the Philippines’ reputation as a world-class eco-tourism destination with rich biodiversity, breathtaking natural wonders and friendly people, she added.

 Legarda, for her part, said PPUR’s inclusion in the list of provisional winners would help in the efforts to protect and preserve the country’s natural heritage.

She said credit should also go to the national government and the city government of Puerto Princesa led by Mayor Hagedorn.

Malacañang yesterday hailed Filipinos for working together to have the PPUR recognized as one of the world’s New 7 Wonders although still provisional.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the government will work to ensure that all votes are counted during the final validation process.

She said it was relayed to Malacañang that some of the votes for PPUR were not confirmed.

“With this, we sincerely hope that the rest of the world will stand up and notice the majesty not just of the Underground River but the rest of the Philippines,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.

The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) also expressed elation over the selection of the Underground River as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

PTAA president Aileen Clemente said that such a development “does not only bring pride to the Filipinos but also a symbol of unity given all the support put in by Filipinos around the world.”

Residents of Puerto Princesa were awakened by fireworks at dawn yesterday, signaling that the Underground River had been voted as among the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

PPUR is the world’s longest navigable underground river measuring 8.2 kilometers. It has unique rock formations formed over millions of years.

Local officials led by Vice Mayor Lucilo Bayron held a unity march at the city coliseum to celebrate the victory of PPUR.

Hagedorn, meanwhile, said a lot of things should still be done despite the campaign’s success.

According to him, PPUR garnered around 24 million votes through text messages alone. However, there was still no data to show the number of votes cast through online voting.

Expecting an increase in tourist arrivals, Hagedorn said he considers it as a “welcome problem.”

“We will focus on infrastructure projects related to tourism. We will also improve our tourism destinations,” he added. -

With Mike Frialde, Marvin Sy, Aurea Calica, Sheila Crisostomo, Jhelyn Andal-Rocha, Pictures by ERNIE PEÑAREDONDO