Aquino calls for global campaign to promote Puerto Princesa river

President Benigno Aquino has declared a national and global campaign for the Puerto Princesa Underground River as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature (N7WN).

SAN FRANCISCO, California—President Benigno Aquino has declared a national and global campaign for the Puerto Princesa Underground River as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature (N7WN).

Aquino issued Proclamation No. 182 on June 3 to encourage “all Filipinos, both here and abroad, and all friends of the Filipino people, to help in the campaign to ensure that the (river) is proclaimed as one of the N7WN,” the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco said in a statement.

From over 400 sites from around the world, the Palawan river, the lone finalist from the Philippines, is now one of the top 14 of the 28 official finalists chosen by a panel of international experts.

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, reputed to be the world’s longest, is located about 50 kilometers north of Puerto Princesa City.  It features a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2-kilometer navigable underground river.

A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the West Philippine Sea.  The cave includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers.  The lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences.

At the mouth of the cave, a clear lagoon is framed by ancient trees growing right to the water’s edge.  Monkeys, large monitor lizards, and squirrels find their niche on the beach near the cave.

UNDERGROUND WONDER Underneath this limestone karst mountain landscape is the 8.2-kilometer navigable Puerto Princesa Subterranean River. DON LEJANO/INQUIRER.net

The following are the three ways to vote for Palawan underground river:

1. Vote via the N7WN Website, www.new7wonders.com:

Internet voting is allowed per email address.

a. Click on the PPUR as your N7WN candidate
b. Register your email account
c. Send your vote

2. Vote via Text Message:

Each SMS sent counts as one vote for the PP Underground River in the Official New 7 Wonders of Nature.  Simply text PPUR to 2861.

3. Vote by Telephone:

You can now vote using the new international telephone voting line, available 24 hours a day, for you to call and vote at any time, from any international telephone line anywhere in the world.

a. Dial one of these international telephone numbers:

+23 92201055
+1 869 760 5990 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +1 869 760 5990      end_of_the_skype_highlighting
+1 649 339 8080 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +1 649 339 8080      end_of_the_skype_highlighting
+44 758 900 1290 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +44 758 900 1290      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

b. At the end of the message, after the tone, dial PPUR’s 4 digit code 7723

c. When you hear the thank you message, you are all done – you have voted by telephone.

The Official Declaration of the N7WN will be on  November 11, 2011.