In one of the resorts we went to during a recent visit to Puerto Princesa City, a staff pointed to a room on the second floor, which was supposedly used by former President Benigno “PNoy” S. Aquino III in the past.
That got me really interested so I went inside Room 227 and checked for myself what makes it special for a former president of the Republic to use overnight. I told myself, what if these walls could talk? What secrets would it reveal?
Well, the room was spacious enough and the view was nice, but there was no Playstation, Xbox or Wii in the room. Maybe PNoy brought one for himself? Was he there on a business or leisure trip? Was he just escaping the stress associated with his work at that time?
The resort staff was not much help with it. The staff was tight-lipped and did not provide additional details. No mention if Aquino was there on a romantic getaway or if the former president had any companion during his trip there.
Although, I think it would be a given that Aquino would have the Presidential Security Guard along with him there. They go wherever the president goes, right? That group of people is a lucky bunch. Just imagine the number of places they get to visit. But then again, they would have to be ready to take a bullet for the highest official of the land.
But then again, could he have gone to Puerto Princesa City alone in utter secrecy? Speculations and more speculations, at least, from my end.
Anyway, that story to me, in a nutshell, was the beauty of Puerto Princesa. Never mind the increasingly Metro Manila-like traffic in the main thoroughfares during rush hour on one side and the continued popularity of the Puerto Princesa Underground River on the other.
The city is so welcoming and accommodating to everyone, whether you have a deep pocket or a backpacker working on a shoestring budget. The Department of Tourism is doing the right thing in putting emphasis on this over and over again.
Puerto Princesa City is growing and developing, make no mistake about it. Tourism is one big factor in its progress.
During my three-day stay there, the city was buzzing with activities. It was celebrating the third Puerto Princesa Underground River Day, it was hosting the second Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) Festival, the 2016 Asian Dragonboat Championship was taking place and the Asean Chief Justices’ Roundtable on Environment was happening.
This development did not just happen overnight. Puerto Princesa City became a premiere tourism destination through meticulous planning with its ceiling far from being reached.
Right now the city is on pace to breach the 1-million mark in terms of its annual tourist arrivals with tourism receipts expected to top the P1.50-billion mark.
The outstanding part about the growth is the fact that the city is gearing up for more. The new international airport is about to be opened next year, more luxury cruise ships are coming and they are now developing new tourism destinations.
In fact, Puerto Princesa City Tourism Officer Toto Alvior told me of places that I have never ever heard before, like the 100 Caves, or Isla Filomina. He told me about spelunking, diving, snorkeling, agritourism and community-based tourism. The city is working on 38 different tourism destinations now.
That is 38 new destinations and yet on my visit, I was introduced for the first time to the Palawan International Circuit that would surely get everyone’s adrenaline pumped as one navigates its 1.2-kilometer tracks.
Then, there was also the Palawan Brewery tucked in one of the old streets and offers five different types of craft beers, including the Ambog Ale, Palawan Wit, Palaw’An, Ayahay Ipa and Hunter.
I am not a beer drinker and yet I liked Hunter when I tried it. The craft beer is a honey nut brown ale that is styled after the Southern English brown ale.
Palawan Brewery owner Aya Javier told me that they are one of the 33-craft beer manufacturers in the country and the only one in Palawan. She also told me that there are 750 types of beers and the ones they make have no preservatives or chemicals in them. The best part of it all? She said there are a lot of health benefits in drinking craft beer.
There are just too many things to do in the city and it will take multiple visits to see, appreciate and enjoy all of them.
Just in case you are wondering who goes to Puerto Princesa City aside from us Filipinos, Alvior said they would be the Americans because of the Balikatan military exercises, the Taiwanese because of the chartered flights and Koreans because of their large community in the city.
Still, they are looking to tap more into the Asian market next year, as the city positions itself as a regional hub. Alvior also said they would like to maintain the growth in arrivals from those coming from the US and Europe.
And all of this is leading to Puerto Princesa City evolving and having a new city within the city over the next three years.
According to Mayor Lucilo Bayron, the master plan for the multi-billion-peso new city, which he projects to rise in three years, is already being drafted.
Bayron said the new city will initially accommodate 20,000 residents and will have all the facilities of a modern city, including condominium units for the middle-class and high-end owners.
He said the new city that will be built will provide them with the capacity to fix and organize the current city they have now, as all their operations will be transferred to the new city. Once completed, the new city will be connected to the old city through a mass transport system.
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