Story & photos by Bernard Joseph Esposo Guerrero
Last year I managed to visit Palawan’s Puerto Princesa City —one of my favorite nooks in the country—for the third time. It was not hard to gather immediately upon stepping into the city that they have been enjoying very much the latest title they have coveted for their most important destination and asset; so much so that it has gone a bit too much.
In my three days in the city, with a day devoted to visiting again the underground river, I never met anyone who described the park in other terms aside from that it is one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Right there and then, I knew that there was a looming crisis.
Wondering the Wonder
Since its proclamation in 2012 as one of the New 7 Natural Wonders of the world, the Philippines’s Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, or more commonly known nowadays as the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR), has nearly been singularly using this title to highlight its supposed integrity, and, subsequently, in promotions. While it has successfully gained better traction in attracting more local tourists, there are also others who do not put any weight on the award at all. Many foreign visitors, together with a few local heritage advocates like myself, who have seen more sites, and can, thus, draw better comparisons, do not necessarily bite this.
If one looks closer into it and deeper into merits, the title does hold little to no meaning at all, let alone any credibility. It was, after all, gained by winning a global poll led by a marketing company that was marred with controversies, such as subjecting the winners to comply with some prerequisites in order to gain the right to use the title. In that same poll, Indonesia’s Komodo Island was also declared as a winner, but early on, it aired out reservations on the process, citing the pressure from the organizers of the country to host an expensive awarding ceremony. The park’s win did not come as a surprise, considering that the Philippines has the highest volume of texters around the world.
Pushbacks and trade-offs
Indeed, the heavy use of the brand was critical in as far as popularizing the destination, but at what expense? The relaying of information on other achievements that the natural gem has been accorded with by more reputable bodies through careful scientific examinations, and accreditation procedures has been sacrificed. This then becomes more concerning on the ground, as it deprives the people of the vital information that matter to them and cultivates a deeper sense of appreciation and sense of pride to what their country offers.
Take, for example, the park being a United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) World Heritage Site since 1999. Tremendous amounts of effort, time and even expertise were put into its nomination, which took 10 grueling years to finally have it successfully inscribed in the prestigious list. Other countries would, without thinking twice, make the most of their “world heritage site” label and make their Unesco-listed sites as their premier attractions that have to be in everyone’s bucket list, and the success of such strategy has always been certain. The Philippines, at present, has only six of these highly prized sites.
Recently, some guides at the park hardly even mention that aspect of the PPUR anymore and, furthermore, only a handful of them will go on to properly explain the park’s outstanding geological features that made it a site of outstanding universal value. For most, to mention that it is a New 7 Natural Wonders and that it is the longest navigable subterranean river in the world are already more than sufficient.
Furthermore, what is more interesting, or frustrating rather, is that another aspect of the park is also being forgotten—it being a Ramsar site. What exactly is that?
A Ramsar site is a wetland deemed to be of international importance under the Unesco-led Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance of 1971. Placing a high premium value on wetlands’ capacities as waterfowl sanctuaries, the treaty recognizes the critical ecological roles of wetlands and “their economic, cultural, scientific and recreational value.” Ramsar describes the more than 22,000-hectare national park and world heritage site as being “unique in the biographic region because it connects a range of important ecosystems from the mountain-to-the-sea, including a limestone karst landscape with a complex cave system, mangrove forests, lowland evergreen tropical rainforests and freshwater swamps.”
As a complete “mountain to sea” ecosystem, this karst landscape in the Philippines (the limestone Saint Paul’s mountain range) has the sole underground river in the world that flows out directly to the sea. Thus, this unique topography subjects the lower part of the underground river to tidal influences—a remarkable natural phenomenon that has no equal elsewhere across the globe.
The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park was recognized as a Ramsar site in 2012, but it surprisingly never made much noise as it was obviously overshadowed by the hype of the 7 New Natural Wonders awarding, which also took place in that same year. The Philippines only has seven Ramsar sites so far, and two of which are in Palawan (the other one being the Tubattaha reefs, also a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1993 and a Ramsar site, making the province all the more invaluable).
Last, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is also part of the bigger Palawan Biosphere Reserve that was established in 1990 by the Unesco, and is recognized as a National Geological Monument since 2003, as well. The World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) reports that the park is the largest and most valuable limestone forest in Asia, which also boasts a beach forest, a mangrove forest and coral reefs. As a site for globally important biodiversity conservation, the park features eight forest types that are homes to various endemic species of plants and animals.
Reconciling perspectives
There is no contention that the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is truly a world wonder. I believe that it is. The way the park is being managed also deserves all the praise it can get. However, the New 7 Wonder of Nature brand may not be the best in capturing that quite well. Capitalizing on the weakest attribute is not the best way to create an image. Rather, it is done by taking advantage of its strongest and more reliable points. To redirect things to other recognitions that matter, and to stay true to the facts, is imperative. It is our onus, after all, to translate these into more practical, usable and accessible information to achieve better public knowledge and to thicken the discourse about the site.
Indeed, there is a need to reflect and to also create efforts toward equally fostering an informed environment, where our people are aware of what makes the park truly unique and special from the rest. A rethinking of the park, and how we brand it, is much needed—as is the case of many other cultural and natural jewels that the Philippines has.
Image credits: Bernard Joseph Esposo Guerrero