BYAHENGDABAWENYA.COM

An Aerial Shot of Puerto Princesa

Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan, is the second largest city in the Philippines in terms of land area next to Davao City. Total land area is 253,982 hecatres. It has a total of 66 barangays of 35 urban and 31 rural barangays.
 

Puerto Princesa is located 306 nautical miles southwest of Manila, 205 nautical miles from Panay Island and about 250 nautical miles from Zamboanga City.

If you’re thinking of visiting a city in a forest, visit Puerto Princesa. Puerto Princesa is also known as the Philippine’s Last Frontier because of its untouched forests. It has a numerous world-class tourist spots.  Puerto Princesa is also named as The Country’s Ecotourism Capital. Every year, they have a feast called Love Afair with Nature where they plant mangroves or bacauan as the locals call them.

Along with other 12 dabawenyos, we Explored Puerto Princesa for 4 days and 3 nights. We left Davao City past 9:00pm on July 19,2011 for Manila. We left Manila bound for Puerto Princesa at 7:30am of July 20,2011. We landed at the Country’s Last Frontier after more than an hour. We ate lunch at the Balinsasayaw Restaurant(they serve chicken barbeque and that bird’s nest soup) and then had our 1st day tour around the city. The city’s brick-made provincial capitol can be seen at the city’s zero point going north and south. Fronting it is where the Noki-noks(the maker of tasty halo-halo) place.

Then we were toured at their baywalk(they also have one) which was before a squatters’ area. Because their government, lead by Mayor Hagedorn, loves their people, the squatters were given a place to relocate. That is why the area is now cleared and was made their baywalk.

We then headed to a historic place called Plaza Cuartel where the Palawan Massacre happened during the WWII. They have a monument there with names of American soldiers, marines, and armies engraved on a steel plate. Fronting the gate of Plaza Cuartel is the very nice view of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral. After the cathedral visit, we went to their famous souvenir shop called Tiangge Lakaw.

Indeed, Puerto Princesa is the home of world-class tourist spots. Aside from the famous Subterranean River Park(known as the Underground River), Crocodile Farm and the Honda Bay tour experience, I have experienced their Ugong Rock Adventure. Yay! The experience was very unforgettable. It was my first-caving experience. I got a small cut on my knee. =)

Puerto Princesa’s rocky mountains are beautiful! If you won’t mind the leaves of the local trees, you can say you’ve seen the rocky mountains  of Canada or of Australia. Their rocks haves limestones in it.

There are still spots in Puerto Princesa that we have not yet experienced. They said El Nido is one great paradise. Well, who knows, I will be touring that place in some time.

The exploration ended July 23,2011. At almost 3:00pm, we flew back to Manila, then back to Davao City 21 minutes past the hour of 9:00pm.

I will show you some photos of Puerto Princesa’s Finest Spots:

By the way, if you speak Visayan, and you don’t want to speak in Tagalog or English, it’s ok. Most of the tour guides and the locals speak visaya. Most of the people who settled in Puerto Princesa came from Visayas or Mindanao. =)

And also, the Puerto Princesa Underground River is a nominee for the 7 Wonders of Nature. As Pinoys, let us support our very own.

Here’s how to vote (a guide from ABS-CBN):

For Philippine-based voters:

•Write PPUR, PPUR7, or PPUR15 to signify the number of votes cast.
•Send to 2861 (for all networks)

For voters based abroad:

Write PPUR then send to any of the following:

•in Canada: 77077
•in Australia: 19788555
•in UAE: 3888
•in South Korea: 001-1588-7715
•in South Africa: 34874
•in Poland: write PUERTO and send to 7155)
•in Taiwan: write N7W PPUR and send to 55123.

People may also vote via e-mail by visiting http:///www.new7wonders.com/.

Deadline for voting is at midnight on November 10, 2011.

The New 7 Wonders of Nature will be announced on November 11, 2011.

To experience more of what I have experienced, why don’t you visit Puerto Princesa next to Davao City? ‘Lika na!