March 12 - 18, 2010 FilAm Star B9 to us a range of outcroppings that establishes the majesty of the place. The cave was full of stalactites and stalagmites Earnest Snoops that had shaped over the eons into breathtaking structures. The cave was murky and soggy. By ERNEST GONZAGA The part of the cave called “The Cathedral” was truly älled Dave Dewbre. Upon arrival at with enormous formations of the city’s airport, Diana and granite, marble and lime that Department of Tourism staff remind of massive ägures stick- greeted us with the customary ing out of the basilicas of Rome. shell leis and brought us to the The people of Puerto Princ- exquisite Dolce Vita hotel. esa owes their natural wonders At the welcome dinner to the commitment of the city party held at the posh A&A government, led by Mayor Plaza Hotel hosted by Mayor Diwan drummers and firedancers Hagedorn, to the preservation Hagedorn for us, the band of nature and maintenance of “Sinika” sang and played native a mass wedding (in which the tive drummers and äre dancers, ecological balance in partner- foremost prerequisite in order The captivating City of instruments and the cultural called “Diwan,” played and was ship with an apolitical environ- to be wed is to plant trees in the Puerto Princesa in Palawan group, “Pangkat Kalinangan," actually part of the shoot. mentalist, Diana Limjoco. mangrove), was uniquely awe- is habitually called “City in a danced in vibrant assortment of During the remaining days She, together with hus- inspiring. Up to 285 couples, Forest.” costumes of their region. mostly low-income residents, Waves of immigrants from The music of Puerto Princ- without having to spend a single other Philippine provinces, and esa is genuinely very Filipino, centavo said “I do,” and then even other countries, have con- from the musical instruments planted mangrove saplings after verted the city into a mishmash and their sounds, to the very the ceremony ofäciated by Pala- of various cultures. Among the feel. The music and dance were Sinika singer wan Bishop Pedro Arigo. The occasion likewise marked the eighth year of the city’s marine conservation pro- gram dubbed, “Love Affair With Nature,” designed to rehabili- tate known spawning grounds for äsh. We spent the next days on the photo-shoot of Mayor Hage- Roy and Stella Aippersbach, Diana Limjoco and Dave Dewbre dorn, Diana Limjoco, and the of our stay, we were treated scenic places of Puerto Princ- to a fantastic tour of the city. esa for my Manila magazine, A must-see for the ärst time Images Asia and FilAm Star. visitors and tourist in Palawan The people at Puerto’s bay walk is the Puerto Princesa Subterra- cheered as they watched the nean River National Park, often shoot, at which a group of na- referred to as the Underground River and has been inscribed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage site. It is reputedly the most beautiful subterranean river in the world. It is also Mayor Edward Hagedorn and Diana Limjoco with the Pangkat Kalinangan nominated as one of the world’s New Seven Wonders of Nature. earliest inhabitants were the both urban and ethnic, ritual once- älthy city into one that The pictographic lagoon, “Cuyunons” with an abounding and modern, which told of a is so unsoiled. In fact, Puerto outlined by incredible limestone legacy of legends and traditions, community at peace with its Princesa is now a Hall of Fame mountain scenery, greets the Palawan weaver while the home-grown groups past and its present. They even awardee in the Clean and Green visitors before entering the band, Dave, started an electric include the “Tagbanuas” and have a Puerto Princesa song, Contest, which each year cites underground river. Our boat transport business that recog- the “Bataks,” each with their and songs that sing of unanimi- the cleanest and greenest city in slid soothingly into the mouth nizes the potential and its posi- own distinct way of life. ty and the natural world. It was the Philippines. of the cave. An 8.2 kilometer tive effects on the environment. Our four-day Puerto essentially a night dedicated to Just recently, Mayor Hage- river stretch ran through it that They are currently training all Princesa sojourn was rendered showcasing Puerto Princesa’s dorn’s two key festivals were winds through an amazing cave their energies into this very unforgettable by the warmth life-force. held. “The Feast of the Forest,” and its endless marvels, before noble and worthy cause. of the city mayor, Edward Mayor Hagedorn speaks where thousands go to plant emptying into the South China Hagedorn, and good friend about safeguarding the splen- trees in the watershed area, Sea. Diana Limjoco and husband dor of Palawan. He changed this leading to a forest cover and Pangkat Kalinangan dancer The boat rower pointed .