Dumaguete City backs subterranean river

DUMAGUETE CITY ,Philippines  – The city government announced its support of the national campaign on voting the Puerto Princesa Underground River in Palawan as the country’s entry to the global search on the new Seven Wonders of the World.

City information officer Steve Gabriel said the office of Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria received the communication the other day from the DILG about its memorandum circular no. 2011-106 requesting support of the nationwide voting campaign launched by President Benigno Aquino III through Proclamation No. 182 for Palawan’s natural wonder.

Gabriel said Sagarbarria will led the text voting after the flag raising ceremony on Monday August 1, and ask all department heads, city hall employees and officials of the DepEd and Dumaguetenos to participate in the campaign.

Palawan’s underground river is one of the 28 global finalists where only seven will be recognized and awarded come November as the new Wonders of the World.

Recently, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje made the appeal at a media launch of the PPUR as the country’s sole nominee to the global contest that ends on November 11.

While the river, described as one of the country’s last frontiers for environmental conservation, stands “a very good chance of winning,” as Paje put it, it still stands the risk of losing, owing to a slowdown in voting.

Paje encouraged Filipinos to aim for a higher ranking by submitting more votes through the internet or short messaging service (SMS) or texting. Those behind the Philippine campaign have sought the help of the telecommunications companies in order to boost the texting campaign.

Voting online, which is allowed only once for each email address, may be done now until November 11, 2011 at www.new7wonders.com. Cell phone users of all local networks have until September 25 to vote by texting either PPUR, PPUR7, or PPUR15 to 2861.