PALAWAN: THE WONDERFUL TOUCH OF NATURE

By: Mark Cua

An Island which lies between South China Sea and the Sulu Sea. Palawan was known for its natural environment and its wonderful wildlife since the days of President Marcos. It was also the home province of tagbanwa and the Batak tribe. Two of the many ethnic groups that can be found in the Philippines. 

The Wild life here in Palawan is abundant and rich in natural fossils. Fossils from the time of the early ice age to the time of the dinosaurs. The Journey in Palawan starts By landing in Puerto Princessa Airport just a few kilometers from the city proper. Puerto Princessa is at the center of Palawan Island. 

 Honda Bay is the first among the places to visit in a city tour. Honda Bay was known for many of the scenic spots Palawan is proud of. This includes the Underground River which is 9 meters deep. It was declared as a protected area by the late President Gloria Arroyo in the early 21st century.

Honda Bay was home to many of the Islets one is owned by the Marciliano Family named LiLu Island. The name of the islet come from the Lilitaw and Lulubog due to the rising and lowering of the tides. Snake Island was known for its name because it shapes like a snake and it is kilometers long. It will take you 3 hours to finish the entire shoreline. There are no human settlement in the Island because it was preserved by the Philippine Government as a National Park.  

For the second day of the tour, Is the journey to the majestic Ulugan Bay where the Underground River National Park was located. It was the protected area situated by the Philippine Government. It was located between the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea. It was where the Philippine Government is claiming it was part of the Philippine Territory but it wasn't.

Ulugan Bay was just at the mouth of the South China Sea. Just a few hundred kilometers from the shoreline of the Ulugan Bay was the Chinese Teritory of the Spratly Islands.

Atop of the View deck you can see this wonderful scenery with the backdrop of the South China Sea and the Ulugan Sea. Such a magnificent veiw and with this kind of untouched scenery only a few Asian  countries have this kind of natural gift.

Underground River National Park was 2 or 3 hours ride from Puerto Princessa. It north of Puerto Princessa and along the way you can see the pre historic landscape of Palawan. The Natural Rock formation  of the Mountain and how the sea carved it. There are two kinds of mosquitos can be found in Palawan. One carrying the disease of Dengue and the other are Malaria. So the visitors are often to put Mosquito repelant lotions to avoid such diseases.

 Based on the research study by the foreigners here, the rocks are millions of years old and dating back to the last Ice age. According to the Tour Guide, the caves are still full of fossils that was once living in this region.

The Rock formation was known as fossil rock. As you go along the journey you will come by a port guarded by PNP (Philippine National Police) and the Coast Guard. The Banca (a small boat in the Philippines) will take you to the Island where Underground River was located.

The Place was remained untouched by humans because it was a project of the Philippine Government to promote its Eco tourism. From the wonderful sights and places, you can truly realize that Philippines was gifted by mother nature. But there is a sad story the filipino people doesn't know how to take care and nurture it. Natural Environment replaced with human settlement like subdivisions, and others.

Every inch of the green areas are cemented and later polluted by the human population. How I wish that Puerto Princessa will not have the fate as Manila whom ate every inch of the green areas in replacement with human settlements. This made Manila one of the worst cities in the world. Fingers crossed hoping that Palawan would learn to treasure its gift and nurture it. Instead of destroying it.

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