Palawan : “A Nature’s Haven”
I knew Palawan for its tag as the Philippines’ Last Frontier and a source of oil and natural gas in the country, as well as the hub of many white-sand beaches. Recently, I again marveled at its treasure being the home of one of the world’s natural wonders, the Underground River. Due to financial constraints, my longing to personally experience the natural wonders in Palawan simply remained in my mind. However, through an unexpected whip of good fortune, my eleven-year old daughter won the top award for feature writing in the 2012 Regional Schools Press Conference (Elementary Level) in Bacolod City, and so I had the chance to accompany her to Palawan for the national finals. At last, Palawan is no longer an illusion but a reality.
Though the trip entailed quite a heave of money, I tried to scrimp my budget to enjoy such an unexpected trip to Palawan. Indeed, I was bewitched by a display of nature of the Province. Trees abound that made the place cool and fresh-smelling. From the looks of the trees you will know that they were left untouched to grow naturally. This is quite a contrary to what other provinces are doing where trees are cut, thus, creating an imbalance in the ecology in exchange for financial aggrandizement. It is indeed a wonder that the flora and fauna of the province are well spared from human abuse.
On our way to Puerto Princesa, as I gazed at an aerial view of the immaculately-blue waters of Palawan, I can hardly wait to jump into its beaches. Even from above I can see how the natural waters and the marine resources were delicately preserved. My exhilaration was fueled when I had the experience of island hopping at the Honda Bay. The touch of the pristine waters plus the scenic beauty of the islands and the close encounter with marine life sent a lot of “ohs” and “ahs” from my mouth. I am not much of a nature-lover but from my experience it made me breathtakingly amazed and overly appreciative of what God has blessed us. My euphemism over such experience was unconcealed from my wide smiles and howls at what I saw and encountered. To say “I Love Palawan” is a cliché.
At the back of my mind, I was wondering how can nature be preserved and protected in such a massive scale? As I moved about, I came to know of how committed and cooperative the Palaweños were in their drive to sustain their natural gifts. To me, such a conviction is also a natural wonder especially at this time when people become easily lured by the horde of financial gains.
Kudos to Mayor Edward Hagedorn for making Palawan a nature’s haven. His was a herculean task of placing Palawan in a distinct place in the world map. A salute also to the Palaweños for their great effort in making their place livable and lovable.
Though the trip entailed quite a heave of money, I tried to scrimp my budget to enjoy such an unexpected trip to Palawan. Indeed, I was bewitched by a display of nature of the Province. Trees abound that made the place cool and fresh-smelling. From the looks of the trees you will know that they were left untouched to grow naturally. This is quite a contrary to what other provinces are doing where trees are cut, thus, creating an imbalance in the ecology in exchange for financial aggrandizement. It is indeed a wonder that the flora and fauna of the province are well spared from human abuse.
On our way to Puerto Princesa, as I gazed at an aerial view of the immaculately-blue waters of Palawan, I can hardly wait to jump into its beaches. Even from above I can see how the natural waters and the marine resources were delicately preserved. My exhilaration was fueled when I had the experience of island hopping at the Honda Bay. The touch of the pristine waters plus the scenic beauty of the islands and the close encounter with marine life sent a lot of “ohs” and “ahs” from my mouth. I am not much of a nature-lover but from my experience it made me breathtakingly amazed and overly appreciative of what God has blessed us. My euphemism over such experience was unconcealed from my wide smiles and howls at what I saw and encountered. To say “I Love Palawan” is a cliché.
At the back of my mind, I was wondering how can nature be preserved and protected in such a massive scale? As I moved about, I came to know of how committed and cooperative the Palaweños were in their drive to sustain their natural gifts. To me, such a conviction is also a natural wonder especially at this time when people become easily lured by the horde of financial gains.
Kudos to Mayor Edward Hagedorn for making Palawan a nature’s haven. His was a herculean task of placing Palawan in a distinct place in the world map. A salute also to the Palaweños for their great effort in making their place livable and lovable.
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