The 20th Annual Convention of the
Canon Law Society of the Philippines was held in Puerto Princesa and a visit to
the Underground River was part of the city tour. This was just after Puerto
Princesa Underground River officially got into the elite list of the New Seven
Wonders of Nature. Being the first
summer since its proclamation as one of the seven new wonders, plenty of
tourists mostly Filipinos were eager to visit and see for themselves this attraction. The city was really caught off guard with the
influx of thousands of tourists. Beginning from the airport itself, chaos
already ran. Imagine from two flights a day a few years back to 18 flights per
day, the airport could just barely accommodate the flights and all the
passengers.
Our
Cebu Pacific flight from Cebu was supposed to leave at 12 noon for Puerto
Princesa. However, because of the late arrival of our incoming plane it was
announced that our flight will be delayed.
By three o’clock in the afternoon we were still waiting. By four pm it
was announced that our plane was already on the runway in Manila waiting for
its departure for Cebu. Is it really possible that the plane waited for four hours to get its
turn for take off since the plane only arrived Cebu by nine in the evening? It was already past eleven in the evening when
we finally arrived at Puerto Princesa after being delayed for nine hours. At the airport in Cebu after several complaints from the passengers, we were given a cup of
noodles with no hot water for snacks and later on a one small piece chicken leg from
Jollibee for dinner. We were also given a card with a number to
call for a free one way ticket.
It
was more than ten years ago since I last visited the underground river. The road then was not yet cemented and it
took almost three hours of dust and bumpy ride to reach the place. Hence I
wanted to see what improvements have been made since then. This time the ride was already smooth and we
arrived after just an hour. There was
already a concrete port in Sabang where passengers had to wait to get into the
boat which would bring them to the mouth of the underground river. We arrived
at nine in the morning. There were
already hundreds of tourists waiting for the fifteen minute boat ride. It took us two hours of waiting to ride on the boat that will bring us to the entrance of the underground river. From there we had to wait again for almost another
two hours to get to the bancas which would tour us for thirty minutes inside the
underground river. I got information
that there are only 13 boats which go into the underground river and they all
took a noon break which further prolonged our waiting. Can they not just add some boats and increase
the number of boatmen so that the service will not be interrupted while other boatmen take their lunch?
The
flight back to Cebu was another nightmare. The terminal was jampacked with
passengers. When I finally got to the counter after being squeezed into the
line, I told the agent that I would need to connect to Tacloban since I only
had a 30 minute layover in Cebu. The
person at the counter would not do it, and just told me to check in again in
Cebu. I tried to insist but he would hear none of it. I understood because there were really plenty
of passengers and Cebu Pacific flights were coming and going at almost an
hourly basis. As I guessed it, when I arrived in Cebu my flight for Tacloban
was already closed and to think that it was the same plane that I boarded which
would fly to Tacloban. Had I known beforehand of the chaotic situation in the airport I
could have checked in online. Anyway, I
just hope that the city of Puerto Princesa will work double time to have their
infrastructures ready to accommodate the growing number of tourists coming to
visit their city and make some adjustments to the system that is being implemented at the Underground River so as to make the whole trip truly an enjoyable experience. The unsolicited advice
also goes to the Cebu Pacific to be more considerate with their passengers.
The package tour to the Underground River costs 1,500. This includes the round trip van ride from Puerto Princesa, boat rides, entrance fees and buffet lunch after the tour in Sabang.
The package tour to the Underground River costs 1,500. This includes the round trip van ride from Puerto Princesa, boat rides, entrance fees and buffet lunch after the tour in Sabang.
Hotel Centro in Puerto Princesa, one of the newest hotels in town, where we had the 20th CLSP Convention
Hotel Centro
Facade of the Palawan Heritage Center.
This newly opened Palawan Heritage Center is a modern museum with a more upbeat design, touch, look and ambience. It boasts of a hologram of a Tagbanua lass greeting the visitors with her gracious and warm welcome.
Wind and solar powered street lights along the road to the underground river.
There was a one pit stop along the way for the tour to the Underground River.
The terminal in Sabang, the jump off point to the Underground River.
Several brand new tourist vans are ferrying tourists to the newest attraction of Puerto Princesa.
The crowd in Sabang waiting for their turn to take the boat that will bring them to the underground river.
Once called to this tent, it will just be a matter of time before boarding.
Finally after two hours, we were able to ride on the boat which would bring us to the mouth of the underground river.
Some secluded white sand cove along the way to the underground river.
Getting off the boat to go to the Underground River.
From the shore, it would just be a five-minute walk through a wooden pathway to the mouth of the river where we will take the boat to the underground river.
The mouth of the Underground River.
Waiting for the bancas to bring us to the underground river.
Pictures are taken while waiting for the boat.
Some of the sights inside the cave.
Buffet lunch was served after the tour back in Sabang. It was already two o'clock in the afternoon.
The white sand beach in Sabang.
Since swimming was prohibited at the underground river, I did not pass the chance to go for a short dip at the beach here in Sabang.
Administering the Oath taking of the new members of the Canon Law Society of the Philippines.
We had a Hawaiian themed dinner during the Convention.
The young Dominican canon lawyers came in full force during the convention.
Members of Tribunal staffs from all over the country regularly attend also the convention.
3 comments:
Palawan never fails to amaze me. Nice post =D
you sounding bitter with the airlines
this is a nice blog, peole should know this and discover the Philippines' undoscovered beaches...no wonder because we are 7,107 islands...hihihi! kudos to this and the blogger, may yu go to as many beaches not only in the philippines but also in the whole wide world.
Post a Comment