The Philippines is blessed with vast natural resources and a number of popular tourist destinations. And one of the most-visited spots in the country is the Puerto Princesa Subterranean National Park, formerly known as the St. Paul Subterranean National Park. It was later changed by President Estrada to its current name under Proclamation No. 212. Through this proclamation, the area was increased from 3, 901 hectares to 22, 202 hectares to include the offshoots of the underground river and the park was also declared as a protected area of the Network Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS) Act of 1992.

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is situated 50 kilometers north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. It can be found in the Saint Paul Mountain Range bordered by St. Paul Bay to the north and the Babuyan River to the east. Entry to this beautiful subterranean river can be found from the little town of Sabang.

This spectacular place has been declared a premier ecotourism destination and included in the prestigious UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) World Heritage List. It is now considered as one of the sites with “outstanding universal value” due to its intense beauty and natural importance.

Tubbataha Reef is currently one of the nominees for the New Seven Wonders of the World. I will tell you more about it so that you can see why Tubbataha Reef should be included as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Tubbataha Reef, also known as Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park, has become one of the Philippines’ protected marine sanctuaries ever since it was established on August 11, 1988 through Proclamation No. 306, which prohibits fishing and collecting of corals within the 33,200 hectares of its reefs and surrounding areas. It is located at the Cagayan Ridge in the central region of the Sulu Sea which is 181 kilometers southeast of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. This magnificent coral reef is administered by Cagayancillo, a municipality of Palawan.

Not only is it protected by different Philippine organizations like the Department of National Defense (DND), Provincial Government of Palawan and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), but it was also declared as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1993, thereby acknowledging its exceptional worldwide value in relation to its rich and diverse marine life species.

Tumbang Preso (Pronounced as: tum-bahng preh-so) is a game that most Filipino kids play. It’s quite popular in the past when there were still no video games and when kids were relatively more active. But despite all the new technology and the increase of couch potatoes, the tumbang preso is still being played by the more active kids of today. Even adults sometimes play it too, bringing back memories of the past.

Photo by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado of http://photos.the-protagonist.net

When you are in the Philippines, especially during summer, most likely you would encounter some halo-halo stands on the streets. This is because halo-halo is the favorite cool refreshment of Filipinos. Basically, halo-halo is a mixture of milk and shaved ice plus different types of fruits and beans and sometimes, ice cream is even added for the halo-halo special. Because of the tropical climate of the country, fresh milk is not used but instead, evaporated milk or condensed milk is used.

There’s no other place in the world like Baguio. Also called as Ciudad ti Baguio by Ilokanos, it is one of the high-class urbanized cities located in the Northern part of Luzon. As a part of the Benguet province, Baguio is not only abundant in attractive tourist destinations but it is also rich in cultural heritage as well. Every year, when the sun is striking hot at some areas in the Philippines, Filipinos from neighboring provinces, especially from Manila, drive up to the steep road of Kennon or Marcos just to reach Baguio.

Most people have not yet tasted shark’s meat but in Northern Samar it is among the most popular local dish. Shark’s meat is a favorite and tasty kinilaw dish. Shark’s meat may smell a bit putrid but people in Northern Samar have perfected a method that cleans the meat and especially if it’s well prepared and fresh the putrid smell will disappear.

Hospital expenses in the Philippines are a lot cheaper compared to many other countries. Filipinos have the privilege to get quick access to their medical needs without spending so much every time they come and visit a doctor. If you have relatives abroad, you would have heard their stories where going for a check up could cost them up to $150 and the likes. As Filipinos, we start to calculate the dollar costs in terms of pesos and so we shy away from a hospital visit as much as possible.