The
after-effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic which crippled the tourism
industry can still be felt in the Philippines. However,
Puerto Princesa, the “Heart of the Best Island in the World,” harnesses
its vast potential not only as a destination of choice but also as a
preferred center of MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, and events)
to forge ahead and move forward.
Paradise in Profile
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Folk dancers hired by the City Tourism Department welcome the passengers and crew of the luxury
cruise ship - MS Silver Whisper as it arrives in Puerto Princesa. The 610-foot, 10-storey vessel is touted
as a cruise ship for the rich and famous; the first of six cruise ships that will be visiting Puerto
Princesa’s shores. |
Puerto
Princesa is the center of trade and commerce, education,
communications, and public administration of Palawan. Its strategic
location is within the growth corridor of the BIMP East ASEAN Growth
Area.
Known
for its UNESCO World Heritage site Underground River, it shares 50
percent of the tourist arrivals in Palawan and in the
region, making it the biggest contributor to its economic growth. In
2020, Palawan logged a partial number of 157,051 tourist arrivals,
71,889 of which were visits to PPC.
A
tropical paradise with a bustling urban center perfect for
business-with-leisure trips, PP is blessed with lush rainforests
and white-sand beaches hours away from the city proper, where a banking
and commercial boom has made life easier for workaholics and
busybodies.
Puerto Princesa is a relatively young settlement, having been established as a city only in 1970. The first settlers arrived on
March 4, 1872; a date celebrated every year as the foundation day of the city.
As
part of the Philippines’ last frontier, the city is rich in natural
resources. It is the country’s largest city with a land
area of 253,982 hectares. A chain of mountain ranges runs through the
entire length of the city, dividing it into two distinct areas – the
East Coast and the West Coast.
A
significant portion of the city retains its indigenous vegetation,
rainforest, mangroves, and coastal ecosystem, all of which
support an amazing array of wildlife. In terms of species biodiversity
and its wide range of ecosystems, Puerto Princesa is of national
significance.
The
famous and must-visit Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park,
which was formerly known as Saint Paul’s Subterranean
River National Park, covering a protected area of 22,202 hectares is a
haven to endemic flora and fauna. UNESCO has inscribed the park as a
World’s Heritage Site on December 4, 1999.
Calendar of Events
With
a tropical climate and the warm welcome of its people, foreign and
Filipino tourists can bask in Puerto Princesa’s embrace
all-year round. In January is the Chinoy Festival, which celebrates the
new year with ground firecrackers at the Chinatown Center, and with
dragon dances and lion dances in major malls and hotels.
Every
February 14 is the Love Affair with Nature, which is marked by a mass
wedding as well as letting citizens express their love for Mother Nature
through participating
in mangrove tree planting activities.
In
March is the Balayong Festival, which commemorates the founding
anniversary of Puerto Princesa highlighted by street dancing,
float parade and planting of Palawan Cherry Blossoms. In April is the
Pangalipay sa Baybay, a summer extravaganza at the baywalk. Activities
kick off with parade and fireworks display, dance competition,
cheerdancing and boat race.
In June is the “Pista y ang Cagueban,” a time when citizens celebrate the Feast of the Forest and plant thousands of different
tree species.
September
is Tourism Month, which is celebrated with great performances, exotic
cuisines and a showcase of various talents and
services in the local tourism industry. Every third Sunday of September
is Coastal Cleanup Day, an international activity whose objective is to
preserve and safeguard Mother Earth’s resources along the shorelines.
November
is the Subaraw Festival, which is a fun-and-activity-filled celebration
of Puerto Princesa’s very rich biodiversity.
December celebrates Light a Tree, a merry event where a giant Christmas
tree is lit up to start the Yuletide Season. This comes with Christmas
carols, dances, and music.
Mighty MICE
The
Department of Tourism sees the huge potential of Puerto Princesa, a
city known for its remarkable attributes in MIMAROPA (Mindoro,
Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), as a preferred location for meetings,
incentives, conferences, and events (MICE).
In
May, Regional Director Zeny Pallugna of DOT MIMAROPA in a discussion
with City Tourism Department (CTD) chief Demetrio Alvior
Jr. Said they are pushing for Puerto Princesa as a MICE destination,
where tourists can be enticed to stay longer to enjoy the city’s
attractions.
During
the “Amos Ta Ren sa Puerto Princesa” radio show, Pallugna said that the
city is well on its way into becoming a MICE location
because of it is capable of hosting events such as Ironman 70.3 Puerto
Princesa and an international dragon boat competition.
“Aside
from that, maybe in the future we can conduct a 101 on MICE. We can do
that, and then identify the different function facilities
for the MICE market,” Pallugna said, as quoted by Palawan News, so the regional tourism office can start promoting the city at the end of the year, or next year.
Another
goal for Palawan, Pallugna emphasized, is to train more community tour
guides, and recalibrate their skills continuously,
so they could help promote and showcase the “Filipino brand of service”
globally.
“The
second thing is—MIMAROPA is, whether they like it or not, we are the
cruise capital of the Philippines. Imagine it, we have
139 cruise calls in the Philippines, 22 of them is in Puerto Princesa;
41 total within the MIMAROPA Region,” Pallugna pointed out.
The regional director of the DOT also mentioned that they plan to introduce the national program called “Philippine Experience”
to the city, which includes the well-received Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo, which the local tourism body plans to replicate.
Alvior,
meanwhile, said that Puerto Princesa’s main focus is on the MICE
industry. As such, City Mayor Lucilo Bayron actively
encourages investors and venture capitalists to build convention
centers in strategic areas such as Quito and the environmental estate in
Barangay Sta. Lucia.
“Actually, we were discussing tourism activities, and the mayor suggested that we should expand the Quito area. There is a focus
on MICE, so we are working on establishing convention centers,” Alvior was quoted by
Palawan News.
Cruise Capital
This
November, Puerto Princesa City enjoyed a surge in tourist arrivals with
the celebration of the Subaraw Biodiversity Festival,
which drew international participants, and the scheduled arrivals of
more cruise ships as Christmas approaches.
During the opening ceremny of the Subaraw Biodiversity Festival, Mayor Lucilo Bayron said that the aim of the city to make the
event international is once again gaining momentum after being adversely impacted by the pandemic. In recent years.
“We
need to add more international events to attract more tourists from
other countries. And this year, we have incorporated international
events in the celebration – wild bird photography race, Ironman 70.3
challenge, and international dragon boat race. Our Miss Subaraw is
already a national event with the winner coming from Angeles, Pampanga,
and this year, we already have 10 foreign candidates,”
Mayor Bayron said, as quoted by Palawan News.
Meanwhile, a luxury ocean liner called MS Silver Whisper dropped anchor in the
city in early November, indicating greater opportunities for the local tourism industry
to prosper.
Touted
as a cruise ship for the rich and famous, the MS Silver Whisper brought
382 vacationers and a crew of around 300. Registered
in Nassau, Bahamas, the 610-foot, 10-storey vessel is operated by
Monaco-headquartered Silversea Cruises.
The MS Silver Whisper is the first of six cruise ships that will be visiting Puerto Princesa’s shores this November, the City
Tourism Department excitedly announced.
CTD
chief Demetrio Alvior, Jr. said that guests aboard the ship will tour
several key attractions in Puerto Princesa, with the
underground river in Barangay Cabayugan on top of the list. The ship
will then sail off to their next port of call in Coron, also in
Palawan.
The city anticipates heightened tourism and overall economic activity with upcoming cruise ship arrivals scheduled on November
4, 8, 16, 18 and 28, Alvior shared.
 |
The Norwegian Jewel carrying with it around 3,000 passengers and crew is the second of the six cruise
ships calling port in Puerto Princesa. |
Five
more massive vessels are scheduled to arrive in November and December
will welcome the MV Norwegian Jewel and the MV Aida
Bella. The MV Norwegian Jewel will bring in about 2,500 people; the MS
Westerdam, 1,964 individuals; and the MS Star Breeze, around 327
passengers.
Alvior noted that unlike in the past when international tourists arrived mainly by airplane, the city’s expanded tourism program
has paved the way for more visitors to arrive by sea.
The
city official said that stakeholders in the tourism sector are being
encouraged to provide exemplary service that will showcase
the renowned Filipino hospitality to solidify Puerto Princesa’s place
as a tourism center and give the local economy a much-needed boost.
Alvior
also encouraged Puerto Princesa’s tourism frontliners to treat all
visitors with the highest level of care and to exemplify
the unique Filipino standard of service.
“The influx of tourists will keep us on our toes, but it's a bustling pace we look forward to," Alvior told
Palawan News.
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