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.
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| 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. |
Paradise in Profile
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.
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| 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. |
“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 ceremony 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.
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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