The Puerto Princesa Underground River, one of the world’s New Seven Wonders of Nature site, closed its doors to tourists amidst the global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Elizabeth Maclang, park superintendent, said that the PPUR tour will be suspended starting March 15 until April 14, in line with the “community quarantine” imposed by mayor Lucilo Bayron on Friday.
However, community-based sustainable tourism (CBST) and other activities within the park will remain operational.
“The park management will devote its activities into restoration, protection, information education campaign (IEC) on single-use plastic ordinance, and 24/7 conduct of thermal monitoring of people entering the park in Kwago base check point,” she said.
Forest and seaborn patrol, and other facilities will also undergo maintenance as the park management divert its effort to biodiversity conservation in line with the looming global threat brought by COVID-19.
PPUR is located 80 kilometers northwest coast of the city proper and is part of the Saint Paul Mountain Range. It was officially confirmed as part of the World’s New Seven Wonders of Nature on January 28, 2012.
