The Philippines Department of Education is now supporting the campaign to have the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) elected one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.
Last week, Education Secretary Armin Luistro issued a memorandum that calls on the entire department to work towards “awareness, appreciation, preservation and promotion” of the PPUR.
“Pushing for the inclusion of the Puerto Princesa Underground River to be proclaimed as one of the New Wonders of Nature should be a binding force for all of us, Filipinos,” Luistro said. “Just like education, this campaign should not just be the sole responsibility of the government. If people can stay for long hours updating their status in the social networking sites and can spend money for mobile texting, I don’t think it will be too much for them to vote via text or on-line to ensure our chances of making it to the top 7.”
The Department of Education is one of the largest branches of the Philippines government with more than 500,000 teaching and support staff providing for the needs of some 22 million kindergarten, elementary and secondary students in its 55,000 public schools. The department is expected to play a major role in proposed Puerto Princesa Underground River Campaign Task Force.
The task force was announced by President Benigno S. Aquino III in his Proclamation No. 182, “Declaring A National and International Promotion Campaign for the Puerto Princesa Underground River as One of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.”