PPUR makes it to New 7 Wonders of the World

The Puerto Princesa Underground River makes it to the "provisional New7Wonders of Nature based on the first count of vote results on 11/11/11, " New7Wonders.com announced.

The complete list includes Amazon, Halong Bay, Iguazo Falls, Jeju Island, Komodo, Puerto Princesa Underground River and Table Mountain. It is not known how PPUR ranked in the voting because the list is arranged in alphabetical order.

"The voting calculation is now being checked, validated and independently verified, and the confirmed winners will be announced starting early 2012 during the Official Inauguration ceremonies," New7Wonders announced in its home page.

“We congratulate each of these participants on achieving their provisional New7Wonders of Nature status, and look forward to completing the confirmation process to celebrate each one in their own official inauguration ceremony early in 2012," the New7Wonders Foundation said.

The founder of New7Wonders, Bernard Weber, envisions the new list as a modern version of the Seven Ancient Wonders said to have been selected by Philon of Byzantium in 200 BC.

The screening began in 2007 with a list of nominees from over 400 locations and over 220 countries.

The list of 7 New Wonders is considered "people's choice" and chosen by way of voting online or by way of text messaging.

The Philippine government took the voting seriously considering the big boost in tourism and country's prestige if a Philippine site were to be included in the list of modern wonders. Back in June this year, President Benigno Aquino III himself led the Internet and text voting for PPUR.

The president also designated Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo as chairman of the Inter-agency Task Force for the PPUR campaign through Presidential Proclamation 182. Robredo directed all DILG regional officers and other bureaus under it like the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, among others, to carry out the PPUR campaign. The country's 42,000 barangays were also actively recruited to participate in synchronized text voting for PPUR.