0591 PHILIPPINES (Southwestern Tagalog Region) - Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park (UNESCO WHS)

Located on the northern coast of the island of Palawan, this park offers a spectacular limestone karst landscape, the main attraction being St. Pauls Underground River Cave - a more than 24km long cave, which contains an 8.2-km-long underground section of Cabayugan River, which was the world's longest underground river until 2007, when was discovered another one longest in Yucatán Peninsula. The river winds through the cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea, and is navigable with a boat up to 4km in from the sea.

The cave includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers, including the 360m-long Italian's Chamber, one of the largest cave rooms in the world. The presence of 11 minerals, scientifically and aesthetically unique speleothems, and a 20 million year old Serenia fossil embedded in the walls of the cave justifies its declaration as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Since 1999 Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park is an UNESCO World Heritage Site, it being also designated a Biosphere Reserve, a Ramsar Site, and an Important Bird Area, because the area represents a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation.

About the stamps
The stamps, depicting Pearlscale Butterflyfish (5p) and Picasso Trigger (1p), are part of a huge set of definitive stamps, Marine Biodiversity, appeared in successive series since 2010, about which I wrote here.

The third stamp is part of the series Games Children Play, designed by Jairo Gamboa (an 18 year old student from the Technological University of the Philippines), Patricia Ann Feliciano Ng (9 years old St. Jude Catholic School) and Jeremy Ace Feliciano Ng (7 years old St. Jude Catholic). The series was issued on November 9, 2009 for celebrate "National Stamp Collecting Month". In Philippines every November of each year was declared by Presidential Decree ”National Stamp Collecting Month”. The four stamps of the series (all with the same value, 7p) are:
• Tumbang Preso
• Luksong Tinik
• Holen
• Sungka - it's on this postcard

References
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park - Wikipedia
Welcome to a Wonder of Nature! - Puerto-Princesa Underground River
Stamps featuring the Filipino children play, for the National Stamp Collecting Month (November) - Philippine-trivia

Sender: Jan Cerdan Adriano (direct swap)
Sent from Puerta Princesa City (Palawan / Philippines), on 26.02.2013