Acielo, Shera Mae L.

BSITTM-2C

TOUR GUIDING SCRIPT

PUERTO PRINCESA PALWAN

Good morning everyone! My name is Shera Mae and I will be your tour guide for today.
So, how are you today? Good? Good okay. Have you taken your breakfast? Good,
because well’ have a long day and I want everyone to be ready and enjoy everything
today. I hope all of you did bring water and applied insect repellant as reminded last
night. So in our group you are 16 and I’m very sure that you know each other because
you are from one company. Okay lets count, 1, 2, 3…16. So you’re complete. I think
everything is set for the tour, ready? Okay let’s begin.

For today we will be exploring the so called CITY IN THE FOREST, a very popular
tourist city with many beach resort sea food restaurant. It has been acclaimed several
times as the cleanest and greenest city in the Philippines. Ladies and gentlemen,
WELCOME TO THE BEATIFUL CITY OF PUERTO PRINCESA PALAWAN.

Puerto princesa is a coastal city on Palawan Island in the western Philippines. It has a
population of 255,116 people and consists of 66 barangay’s. Folk etymology attributes
the name ‘’ Puerto princesa” to a princess- like maiden who in the early days is said to
have roamed around the place on certain nights of the year. Historically, he place was
named after princess Asuncion, born in 1864 to queen Isabella II and her consort,
Francisco de Cadiz. When the princess suffered on untimely death, the queen changed
the name to Puerto de la princesa. Eventually, the name was reduced to princesa as it
is known today.

Puerto princesa city’s attractions have much to do with its natural wonders and
commitment to the environment. In fact, it has been internationally recognized for
environmental excellence. And today we will be witnessing the top 5 attractions here in
the city.

First we will visit the CITY BAYWALK PARK. It is a great morning and a perfect way to
start our day. It is a 10 minutes ride from here but before we go let me give you some
important details needed to the tour. Let’s all synchronize our watches; the time now is
7:05 in the morning, okay? And I have here a flag and a whistle, when I put the red flag
and wave it, it means I’m calling your attention and you need to follow me. Okay? When
you hear the whistle it means your time is up and we need to go. Alright? But don’t
worry because I’ll be giving you ample time to explore each spot and take pictures.
Now, I will also be giving you may card, with my full name and contact number in case
you thing you’re lost. Alright? Okay, we can now go, we’ll be taking 2 vans, since we’re
16, we’ll divide into 2 groups, (8,8). Okay? Let’s go and let’s have fun.

After 10 minutes…….

Alright, we are now here at PUEROT PRINCESA CITY BAYWALK PARK. This is one of
the most visited tourist attractions here. As you can see, the ambiance is very relaxing
and you may enjoy walking for few minutes while taking pictures under the natural
vitamin of sun. The best restaurants are also a huge addition to this park. This seaside
park has plenty of concrete seats and benches and during early morning and late
afternoons both locals and tourist take a stroll or jog here. Okay, I am giving you 30
minutes to explore the park. Please enjoy the sound of the sea breeze, fresh air and the
tweets of the birds. For now enjoy the place away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
You may also want to ride what they called “triskad” (the pedal powered vehicle with
three tires) for only 20 pesos. All right, go ahead and enjoy. Time now is 07:20 be back
after 30 minutes.

Okay guys, are we complete? How was it? Relaxed? And now we are ready for our
second tourist spot. It is just 5 minutes’ walk from here. So all you have to do is to follow
me. We are going to visit one of their historical landmarks, the IMMACULATE
CONCEPTION CATHEDRAL.

After 5 minutes……….

Okay, this is the immaculate conception cathedral, as you can see it is a blue colored
church with its pointed symmetrical arches that has a touched of gothic crafts manship
style in which reminds us of medieval Europe era. The first mass was held in 1872
where a Spanish expedition proclaimed the immaculate conception of Mary as the
patroness of Puerto princesa. Isn’t it beautiful? Look at their ceiling design, very gothic
the y celebrate their fiesta every 8 of December. The celebration extends towards the
Christmas season giving the month long activity as “PISTA NA, PASKO PA” this is also
one of the famous tourists spot here. Now im giving you 15 minutes to look around and
if you want you can offer a prayer and light some candles on the corner. Just please
observed silence while roaming around the church. I’ll be waiting for you at main
entrance and will wave the flag when it’s time to go. (For I cannot use the whistle.)
Okay? It’s exactly 8 o’clock on my watch now.

After 15 minute’s…wave the flag.

Okay, let’s get ready for next attraction is everybody here? (count 1, 2, 3….16) Okay,
we’re complete. We’ll be going next to “BUTTERFLY ECO-GARDEN” and TRIBAL
VILLAGE. It’s a 20 minutes ride so let’s go !

(after 20 minutes)

Now welcome to the BUTTERFLY GARDEN. This is one of a kind attractions

continuously draws more and more tourist to visit this place for an environmental and a
cultural experience. This eco-garden promotes environmental awareness by means of
showcasing a variety of butterflies, other insects and some endemic endangered
species.

To your left that is a wooden stand which holds and showcases the different stages of
butterfly metamorphosis. Look at the cocoon, so cute. and take a look at the right side,
that is the diversity of FLORA and FAUNA. okay, let’s go on that direction, here is a
huge butterfly wings, you can have you picture taken here. I will give you few minutes to
do that and we’ll be ready for our 4th destination.

After few minutes…. Wave the flag and whistle.

Okay guys, our next destination would be in SABANG, and would take us 1 and half
hour to get there. This is where the Mangrove Paddle Boat tour and Underground River
located, our last 2 attractions. So before we go I’m giving you time to use the comfort
rooms and be back as soon as you’re done. Okay?

(Whistle)

Alright, everyone is here. Let’s go! On our way to SABANG please enjoy the green
view. For your information 85 % of the forest here are virgin forest.

(After 1 and half hour)

So we’re now at MANGROVE PADDLE BOAT TOUR or what we call BAKAWAN.

Mangroves are very important in supporting the rich marine life in the region where
smaller fishes feed and reproduce. What you can see right now are not the usual 10
year old, 15 year old mangrove trees but a hundred year old mangrove trees. And you
can only find this here in Sabang, Puerto Princesa.

Here, we are given 15 minutes to ride in a paddle boat and the chance to witness the
abundance of the river and the Sabang forest.

Reminders, each person is provided with a life vest for your safety. And again we’ll be
divided into 2 boats. Each boat has its own paddler and personal guide at the same
time. So I’ll be seeing you guys here after 25 minutes. Enjoy!
(After the paddle boat tour, whistle)

So, how was it guys? Did everyone enjoy the boat ride? Now, we will go to sabang
wharf to take another boat ride to reach the very famous Underground River. Our last
but not the least attraction for today.

Guys we are now approaching the Underground river cave, can you notice the beautiful
beach with powdery sand? Unfortunately, this is a non-swim zone and you can only play
around the shore.

From here we’ll walk 5 minutes through the forest before we can reach the mouth of the
river. Let’s go!

Here we are guys! Welcome to the PUERTO PRINCESA SUBTERRIANEAN RIVER

NATIONAL PARK , a UNESCO heritage site and one of the NEW 7 WONDERS OF
NATURE, previously chosen November 2011. And was officially confirmed January
2012.

The 8.2 kilometer river, said to be the longest navigable underground world winds its
way underneath a mountain range through the St. Paul Cave and then goes out into the
south China Sea, now the west Philippines sea.

The duration of the tour inside the cave is 40 minutes because we’ll be using the paddle
boat. Paddle boat so we would not disturb the living bats inside the cave. We’ll be
wearing life vest again for your safety, no need to bring flashlight because only the
boatmen would have that. We’ll also wear headgear and please also observe silence
while inside the cave. Reminders, close your mouth when you look up to the majestic
rock formations inside as some water may drop as we move inside. Okay? Let’s go and
take the boat, just be careful with your things. There are many playful monkeys around
us.

Okay guys ready to fall in love with the amazing stalactites and stalagmites inside?
Kuya joel our paddler at the same time our personal tour guide inside, he’ll be the one
pointing out the different rock formations inside using his head flashlight. Just please
minimize the noise. Okay look up as e enter the cave, look at the group of the bats,
shhhhhhhhhh they are sleeping.

Okay guys, wow! You made it ! we call everyone survivors when we get out of the cave
after the tour. So you are now certified survivors! CONGRATULATIONS! So how was
it? Enjoy? Wow! Good to hear that you’re happy. I hope everyone did enjoy the tour.
And of course to end the tour, we’ll take our lunch at Gusto Grill for you to try the dishes
here in Puerto Princesa. But don’t forget to try the TAMILOK (it’s a wood worm, but said
to be tasted like mussels, so it’s really a must try). After that, you may visit Delma store
for some pasalubong

So I think we’re done for the day. I hope each of you did appreciate more the wonders
of nature and the perfectly beautiful attractions that God has given to us and of course
that by now you can say “ I LOVE PUERTO PRINCESA”.

Thank you everyone, again I’m Shera Mae and it was my pleasure to tour you around
Puerto Princesa.