Puerto Princesa City’s campaign for the inclusion of Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, popularly known as the Underground River, to the New Seven Wonders of Nature has received support from Sen. Loren Legarda after the lawmaker committed to mobilize an Information Communication Technology (ICT) department to help on the online voting.

Despite the city’s claim that the national government’s support to the campaign seems vague until now, Legarda said she is ready to assign a whole department to keep the Underground River’s spot in the top seven.

“A whole team or department should be mobilized. I was the author of the law elevating the ICT to a department, so if it’s just internet voting, I will mobilize everyone to vote,” Legarda said.

Legarda said she is looking forward for the underground river to be put in the world map.

The underground river had recently gone down to the second spot in the ongoing online voting, giving way to the Amazon River in the top spot.

The city’s bet, which is now the official entry of the Philippines to the search for the New Seven Wonders of Nature, had remained number one in the first phase of voting last year.

The second phase began January this year and would last until April. The top 77 in the second phase would compete to be included in the top 21 from where the New Seven Wonders would be taken and announced in 2011.

“I know that it is being well-protected and well-taken care of. It’s really beyond me who will be chosen but I pray and hope (because) that will be great for Puerto Princesa, Palawan, and for the whole country,” Legarda expressed.

Asked what the national government might be doing to help in the underground river campaign, Legarda said she was not aware of their actions.

“I don’t want to judge because I don’t know what they are doing. Of course they should be helping. But I could encourage and be able to help with the commission on ICT to help the appropriate agencies,” Legarda furthered.