Puerto Princesa Underground River Needs Rest, Too

Puerto Princesa City (PNA) — Three days would be enough for the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (PPSRNP) to “take a rest and recover” from the hustle and bustle of being a prime tourist destination.

However, that can only happen if it will be temporarily closed, and shift tourists to something new in Puerto Princesa in lieu of the over-visited spot, thus International New Media Artists Convergence on July 3 to 5 enter into the scene, says IsDa Revolution founder Dante Nico Garcia in a press conference Friday night.

“Part of my advocacy is to help tourism [sustain] the way I can, the way I know how,” he said, and that is “revolutionizing the creative talent of the youth, which may attract tourists to come here,” he said.

Garcia, a known indie film director, wants his group to sell 3,600 passes, which are set at USD 30 (PHP1,200) and USD 100 (PPH4,200) for locals and foreigners, respectively, to the three-day convergence of budding artists.

Half of the proceeds will be given to the park management, while they will dispose a bank made of bamboo, where people could drop coins, which will later be equally distributed to the stakeholders, particularly the Sabang ferrymen, who will be affected by the three-day closure, he said.

But the ultimate goal, he added, is “to make Puerto Princesa the hub for the indie content of South East Asia,” where participants, specifically Palaweño youth, will be encouraged to produce a content depicting the richness of life in the city and entire province.

“During the day, participants will be attending workshops on new media content production and performance-related arts at Puerto Princesa hotels and venues, and in the evening, everyone will converge and party at the city coliseum to find their future collaborators,” ecstatic Garcia said, adding that they too invited groups of foreign indie artist to meet their possible local collaborators here.

As part of the festival, Garcia will hold premier night of his short film “Toting” on the first night, while the following night will feature Palaweno musicians performing 11 environmental songs they penned under the mentorship of singer/composer Dong Abay.

“On the closing ceremonies, before the big dance concert, participants will converge in front of Casa Nieves in Libis Road to signify that it will be the all year round studio that will welcome collaborators from all over the world,” he added.

IsDa Revolution wants the convergence to be an annual festival. Garcia said the upcoming event would be an opening salvo for the big electronic dance music (EDM) party they plan to jam at the city sports complex on Easter Sunday in 2016.

“That way we could bring variety in this city, that Puerto Princesa is more than its famous ecotourism sites like Underground River,” he added. (PNA) JBP/CARF/KASF/EBP