From 1,200+ nominees from 220+ different countries, our very own Vigan is the lone Philippine entry to have make it to the Top 28 of "New 7 Wonders Cities" global poll."

In 2011, the Puerto Princesa Underground River was elected as one of the “New 7 Wonders of Nature” via an online and SMS poll of global proportions. The feat put the Philippines on the eco-tourism map together with 6 other winners namely the Amazon in South America, Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, Iguazu Falls in Argentina/Brazil, Jeju Island in Korea, Komodo National Park in Indonesia and Table Mountain in South Africa.

The inclusion of the Puerto Princesa Underground River in the “New 7 Wonders of Nature” is a testament of how we as Filipinos, here in the country and around the world, are proud of our heritage and that we can be united to achieve a common goal. No less than our President Noynoy Aquino appealed to Filipinos worldwide to vote for PPUR that time. As a result, we got the title and at the same time we saw the number of visitors in Palawan increased to more than 100% and prompted the government to build an international airport which is expected to begin operation in early 2017.

This year, the unity of Filipinos will be tested again as UNESCO World Heritage Site–Vigan–made it to the top 28 of New 7 Wonders Cities global poll. From more than 1,200 nominees, Vigan is now the lone Philippine entry in the running for the title (7 slots) which is set to conclude on December 7, 2014.

In 1999, Vigan became the first and only site in the Philippines to be included in UNESCO World Heritage list joining the ranks of Pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal in India, the Great Wall of China, the Vatican, Paris and the Kremlin. UNESCO described Vigan as an “exceptionally intact and well-preserved example of a European trading town in East and Southeast Asia. The architecture is truly reflective of its roots in both materials and design, in its fusion of Asian building design and construction with European colonial architecture and planning.”

This year, Vigan is about to take the spotlight once again if we can unite and power vote for its inclusion in the New 7 Wonders Cities. From the top 28, the list will trimmed down to 21 on July 7, 2014. If ever Vigan makes it to the Top 21, it will vie again for another voting phase that will reveal the Top 14 on October 7. From the final 14, the last phase of voting will run until the conclusion of the poll on December 7 and the announcement of the official “New 7 Wonders Cities” as chosen by hundreds of millions of votes from around the world, will be revealed.

To vote for Vigan, log on to the global voting site www.new7wonders.com/en/cities. You need to choose 7 cities in order for your vote to be cast. You can also vote via SMS by texting VIGAN to 2929077, or by phone by following the instructions here.