THE recent recognition to the country’s last frontier, the Palawan, as the best island in the world is a welcome news for the Filipinos, in this time of crisis brought by the ongoing Marawi crisis.

This is according to Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas as he expressed gratitude to the readers of the New York-based Travel+Leisure Magazine for voting Palawan as the best island in the world.

For the second year in a row, the Philippine’s pride and paradise Palawan wins first place as the best island in the world.

“This recent acknowledgement to Palawan as the world’s ’s best island is a welcome news for us Filipinos as a nation, amidst the on-going Marawi conflict,” Vargas said.

Vargas cited the beautiful and pristine Palawan’s Balance Ecological Preservation, Marine Sanctuaries, Palawan International Airport, Underground River, Amanpulo, Coron, El Nido Resorts and Lagoons as factors that contributed to this recognition.

Likewise, Vargas also lauded the effort of the Local Government Unit (LGU) for preserving the nature and beauty of Palawan.

Palawan got a high score of of 93.15, with one fan saying “it’s the single most beautiful place on earth.”

It bested Greece’s Santorini (no. 5), Maui in Hawaii (no. 6), and Bali, Indonesia (no. 10).

Incidentally, world-famous Boracay is also in the top 10 of the survey, landing at number 3 with the score of 89.67.

This is the third time Palawan won the magazine’s best island of the world survey. It first won the acclaim in 2013.

Palawan is the largest island in the Palawan Province, in the western Philippines.

The capital, Puerto Princesa, is known for the biodiverse Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, where boats run along an underground river through vast caves.

Off the east coast, Honda Bay’s islands are dotted with resorts. Farther out in the Sulu Sea, Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park has reefs teeming with marine life.

-News Release 13 July 17