Riding high with the bamboo bike
A bike with a frame made out of bamboo is the newest attraction at Ugong Rock in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.
The Bamboo Zip Bike adventure is a fun combination of bike and zipline – a 250-meter long high-wire suspended about 30 meters above ground – that will give visitors a thrill and the chance to enjoy the breathtaking scenery.
Ugong Rock in Brgy. Tagabinet, Puerto Princesa City is known for its spelunking and zipline adventures. It takes its name from the reverberating sounds or ugong produced by stalactites found within the caves of the limestone formation that stands 25 meters high. Ugong Rock prides itself as an ecotourism spot and a front runner in sustainable tourism in the province.
The place is run by the Ugong Rock Multipurpose Cooperative (Ugong Rock MPC), an organized group of indigenous people in Palawan along with the ABSCBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation. Ugong Rock MPC is formed through the community-based Sustainable Tourism Program of the Puerto Princesa City Tourism Office. Currently, they have 45 members, all working for the improvement and sustainability of the ecotourism site.
Through the Department of Science and Technology’s flagship program Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP), the Ugong Rock MPC was able to start the pioneering project, providing sustainable livelihood and opportunities to the people in their community.
With the assistance from KawayanTech in San Jose, Tarlac, bamboo bike frames with two support cords for safety were hand made for the bamboo zip bike adventure setup. KawayanTech is a company whose vision is to “promote a lifestyle of health and sustainability using bamboo as an alternative and appropriate community-based technology with practical applications.”
An estimate of 100 to 200 tourists come to Ugong Rock daily. To accommodate more guests, Ugong Rock is planning to add more bamboo bikes soon.
In addition to providing an unforgettable experience, Ugong Rock focuses on developing activities that raise environmental awareness and promotes sustainable management of natural resources.
You can ride the bamboo zip bike for only P500, which includes a souvenir photo of you on the bike to remind you of the experience. Ugong Rock’s Bamboo Zip bike supports sustainable tourism in Palawan and is the beginning of growing a green economy for the province.
For more information about the Bamboo Zip Bike and Ugong Rock, contact DOST Provincial Science and Technology Center-Palawan at (048) 433-0489 or through email dostpalawan@gmail.com.