MANILA, Philippines - The mother of pearls might just have been found in the pearl of the orient seas, the Philippines.
A report by the local Palawan News said a fisherman from Puerto Princesa has been keeping the world's biggest pearl under his bed for years.
According to the report, the fisherman stumbled upon it while fishing decades ago in the waters of Puerto Princesa. Palawan has always been known as an island with beautiful scenery and a diverse array of marine life. Never really knowing its economic value, the fisherman kept it for "good luck."
According to BBC, the pearl is 61 centimeters (2 feet) wide and 30 centimeters long. Once gemologists confirm its size, it will easily beat the current record holder, the Pearl of Lao Tzu, which weighs 6.4 kilograms.
The fisherman entrusted the pearl to the City Tourism office when he left the city. The Guardian reports that his aunt, Aileen Cynthia Maggay-Amurao, works there as a tourism officer. The pearl, currently housed at the atrium of the New Green City Hall in Puerto Princesa, is now serving as a new attraction in the city.
- Alixandra Caole Vila