Bill and Melinda Gates arriving in Manila - photo was tagged to me on a social networking site by a anonymous source.

It was supposed to be a quiet weekend for Bill and Melinda at the ultra-plush seven star Amanpulo resort in the province I call home here in the Philippines.

But, even the best kept secrets have a way of leaking and when one of the worlds richest and most influential men drop into the country for a quiet weekend with his wife and friends the social network happy and blogspere of the Philippines won’t let the story pass unnoticed.

Bill and Melinda, arrived quietly on friday for what seems to have been a very happy weekend; what they did, where they went, and whom they saw was supposed to be private.

But another guest at the resort -a philippine construction king’s family as well his and friends were there and now the secrets out of the bag.

Well one can’t blame katrina razon who just announced in a simple tweet on the 26th about Bill and Melinda’s, awesome adventure

Bill and Melinda's adventure starts with a private jet arrival at Ninoy Aquino International Airport

The Razon’s and Elizalde’s were there over the weekend with some of the Aboitiz clan.

Katrina said she wanted to ‘golf cart racing vs. the Gates…’ so greenly electric!

The tweet that started journo's, blogers, photogs, and news hounds running!

The other guests who saw them also Tweeted and Texted and Facebooked; One can’t but expect in social media circles, that tweets and blogs come and fast even in the middle of an island paradise.

I stress though that staff and others gave ‘no comments’ answers when the resorts phones were called. The visit comes as the couple now heavy into foundation work couldn’t have picked a better spot to visit, The Philippines last frontier of Palawan needs more high value tourists and the Gates are the highest of valued guests. As a Palaweno I am proud they choose Palawan. Maybe if there’s a next time they can visit the underground river too? I’ll be your own personal boatman !

The Island, Pamalican, has long been owned by the Soriano clan, it was once part of the former San Miguel corporations founding family’s private rest spots. It is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy – one of the best resorts of it’s kind in the world.

Since 1993 or so, it was opened up to the world. And once it was partnered with Aman resorts out of Indonesia. It has been a favorite spot for the rich, famous, powerful, and, popular. Rarely does news come out about who goes there or who stays there. Often just pictures of guests arriving at NAIA and then when they leave.

Normally locals in Palawan and staff don’t mention who goes where ever or who was there or with whom.

It’s part of the allure of the place. But with the cat out of the bag so to speak there’s little one can do but maybe hope the adventures continue at the island. There are a number of other resort spots some wonderful ones in El Nido and San Vicente as well as Puerto Princesa in Palawan’s mainland capitol city.

The couple left quietly on sunday with no insident hopefully enjoying their stay and won’t mind locals in awe of having the founder of Microsoft presnece being blogged about — it is rare chance to hope now after this trip that he’ll return to Palawan and see perhaps more of the rare beautiful landscape the island has to offer.

In hindsight; perhaps his malaria foundation can do more for the islands population someday? It would really be useful on the southern part of the province in towns hard hit by malaria which is endemic to Palawan’s southern reaches.

Tags | Amanpulo, Bill and Milinda, Microsoft, n7wonders, Palawan, Palawan tours, Palawan travel, Pamalican Island, seven wonders of nature