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Palawan



 
 
Palawan is an island province
Island province

Island province is a province with jurisdictional extent encompassing the whole land area of an island.A province cannot be called an "island province" if a certain part of the island is governed or administered by a separate province....
 of the Philippines
Philippines

The Philippines, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
 located in the MIMAROPA region
Regions of the Philippines

In the Philippines, regions are administrative divisions of the Philippines that serve primarily to organize the 81 provinces of the Philippines for administrative convenience....
. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City
Puerto Princesa City

The City of Puerto Princesa Lungsod ng Puerto Princesa), the capital of Palawan, is a first class city in the Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 210,508 people in 33,306 households....
, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro
Mindoro

Mindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located southwest of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. In past times, it has been called Ma-i or Mait by ancient China traders and, by Spain, as Mina de Oro from where the island got its current name....
 to Borneo
Borneo

Borneo is the List of islands by area and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. Administratively, this island is divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei....
 in the southwest. It lies between the South China Sea
South China Sea

The South China Sea is a marginal sea*south of China,*west of the Philippines,*north west of Sabah , Sarawak and Brunei,*north of Indonesia,...
 in the northwest and Sulu Sea
Sulu Sea

The Sulu Sea is a large sea in the southwestern area of the Philippines. It is separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan, and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipelago....
 in the southeast. The province is named after its largest island, Palawan Island
Palawan Island

Palawan Island is the largest island of the Palawan Province, Philippines. It is still very undeveloped and traditional. Abundant wildlife, jungle mountains, and white sandy beaches attract many tourists....
, measuring long, and wide.

Palawan is composed of the long and narrow Palawan Island
Palawan Island

Palawan Island is the largest island of the Palawan Province, Philippines. It is still very undeveloped and traditional. Abundant wildlife, jungle mountains, and white sandy beaches attract many tourists....
, plus a number of other smaller islands surrounding the main island.






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Palawan is an island province
Island province

Island province is a province with jurisdictional extent encompassing the whole land area of an island.A province cannot be called an "island province" if a certain part of the island is governed or administered by a separate province....
 of the Philippines
Philippines

The Philippines, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
 located in the MIMAROPA region
Regions of the Philippines

In the Philippines, regions are administrative divisions of the Philippines that serve primarily to organize the 81 provinces of the Philippines for administrative convenience....
. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City
Puerto Princesa City

The City of Puerto Princesa Lungsod ng Puerto Princesa), the capital of Palawan, is a first class city in the Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 210,508 people in 33,306 households....
, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro
Mindoro

Mindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located southwest of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. In past times, it has been called Ma-i or Mait by ancient China traders and, by Spain, as Mina de Oro from where the island got its current name....
 to Borneo
Borneo

Borneo is the List of islands by area and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. Administratively, this island is divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei....
 in the southwest. It lies between the South China Sea
South China Sea

The South China Sea is a marginal sea*south of China,*west of the Philippines,*north west of Sabah , Sarawak and Brunei,*north of Indonesia,...
 in the northwest and Sulu Sea
Sulu Sea

The Sulu Sea is a large sea in the southwestern area of the Philippines. It is separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan, and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipelago....
 in the southeast. The province is named after its largest island, Palawan Island
Palawan Island

Palawan Island is the largest island of the Palawan Province, Philippines. It is still very undeveloped and traditional. Abundant wildlife, jungle mountains, and white sandy beaches attract many tourists....
, measuring long, and wide.

Palawan is composed of the long and narrow Palawan Island
Palawan Island

Palawan Island is the largest island of the Palawan Province, Philippines. It is still very undeveloped and traditional. Abundant wildlife, jungle mountains, and white sandy beaches attract many tourists....
, plus a number of other smaller islands surrounding the main island. The Calamianes Group of Islands
Calamian Group

The Calamian is a group of islands in the Philippines province of Palawan. It includes:* Busuanga Island* Coron Island* Culion Island* several minor islands....
, to the northwest consists of Busuanga Island
Busuanga Island

Busuanga Island is the largest island in the Calamian Group of Islands in the province of Palawan in the Philippines. Busuanga Island is, in fact, the second largest island in the province after Palawan island itself....
, Culion Island, and Coron Island
Coron Island

Coron Island, located at the northern tip of Palawan in the Philippines, is known for several Japanese shipwrecks World War II vintage. The area around the wrecks have pleasant rock formations which provide for excellent snorkeling opportunities, with underwater visibility extending up to 80 feet....
. Durangan Island almost touches the westernmost part of Palawan Island, while Balabac Island
Balabac Island

Balabac Island is an island in the Philippines, at . It is a part of the Palawan province.The island is home to various endemism species. It is the home of birds like Grey Imperial-pigeon , Philippine Cockatoo , Blue-headed Racquet-tail , and the Palawan Hornbill ....
 is located off the southern tip, separated from Borneo
Borneo

Borneo is the List of islands by area and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. Administratively, this island is divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei....
 by the Balabac Strait
Balabac Strait

Balabac Strait is a strait in the South China Sea, at . It separates the Balabac island , Philippines from the islands north of Borneo that are a part of Malaysia's Sabah state....
. In addition, Palawan covers the Cuyo Islands in the Sulu Sea
Sulu Sea

The Sulu Sea is a large sea in the southwestern area of the Philippines. It is separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan, and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipelago....
. The disputed Spratly Islands
Spratly Islands

The Spratly Islands are a group of more than 650 reefs, islets, atolls, cays and islands in the South China Sea between the Philippines and Vietnam....
, located a few hundred kilometers to the west is considered part of Palawan by the Philippines, and is locally called the Kalayaan Group of Islands.

Palawan's almost of irregular coastline are dotted with 1,780 islands and islets, rocky coves, and sugar-white sandy beaches. It also harbors a vast stretch of virgin forests that carpet its chain of mountain ranges. The mountain heights average in altitude, with the highest peak rising to at Mount Matalingahan. The vast mountain areas are the source of valuable timber. The terrain is a mix of coastal plain, craggy foothills, valley deltas, and heavy forest interspersed with riverine arteries that serve as irrigation.

History

The history of Palawan may be traced back 22,000 years ago, as confirmed by the discovery of bone fragments of the Tabon Man
Tabon Man

Tabon man refers to fossilized human remains discovered on the island of Palawan in the Philippines on May 28, 1962 by Dr. Robert B. Fox, an American anthropologist of the National Museum of the Filipino People....
 in the municipality of Quezon. Although the origin of the cave dwellers is not yet established, anthropologists believe they came from Borneo. Known as the Cradle of Philippine Civilization, the Tabon Caves consist of a series of chambers where scholars and anthropologists discovered the remains of the Tabon Man along with his tools and a number of artifacts.

Ancient times

Waves of migrants arrived in the Philippines by way of land bridges between Borneo and Palawan. From 220 up to 263 AD, during the period of the Three Kingdoms, "Little, dark people" living in Anwei province in South China were driven South by Ham People. Some settled in Thailand, others went farther south to Indonesia, Sumatra, Borneo. They were known as Aetas and Negritos from whom Palawan's Batak
Batak (Philippines)

The Batak are one of about 70 indigenous peoples of the Philippines. They are located in the northeastern portions of Tribes of Palawan, a relatively large island in the southwest of the archipelago....
 tribe descended. Other tribes known to inhabit the islands such as the Palawano and Tagbanua
Tagbanua

The Tagbanua tribe, one of the oldest tribes in the Philippines, can be mainly found in the central and northern Palawan. Research has shown that the Tagbanua are possible descendants of the Tabon Man; thus, making them one of the original inhabitants of the Philippines....
, are also descendants of the early settlers, who came via ice-age land bridges. They had a form of indigenous political structure developed in the island, wherein the natives had their non-formal form of government, an alphabet, and a system of trading with sea-borne merchants.

In 982 AD, ancient Chinese traders regularly visit the islands. A Chinese author referred to these islands as Kla-ma-yan (Calamian), Palau-ye (Palawan), and Paki-nung (Busuanga). Pottery, china and other artifacts recovered from caves and waters of Palawan attest to trade relations that existed between Chinese and Malay merchants.

Pre-colonial era

In the 12th century, Malay settlers, who came on boats, began to populate the island. Most of the settlements were ruled by Malay chieftains. These people grew palay, ginger, coconuts, camote, sugar and bananas. They also raised pigs, goats and chickens. Most of their economic activities were fishing, farming, and hunting by the use of bamboo traps and blowguns. The local people had a dialect consisting of 18 syllables. They were followed by the Indonesians of the Majapahit Empire
Majapahit Empire

Majapahit was an Indianized kingdom based on the island of Java from 1293 to around 1500. Its most succesful ruler was Hayam Wuruk, whose reign from 1350 to 1389 marked the empire's greatest reach of influence when it dominated kingdoms in Maritime Southeast Asia ....
 in the 13th century, and they brought with them Buddhism
Buddhism

Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices considered by most to be a religionand is based on the teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as "The Buddha" , who was born in what is today Nepal....
 and Hinduism
Hinduism

'Hinduism' is the predominant religion of the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is often referred to as , a Sanskrit phrase meaning "the eternal dharma", by its practitioners....
.

Because of Palawan's proximity to Borneo
Borneo

Borneo is the List of islands by area and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. Administratively, this island is divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei....
, southern portions of the island was under the control of the Sultanate of Borneo for more than two centuries, and Islam
Islam

Islam is a Monotheism, Abrahamic religion originating with the teachings of the Prophets of Islam Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure....
 was introduced. During the same period, trade relations flourished, and intermarriages among the natives and the Chinese
Chinese people

The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People who reside in and hold citizenship of the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China or the Republic of China ....
, Japanese
Japanese people

The are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan....
, Arab
Arab

An Arab is a person who Identity as such on linguistic or cultural grounds. The plural form, Arabs , refers to the Ethnocultural group at large....
, Hindu. The inter-mixing of blood resulted to a distinct breed of Palaweños, both in physical stature and features.

Spanish period

Taytay
After Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan

Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese people List of maritime explorers who, while in the service of the Spanish Crown, tried to find a westward route to the Spice Islands of Indonesia....
's death, remnant of his fleet landed in Palawan where the bounty of the land saved them from starvation. Antonio Pigafetta
Antonio Pigafetta

Antonio Pigafetta , was a Republic of Venice scholar born in Vicenza. He was engaged to accompany and assist the Portugal captain Ferdinand Magellan and his Spanish crew on their trip to the Maluku Islands....
, Magellan's chronicler named the place "Land of Promise."

The first ever recorded act of piracy in the Philippines happened in Palawan when Chief Tuan Mohamad and his staff were captured aboard their vessel and taken hostage by the Spaniards who demanded ransom within 7 days consisting of 400 sukats or 190 sacks of clean rice, 450 chickens, 20 pigs, 20 goats and several jars filled with tuba.

The northern Calamianes Islands
Calamian Group

The Calamian is a group of islands in the Philippines province of Palawan. It includes:* Busuanga Island* Coron Island* Culion Island* several minor islands....
 were the first to come under Spanish authority, and were later declared a province separate from the Palawan mainland. In the early 17th century, Spanish friars sent out missions in Cuyo
Cuyo, Palawan

Cuyo is a 4th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 18,257 people in 3,609 households....
, Agutaya
Agutaya, Palawan

Agutaya is a 5th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 10,422 people in 2,040 households....
, Taytay
Taytay, Palawan

Taytay is a 1st class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 53,657 people in 10,083 households....
 and Cagayancillo
Cagayancillo, Palawan

Cagayancillo is a 6th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 6,348 people in 947 households....
 but they met resistance from Moro communities. Before 18th century, Spain began to build churches enclosed by garrisons for protection against Moro raids in the town of Cuyo
Cuyo, Palawan

Cuyo is a 4th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 18,257 people in 3,609 households....
, Taytay
Taytay, Palawan

Taytay is a 1st class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 53,657 people in 10,083 households....
, Linapacan
Linapacan, Palawan

Linapacan is a 5th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 9,198 people in 1,721 households....
 and Balabac
Balabac, Palawan

Balabac is a 3rd class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 25,257 people in 4,723 households....
. In 1749, the Sultanate of Borneo
Borneo

Borneo is the List of islands by area and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. Administratively, this island is divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei....
 ceded southern Palawan to Spain
Spain

Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....
.

In 1818, the entire island of Palawan, or Paragua as it was called, was organized as a single province named Calamianes, with its capital in Taytay
Taytay, Palawan

Taytay is a 1st class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 53,657 people in 10,083 households....
. By 1858, the province was divided into two provinces, namely, Castilla, covering the northern section with Taytay
Taytay, Palawan

Taytay is a 1st class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 53,657 people in 10,083 households....
 as capital and Asturias in the southern mainland with Puerto Princesa as capital. It was later then divided into three districts, Calamianes, Paragua and Balabac, with Principe Alfonso town as its capital. In 1902, the Americans established civil rule in northern Palawan, calling it the province of Paragua. Finally, in 1903, pursuant to Philippine Commission Act No. 1363, the province was reorganized to include the southern portions and renamed Palawan.

American rule

When the Spaniards left after the 1898 revolution, a civil government was established by the Americans
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
. Provincial boundaries were revised in 1903, the name of the province was changed to Palawan, and Puerto Princesa declared as its capital..

Many reforms and projects were later introduced in the province. Construction of school buildings, promotion of agriculture, and bringing people closer to the government were among the priority plans during this era.

Japanese invasion


The Palawan Massacre
During World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
, in order to prevent the rescue of prisoners of war by the advancing allies, on 14 December 1944, the Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
ese herded the remaining 150 prisoners of war at Puerto Princesa into three covered trenches which were then set on fire using barrels of gasoline. Prisoners who tried to escape the flames were shot down. Others attempted to escape by climbing over a cliff that ran along one side of the trenches, but were later hunted down and killed. Only 11 men escaped the slaughter and between 133 and 141 were killed. The site of the massacre can still be visited. The massacre is the premise of the recently published book "Last Man Out: Glenn McDole, USMC, Survivor of the Palawan Massacre in World War II" by Bob Wilbanks, and the opening scenes of the 2005 Miramax movie, "The Great Raid
The Great Raid

The Great Raid is a 2005 war film which tells the story of the January 1945 Raid at Cabanatuan on the the Philippines island of Luzon during World War II....
".
See also:


Liberation
The island was liberated from the Japanese Imperial Forces by a task force consisting of Filipino and American military personnel between February 28 and April 22, 1945.

Political divisions

Palawan consists of 432 barangays, 23 municipalities, a lone city, Puerto Princesa, and two congressional districts that divide the province into north and south portions. Out of this, 13 are considered as mainland municipalities, and these are, Aborlan, Narra
Narra, Palawan

Narra is a 1st class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 56,845 people in 11,521 households....
, Quezon
Quezon, Palawan

?Quezon, Palawan is a 2nd class Philippine municipality in the Philippine Province of Palawan Province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 41,669 people in 8,453 households....
, Sofronio Española
Sofronio Española, Palawan

Sofronio Espa?ola is a 4th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. It is the province's newest municipality, created by plebiscite on May 22, 1994, from land that was formerly a part of Brooke's Point, Palawan....
, Brooke's Point
Brooke's Point, Palawan

Brooke's Point is a 1st class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. Named after its founder James Brooke, the municipality once promoted ecotourism....
, Rizal
Rizal, Palawan

Rizal is a 2nd class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 31,745 people in 6,916 households....
, and Bataraza (located south), Puerto Princesa (positioned in the center), and San Vicente
San Vicente, Palawan

San Vicente is a 1st class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 21,654 people in 4,174 households....
, Roxas
Roxas, Palawan

Roxas is a 1st class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 47,242 people in 9,435 households....
, Dumaran, El Nido, and Taytay
Taytay, Palawan

Taytay is a 1st class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 53,657 people in 10,083 households....
 (found in the north). The remaining municipalities are island municipalities, and they are: Busuanga, Coron
Coron

Coron, Palawan Philippines can refer to the following things:* Coron, Palawan, a municipality in Palawan in the Philippines...
, Linapacan and Culion (forming the Calamianes group of islands
Calamian Group

The Calamian is a group of islands in the Philippines province of Palawan. It includes:* Busuanga Island* Coron Island* Culion Island* several minor islands....
), Cuyo
Cuyo

Cuyo means "whose" in Spanish language, but may also refer to:*Cuyo *Cuyo, Palawan*Guinea pig dish eaten usually by Ecuadorian and Peruvian peoples....
, Agutaya and Magsaysay
Magsaysay, Palawan

Magsaysay is a 5th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 10,885 people in 2,269 households....
 (the Cuyo group of islands
Cuyo

Cuyo means "whose" in Spanish language, but may also refer to:*Cuyo *Cuyo, Palawan*Guinea pig dish eaten usually by Ecuadorian and Peruvian peoples....
), Araceli, Cagayancillo, Balabac and Kalayaan
Kalayaan

Kalayaan may refer to:* Kalayaan, Laguna, a Philippine municipality in the Provinces of the Philippines of Laguna province, Philippines* Kalayaan, Palawan, a Philippine municipality in the Provinces of the Philippines of Palawan; encompasses the part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea that is claimed by the Philippines, althoug...
 (Spratly Islands).

It has a total land area of 14,896 square kilometer (sq km), which is distributed to its mainland municipalities, comprising 12,239 km², and the island municipalities, which altogether measure 2,657 km². On the average, each municipality has an area of 620 km². On the other hand, the island municipality of Cuyo
Cuyo

Cuyo means "whose" in Spanish language, but may also refer to:*Cuyo *Cuyo, Palawan*Guinea pig dish eaten usually by Ecuadorian and Peruvian peoples....
 (4,003 km²) ranks largest in terms of municipal waters. On the latter, the mainland municipality of Sofronio Española
Sofronio Española, Palawan

Sofronio Espa?ola is a 4th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. It is the province's newest municipality, created by plebiscite on May 22, 1994, from land that was formerly a part of Brooke's Point, Palawan....
 has the smallest marine area with only 485 km².

The largest municipalities are situated in the central and northern mainland, and they are: Puerto Princesa (2,106 km²), Taytay
Taytay, Palawan

Taytay is a 1st class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 53,657 people in 10,083 households....
 (1,390 km²), and Roxas
Roxas, Palawan

Roxas is a 1st class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 47,242 people in 9,435 households....
 (1,220 km²). On the contrary, the smallest local government units are the island municipalities of Cagayancillo
Cagayancillo, Palawan

Cagayancillo is a 6th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 6,348 people in 947 households....
 (15.40 km²), Magsaysay
Magsaysay, Palawan

Magsaysay is a 5th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 10,885 people in 2,269 households....
 (27.70 km²) and Cuyo
Cuyo

Cuyo means "whose" in Spanish language, but may also refer to:*Cuyo *Cuyo, Palawan*Guinea pig dish eaten usually by Ecuadorian and Peruvian peoples....
 (57.30 km²). All 24 local government units have 431 barangays as of June 2002.

City

  • Puerto Princesa


Municipalities


Mainland Municipalities


*Aborlan
Aborlan, Palawan

Aborlan is a 2nd class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. It lies in a vast plain between the Sulu Sea and the mountains....

*Bataraza
Bataraza, Palawan

Bataraza is a second class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. It is named after Datu Bataraza Narrazid, a locally influential Muslim chieftain and father of the town's first mayor and former mayor of Brooke's Point, the late Datu Sapiodin Narrazid....

*Brooke's Point
Brooke's Point, Palawan

Brooke's Point is a 1st class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. Named after its founder James Brooke, the municipality once promoted ecotourism....

*Dumaran
Dumaran, Palawan

Dumaran is a 4th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 16,616 people in 3,133 households....

*El Nido
El Nido, Palawan

El Nido is a Philippine municipality#Income classification and Protected area in the Philippine province of Palawan province in the Philippines....
 (Bacuit)
*Narra
Narra, Palawan

Narra is a 1st class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 56,845 people in 11,521 households....


*Quezon
Quezon, Palawan

?Quezon, Palawan is a 2nd class Philippine municipality in the Philippine Province of Palawan Province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 41,669 people in 8,453 households....

*Rizal
Rizal, Palawan

Rizal is a 2nd class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 31,745 people in 6,916 households....
 (Marcos)
*Roxas
Roxas, Palawan

Roxas is a 1st class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 47,242 people in 9,435 households....

*San Vicente
San Vicente, Palawan

San Vicente is a 1st class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 21,654 people in 4,174 households....

*Sofronio Española
Sofronio Española, Palawan

Sofronio Espa?ola is a 4th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. It is the province's newest municipality, created by plebiscite on May 22, 1994, from land that was formerly a part of Brooke's Point, Palawan....

*Taytay
Taytay, Palawan

Taytay is a 1st class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 53,657 people in 10,083 households....


Island Municipalities


*Agutaya
Agutaya, Palawan

Agutaya is a 5th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 10,422 people in 2,040 households....

*Araceli
Araceli, Palawan

Araceli is a 5th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 10,894 people in 2,050 households....

*Balabac
Balabac, Palawan

Balabac is a 3rd class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 25,257 people in 4,723 households....

*Busuanga
Busuanga, Palawan

Busuanga is a Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. The territory of Busuanga covers the western one-third of Busuanga Island, which is part of the Calamian Group of Islands lying between Mindoro and mainland Palawan....

*Cagayancillo
Cagayancillo, Palawan

Cagayancillo is a 6th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 6,348 people in 947 households....

*Coron
Coron, Palawan

Coron is a 2nd class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 32,243 people in 6,264 households....


*Culion
Culion, Palawan

Culion is a 4th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2006 census, it has a population of 18,000 people in 3,082 households....

*Cuyo
Cuyo, Palawan

Cuyo is a 4th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 18,257 people in 3,609 households....

*Kalayaan
Kalayaan, Palawan

Kalayaan is a 5th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 223 people in 12 households....

*Linapacan
Linapacan, Palawan

Linapacan is a 5th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 9,198 people in 1,721 households....

*Magsaysay
Magsaysay, Palawan

Magsaysay is a 5th class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 10,885 people in 2,269 households....



Region

In 2001, the residents of Palawan voted in a plebiscite to reject a move from Region IV (Southern Tagalog
Southern Tagalog

Southern Tagalog, or Region IV, was a Regions of the Philippines of the Philippines that is now composed of CALABARZON and MIMAROPA. Region IV was split into the two regions on May 17, 2002....
) into an expanded Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is the Regions of the Philippines of the Philippines that is composed of all the Philippines' predominantly Islam in the Philippines Provinces of the Philippines, namely: Basilan , Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, and the Philippines' only predominantly Muslim Cities of the Philippines,...
.

On 17 May 2002, Executive order No. 103 divided Region IV into Region IV-A (CALABARZON
CALABARZON

CALABARZON is one of the Regions of the Philippines of the Philippines. It is also designated as Region IV-A and its regional capital is Calamba City in Laguna ....
) and Region IV-B (MIMAROPA), placing the province of Palawan into MIMAROPA.

On 23 May 2005, Executive Order No. 429 directed that Palawan be transferred from Region IV to Region VI. However, Palaweños criticized the move, citing a lack of consultation, with most residents in Puerto Princesa City and all municipalities but one preferring to stay with Region IV-B. Consequently, Administrative Order No. 129 was issued on 19 August 2005 that the implementation of EO 429 be held in abeyance pending approval by the President of its implementation Plan. As of July 2008, the abeyance is still in effect and Palawan remains a part of MIMAROPA.

Demographics


People and culture

Based on the 2000 census, the population of the entire province is 737,000. The province is a melting pot of 87 different cultural groups and races who live together in peace and harmony. Basically, its culture bears a strong influence from China
China

China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
, India
India

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, the List of countries by population country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world....
 and the Middle East
Middle East

File:GreaterMiddleEast1.pngThe Middle East is a region that spans southwestern Asia, western Asia, and northeastern Africa. It has no clear boundaries, often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East....
. Influx of migrants from other parts of the Philippines
Philippines

The Philippines, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
, particularly from Muslim Mindanao, accounts for the high population growth rate of 3.98% annually. The native-born Palaweños still predominate the populace. Eighteen percent is composed of cultural minority groups such as the Tagbanua
Tagbanua

The Tagbanua tribe, one of the oldest tribes in the Philippines, can be mainly found in the central and northern Palawan. Research has shown that the Tagbanua are possible descendants of the Tabon Man; thus, making them one of the original inhabitants of the Philippines....
, Palawano, Batak
Batak (Philippines)

The Batak are one of about 70 indigenous peoples of the Philippines. They are located in the northeastern portions of Tribes of Palawan, a relatively large island in the southwest of the archipelago....
, and Molbog.

Language/Dialect

There are 52 dialects in the province, with Tagalog
Tagalog language

Tagalog is one of the major languages used in the Philippines. It is a basis for the Filipino language, which is the principal language of the national television and radio, though broadsheet newspapers are almost completely in English....
 being spoken by 28 percent of the people. Other major dialects are Cuyonon (26.27 percent), Palawano
Palawano language

The Palawano languages are spoken on the island of Palawan in the province of Palawan in the Philippines.There are actually three related, but not mutually intelligible, languages which called themselves "Tribes of Palawan#Palawanon" ...
 (11.08 percent), and Ilonggo (9.6 percent). English
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
 is also widely spoken.

Religion

The predominant religion in Palawan is Roman Catholicism. Pockets of indigenous Muslims can be found in the southern municipalities with Muslims making up the majority of the population in some municipalities in the far south like Balabac
Balabac, Palawan

Balabac is a 3rd class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 25,257 people in 4,723 households....
 and Bataraza
Bataraza, Palawan

Bataraza is a second class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. It is named after Datu Bataraza Narrazid, a locally influential Muslim chieftain and father of the town's first mayor and former mayor of Brooke's Point, the late Datu Sapiodin Narrazid....
. Members of the Church of the Foursquare Gospel in the Philippines
Church of the Foursquare Gospel in the Philippines

The Church of the Foursquare Gospel in the Philippines is a Christian Pentecostal Group in the Philippines. The CFGP is the national church body of International Church of the Foursquare Gospel originated in Los Angeles California....
, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the Mormon
Mormon

Mormon is a term used to describe the adherents, practitioners, followers or constituents of Mormonism. The term most often refers to a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , which is commonly called the Mormon Church....
s or LDS) are present on Palawan, as well as the Seventh-day Adventists
Seventh-day Adventist Church

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Christianity Religious denomination which is distinguished mainly by its observance of Saturday, the original Days of the week of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath and Seventh-day Adventism....
, Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo

The Iglesia ni Cristo . The INC says the book contains "outright blasphemy" towards the late founder Felix Manalo by likening the INC to a criminal syndicate....
, Jesus Miracle Crusade, Jesus Touch Fellowship, and other Christian denomination
Christian denomination

A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity.Worldwide, Christians are divided, often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions....
s. There are also Buddhists
Buddhism

Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices considered by most to be a religionand is based on the teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as "The Buddha" , who was born in what is today Nepal....
 - mainly Vietnamese refugees who settled in Palawan, as well as some ethnic Chinese
Overseas Chinese

Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese people birth or descent who live outside the territories administered by the rival governments of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China ....
 Buddhists
Buddhism

Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices considered by most to be a religionand is based on the teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as "The Buddha" , who was born in what is today Nepal....
. One notable Vietnamese Buddhist Temple in Palawan being Vihara Van Phat. Most of the ethnic minorities such as Batak and Tagbanwa are animists, but many have become Christians (usually Protestant) or have joined other sects.

Education

Enrollment in public elementary schools is steadily increasing. From 146,114 in 2003, the number of students in the public elementary schools went up to 147,013 in the year 2004 while enrollees in public secondary schools reached 55,887.

Literacy rate in Palawan is increasing by 2% annually because of expanding access to education. Among these programs are the establishment of schools in remote barangays, non-formal education, multi-grade mobile teaching and the drop-out intervention program.

Public schools in the province consist of 623 elementary schools, 126 secondary schools and two universities. Private schools are as follows: 26 – elementary; 19 – secondary; 4 private colleges and 10 vocational schools. Some of the private institutions are the Holy Trinity College, Fullbright College, Palawan Polytechnical College Inc., in Roxas, San Vicente and Puerto Princesa City, Systems Technology Institute (STI), AMA Computer Learning Center (ACLC) in Puerto Princesa City, San Francisco Javier College in Narra, Loyola College in Culion, St. Jpseph Academy in Cuyo, St. Augustine Academy in Coron and the Coron Technical School.

Among the public institutions are the Palawan State University
Palawan State University

The 'Palawan State University' is a government-funded university in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. ...
, Western Philippines University
Western Philippines University

The Western Philippines University is a state higher education institution located at Aborlan, Palawan. The University began as the Aborlan Farm Settlement School for the Tagbanuas in 1910....
 in Aborlan and Puerto Princesa, Coron College of Fisheries, Puerto Princesa School of Arts and Trade and the Palawan College of Arts and Trade in Cuyo, Palawan.

Environment

Palawan, the only Philippine island cited, is rated by National Geographic Traveler
National Geographic Traveler

National Geographic Traveler is a magazine published by the National Geographic Society in the United States. It was started in 1984 and is published in six languages other than English....
 magazine as the best island destination in East
East Asia

East Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either Geography or cultural terms. Geography and geopolitically, it covers about 12,000,000 km?, or about 28 percent of the Asian continent, about 15 percent bigger than the area of Europe, though some categorize Tibet, Xinjiang, and Mongolia as Central Asia....
 and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India and north of Australia....
 region in 2007, and the 13th best island in the world having "incredibly beautiful natural seascapes and landscapes. One of the most biodiverse (terrestrial and marine) islands in the Philippines...The island has had a Biosphere Reserve status since early 1990s, showing local interest for conservation and sustainable development".

The province was also categorized as "doing well" in the 4th Destination Scorecard survey conducted by the National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations, and Conde Nast Traveler
Condé Nast Traveler

Cond? Nast Traveler is an U.S. magazine published by Cond? Nast Publications, started in 1987 and specializing in luxury travel and reviews of high-priced hotels, products, and services....
 magazine voted its beaches, cove
Cove

A cove is a circular or oval coastal inlet with a narrow entrance. Colloquially, the term can be used to describe a sheltered headlands and bays....
s and islets as the tourist destination with the best beaches in Asia. Renowned underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau has described the province as having one of the most beautiful seascapes in the world. and Caril Ridley, founder of Palawan Environmental and Marine Studies Center (PEMS) says the Islands of northern Palawan are destine to become a future destination for Asia's growing economic and environmental conferencing.

Palawan is the habitat of 232 endemic species. Some of these unique creatures are the metallic-colored peacock pheasant, the shy mousedeer, the cuddly bearcat, and the reclusive scaly anteater. In the forests and grasslands, the air resonates with the songs of more than 200 kinds of birds. Over 600 species of butterflies flutter around the mountains and fields of Palawan, attracted to some 1500 hosts plants found here. Endangered sea turtles nest on white sand beaches, and the gentle dugong feeds on the seagrass that abound in Palawan’s waters.

Total forest cover is about 56 percent of the total land area of the province while mangrove forest accounts for 3.35 percent based on the 1998 Landsat imagery. Grasslands dwindled from 19 percent in 1992 to 12.40 percent in 1998. This is an indication of improving soil condition as deteriorating soil is normally invaded by grass species. Brushlands increased to 25 percent of the total land area. Sprawled beneath the seas are nearly 11,000 square kilometers of coral reefs, representing more than 35% of the country’s coral reefs.

Notable sites


Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary
A game reserve and wildlife sanctuary of exotic African animals and endangered endemic animals of Palawan. The reserve was established on August 31, 1976 by virtue of the Presidential Decree No.1578, this was initiated in response to the appeal of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature to help save African wildlife when former President Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos

Ferdinand Emmanuel Edral?n Marcos was President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate ....
 attended the 3rd World Conference in Kenya
Kenya

The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the northeast, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, and Sudan to the northwest, with the Indian Ocean running along the southeast border....
. By virtue of the Republic Act 7611 (SEP), administrative jurisdiction of DENR was given to the local government of Palawan, effective December 31, 1993. Management of the area is the responsibility of the Office of the Palawan Council of Sustainable Development (PCSD). It is located in Calauit Island in Busuanga.

Coron Reefs, Coron Bay, Busuanga
Seven lakes surrounded by craggy limestone cliffs attract hundreds of nature lovers to Coron Reefs in Northern Palawan, near the town of Coron
Coron

Coron, Palawan Philippines can refer to the following things:* Coron, Palawan, a municipality in Palawan in the Philippines...
. Busuanga Island
Busuanga Island

Busuanga Island is the largest island in the Calamian Group of Islands in the province of Palawan in the Philippines. Busuanga Island is, in fact, the second largest island in the province after Palawan island itself....
, whose main town is Coron
Coron

Coron, Palawan Philippines can refer to the following things:* Coron, Palawan, a municipality in Palawan in the Philippines...
, is the jump-off point for numerous dive operators. The principal dive sites are 12 World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
 Japanese shipwrecks sunk on September 24, 1944 by US Navy action. They range in depth from the surface to 40 meters. This large variety offers exciting wreck exploration for enthusiasts, from novice divers and snorkelers and recreational divers to experienced TEC divers. Dive operators offer PADI dive courses ranging from Discover Scuba to Assistant Instructor, Technical and Enriched Air Diving, as well as other specialty courses. Dive operators offer day diving, snorkeling trips, and overnight dive safaris. Live-aboard and charter boats also offer diving in the area. The aquatic views from the sunken Japanese warships off Coron
Coron

Coron, Palawan Philippines can refer to the following things:* Coron, Palawan, a municipality in Palawan in the Philippines...
 Island are listed in Forbes
Forbes

Forbes is an United States publishing and mass media company. Its flagship publication, Forbes magazine, is published bi-weekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune , which is also published bi-weekly, and Business Week....
 Traveler Magazine’s top 10 best scuba
Scuba diving

SCUBA diving is Underwater diving, or taking part in another activity, while using a scuba set. By carrying a source of breathing gas , the scuba diver is able to stay underwater longer than with the simple breath-holding techniques used in snorkeling and free-diving, and is not hindered by air lines to a remote air source....
 sites in the world.

El Nido Marine Reserve Park

The January 2008 issue of international magazine Travel + Leisure
Travel + Leisure

Travel + Leisure is a travel magazine based in New York City. Published 12 times a year, has 4.8 million readers, according to its corporate media kit....
, published by the American Express
American Express

American Express Company , sometimes known as "AmEx" or "Amex", is a Diversification global financial services company that is headquartered in New York City, New York....
 Co. (which partnered with Conservation International
Conservation International

Conservation International is a nonprofit organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, that seeks to protect Earth's biodiversity "hotspots," high-biodiversity wilderness areas as well as important marine regions around the globe....
) listed El Nido’s sister hotel resorts El Nido Lagen Island and El Nido Miniloc Island in Miniloc and Lagen Islands as “conservation-minded places on a mission to protect the local environment.” Travel + Leisure’s 20 Favorite Green Hotels scored El Nido Resort’s protection of Palawan’s giant clam
Giant clam

The giant clam, Tridacna gigas, or traditionally, pa?ua, is the largest living bivalve mollusk. One of a number of large clam species native to the shallow coral reefs of the South Pacific ocean and Indian oceans, they can weigh more than 200 kilograms , measure as much as 1.2 metres across, and have an average lifespan in the wild...
  gardens and the re-introduction of endangered Philippine cockatoo
Cockatoo

A cockatoo is any of the 21 bird species belonging to the family Cacatuidae. Along with the Psittacidae family and the Nestoridae family, they make up the order Psittaciformes....
s: "8. El Nido Resorts, Philippines: Guest cottages on stilts are set above the crystalline ocean. The resorts are active in both reef and island conservation."

Malampaya Sound Land and Seascape Protected Area
Located in the Municipality of Taytay
Taytay, Palawan

Taytay is a 1st class Philippine municipality in the Philippine province of Palawan province, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 53,657 people in 10,083 households....
, this important ecological and economic zone is a watershed and fishing ground, and the habitat of Bottle-nosed and Irrawaddy dolphin
Irrawaddy dolphin

The Irrawaddy Dolphin is a euryhaline species of Oceanic dolphin found in discontinuous sub-populations near sea coasts and in estuaries and rivers in parts of the Bay of Bengal and Southeast Asia....
s.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

  • Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park (1999)
This park features a large limestone karst landscape with an underground river. One of the river's distinguishing features is that it emerges directly into the sea, and its lower portion is subject to tidal influences. The area also represents a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation. The site contains a full 'mountain-to-sea' ecosystem and has some of the most important forests in Asia.

  • Tubbataha Reef Marine Park (1993)
The Tubbataha Reef Marine Park covers 332 km², including the North and South Reefs. It is a unique example of an atoll reef with a very high density of marine species; the North Islet serving as a nesting site for birds and marine turtles. The site is an excellent example of a pristine coral reef with a spectacular 100 m perpendicular wall, extensive lagoons and two coral islands.

Ursula Island
This game refuge and bird sanctuary is situated near the Municipality of Brooke's Point in southern Palawan. The islet is a migratory and wintering ground for shorebirds and seabirds.

Climate

The province has two types of climate. The first, which occurs in the northern and southern extremities and the entire western coast, has two distinct seasons – six months dry and six months wet. The other, which prevails in the eastern coast, has a short dry season of one to three months and no pronounced rainy period during the rest of the year. The southern part of the province is virtually free from tropical depressions but northern Palawan experiences torrential rains during the months of July and August. Summer months serve as peak season for Palawan. Sea voyage is most favorable from March to early June when the seas are calm.

Geology

The crust of northeast Palawan was derived from mainland China. It is the exposed portion of a microcontinent that drifted southward with the opening of the South China Sea. This microcontinent also forms the shallow water north of Palawan in the Reed Bank-Dangerous Grounds area of the southern South China Sea. Some of the oldest rocks of the Philippines are found in northeast Palawan (Permian-Carboniferous age). Southwest Palawan exposes primarily ophiolitic material (rocks derived from uplifted oceanic crust and mantle). This oceanic material appears to have been thrust upon the continental crust. The transition from "oceanic" (ophiolitic)-type units in the southwest to "continental"-type rocks in the northeast occurs in the area of central Palawan around Ulugan Bay. In the Dalrymple Point area, on the east side of Ulugan Bay, are several exposures showing that the Palawan ophiolite has been thrust on to the continent-derived clastic rocks ("Sabang thrust").

Specific rock types in the "continental" northeast, include clastic rocks (sandstones and mudstones). Good exposures of these rocks types can be found on the main road running along the southern coast east of Puerto Princesa all the way up to Malampaya Sound. These rocks probably formed the continental shelf, rise, slope or even deeper marine deposits on the southeast margin of China prior to the opening of the South China Sea.

Further north, around the Malampaya Sound area and up to the El Nido area, one finds deep marine chert and limestone. Based on the structure of these sedimentary units, it is thought that they formed part of an accretionary prism on the southeast margin of China at a time when that part of China was an Andean-type plate margin (an ocean-continent subduction zone). The chert and limestone were scrapped off of an oceanic plate and accreted to the margin of China (again, prior to the opening of the South China Sea). Some of the limestones are also thought to be of olistostromal origin (i.e., they formed in shallow water but were transported to deeper water by submarine slides).

It is interesting to note that the spectacular karst limestones in the St. Paul area and El Nido area that Palawan is somewhat famous for are of different origin and age. The limestones in the St. Paul National Park east of Ulugan Bay (where the famous Undeground River is located) are relatively young. Based on their fossil content they are assigned an Oligocene-Miocene age (~30 to 15 million years old). These younger limestones formed largely as reef structures on the bit of continental crust that drifted south from China during the opening of the South China Sea. These are the same limestones that host most of the oil and gas that is being extracted offshore in the South China Sea. In contrast, the limestones in the El Nido area are largely Permian in age (~300-250 million years old). They are the equivalent of the karst limestones found in Vietnam and China.

Intruding these rocks in central Palawan (Cleopatra's Needle area) and northern Palawan (Mount Capoas or Kapoas area) are young granite bodies (true granite to granodiorite) of Miocene age (13-15 Million years old based on zircon and monazite U-Pb dating). In the Taytay area of northern Palawan, a young basaltic cinder cone is another manifestation of young magmatic activity. The granitic magmatism and basaltic magmatism are both expressions of what has been identified as a widespread post-South China Sea spreading magmatism that has affected many areas around the South China Sea. Hydrothermal activity associated with mercury mineralization near Puerto Princesa is yet another sign of recent magmatic-hydrothermal activity. Surprisingly though, Palawan is relatively "quiet" in terms of seismic activity. Very few moderate-sized earthquakes are recorded in the area in contrast to the rest of the Philippines east of Palawan which are very seismically active.

Security

Spearheading the maintenance of the peace and order situation are the Armed Forces of the Philippines
Armed Forces of the Philippines

The Armed Forces of the Philippines is composed of the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force. The AFP is a volunteer military and has a total active strength of 113,500 with 131,000 personnel in reserve....
–Western Command in Canigaran and the Philippine National Police
Philippine National Police

The Philippine National Police is the national police force of the Republic of the Philippines. It is both a national and a local police force in that it provides all law enforcement services throughout the Philippines....
-Palawan Command with headquarters in Tiniguiban, Puerto Princesa. Military units in the province under the Western Command are the Philippine Air Force
Philippine Air Force

unit_name= Philippine Air ForceHukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas|image= |caption= Philippine Air Force Emblem|start_date= July 1, 1947 |country= Republic of the Philippines...
 4th Naval District IV, Delta Company and 10th Marine Battalion Landing Team located in Tiniguiban, Puerto Princesa.

Economy

Palawan's economy is basically agricultural. The three major crops are palay, corn
Maize

Maize , known as corn in some countries, is a cereal domesticated in Mesoamerica and subsequently spread throughout the American continents....
 and coconut
Coconut

The Coconut Palm is a member of the Family Arecaceae . It is the only species in the genus Cocos, and is a large palm, growing to 30 m tall, with pinnate leaf 4-6 m long, pinnae 60-90 cm long; old leaves break away cleanly leaving the trunk smooth....
. Mineral resources include nickel
Nickel

Nickel is a chemical element, with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge....
, copper
Copper

Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29.It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity....
, manganese
Manganese

Manganese is a chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. It has the atomic number 25. It is found as a Oxidation state in nature , and in many minerals....
, and chromite
Chromite

Chromite is iron magnesium chromium oxide: Cr2O4. It is an oxide mineral belonging to the spinel group. Magnesium can substitute for iron in variable amounts; also, aluminium and ferric iron commonly substitute for chromium....
. Logging is also a major industry. Palawan has one of the richest fishing grounds in the country. About 45% of Manila's supply of fish comes from here. Having natural gas reserves of approximately 30,000 trillion cubic feet, the province is the only oil
Oil

An oil is a chemical substance that is in a viscosity liquid state at room temperature or slightly warmer, and is both hydrophobic and lipophilic ....
-producing province in the country. In addition, tourism
Tourism

Tourism is travel for recreational or leisure purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from...
 is also a thriving sector.

The economic and agricultural business growth of province is at 20% per annum. Coconut, sugar, rice, lumber, and livestock are produced here.

Communication

Four telecommunication companies provide local and international direct distance dialing and fax services. Inter island communications is available through the government’s telegraph network and the Provincial Radio Communication System. In addition, there are 19 post offices, a number of cargo forwarders provide air parcel and freight services.

The province has access to two satellite-linked television stations. Cable television in the City of Puerto Princesa offers dozens of foreign channels while smaller firms provide cable services in selected towns. Individual cable facility (Dream Cable) is available locally. Seven radio stations are based in Puerto Princesa, four on the AM and three on the FM bands. Community-based radio stations operate in some of the municipalities in the north and south of the province. Additional stations are expected to set up local affiliates in the capital city of Puerto Princesa.

Two mobile phone companies, Smart Communications
Smart Communications

Smart Communications is a wholly-owned mobile phone subsidiary of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company . Its main focus is to handle the PLDT Group's wireless services business....
 and Globe Telecom
Globe Telecom

Globe Telecom , commonly known as Globe, is the second-largest telecommunications company in the Philippines, providing a diversified set of fixed-line and mobile telecommunications services....
, are operating in the province. Sun Cellular
Sun Cellular

Digitel Mobile Philippines, Inc. is a mobile telecommunication in the Philippines. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Digital Telecommunications Philippines, or Digitel owned by The JG Summit Group with a minority stake held by the TeliaSonera Group....
 is expected to start operations in the province soon.

There are three Internet Service Providers in the Province-Kawing Internet, Mozcom Puerto Princesa and Pal-Isla Globelines Broadband, PLDT My DSL and Smart Amazing Wireless Broadband are also available.

AM Radio stations

  • DYPR 765 kHz in Puerto Princesa, owned by Palawan Broadcasting Corporation
  • DWMR Radyo ng Bayan Palawan, owned by Philippine Broadcasting Service
  • DZRH Puerto Princesa DYPH 693 kHz, owned by Manila Broadcasting Company


FM Radio stations

  • DYUN 89.3 MHz in Aborlan, owned by State Polytechnic University of Palawan
  • 91.1 MHz in Puerto Princesa, owned by ZOE Broadcasting
  • 92.3 MHz in Puerto Princesa, owned by Interactive Broadcasting Media
  • 94.3 MHz Home Radio in Puerto Princesa, owned by Aliw Broadcasting
  • 95.9 MHz in Puerto Princesa, owned by Katigbak Enterprises
  • 95.9 MHz in Taytay, owned by Palawan Boradcasting Corporation
  • 97.5 MHz Campus Radio in Puerto Princesa, owned by Republic Broadcasting Systems (Radio GMA)
  • DYEZ 98.3 MHz in Puerto Princesa, owned by Manila Broadcasting Company
  • DWWA Radyo Cabayugan 98.5 MHz in Puerto Princesa, owned by Palawan Council for Sustainable Development
  • The Hit FM 99.1 in Puerto Princesa, owned by Rajah Broadcasting
  • DYPR IFM 99.9 MHz in Puerto Princesa, owned by Palawan Broadcasting Corporation
  • DWRZ Radyo Natin 100.5 MHz in Coron, owned by Manila Broadcasting Company
  • DWGA Radyo Inogbong 101.1 MHz in Bataraza, owned by Palawan Council for Sustainable Development
  • DWRO Radyo Natin 101.3 MHz in Roxas, owned by Manila Broadcasting Company
  • Bay Radio 103.1 MHz in Puerto Princesa, owned by Baycomms Broadcasting Corporation
  • Radyo Natin 103.3 MHz in Taytay, owned by Manila Broadcasting Company
  • DYMS 103.9 MHz in Puerto Princesa, owned by Romeo Servando (Rolin Broadcasting)
  • DWMI Radyo Natin 104.5 MHz in Brooke's Point, owned by Manila Broadcasting Company
  • 105.5 MHz in Puerto Princesa, owned by VTV


TV stations

  • DYPR -TV Channel 7, in Puerto Princesa, owned by Palawan Broadcasting Corporation (an affiliate of ABS-CBN)
  • NBN Channel 4 in Puerto Princesa, owned by National Broadcasting Network
  • GMA Channel 12 in Puerto Princesa


Cable Television Companies

  • Calamianes Cable Television, Inc.-Coron, Palawan
  • Culion CATV Services, Inc.-Culion, Palawan
  • Cuyo Cable TV Corporation-Cuyo, Palawan
  • Global Destiny Cable-Puerto Princesa
  • Palawan Cable Television Corporation-Puerto Princesa
  • Puerto Princesa CATV, Inc.-Puerto Princesa
  • Roxas Cable Television, Inc.-Roxas, Palawan
  • Taytay CATV Service-Taytay, Palawan
  • Treasure Cable Television, Inc.-Cuyo, Palawan
  • Vinta Cable Services-Brooke's Point, Palawan
  • Vinta Cable Services-Narra, Palawan


Print media

  • Bandillo ng Palawan (Environment and Development Weekly): Philippine Press Institute's Hall of Fame Awardee for Best in Science and Environmental Reporting
  • The Palawan Times by Luntian Publishing Inc., a weekly newspaper in Puerto Princesa
  • Palawan Sun
  • Palawan Mirror


Health facilities


There are nine provincial government hospitals, two national government hospitals, one military hospital and nine private hospitals in the province. The Ospital ng Palawan, managed and administered by the Department of Health (DOH), and the Palawan Adventist Hospital are located in Puerto Princesa. The Culion Sanitarium and General Hospital in Culion is also a DOH-run hospital.

Hospitals in Palawan


Medicare Hospitals
  • Aborlan Medicare Hospital
  • Quezon Medicare Hospital
  • Roxas Medicare Hospital

District Hospitals
  • Brooke’s Point District Hospital
  • Taytay District Hospital
  • Cuyo District Hospital
  • Coron District Hospital

Municipal Hospital
  • Narra Municipal Hospital
  • Dumaran Municipal Hospital

Rural Health Units with Lying-In
  • Rizal Rural Health Unit
  • Bataraza Rural Health Unit
  • San Vicente Rural Health Unit
  • Araceli Rural Health Unit
  • Linapacan Rural Health Unit
  • Busuanga Rural Health Unit
  • Cagayancillo Rural Health Unit

Private Hospitals
  • Palawan Adventist Hospital - San Pedro, Puerto Princesa
  • Sacred Heart Hospital - Narra
  • Manipol Hospital – Brooke’s Point
  • RTN Hospital – Rio-Tuba, Bataraza
  • Palawan Baptist Hospital – Roxas
  • Alfonso Birthing Home – Malvar St., Puerto Princesa
  • Leoncio General Hospital – Brooke’s Point
  • Sagrado Hospital – Brooke’s Point
  • Cooperative Hospital/Medical Mission Group - Burgos St., Puerto Princesa


Public services


Electricity

The National Power Corporation
National Power Corporation

The National Power Corporation , also known as the NPC or Napocor, is a state-owned company that serves as the largest provider and generator of electricity in the Philippines....
 has 14 electric facilities all over Palawan. It operates with a total of 51.363 megawatts of electricity. These electric facilities include:
  • Agutaya Power Plant
  • Araceli Power Plant
  • Balabac Power Plant
  • Cagayancillo Power Plant
  • Culion Power Plant
  • Cuyo Power Plant
  • El Nido Power Plant
  • Linapacan Power Plant
  • Delta P (IPP)
  • Puerto Princesa Power Plant
  • Roxas Power Plant
  • San Vicente Power Plant
  • Taytay Power Plant
  • NPC Modular Power Plant (Irawan)


Water facilities

Water facilities in Palawan are classified as Level I (deepwell, handpump), Level II (communal faucet), or Level III (house connection). Among all of these types, Level I has the most number of units, accounting to 17,438; this is followed by Level III, with 1,688 units; and Level II, with only 94 units.

Trivia

  • The Pearl of Lao Tzu
    Pearl of Lao Tzu

    The Pearl of Laozi is the largest known "pearl" in the world. It is not a gem quality pearl, but is instead what is known as a clam "pearl" or Tridacna "pearl" from a giant clam....
     is the world's largest. It was found by a diver off the Philippine island of Palawan in 1934.


External links