Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the Southern Tagalog region. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City and it is the largest province in terms of land area. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro to Borneo in the southwest. It lies between the South China Sea in the northwest and Sulu Sea in the southeast. The province is named after its largest island, Palawan Island.
People
Palawan is a melting pot of 87 different cultural groups and races. Basically Its culture bears a strong influence from Japan, China, India and the Middle East. Influx of migrants from other parts of the Philippines, particularly from Muslim Mindanao, accounts for the high population growth rate of 3.98% annually. Eighteen percent of the population is composed of cultural minority groups such as Central Tagbanua, Palawan (Palawano), Batak, Calamian Tagbanua, and Molbog.
Palawan is the Philippine's largest province in terms of total land area. It consists of the long and narrow Palawan Island, plus a number of other smaller islands surrounding the main island. The Calamian Group of Islands, to the northwest consists of Busuanga Island, Culion Island, and Coron Island. Durangan Island almost touches the westernmost part of Palawan Island, while Balabac Island is located off the southern tip, separated from Borneo by the Balabac Strait. In addition, Palawan covers the Cuyo Islands in the Sulu Sea. The disputed Spratly Islands, 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 2,000 kilometers 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 mountain ranges.
Over the years, Palawan has managed to preserve its captivating natural habitat and bountiful resources. Branded as the country’s last frontier, the province consists of 23 municipalities and a lonecity, Puerto Princesa. Out of this, 13 are considered as mainland municipalities, and these are; Aborlan, Narra, Quezon,Española, Brooke’s Point, Rizal, and Bataraza (located south), Puerto Princesa(positioned in the center), and San Vicente,Roxas, Dumaran, El Nido, and Taytay(found in the north). The remaining municipalities are island municipalities, and they are: Busuanga, Coron, Linapacan and Culion (forming the Calamanies group of islands), Cuyo, Agutaya and Magsaysay(the Cuyo group of islands), Araceli,Cagayancillo, Balabac and Kalayaan. The largest municipalities are situated in the central and northern mainland, and they are: Puerto Princesa (2,106 km²), Taytay(1,390 km²), and Roxas (1,220 km²). On the contrary, the smallest local government units are the island municipalities of Cagayancillo (15.40 km²), Magsaysay(27.70 km²) and Cuyo (57.30 km²). All 24 local government units have 431 barangays as of June 2002.
Palawan is the largest province in the Southern Tagalog Region in terms of area, and is one of the largest provinces in the country. It has a total land area of14,896 square kilometer (sqkm), which is distributed to its mainland municipalities,comprising 12,239 km², and the islandmunicipalities, which altogether measure 2,657 km². On the average, eachmunicipality has an area of 620 km². Onthe other hand, the island municipality ofCuyo (4,003 km²) ranks largest in terms of municipal waters. On the latter, the mainland municipality of Española has the smallest marine area with only 485 km².
Palawan was part of the Southern Tagalog Region (Region IV).
In 2001, the residents of Palawan rejected to be a part of the expanded Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao via a referendum conducted in the island of Mindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi group of island and Palawan.
By virtue Executive Order No. 103, dated May 17, 2002, which divided Region IV into 2 regions, Palawan was reorganized as part of MIMAROPA (Region IV-B).
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had Palawan transferred to Region VI (Western Visayas) on May 23, 2005 by virtue of Executive Order 429.[1] 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, Arroyo issued Administrative Order No. 129 on August 19, 2005 to address this backlash. This Order directed the abeyance of Executive Order 429. As of April, 2008, Palawan is still part of MIMAROPA.
Physical
Palawan is the Philippine's largest province in terms of total land area. It consists of the long and narrow Palawan Island, plus a number of other smaller islands surrounding the main island. The Calamian Group of Islands, to the northwest consists of Busuanga Island, Culion Island, and Coron Island. Durangan Island almost touches the westernmost part of Palawan Island, while Balabac Island is located off the southern tip, separated from Borneo by the Balabac Strait. In addition, Palawan covers the Cuyo Islands in the Sulu Sea. The disputed Spratly Islands, 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 2,000 kilometers 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 mountain ranges.
Land
Over the years, Palawan has managed to preserve its captivating natural habitat and bountiful resources. Branded as the country’s last frontier, the province consists of 23 municipalities and a lonecity, Puerto Princesa. Out of this, 13 are considered as mainland municipalities, and these are; Aborlan, Narra, Quezon,Española, Brooke’s Point, Rizal, and Bataraza (located south), Puerto Princesa(positioned in the center), and San Vicente,Roxas, Dumaran, El Nido, and Taytay(found in the north). The remaining municipalities are island municipalities, and they are: Busuanga, Coron, Linapacan and Culion (forming the Calamanies group of islands), Cuyo, Agutaya and Magsaysay(the Cuyo group of islands), Araceli,Cagayancillo, Balabac and Kalayaan. The largest municipalities are situated in the central and northern mainland, and they are: Puerto Princesa (2,106 km²), Taytay(1,390 km²), and Roxas (1,220 km²). On the contrary, the smallest local government units are the island municipalities of Cagayancillo (15.40 km²), Magsaysay(27.70 km²) and Cuyo (57.30 km²). All 24 local government units have 431 barangays as of June 2002.
Palawan is the largest province in the Southern Tagalog Region in terms of area, and is one of the largest provinces in the country. It has a total land area of14,896 square kilometer (sqkm), which is distributed to its mainland municipalities,comprising 12,239 km², and the islandmunicipalities, which altogether measure 2,657 km². On the average, eachmunicipality has an area of 620 km². Onthe other hand, the island municipality ofCuyo (4,003 km²) ranks largest in terms of municipal waters. On the latter, the mainland municipality of Española has the smallest marine area with only 485 km².
Region
Palawan was part of the Southern Tagalog Region (Region IV).
In 2001, the residents of Palawan rejected to be a part of the expanded Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao via a referendum conducted in the island of Mindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi group of island and Palawan.
By virtue Executive Order No. 103, dated May 17, 2002, which divided Region IV into 2 regions, Palawan was reorganized as part of MIMAROPA (Region IV-B).
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had Palawan transferred to Region VI (Western Visayas) on May 23, 2005 by virtue of Executive Order 429.[1] 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, Arroyo issued Administrative Order No. 129 on August 19, 2005 to address this backlash. This Order directed the abeyance of Executive Order 429. As of April, 2008, Palawan is still part of MIMAROPA.