Palawan

northeast and Balabac-Bugsok in Before the Spaniards came, the The People
the south. inhabitants of Palawan had
already attained a fair degree of
The province has a cultural
Province The main island of Palawan is
425 km long. It has a width of 40
civilization. They had their own
alphabet, a form of government, minority population that includes
and had relations with China and the Tagbanuas, Palawans,
is situated in the southwest part kilometers at its widest, and eight Batacs, Calamianes, Ken-Uys,
of the Philippine Islands chain. It and one-half kilometers at its other Asian countries.
Jama-Mapuns, Molbogs,
is bounded on the north and west narrowest. Cagayanos, Agutayanos, and Tau
by the South China Sea and on There are several versions of the t Batu.
the east by the Sulu Sea. Its Tall mountain ranges bisect the origin of the name. There is the
southernmost tip faces the island province into east and west Chinese word "Pa-Lao-Yu"
of Borneo. meaning "land of Beautiful The Tagbanuas are scattered in
coasts. the north. They are into basket-
Harbors"; the Indian word
BRIEF PROFILE "Palaws", meaning territory; a weaving and wood-carving.
The east coast has narrow
Capital: Puerto Princesa plant the natives called Palwar;
Land Area: 14,649.7 km
beaches backed by plains and The Palawans occupy the
and the Spanish word "Paragua"
Population: 771,667 (2010) short valleys. southern highlands.
because of the main islands
Cities: Puerto Princesa shape resembling a closed
Munacipalities: 23 The west coast is more rugged umbrella. The Batacs are of Negrito
Barangays: 433 with mountains and narrow descent.
1st and 2nd lowlands. Coral reefs along the
Districts: districts In 1818, it was known as the
of Palawan
western and northwestern coasts
province of Calamianes with its The Calamianes or Kalamians
Tagalog, make navigation very risky.
capital in Taytay. are native to the Calamian
Cuyonon,
Hiligaynon, islands.
The province has two distinct
Tausug, In 1859, it was divided into two
Batak, climates.The west coast has
sub-provinces, Castilla and The Ken-Uys, the "vanishing
Tagbanwa approximately 6 months of dry
Languages: Asturias. At the turn of the tribe" of Palawan, live in the
(Aborlan, season and 6 months of wet
Calamian, century, Palawan was again mountains in the south.
season.The east coast has a short
Central), divided into three districts:
Palawano, dry season of one to three
Calamian, Paragua and Balabac. The Molborgs live in Balabac
Kagayen, months.
Bikol, English Island.
In 1902, the Americans
A Brief History established the province of Taut Batu, "people of the rock",
The Land Paragua, with Cuyo as its capital. are cave dwellers who hunt bats
Palawan is the largest province in Palawan was said to be a land- and birds.
the Philippines. Its three major bridge that connected Borneo and In 1905, the name was changed
island groups are: Calamain in Mindoro. to Palawan and the capital moved Palawans ethnic diversity, is
the north, Dumaran-Cuyo in the to Puerto Princesa. reflected in the number of
languages and dialects spoken.
Native dialects spoken are
Cuyuno, Pinalawan, Tagbanua,
Cagayano, Agutayano and Batak.
The non-native tongues are
Tagalog , Ilonggo, Cebuano and
Muslim dialects.
Palawan literature
Much of Tagbanua religious
beliefs and rituals are based on
time-honored ancestral myths
and stories which explain the
origin of their world, and
represent a primeval, greater,
and more relevant reality, by
which the present life, fates, and
activities of [humankind] are
determined (Fox 1982:151).
Thus, the existence of the spirit
world
finds its explanation in myths,
such as the origin of the salakap,
who used to be on friendly terms
with the Tagbanua.
Kudaman is an epic of
Palawan. It is dramatization of
nature and social life, a
validation of the beliefs, ethics,
way of life to Palawan culture.
The complete epic is composed
of six songs. It takes seven nights
to perform the epic. The first
night is used to introduce the
epic; each of the six songs takes
a night to perform. The hero
Kudaman appears after the
introductory chant.
Commerce and
Industry
Agriculture is the main industry
in the province. The three major
crops grown are rice, corn and
coconut.
Mineral resources mined include
nickel, copper, manganese and
chromite.
Logging is also a major industry.
Palawan has one of the richest
fishing grounds in the country.
About 45% of Manilas fish
supply come from the province.
Oil drilling and exploration is
also done in the province.
Getting There and
Away
Busuanga Island. Animals
Daily flights from Manila to
Puerto Princesa are available.
Flights from Cebu are also
available.
Other Information
Palawan offers a variety of
natural, historical, and
archaeological attractions.
St. Paul Subterranean National References:
Park has an underground river
within the rugged limestone. At http://www.islandsproperti
the mouth of the river is a es.com/places/palawan.ht
beautiful lagoon with crystal- m
clear water teeming with fish.
www.google.com
The Tabon Caves are the oldest
known habitation site in
Southeast Asia. The 29 caves, of
which 17 have been excavated,
have yielded the oldest-known
Filipino skull, a 2000 year old
jar, and other artifacts and
fossilized human bones.
El Nido, also known as the
"Swallows Nest", is an
unspoiled world of secluded
islands nesting in the South
China Sea. Its cliffs are made of
black marble rising thousands of
feet above the jade-green waters.
Calauit National Park is a 4000-
hectare island at northwest tip of
imported from Kenya, such as
giraffes, zebras, impalas and
gazelles have been brought into
the park.
Tubbataha Reef, in the middle of
the Sulu Sea, is said to be the
most beautiful dive site in this
part of the world. Seagulls and
sea turtles are in abundance in
the reef.
Rombl treasure.

Existing in relative
on the north by the
province of
Marinduque, on the
speak a variety of
Visayan dialects,
notably a mixture of

on
isolation from the rest south by Panay Island, Cebuano, Hiligaynon,
of Luzon, Romblon on the east by Aklanon, and other
retains much of its Masbate, and on the minor tongues.
Spanish legacy and its west by Mindoro. From Tagalog is widely
natural attractions are Manila, it is about 187 understood, and
largely unexplored. nautical miles or 169 English stands as the
Lining the shores of air miles. Largely medium of
the provinces three mountainous and communication in
major islands rugged in terrain, the business and trade.
Romblon, Sibuyan, islands of Romblon are
and Tablas are some volcanic in origin. The POLITICAL
of the best, most highest peak is 2,057 SUBDIVISION
unspoiled beaches in meters above sea Romblon has 17
this part of the level. municipalities, which
country. Ringed by are further subdivided
palm-fringed white CLIMATE into 213 barangays.
sand, these beaches The climate in The main island of
boast a wealth and Romblon is Romblon comprises
variety of marine life characterized by the municipalities of
offshore. Inland, there seasons that are not Romblon, Banton,
are a number of very pronounced. Concepcion, Corcuera,
waterfalls and an November to April is San Jose; Tablas
inland salt lake. relatively dry and the Island comprises
rest of the year is wet. Alcantara, Calatrava,
Romblon GEOGRAPHY Ferrol, Looc, Sta. Fe,
Located almost at the POPULATION San Agustin, San
BRIEF center of the Philippine According to the Andres, Odiongan,
DESCRIPTION archipelago, the National Statistics Sta. Maria; Sibuyan
province of Romblon Office, population as of Island comprises
Recognized as Marble lies in the Sibuyan May 2000 was Cajidiocan,
Country of the Sea. It is composed of 264,357, with an Magdiwang, San
Philippines, Romblon is three islands: Romblon annual growth rate of Fernando.
famed for its rich (main island), Tablas 1.67 percent.
marble deposits. Island, and Sibuyan
Marble, however, is Island. It has a total LANGUAGE/DIALEC
not the provinces only land area of 135,690 T
hectares. It is bounded The people of Romblon FAMOUS WRITERS
 The Winds Stories. 1989
of April University
Nstor Vicente (1941) of the Selected
Madali Gonzlez Philippines Stories.
(September 8, A Season of Press, 1997 Denver,
1915 November Grace Colorado:
28, 1999) was a (1956) The Bread Alan
Filipino novelist, of Salt and Swallow,
short story writer, The Other 1964
essayist and poet. Bamboo Stories.
Conferred as the Dancers Seattle: Look,
National Artist of (1988) University Stranger, on
the Philippines for of this Island
Literature in 1997. The Land Washington Now.
And The Press, 1993; Manila:
He was born on 8 Rain University Benipayo,
September 1915 of the 1963
in Romblon, The Philippines
Philippines. Happiest Press, 1993 Children of
Works Boy in The the Ash-
World Mindoro Covered
The works of and Loam and
Gonzalez have been Short fiction Beyond: Other
Twenty-one Stories.
published in Filipino, Stories. Manila:
English, Chinese, "The Quezon Benipayo,
German, Russian and Tomato City: 1954;
Game".199 University
Indonesian. Bookmark
2 of the Filipino
Philippines Literary
A Grammar Press, 1981; Classic,
of Dreams New Day, 1992
Novels and Other
 Seven Hills Filipino Life
Away. and Letters
Denver, and
Colorado: Kalutang: A
Alan Filipino in
Swallow, the World),
1947 University
of the
Essays Philippines
Press, 1996
A Novel of
Justice:
Selected
Essays
19681994.
Manila: Jose Y. Dalisay Jr.
National (born January 15,
Commission 1954) is a Filipino
for Culture writer. He has won
and the Arts numerous awards
and Anvil and prizes for
(popular fiction, poetry,
edition), drama, non-fiction
1996 and screenwriting,
including 16
Work on the Palanca Awards.
Mountain
(Includes Early life and
The Father education
and the
Maid, Dalisay was born in
Essays on Romblon in 1954. He
completed his of Michigan in 1988
primary education at and a PhD in English of the Timog/Mac
Philippines" Malicsi,
La Salle Green Hills, from the University
(a combined TNT, 1997
Philippines in 1966 of Wisconsin US edition),
and his secondary Milwaukee in 1991 2011 Bayot si Bryan
education at the as a Fulbright More than twenty
Philippine Science scholar. La Soeur de
produced
Soledad,"
High School in 1970. screenplays,
(French
He dropped out of edition), including
college to work as a 2013
Notable works
newspaper reporter. Tayong
He also wrote scripts Pangit si Bryan Dalawa,
Novels
1994
mostly for Lino
Madilim ang
Brocka, the National Killing Time
Gabi sa Miguelito,
Artist of the in a Warm
Laot at Iba 1995
Place, 1992
Philippines for Pang Mga
Theater and Film. Dula ng Saranggola,
Soledad's Ligaw na 1999
Dalisay returned to Sister, 2008 Pag-Ibig,
school and earned his 1993 besong gamay
B.A. English "Soledad:
Rocamboles Pagsabog
(Imaginative Writing) co Romanzo The Best of
degree, cum laude ng Barfly, 1997
Filippino" Liwanag/Ani
from the University (Italian nag, Anino,
edition), The Lavas:
of the Philippines in 1996
2009 A Filipino
1984. He later Family,
received an M.F.A. Ang 1999
"In Flight: Butihing
from the University Two Novels Babae ng
 Man Bookkeeper (as editor)
Overboard, ", 2009 Kasaysayan
2005 : The Story
"The Voices of the
"Power from of the Filipino
the Deep: Mountain: People,
The The People 1998
Malampaya of Mt. Apo
Story", Speak", The Filipino
2005 2009 Flag, 2004

"Unleashing "Decade of "Selected

the Power of Reform, Stories,"
Steam: The Decade of 2005
PNOC-EDC Innovation:
Story", The GSIS Journeys
2006 Under PGM with Light:
Winston The Vision
"Portraits of Garcia, of Jaime
a Tangled 2001 Zobel, 2005
Relationship 2010", 2010
: The "Pinoy
Philippines "Builder of Septych and
and the Bridges: Other
United The Rudy Poems,"
States" Cuenca UST
(with Jose Story," Publishing
Ma. Cario 2010 House,
et al.), 2008 2011
Otin dako
"Wash: Only
a