PALAWAN

Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. 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, measuring 450 kilometers long, and 50 kilometers wide.Palawan is composed of the long and narrow Palawan Island, plus a number of other smaller islands surrounding the main island. The Calamianes 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 chain of mountain ranges. The mountain heights average 3,500 feet in altitude, with the highest peak rising to 2,086 meters 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.

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

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, 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. The native-born Palaweños still predominate the populace. Eighteen percent is composed of cultural minority groups such as the Tagbanua, Palawano, Batak, and Molbog.

Language/Dialect

There are 52 dialects in the province, with Tagalog being spoken by 28 percent of the people. Other major dialects are Cuyonon (26.27 percent), Palawano (11.08 percent), and Ilonggo (9.6 percent). English 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 and Bataraza. Members of the Church of the Foursquare Gospel in the Philippines, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the Mormons or LDS) are present on Palawan, as well as the Seventh-day Adventists, Iglesia ni Cristo, Jesus Miracle Crusade, Jesus Touch Fellowship, and other Christian denominations. There are also Buddhists - mainly Vietnamese refugees who settled in Palawan, as well as some ethnic Chinese Buddhists. 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, Western Philippines University 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.