Discover Palawan with us...
Palawan is the Philippines' most exotic
tourist destination with its deserted islands, limestone cliffs, coral reefs,
misty mountains and teeming wildlife. Palawan is known for its name as the
'Last Frontier'. It is an island paradise,
southwest of the Philippine Archipelago, amidst a cluster of over 1000 islets
blessed with a tropical climate all year round. Palawan is popularly known for
its white sand beaches, crystal-clear azure waters teeming with colorful marine
life. And also home of lofty mountains, rainforests, and the world's longest Underground
River.
"The entire province was proclaimed as Fish and Wildlife Sanctuary in 1967.And habitat of 232 endemic species. Some of these unique creatures are the metallic-colored peacock pheasant, the shy mouse deer, the cuddly bearcat, and the reclusive scaly anteeater. 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 1,500 flowering plants found here. Endangered sea turtles nest on white sand beaches, and the gentle dugong feeds on the sea grass that abounds in Palawan’s Waters. The presence of Palawan 323 species of wild life in Palawan, gained the province the title "HAVEN of the PHILIPPINE WILDLIFE.
The waters of Palawan are best for swimming, snorkeling, diving and fishing. In fact, Palawan is a diver’s paradise. Coral reefs, surrounding the island, stretch for miles and miles. The whole island is surrounded by beautiful coral gardens and reefs that abound with colorful marine life. Palawan sightseeing can be a wonderful experience. The whole province boasts of amazing scenic sights. Outstanding geographical features dot Palawan’s landscape. On the west coast, an array of limestone cliffs extends from Tabon Caves in the south all the way to Coron Reefs in the northern Calamines islands. Challenging peaks with mystical names like Matalingahanan, Cleopatra’s needle, and Capua’s attract dozens of climbers yearly. Palawan is home to several indigenous ethnolinguistic groups: the Tagbanua, Palaw'an, Tau't Bato, and the Bataks.
"The entire province was proclaimed as Fish and Wildlife Sanctuary in 1967.And habitat of 232 endemic species. Some of these unique creatures are the metallic-colored peacock pheasant, the shy mouse deer, the cuddly bearcat, and the reclusive scaly anteeater. 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 1,500 flowering plants found here. Endangered sea turtles nest on white sand beaches, and the gentle dugong feeds on the sea grass that abounds in Palawan’s Waters. The presence of Palawan 323 species of wild life in Palawan, gained the province the title "HAVEN of the PHILIPPINE WILDLIFE.
The waters of Palawan are best for swimming, snorkeling, diving and fishing. In fact, Palawan is a diver’s paradise. Coral reefs, surrounding the island, stretch for miles and miles. The whole island is surrounded by beautiful coral gardens and reefs that abound with colorful marine life. Palawan sightseeing can be a wonderful experience. The whole province boasts of amazing scenic sights. Outstanding geographical features dot Palawan’s landscape. On the west coast, an array of limestone cliffs extends from Tabon Caves in the south all the way to Coron Reefs in the northern Calamines islands. Challenging peaks with mystical names like Matalingahanan, Cleopatra’s needle, and Capua’s attract dozens of climbers yearly. Palawan is home to several indigenous ethnolinguistic groups: the Tagbanua, Palaw'an, Tau't Bato, and the Bataks.
HISTORY
Historians say Palawan started with the Tabon Man. The Tabon tribe started living in the area of what is now Quezon, Palawan some 22,000 years back. An interesting Palawan basic info is that the tribe came all the way from Borneo. They were cave dwellers. Their habitat is said to be where Philippine civilization started. Tourists should never miss the Tabon caves when considering what to see in Palawan. Interesting Tabon tools and artifacts can be seen there. Other tribes who lived there, according to other Palawan basic info, are the Bataks, Tagbanuas and the Palawanos. Palawan natives had their first contact with the outside world in 928 AD when they traded with Chinese visitors.
PEOPLE, LANGUAGE AND RELIGION
Indigenous People Palawan is home to several ethno linguistic groups: the Tagbanua, Pala'wan, Tau't Bato and the Bataks. They live in remote villages in the mountains and coastal areas. Their ancestors are believed to have occupied the province long before Malays settlers from the Madjapahit Empire of Indonesia arrived in these islands in the latter 12th or 13th centuries.
In 1962, a team of anthropologists from the National Museum led by Dr. Robert Fox unearthed fossils at Lipuun Point (now known as the Tabon Cave complex) that were classified as those of Homo sapiens and believed to be 22,000 to 24,000 years old. The recovery of the Tabon Man and other significant findings in the area gave rise to Palawan's image as the Cradle of the Philippine Civilization.
Research has shown that the Tagbanua and Pala'wan are possible descendants of the Tabon Caves inhabitants. Their language and alphabet, practice of kaingin and common belief in soul-relatives are some of their cultural similarities.
Tagbanua tribes are found in the central and northern Palawan. They practice shifting cultivation of upland rice, which is considered a divine gift, and are known for their rice wine ritual called Pagdiwata. The cult of the dead is the key to the religious system of the Tagbanua, who also believes in countless deities found in the natural environment.
The Pala'wan belongs to the large Manobo-based linguistic groups of
the southern Philippines. Their original homes were located in the interior
regions of South Apuruan on the west coast and south of Abo-Abo on the
east coast.
The Batak, which means "mountain people" in Cuyuno, lives in the rugged interiors of northeastern Palawan. Living close to nature, they are peaceful and shy people. The Batak believe in nature spirits, with whom they communicate through a babaylan or medium.
The Tau't Bato or "people of the rock" is a sub-group of the Pala'wan tribe living in Singnapan Valley in southern Palawan. They stay inside caves during the rainy season and come out to engage in kaingin farming during the dry season. The tribe is familiar with certain concepts of the market system such as wage, labor and money.
Native-born Palawenos include the Cuyunons, Agutaynons, and Molbogs. Originally from the island town of Cuyo in northern Palawan, Cuyunons are considered an elite class. They are religious, disciplined and have a highly-developed community spirit. The Agutaynons practice a simpler island lifestyle, with fishing and farming as their main source of livelihood. The Molbogs, the original inhabitants of the southernmost island group of Balabac, derive their name from the word "malubog" which means turbid water. Among Palawenos, the Molbogs are the ones most exposed to Islamic culture.
The Batak, which means "mountain people" in Cuyuno, lives in the rugged interiors of northeastern Palawan. Living close to nature, they are peaceful and shy people. The Batak believe in nature spirits, with whom they communicate through a babaylan or medium.
The Tau't Bato or "people of the rock" is a sub-group of the Pala'wan tribe living in Singnapan Valley in southern Palawan. They stay inside caves during the rainy season and come out to engage in kaingin farming during the dry season. The tribe is familiar with certain concepts of the market system such as wage, labor and money.
Native-born Palawenos include the Cuyunons, Agutaynons, and Molbogs. Originally from the island town of Cuyo in northern Palawan, Cuyunons are considered an elite class. They are religious, disciplined and have a highly-developed community spirit. The Agutaynons practice a simpler island lifestyle, with fishing and farming as their main source of livelihood. The Molbogs, the original inhabitants of the southernmost island group of Balabac, derive their name from the word "malubog" which means turbid water. Among Palawenos, the Molbogs are the ones most exposed to Islamic culture.
GEOGRAPHY
In 2007 the National Geographic Traveler magazine said Palawan was the best place to see in the East, particularly in Southeast Asia. This Palawan basic info said the province island is the 13th among the best islands in the world. What to see in Palawan that made the National Geographic cite it as among the best tourist destinations in the world can be seen in this summary: it said that Palawan has unbelievably beautiful natural landscapes and seascapes with a Biosphere Reserve ranking since the 1990s.
Different rock examples in the continental northeastern part of Palawan include mudstones and clastic rocks. These types of rocks can be seen on the road leading to the southeastern coast of Puerto Princesa all the way to Malampaya. These rocks formed the shelf on the southeastern part of China before drifting to the open sea.
Around the Malampaya area up to El Nido, visitors can find marine limestones. Based on the composition of these sedimentary rocks, it is widely believed that they had formed a portion of a prism on the southeastern portion of mainland China when that part of the country was part of an Andean plate margin. The limestones and cherts were cut off from a plate that drifted to China. Some of the limestones in the area are also classified as olitostromal or they had been created in shallow water but drifted to deeper water due to submarine shifting.
These limestone variations formed as reef formations on the continent crust that floated away from China. Aside from that, these are the limestones that harbored most of the gas and oil deposit that is being harvested offshore. The limestones in El Nido are two hundred fifty to three hundred years old. They are the same age as the limestones that can be found in China and Vietnam.
The rocks that can be found in the central part of Palawan and the northern part of Palawan are granite rocks that are thirteen to fifteen million years old based on monazite and zircon study. Basaltic rocks in Taytay are a good indication of magma activity in the area. It is a part of what has been widely recognized as South China sea magma activity that had severely affected different areas around the sea. Hydrothermal occurrence and mineralization in Puerto Princesa is another good indicator of magma activity. But surprisingly, the province rarely experience tremors due to movement of magma compared to the different parts of Philippines. So the next time that you are in Palawan, you are now more familiar with the different rock formations that you can see in the province. Knowing the origins of Palawan will allow you to appreciate the experience more and you are not simply a visitor who knows nothing of the province.
PRODUCTS
Much has been said about Palawan as the country’s last ecological frontier and as a premier tourist destination in the Philippines.
As a paradise in harmony with agro-industrial growth, Palawan has rich potentials and resources in agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, minerals and forestry.
The array of locally available indigenous raw materials, utilization of non-traditional forest products, development of human resources and skills and the employment of local talents continue to inspire and provide the small medium enterprises opportunities to manufacture and offer market-distinctive products and services with competitive advantage.
Craftsmanship and ingenuity, resourcefulness and creativity are the marks of Palawan products, resplendent of the province’s rich cultural heritage and ancestry.
Much has been said about Palawan as the country’s last ecological frontier and as a premier tourist destination in the Philippines.
As a paradise in harmony with agro-industrial growth, Palawan has rich potentials and resources in agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, minerals and forestry.
The array of locally available indigenous raw materials, utilization of non-traditional forest products, development of human resources and skills and the employment of local talents continue to inspire and provide the small medium enterprises opportunities to manufacture and offer market-distinctive products and services with competitive advantage.
Craftsmanship and ingenuity, resourcefulness and creativity are the marks of Palawan products, resplendent of the province’s rich cultural heritage and ancestry.
