Balabac, Palawan
Balabac
بالابچ | |
|---|---|
| Municipality of Balabac | |
 Benlen Sandbar | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Map of Palawan with Balabac highlighted | |
OpenStreetMap  | |
.svg?lang=en)  Balabac Location within the Philippines | |
| Coordinates: 7°59′10″N 117°03′54″E / 7.986°N 117.065°E | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Mimaropa |
| Province | Palawan |
| District | 2nd district |
| Founded | 1957 |
| Barangays | 20 (see Barangays) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Sangguniang Bayan |
| • Mayor | Shuaib J. Astami |
| • Vice Mayor | Al-Hazni A. Astami |
| • Representative | Jose Alvarez |
| • Municipal Council | Members |
| • Electorate | 23,800 voters (2025) |
| Area | |
• Total | 581.60 km2 (224.56 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 4.0 m (13.1 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 1,035 m (3,396 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2024 census)[3] | |
• Total | 42,662 |
| • Density | 73.353/km2 (189.98/sq mi) |
| • Households | 9,267 |
| Economy | |
| • Income class | 2nd municipal income class |
| • Poverty incidence | 14.21 |
| • Revenue | ₱ 326 million (2022) |
| • Assets | ₱ 589.4 million (2022) |
| • Expenditure | ₱ 231.3 million (2022) |
| • Liabilities | ₱ 154 million (2022) |
| Service provider | |
| • Electricity | Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| ZIP code | 5307 |
| PSGC | |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)48 |
| Native languages | Bonggi Molbog Kagayanen Sabah Malay Sama Tagalog |
Balabac, officially the Municipality of Balabac (Malay: ڤربندرن بالابچ, romanized: Perbandaran Balabac; Tagalog: Bayan ng Balabac), is a municipality in the province of Palawan, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 42,662 people.[5]
Etymology
[edit]Former names
[edit]The natives used to call the town Molbog, derived from the name of their tribe. Another name was Balabag which meant "cross-wise". This name was derived from the geographical position of the main island. Balabag eventually came to be known as Balabac, the present name.[6]
History
[edit]Islamic era
[edit]Balabac used to be one of the many territories of the Sultanate of Brunei before it was taken by the Sultanate of Sulu when it tried to secede from the influence of Brunei after the Spanish arrival in the Philippines.[7]
Spanish era
[edit]
According to a report on April 1753, the Spaniards claimed that by this point, Sulu had 'usurped' Brunei's domains in Palawan and Balabac. They arrested the Sultan of Sulu for his "faithlessness", and attempted to restore friendly relations with the Sultan of Brunei, before informing the King of Spain that Palawan and Balabac were now part of his domains. They proceeded to arrive on Balabac and Palawan accompanied by Kapampangan mercenaries from Luzon. During this era, Balabac was used as a defensive point by the Spaniards due to its proximity with the Sulu Sea, and became useful for waging war against the pirates of Sulu, Tidung and Kamukons.[7][8] In another report in July of the same year during another expedition, the Spaniards reported that the inhabitants of Balabac had no king and were hostile to anyone, and that the climate was so bad that 116 men, which composed of half of the expeditionary force had died with 200 sick, and that much of the complimentary information told about Palawan's beauty were false.[7]
During the early part of Spanish rule, Balabac were composed of barangays under the rule of datus. However, in the later part of their rule, each district was ruled by panglimas (military leader), which were essentially barrio lieutenants. The highest official in the town was the gobernadorcillo. These times were often not peaceful due to frequent pirate raids coming from Sulu, Tidung and Brunei.[6][7]
In September 23, 1836, a treaty was signed between Spain and Sulu, and in Article I of this treaty, it was made clear that Balabac and Cagayan de Sulu (now Mapun) were part of the Sulu Archipelago.[7]
In 1878, Balabac, Palawan and other neighboring islands were ruled by the Moro Datu Harun ar-Rashid, who was a distant relative of the Sultan of Sulu after being entrusted by the Spaniards with this area as a result of the 1878 Agreement.[7]
In 1885, the Madrid Protocol was signed between the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain. In this treaty, both the United Kingdom and Germany recognized Spain's sovereignty over Balabac and Cagayan de Sulu.[7]
Cape Melville Lighthouse
[edit]The Cape Melville Lighthouse, located on the island of Balabac, is one of the Philippines oldest lighthouses built in 1892[9] during the Spanish era and a major landmark of the town.
Revolutionary era
[edit]During the Philippine Revolution in 1898, after Emilio Aguinaldo became the President of the newly formed Revolutionary Government of the Philippines, there was a time of uncertainty. As Balabac was still under Spanish control, the Moros took it to themselves and began killing priests, nuns, and officers of the Spanish constabulary and were dropped in a well. The Melville Lighthouse were then destroyed by Moro bands led by a Christian named Diego.[6]
American era
[edit]During this period, Balabac became a port of entry and a branch of the Bureau of Customs was established. In 1907, Balabac was converted into a municipal district, electing its first ever municipal president. It was in this same year that a school was also established. During the American period there were clashes between the Philippine Constabulary and the civilians.[6]
World War II
[edit]In 1942, the Imperial Japanese Army occupied Balabac, using vacated private buildings school buildings and emergency hospitals as their barracks and quarters. At first they were good to the people, opening schools and teaching Nihongo. They also organized the Kalibapi and the Neighborhood Association to keep things under control. But in the later part of the war, things became unpleasant as guerrilla activity in the island increased. The Bolo Battalion of the guerrilla army was formed against the Japanese.[6]
American forces began bombing Japanese transports inside the bay. When the Imperial Japanese Army finally left by 1945, they left some of their equipment in the town. Forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy then arrived on Balabac using a motorboat, only to be killed by forces of the Bolo Battalion.[6]
Post-war independence
[edit]Balabac was converted from a municipal district to a full municipality in 1957. Before that, it was a barrio of neighboring Bataraza.[10]
Geography
[edit]Not considering the disputed Spratly Islands, the municipality is the westernmost point in the Philippines. It is separated from Sabah by the Balabac Strait.
The municipality consists of some 36 islands,[11] including the eponymous Balabac Island. The islands are notable for their uncommon indigenous plant and animal species, such as the nocturnal Philippine mouse-deer (or Pilandok). The islands are also home to dugongs, saltwater crocodiles, sawfishes, and sea turtles. Due to its biodiversity, the terrestrial and marine ecosystems of the Balabac archipelago are currently being pushed by scholars to be included in the tentative list of the Philippines for a possible UNESCO World Heritage Site nomination in the future.
The Balabac Great Reef located in the town of Balabac is geographically the westernmost point of the Philippines.
Islands
[edit]The municipality of Balabac is composed of a group of 36 major and minor islands, notable of which are the following:
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Shoals and sandbars
[edit]The municipality of Balabac is composed of various islands located at the Balabac Strait. The strait is known for its shallow waters due to the presence of shoals and numerous sandbars. Balabac has the third and fourth longest sandbars in the Philippines. The third longest is Queen Helen Sandbar at the southern tip of Bugsuk and the fourth is the Angela Sandbar east of Mansalangan.[12]
Barangays
[edit]Balabac is politically subdivided into 20 barangays: Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Climate
[edit]Balabac has a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Am), bordering upon a tropical rainforest climate (Af), with moderate rainfall from February to May and heavy rainfall in the remaining months.
| Climate data for Balabac | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28.9 (84.0) |
29.3 (84.7) |
29.8 (85.6) |
30.6 (87.1) |
30.9 (87.6) |
30.5 (86.9) |
30.1 (86.2) |
30.3 (86.5) |
29.2 (84.6) |
29.7 (85.5) |
29.5 (85.1) |
29.1 (84.4) |
29.8 (85.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 25.3 (77.5) |
25.5 (77.9) |
25.9 (78.6) |
26.5 (79.7) |
26.9 (80.4) |
26.6 (79.9) |
26.2 (79.2) |
26.3 (79.3) |
25.2 (77.4) |
26.0 (78.8) |
25.8 (78.4) |
25.6 (78.1) |
26.0 (78.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 21.7 (71.1) |
21.7 (71.1) |
22.0 (71.6) |
22.5 (72.5) |
23.0 (73.4) |
22.7 (72.9) |
22.3 (72.1) |
22.3 (72.1) |
21.3 (70.3) |
22.3 (72.1) |
22.2 (72.0) |
22.1 (71.8) |
22.2 (71.9) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 181 (7.1) |
71 (2.8) |
80 (3.1) |
59 (2.3) |
121 (4.8) |
145 (5.7) |
140 (5.5) |
146 (5.7) |
155 (6.1) |
184 (7.2) |
260 (10.2) |
324 (12.8) |
1,866 (73.3) |
| Source: Climate-Data.org[13] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
[edit]
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| Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[14][15][16][17][18] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In the 2024 census, the population of Balabac was 42,662 people,[19] with a density of 73 inhabitants per square kilometre or 190 inhabitants per square mile.
The original inhabitants were the Molbog people who were the majority, then the Bonggi people who were closely related, then there were also Tausug and Sama immigrants, who were all mentioned as Muslims,[20] there were also Christian Cuyonon, Kagayanen, and Tagalog settlers.
Religion
[edit].png?lang=en)
As of 2024, based on the religion adhered to by the Balabac population, the majority were Islam (86.3%), followed by Christianity (13.4%), and others (0.3%). Islam is almost entirely practiced by the Moro peoples, such as the Molbog who are indigenous, then the Bonggi, Tausug, and Sama peoples, and some Palawano.[20] Meanwhile, Christianity is mostly practiced by Cuyonon, Kagayanen, Tagalog, and some Palawano settlers.
Languages
[edit]The languages spoken in Balabac are very diverse. Sabah Malay, a Malay-based creole, has primarily been used as a lingua franca for the Muslim population in the region since the time of the Sultanates of Sulu and Brunei, alongside the Tausug language.[21] Continuing into the Spanish colonial era, the migration of people from Luzon, especially Tagalog,[22] also made the language used here, even though it is a non-Tagalog speaking area, with its influence not being very visible among the population, but then it became more and more developed.[23]
Other languages spoken include Molbog language, as the indigenous language of the Molbog Muslims, related to the Bonggi language, which is spoken in their southern islands and the northern coast of Sabah.[24] In addition, there are also Kagayanen people who migrated here and speak their language,[25] Palawano and Sama-Bajau are also used by significant minority speakers. This linguistic diversity is also accompanied by the fact that most of the Balabac population is multilingual, due to its complex history of diversity.[20]
Economy
[edit]Poverty incidence of Balabac
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
2000
62.48 2003
65.08 2006
52.40 2009
44.24 2012
38.07 2015
50.43 2018
29.74 2021
14.21 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] |
Culture
[edit]The Molbog people dominate the municipality of Balabac, as well as the municipality of Bataraza in the north. The area is the homeland of the Molbog people since the classical era prior to Spanish colonization. The Molbog are known to have a strong connection with the natural world, especially with the sacred pilandok (Philippine mouse-deer), which can only be found in the Balabac islands. An indigenous folktale tells the story of a naughty Philippine mouse-deer that tricked a prince into giving up his bag of gold while facing a hive of angry bees.[34] Another tale depicts him as a clever guardian of the environment, using his wisdom as an advantage against those who destroy forests, seas, and wildlife.[35] The coconut is especially important in Molbog culture as it is their most prized agricultural crop.[36]
Transportation
[edit]Balabac mainland is a three-hour boat trip from Bataraza on the island of Palawan; Bataraza in turn can be reached from Palawan's capital city Puerto Princesa.
An old airstrip located on the island of Bugsuk serves no commercial flights. Another private airstrip is located on the island of Ramos.
Healthcare
[edit]- Balabac District Hospital is situated in Barangay Catagupan
Education
[edit]The Balabac Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.[37]
Primary and elementary schools
[edit]- Agutayan Elementary School
- Balabac Central School
- Bancalaan Elementary School
- Banglos Elementary School
- Bual Ramos Elementary School
- Caguisan Annex Elementary School
- Caguisan Elementary School
- Calogcog Elementary School
- Catagupan Elementary school
- Dumaga Elementary School
- Indalawan Elementary School
- Kambangtule Elementary School
- Lagdong Elementary School
- Lindagong Elementary School
- Look Dahu Elementary School
- Lumbucan Elementary School
- Madarcos Elementary School
- Malaking Ilog Elementary School
- Malinsuno Elementary School
- Mangsee Elementary School
- Matangule Elementary School
- Marabon Elementary School
- Maria Hangin Elementary School
- Melville Elementary School
- Paliisan Elementary School
- Pampecs Elementary School (Bugsuk Elementary School)
- Panaan Elementary School
- Pasig Elementary School
- Rabor Elementary School
- Segumay Elementary School
- Sibaring Elementary School
- Singcab Elementary School
- Tabodniayo Elementary School
- Timbayan Elementary School
- Turong Elementary School
Secondary schools
[edit]- Agutayan National High School
- Balabac National High School
- Bancalaan National High School
- Bugsuk National High School
- Catagupan High School
- Malaking Ilog National High School
- Mangsee National High School
- Ramos National High School
- Salang National High School
- Sibaring National High School
References
[edit]- ^ Municipality of Balabac | (DILG)
- ^ "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
- ^ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ^ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "NLP Digital Collection HD01.p36.cmd4 .cmd1". nlpdl.nlp.gov.ph. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
- ^ a b c d e f g Saleeby (1870–1935), Najeeb Mitry. "The History of Sulu". www.gutenberg.org. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ lakbaypinas (2024-09-24). "Explore Balabac Island Palawan 2024 | Complete Travel Guide". Retrieved 2025-09-04.
- ^ "ANC". ABS-CBN News.
- ^ "R.A. No. 2022, An Act Converting the Municipal District of Balabac, Province of Palawan, into a Regular Municipality". LawPH.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-10. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
- ^ "At the tip of the last frontier | Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on 2015-04-17.
- ^ Malicdem, Ervin (12 July 2017). "10 Longest Sandbars of the Philippines". Schadow1 Expeditions. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
- ^ "Climate: Balabac". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ^ Census of Population (2015). "Region IV-B (Mimaropa)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
- ^ Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region IV-B (Mimaropa)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
- ^ Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region IV-B (Mimaropa)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
- ^ "Province of". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- ^ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ^ a b c Tsuji, Takashi (27 November 2021). Cultural History of Indigenous Muslim in Palawan (PDF) (Thesis). The College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Southeastern Philippines. Davao: The 1st International Conference on Arts and Sciences (ICAS). Retrieved 23 September 2025.
- ^ Hoogervorst, Tom G. (2011). "Some introductory notes on the development and characteristics of Sabah Malay". Wacana: Journal of the Humanities of Indonesia. 13 (1): 50–77. doi:10.17510/wjhi.v13i1.9.
- ^ Rodao, Florentino (1997). "Spanish language in the Philippines: 1900–1940". Philippine Studies. 12. 45 (1): 94–107. ISSN 0031-7837. OCLC 612174151. Archived from the original on September 6, 2012.
- ^ Gonzalez, Andrew (1998). "The Language Planning Situation in the Philippines" (PDF). Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. 19 (5, 6): 487–488. doi:10.1080/01434639808666365. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 22, 2006.
- ^ Lobel, J.W. (2016). North Borneo Sourcebook: Vocabularies and Functors. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. pp. 1–273. ISBN 978-0-8248-5782-0.
- ^ "Bishop hits 'harassment' of Palawan islanders over resort dispute". Interaksyon. CBCP News. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
- ^ "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
- ^ "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
- ^ "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
- ^ "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
- ^ "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
- ^ "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ^ "Tales of Laughter - Pilandok and the Sumusong-sa-Alongan". folklore.philsites.net. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2019-02-09.
- ^ "Pilandok Series by Virgilio S. Almario". www.goodreads.com.
- ^ "National Commission for Culture and the Arts - A Filipino people with a strong sense of nationhood and deep respect for cultural diversity". National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
- ^ "Masterlist of Schools" (PDF). Department of Education. January 15, 2021. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
External links
[edit]
- Balabac Profile at PhilAtlas.com
- Philippine Standard Geographic Code
- Philippine Census Information
- Local Governance Performance Management System
Places adjacent to Balabac, Palawan | ||||||||||||||||
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 Province of Palawan | |
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Puerto Princesa (capital and largest city) | |
| Municipalities | |
| Highly urbanized city |
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| International | |
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| National | |
