P A L A W A N
Capital: Puerto Princesa
Area: 14,896.3 sq. km.
Population: 528,287
Cities: Puerto Princesa
No. of Towns: 22
LOCATION
Palawan is situated in the Southwest part of the Philippine Islands chain. It is bounded on the north and west by the South China Sea and on the east by the Sulu Sea. Its southernmost tip points to the island of Borneo.
THE LAND
Palawan is the largest province in the Philippines. Stretching 650 km from tip to tip, it is composed of 1,780 islands and islets. Its three major island groups are: Calamian in the north, Dumaran-Cuyo in the northeast and Balabac-Bugsok in the south. The provincial limits are form Busuanga Island in the north, Cuyo Islands and Cagayan Islands in the east, Balabac in the south, and Spratly Islands in the west.
The main island of Palawan is 425 km. long. It has a width of 40 km at its widest at Brooke's Point, and eight and one-half km at its narrowest in Bahile, Puerto Princesa. Tall mountain ranges bisect the province into east and west coasts. The east coast has narrow beaches and a swampy shoreline, backed by plains and short valleys. The west coast is more rugged, with mountains rising up near the sea, and narrow lowlands. Coral reefs especially along the western and northwestern coasts make navigation very risky, but Palawan's 1,959 km irregular coastline affords excellent harbors.
The province has two climates. The west coast has a six-month dry season and a six-month wet season. The east coast has a short dry season of one to three months.
A BRIEF HISTORY
It is widely believed that Palawan was once a land bridge that connected Borneo and Mindoro. Malays from Borneo probably used this land bridge, and later the sea, to settle in Palawan. Before the Spaniards came, the inhabitants of Palawan had already attained a fair degree of civilization, with their own alphabet, a form of government, and relations with China and other Asian countries. There are several versions of the origin of the name. There is the Chinese word "Pa-Lao-Yu," meaning "Land of Beautiful Harbors"; the Indian word "Palaws," meaning territory; a plant the natives called Palwa; or the Spanish word paragua because the main island's shape resembles a closed umbrella. The Spanish first organized the northern island into a province known as Calamianes. The southern portion including Paragua (now Palawan mainland) was then part of the Sultanate of Borneo.
THE PEOPLE
The province has a cultural minority population of 93,691 that includes the Tagbanuas, Pala'wans, Batacs, Calamianes, Ken-Uys, Jama-Mapuns, Molbogs, Cagayanos, Agutayanos, and Tau't Batu. Palawan's ethnic diversity, is reflected in the number of languages and dialects spoken. About 40% speak native tongues: Cuyuno (by 25%), Pinalawan, Tagbanua, Cagayano, Agutayano, and Batak. The non-native tongues are Tagalog (by another 25%), Ilonggo, Cebuano, and Muslim dialects.
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
The economy is basically agricultural. The three major crops are palay, corn and coconut. Mineral resources include nickel, copper, manganese, and chromite. Logging is also a major industry. Palawan has one of the richest fishing grounds in the country. It also has 25,000 hectares of mangrove. About 45% of Manila's supply of fish comes from here. The province is also one of the main areas of oil exploration in the country.
M I N D A N A O
LAND
Mindanao's 102,000 square kilometers of land, comprising one-third of the Philippines' total land area, is blessed with abundant year-round rainfall and is sheltered in the country's only typhoon-free zone. These factors allow year-round production of a wide variety of crops.
ECONOMY
Mindanao, with agri-based and export-oriented economy, has for decades been home to many successful national and multinational agri-business firms. The agriculture, fishery and forestry sectors accounted for about 41% of total Mindanao output in 1995, with industry contributing 25% and services 34%. Between 1993 and 1995, exports grew at an average annual rate of 18% and during the same period, investment in the island increased at an average annual rate of 31%.
Mindanao leads the country in production and export of banana, pineapple, corn, coffee, coconut, durian, raw rubber, palm oil, cotton, cutflowers, seaweed and high-value tuna. It is also a major producer of livestock, mango and crabs. Additionally, Mindanao is rich in metallic mineral resources, including gold, nickel, zinc and manganese.
PEOPLE
With a population of over 16 million, Mindanao is home to a quarter of the Philippines' total population. The people of Mindanao are relatively young with two out of five people under 15 years old. Half of the population is of working age. Mindanao's labor force is well-educated, trainable, highly-skilled and conversant in English.
Demographic Data on Mindanao, 1997
Land Area (sq. km.): 11,102,000
Population: 16,200,000
Labor Force: 6,700,000
Employed: 6,100,000
Ave. Annual Growth Rates (%), Mindanao,1993-97
Population: 2.4
GRDP: 3.9
Family Income: 3.6
Investments: 31.0
Exports: 18.4
Bank Deposits: 22.6
Loans: 37.8
Energy Use: 31.0
Mindanao-Wide Investment Opportunities
• light manufacturing and industrial estate development
• tourism development
• telecommunications development
• high-value fruit and vegetable production and processing
• snack food manufacturing and food processing
• flour and starch milling
• seaweed farming and processing
• coconut coir processing
• activated carbon manufacturing
• power and water systems development and operation
• seaport and airport development and operation
• cane and wooden furniture manufacturing 