Puerto Princesa


Puerto Princesa, officially the City of Puerto Princesa, is a highly urbanized city in the Mimaropa region of the Philippines. According to the, it has a population of people.
It is a city located in the western Philippine province of Palawan and is the westernmost city in the Philippines. Though the seat of government and capital of the province, the city itself is one of 38 independent cities within the Philippines not controlled by the province in which it is geographically located and is therefore an independent area located within Palawan for its geographical and statistical purposes by the Philippine Statistics Authority. It is the largest city in the province of Palawan and the Mimaropa region.
It is the least densely populated city in the Philippines with. In terms of land area, the city is the second largest geographically after Davao City with an area of. Puerto Princesa is the location of the Philippines' Western Command headquarters.
Today, Puerto Princesa is a tourist city with many beach resorts and seafood restaurants. It has been acclaimed several times as the cleanest and greenest city in the Philippines.
WWW puertoprincesa.ph

Etymology

The name Puerto Princesa has several possible origins. It is said to have been attributed by locals to a princess-like maiden who roams the place on certain nights of the year, while other accounts attribute its geographical advantage as a seaport which is a naturally protected area due to its surrounding mountains, and is characterized by a depth able to accommodate any size of shipping vessel.
There are two official versions about the actual origin of the name. The first is that place was originally named Port of the Princess after Infanta Eulalia, one of the princesses born to Isabella II of Spain and her consort, Francis, Duke of Cádiz Another version, however, states that the place was originally named Port Asuncion, allegedly named after another daughter of Isabella II and the Duke of Cadiz. In this version, the princess suffered an untimely death, which prompted the Queen to change the name to Puerto de la Princesa, and was eventually shortened to Puerto Princesa. However, this second version is likely to be incorrect, as Isabella and Francis did not have a daughter named Asunción.

History

Spanish period

Spanish colonists founded the settlement on March 4, 1872, in the course of their exploration of the province. As they scanned the Palawan shoreline for a capital site, they came upon a hill with steep declivity. Rowing to shore, they surveyed the hill and discovered an extensive plateau which they decided as ideal for settlement.
Soon after, Fr. Antonio Muro levelled a portion of the hill to make way for a chapel. The first mass celebrated in Puerto Princesa took place at a site where a marker now stands.
In May 1872, the Port of Puerto Princesa became the center of Spanish naval operations in the area because the Bay met all the navy's requirements. Royal decrees later provided incentives to settlers, and by 1883 the settlement had flourished into a town of twelve roads, a hospital and well-built port.
In 1894, Puerto Princesa was recognized by government authorities as one of the most beautiful towns in the country by virtue of the orderly distribution of streets, buildings and houses as well as the cleanliness of the community.

American period and World War II

In 1911, the New American Administration made Puerto Princesa the seat of the Palawan Provincial Government with Major John Brown as Lieutenant Governor.
In the year 1936, Governor Heginio Mendoza made a directive on the transfer of the Palawan High School from the island municipality of Cuyo to the central place of the province, which was the Municipality of Puerto Princesa.
During the Pacific campaign of World War II and the Japanese occupation, the village was largely abandoned. On May 18, 1942, Japanese troops landed and occupied Puerto Princesa City.
The Filipino Constabulary barracks was the scene of the Palawan Massacre, just before liberation with the allied Invasion of Palawan.

Post-World War II

In 1951, the barrios of Tinitian, Caramay, Rizal, Del Pilar, Malcampo, Tumarbong, Taradungan, Ilian, and Capayas were separated to form the town of Roxas.
In 1955, the sitios of Materingen, Tandayag, Nasedoc, and Panlawagan were separated from the barrio of Maroyogon and elevated into a barrio.
In 1956, the sitios of Calagbenguen, Tarabanan, Bendoyan, Talabigan, Tagbuan, and Langogan were constituted into the barrio of Concepcion.
In 1957, the barrio of Tapul was renamed to Salvacion.

Cityhood

The town was converted into a city on January 1, 1970, under Republic Act 5906 as amended by P.D. 437, through the effort of then Congressman Ramon Mitra, Jr. Feliberto R. Oliveros, Jr., who then became the first City Mayor. In 1987, the port of Puerto Princesa was put under the administration of the Philippine Ports Authority, expanding the city's importance nationally and advancing its infrastructure.

Highly urbanized city

On March 26, 2007, through Proclamation No. 1264, the city of Puerto Princesa was converted into a highly urbanized city. A plebiscite was held on July 21, 2007, where majority of residents voted in its favor. In 2011, the President launched a nationwide campaign for the inclusion of Puerto Princesa's underground river into the New Seven Wonders of Nature. This campaign came into fruition when the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, the city's top heritage site, was recognized internationally as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature in 2012.

Contemporary

In May 2001, Abu Sayyaf gunmen entered the luxury Dos Palmas Resort in Honda Bay just off the coast of Puerto Princesa and kidnapped 20 people from the resort, including four resort staff and three Americans.
On the morning of January 24, 2011, broadcast journalist and former politician Gerry Ortega was at an "ukay-ukay" thrift store in Puerto Princesa when he was murdered by a gunman. After a brief chase, police apprehended the alleged shooter, Marlon Recamata, who confessed to the crime at the Puerto Princesa Police Office and implicated three other persons. In 2015, former Palawan governor Mario Joel Reyes was arrested in Thailand after being charged by the city court in connection with the crime. Various courts went back and forth in ordering the arrest or non-arrest of Reyes, with him being released from jail in 2018 upon orders of the Court of Appeals but ultimately ordered rearrested in 2023, with him surrendering to the National Bureau of Investigation in Metro Manila in September 2024.

Geography

Puerto Princesa is located in the mid-section of Palawan Island. It is bound to the east by the Sulu Sea, to the west by the South China Sea, to the north by the municipalities of San Vicente and Roxas, and to the south by the municipality of Aborlan. It is approximately from the Philippine capital of Manila, from Panay and from Zamboanga City on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao.

Barangays

Puerto Princesa is politically subdivided into 66 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
These barangays are grouped into two districts. Currently, there are 35 barangays of which are classified as urban barangays.
  • Babuyan 2,472
  • Bacungan 4,555
  • Bagong Bayan 827
  • Bagong Pag-Asa 750
  • Bagong Sikat 7,497
  • Bagong Silang 5,296
  • Bahile 2,339
  • Bancao-bancao 13,612
  • Barangay ng mga Mangingisda 5,350
  • Binduyan 1,293
  • Buenavista 1,212
  • Cabayugan 3,368
  • Concepcion 1,418
  • Inagawan 1,623
  • Inagawan Sub-Colony 4,052
  • Irawan 6,142
  • Iwahig 4,527
  • Kalipay 725
  • Kamuning 1,978
  • Langogan 2,067
  • Liwanag 1,202
  • Lucbuan 1,401
  • Luzviminda 3,473
  • Mabuhay 206
  • Macarascas 1,609
  • Magkakaibigan 375
  • Maligaya 311
  • Manalo 2,143
  • Mandaragat 9,210
  • Manggahan 644
  • Maningning 791
  • Maoyon 1,281
  • Marufinas 609
  • Maruyogon 1,450
  • Masigla 609
  • Masikap 958
  • Masipag 1,971
  • Matahimik 1,228
  • Matiyaga 413
  • Maunlad 3,865
  • Milagrosa 3,100
  • Model 327
  • Montible 362
  • Napsan 1,797
  • New Panggangan 629
  • Pagkakaisa 1,131
  • Princesa 1,015
  • Salvacion 1,197
  • San Jose 17,521
  • San Manuel 12,510
  • San Miguel 19,649
  • San Pedro 22,089
  • San Rafael 1,836
  • Santa Cruz 840
  • Santa Lourdes 5,171
  • Santa Lucia 147
  • Santa Monica 20,094
  • San Isidro 312
  • Sicsican 15,861
  • Simpocan 1,272
  • Tagabinet 1,170
  • Tagburos 7,045
  • Tagumpay 465
  • Tanabag 700
  • Tanglaw 1,739
  • Tiniguiban 12,285

Climate

Puerto Princesa features a tropical wet and dry climate. It is usually wet from May to December, with very little rain from January to April. Average temperature is while the annual average rainfall is per year. It is warm and humid all year round.
On 23 April 2025 the town reached for the first time in history.

Demographics

In the 2024 census, the population of Puerto Princesa was 316,384 people, with a density of.
Waves of migrants from other Philippine provinces, and even other countries, have turned Puerto Princesa into a melting pot of various cultures. Among the original inhabitants are the Cuyonons who have a rich legacy of folklore and traditions. Indigenous groups include the Tagbanwas, Palawanos, Molbogs and Bataks, each group with its distinct culture and system of beliefs.
Total inhabitants number 307,079, of which three-quarter of the population resides in the city proper, an urban settlement on the shores of Puerto Princesa Bay. Although the predominant language is Tagalog, Cuyonon is widely spoken and used throughout the whole city, as well as Hiligaynon, other Visayan languages, and English.

Economy

Puerto Princesa is known as the "Eco-Tourism Center of the Philippines". In recent years, the city has seen an increase in the number of tourists bringing with them trade and businesses for the city. Many hotels ranging from basic to five-star luxury accommodations have been developed since the 1990s to cater to a growing number of foreign and local tourists in the city.
There are also a number of restaurants, bars and shopping malls, including the Robinsons Place Palawan, NCCC Mall Palawan, Unitop Mall Puerto Princesa, as well as the recently opened SM City Puerto Princesa.
Some tourists who come to Puerto Princesa visit the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, one of the New7Wonders of Nature, located north of the city. The city is also the jump-off point for exploring the Tubbataha Reef.

Transportation

Air

The Puerto Princesa International Airport is within the city proper. Puerto Princesa is accessible by direct flights to and from the major cities of the Philippines, such as Manila, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, and Clark, as well as other parts of Palawan, such as Cuyo, Busuanga, San Vicente, and El Nido.

Sea

The city is served by domestic passenger ferries to Cuyo, Manila, Coron and Iloilo at the Port of Puerto Princesa.

Land

The main modes of transport are via tricycles, jeepneys and vans-for-hire. Taxis started operating since April 2015, plying through the city center and nearby tourist destinations. Provincial buses and jeepneys operate from the San Jose terminal located north of the city center off the National Highway.

E-tricycle

Then-Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn unveiled the environment friendly and economical electric-powered "Trikebayan" at the Kapihan sa Sulo forum, Sulo Hotel, Quezon City. The Trikebayan costs only or $1.20 per day to operate, while a gasoline-powered tricycle operation would cost. Rolly Concepcion, who conceptualized the Trikebayan, said that converting a tricycle engine to electric costs. The rechargeable battery under the passenger seat can run for 12 hours. There was a dealership for these trikes on the north highway but it closed down in 2011.
Although Puerto Princesa has this bold plan for electric vehicles, the municipal government and tourist office has stated, that it has no published or announced plan for providing for the current and future needs and safety of pedestrians or bicycle riders. Spaces for walking and bicycling from one place to another are not being considered.

Healthcare

Hospitals in the city include:
  • MMG-PPC Cooperative Hospital
  • Ospital ng Palawan
  • Palawan Adventist Hospital
  • Palawan Medical City
  • Palawan Medical Plaza
  • Palawan Doctors Diagnostics & Multi-Speciality Center
  • ACE Medical Center

Government

Elected and appointed public officials have governed Puerto Princesa, with a strong mayor-council government. The city political government is composed of the mayor, vice mayor, ten councilors, one Sangguniang Kabataan Federation representative, an Association of Barangay Captains representative and Indigenous People's Mandatory Representative. Each official is elected publicly to a three-year terms.
The following are the current city officials of Puerto Princesa:
  • House of Representatives Congressman: Gil A. Acosta Jr.
  • Mayor: Lucilo R. Bayron
  • Vice Mayor: Peter Q. Maristela
  • City Council Members:
  • *Matthew K. Mendoza
  • *Luis M. Marcaida III
  • *Victor S. Oliveros
  • *Modesto V. Rodriguez
  • *Elgin Robert L. Damasco
  • *Gerry C. Abad
  • *Patrick Alex M. Hagedorn
  • *Epitacio D. Lao Jr.
  • *Eleuterius L. Edualino
  • *Herbert S. Dilig
  • *Francisco R. Gabuco
  • *Johnmart M. Salunday
  • *Karl Dylan Aquino

Media

Television networks

All of the major television broadcasting channels' regional offices are located in the city. ABS-CBN Corporation expanded its network in Palawan by establishing ABS-CBN Palawan, which operates ABS-CBN channel 7 Puerto Princesa, ABS-CBN Sports and Action Palawan DYAP-AM and MOR! Local shows such as TV Patrol Palawan are broadcast throughout the region via ABS-CBN Regional, which is also stationed in the city. Bandera News Philippines's airs shows via channel 40 Local Shows Such as Alerto 38, GMA Network's channel 12 and GMA News TV channel 27 are also available.

Cable and satellite TV

The city's cable and satellite TV companies include Puerto Princesa Cable Television

Radio stations

Puerto Princesa has a number of FM and AM radio stations, some of which operate 24 hours daily.

Twin towns and sister cities

Local

International

Notable personalities

Notable organizations