Balabac, officially the Municipality of Balabac (Tagalog: Bayan ng Balabac), is a municipality in the province of Palawan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 42,527 people.[5]
The Cape Melville Lighthouse, located on the island of Balabac, is one of the Philippines oldest lighthouses built in 1892[7] during the Spanish era and a major landmark of the town.
The municipality consists of some 36 islands,[8] 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 UNESCOWorld 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
The municipality of Balabac is composed of a group of 36 major and minor islands, notable of which are the following:
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.[9]
Barangays
Balabac is politically subdivided into 20 barangays: Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
In the 2020 census, the population of Balabac was 42,527 people,[16] with a density of 73 inhabitants per square kilometre or 190 inhabitants per square mile.
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.[25] 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.[26] The coconut is especially important in Molbog culture as it is their most prized agricultural crop.[27]
Transportation
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
Balabac District Hospital is situated in Barangay Catagupan
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