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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. Sea Tensions Deepen With China's Rise June 7, 2012
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.
There are two official versions about the actual origin of the name. The first is that place was originally named Port of the Princess (spanish language: Puerto de la Princesa) 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 (spanish language: Puerto de Asunción), 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.
Soon after, Fr. Antonio Muro levelled a portion of the hill to make way for a chapel (that section is now occupied by the Roman Catholic Cathedral, the P.C. Barracks and the Rizal Park, the Old Municipal Building used to be there, as well as an Elementary School). 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.
In the year 1936, Governor Heginio Mendoza made a directive on the transfer of the Palawan High School (currently Palawan National School) from the island municipality of Cuyo to the central place of the province, which was the Municipality of Puerto Princesa.
During the Pacific War 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. (2025). 9780786418220, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. ISBN 9780786418220
In 1955, the 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.
On the morning of January 24, 2011, broadcast journalist and former politician Gerry Ortega was at an "ukay-ukay" (used clothing) thrift store in Puerto Princesa when he was murdered by a gunman.
These barangays are grouped into two . Currently, there are 35 barangays of which are classified as urban barangays. Municipality/City: PUERTO PRINCESA CITY (Capital) , National Statistical Coordination Board.
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 Tagbanwa people, Palawanos, Molbogs and Bataks, each group with its distinct culture and system of beliefs.
Total inhabitants number 307,079 (as of 2020), 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 language, Cuyonon language is widely spoken and used throughout the whole city, as well as Hiligaynon, other Visayan languages, and English.
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.
Although Puerto Princesa has this bold plan for electric vehicles, the municipal government and tourist office has stated (when asked by a tourist in August 2011), 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.
The following are the current city officials of Puerto Princesa:
/ref> 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 . Each barangay consists of and some have sitios.
Climate
Puerto Princesa features a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen climate classification Aw). 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 37.0C for the first time in history.
Demographics
In the 2020 census, the population of Puerto Princesa was 307,079 people, with a density of .
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.
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 City, Davao City, Iloilo City, 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 (or PUVs/public utility vehicles). 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" (which does not emit any noise or carbon monoxide) 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.
Healthcare
Hospitals in the city include:
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 (SK) Federation representative, an Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) representative and Indigenous People's Mandatory Representative (IPMR). Each official is elected publicly to a three-year terms.
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 (PPCATV)
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
Notes
See also
External links
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