President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a bill that divides Palawan into three provinces.
Republic Act No. 11259 or the ‘Charter of the Provinces of Palawan’ creates Palawan Del Norte, Palawan Oriental and Palawan Del Sur.
But for the law to be enforced, Palawaeños would need to vote in a plebiscite on May 2020 whether divide Palawan into three through a plebiscite on May 2020.
World famous tourist destinations Coron, Culion, Busuanga, Linapacao, Taytay and El Nido will be part of Palawan Del Norte. Taytay was named the capital.
Palawan Oriental will be composed of its capital Roxas, Araceli, Dumaran, Cuyo, Agutaya, Magsaysay, Cagayancillo, and San Vicente.
Palawan Del Sur will be made of Aborlan, Narra, Quezon, Española, Brooke’s Point, Bataraza, Balabac and Kalayaan. Brooke’s Point will be the province’s capital.
Senator Sonny Angara who is also the main sponsor of the law says he is happy that the President approves the proposed law, he calls this move long overdue.
The Save Palawan Movement, a coalition of civil society organizations and individuals, thinks subdividing Palawan is only a ploy by local politicians to perpetuate themselves in power and gain more control over Palawan’s natural resources. This coalition of civil society organizations and concerned individuals all over the province views the move as an attempt by local politicians to “perpetuate” themselves in power and “get hold of Palawan’s vast natural resources.”
“There is no basis to support a simplistic assertion that creating smaller provinces will improve governance,” said environmental lawyer Grizelda Mayo Anda, one of the group’s convenors.
