Getting to know Puerto Princesa

Geography

The City of Puerto Princesa is located 306 nautical miles southwest of Manila, 205 nautical miles from Panay and about 250 nautical miles from Zamboanga. It is bounded on the North by the Municipality of San Vicente and Roxas and on the the South by the Municipality of Aborlan. Its western side faces the South China Sea while in its eastern coast lays the Sulu Sea

Puerto Princesa City has a total land area of 253,982 hectares making it the largest City in the country.

The City is comprised of 35 urban barangays and 31 rural barangays. The total area of the urban barangays is 14,716 hectares or only 5.7941% of the total land area of the City. The largest land area of the City is comprised of the rural barangays with a total land area 239,266 hectares or 94.2059% of the total land area of the City.


History

Legend attributes the name “Puerto Princesa” to a princess-like maiden who in the early days is said to have roamed around the place on certain nights of the year. On the other hand, practical people attribute the name to the geographical advantages of the place as a seaport – naturally protected the whole year round and endowed with a depth that can accommodate any size of shipping – a royal heaven for vessels or a virtual princess of ports as thus indicated by Spanish Colonizers on the country’s map.

Historically, the place was named after Princess Eulalia of Spain, born in 1864 to Queen Isabel II and her consort, Dr. Francisco de Asis. When the princess suffered an untimely death, the Queen changed the name to Puerto de la Princesa. Eventually, the name was reduced to Puerto Princesa as it is known today.

Spanish Colonizers 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. (That section is now occupied by the 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 became the center of Spanish Naval Operations in the area because the few natives were peaceful and the Bay met all the Navy’s requirements. Royal Decrees later provided incentives to settlers, such that by 1883 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 1911, the New American Administration made Puerto Princesa the seat of the Palawan Provincial Government with Major John Brown as Lieutenant Governor.

The town was converted into a city on January 1, 1970 under R.A. 5906 as amended by P.D. 437, through the effort of then Congressman Ramon V. Mitra, Jr. Feliberto R. Oliveros, Jr. became the first City Mayor.

Since its foundation, Puerto Princesa has been the nerve center of activities in Palawan. Aside from being the seat of public administration, it is the heart of trade, commerce, service, and industry in the province.

Today, under the leadership of Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn, the City has gained the distinction of being a model city – in cleanliness, environmental protection and conservation, and local governance in general.

And so, with a responsive leadership and an inspired citizenry, the tradition of Puerto Princesa being a beautiful and clean city lives on.


Natural Environment

Ecotourism is the buzzword of today’s world travelers. And ecotourism is definitely Puerto Princesa City’s distinct advantage over the rest.

Nature has thus chosen for Puerto Princesa the road to economic development. And coupled with such an auspicious reputation as the “Last Frontier” in this part of the globe that has already attracted the world’s travel planners to include it in the itinerary of trans-ocean luxury vessels, ecotourism is undoubtedly the key to the city’s sustainable development.

It is in this context that the city government have decided to request the conversion of the 1,072-hectare Industrial and Commercial Zone at Brgy. Sta. Lucia into an Environmental Estate. The Estate will be an eco-tourism park and environmental center of the Philippines. It will serve both as a catalyst for economic growth and a vehicle for preserving the environment. It will also become an institution in conservation and the world’s fountain of biological knowledge in the future.


Climate

Rainfall

The City has two prevailing type of climate. The type that prevails in the west coast has two distinct seasons: six months dry (November-April), and six months wet (May-October) with the heaviest recorded rainfall in September, While the lowest or driest month occurs in February. Western barangays of the City (New Panggangan, Marufinas, Cabayugan, Tagabinit, Buenavista, Bahile, Macarascas, Simpocan, Bagong Bayan, and Napsan) fall within this type. The type prevailing in the east coast has short dry season with varying heavy rainfall months. Dry months have been recorded during the months of January to April. Recorded rainiest month is September.

Temperature

Temperature is one of the three most important factors in climate as far as plant growth is concerned. The other two factors are moisture and light. Temperature influences every chemical and physical process connected with plants such as solubility of minerals; absorption of water, gases, etc.; synthesis; growth and reproduction. In the animal world, atmospheric temperatures have profound effect in the reproductive as well as productive efficiency of livestock, like milk production in dairy farming.

The City has a uniform high temperature. However, there is no marked difference in temperature between areas falling under the first and second type of climate. Generally the warmest months are March, April and May, the coolest are November, December, January, and February.

Humidity

The City has more or less uniform as well as high relative humidity. The range is from 79 to 86 percent with an annual mean of 84 percent. Fluctuations in relative humidity affect the rate of evaporation in such a way that if other factors like moisture content of the soil and its temperature and the temperature of the air were momentarily held constant, a lower relative humidity tends to enhance vaporization, while in an extreme case, atmosphere approaches 100 percent, evaporation may cease and condensation induced.

Wind

The City has two distinct prevailing winds, the northeast (NE) monsoon and the southwest (SW) monsoon. The northeast monsoon generally sets in October and continues until April. The monsoon blows mainly between north and northeast with a tendency towards an easterly direction at the end of the season. It has a velocity ranging from 15 to 25 kilometers per hour at its height and an average of 6 kilometers per hour. Rain clouds during the NE monsoon practically lose all the moisture before reaching the southwest part of the archipelago, thus the City and the province as a whole receive no rainfall towards the end of the northeast monsoon (January-April).

The southwest (SW) monsoon or the summer monsoon follows the NE monsoon after a transition period of variable winds and calms. The SW monsoon prevails from June to October. It blows most steadily during July and August although not as steady as the NE monsoon, reaching a maximum velocity of about 35 kilometers per hour. In October or during the close of the SW monsoon, strong winds occur in the southern part of the city. The southwest winds bring torrential rains but with uneven distribution.

The NE and SW monsoons affect the eastern and western part of the City. When these winds blow, the seas are very rough. The calm months of the year are from April through June on both the eastern and western side of the City.


Getting to Puerto Princesa

By Air
From/To Manila
Air travel from Manila to Puerto Princesa takes less than an hour and is available daily via Air Philippines, Cebu Pacific, and Philippine Airlines.

From/To Busuanga/El Nido
South East Asian Airlines flies to Puerto Princesa from Manila two to three times a week, oftentimes via Busuanga, Cuyo, and El Nido

From/To Cebu
Cebu Pacific operates flights from Cebu to Puerto Princesa, four times a week.

By Sea
From/To Manila
It takes 18 to 22 hours from Manila on board the Superferry and Negros Navigation. Superferry calls on Puerto Princesa once a week.

From/To Coron
It takes approximately 10 hours from Coron to Puerto Princesa on board Superferry.

From/To Cuyo/Iloilo/Cebu
Travel on board via Montenegro Shipping once a week

Onwards Travel Arrangements
Your lodge, resort, or travel agent will be glad to help you arrange onward travel arrangements.

Getting Around
When traveling within Puerto Princesa proper and on short trips to the suburbs, tricycles can be easily available at a minimal fare or on hire basis. Multicabs and jeepneys move around the city on specified routes. Travel to the outskirts and outlying villages can be jeepney or mini-bus.

Car rental service by air conditioned vans can be availed when traveling to most tourist destinations in the city. Bigger tour groups may arrange for coaster or bus service through a travel agency or a tourist transport operator. Sea transport to islands and coastal beaches in the city is usually by a motorized outrigger boat.

International Connections


Maps