| Flag Size: | 120x80px | ||||||
| Seal Size: | 100x80px | ||||||
| Image Map1: |
| ||||||
| Pushpin Map: | Philippines | ||||||
| Pushpin Label Position: | top | ||||||
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the | ||||||
| Subdivision Type: | Country | ||||||
| Subdivision Name: | Philippines | ||||||
| Subdivision Type1: | Region | ||||||
| Subdivision Type2: | Province | ||||||
| Other Name: | Tagbariri | ||||||
| Subdivision Type3: | District | ||||||
| Established Title: | Founded | ||||||
| Established Date: | 1957 | ||||||
| Parts Type: | Barangays | ||||||
| Parts Style: | para | ||||||
| P1: | (see Barangays) | ||||||
| Leader Name: | Shuaib J. Astami | ||||||
| Leader Title1: | Vice Mayor | ||||||
| Leader Name1: | Al-Hazni A. Astami | ||||||
| Leader Name2: | Jose Alvarez | ||||||
| Leader Title3: | Municipal Council | ||||||
| Leader Title4: | Electorate | ||||||
| Leader Name4: | voters (electorate_point_in_time}}|) | ||||||
| Elevation Max M: | 1035 | ||||||
| Elevation Min M: | 0 | ||||||
| Population Density Km2: | auto | ||||||
| Population Blank1 Title: | Households | ||||||
| Timezone: | PST | ||||||
| Utc Offset: | +8 | ||||||
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code | ||||||
| Demographics Type1: | Economy | ||||||
| Demographics1 Title2: | Poverty incidence | ||||||
| Demographics1 Info2: | % | ||||||
| Demographics1 Title3: | Revenue | ||||||
| Demographics1 Title4: | Revenue rank | ||||||
| Demographics1 Title5: | Assets | ||||||
| Demographics1 Title6: | Assets rank | ||||||
| Demographics1 Title7: | IRA | ||||||
| Demographics1 Title8: | IRA rank | ||||||
| Demographics1 Title9: | Expenditure | ||||||
| Demographics1 Title10: | Liabilities | ||||||
| Demographics Type2: | Service provider | ||||||
| Demographics2 Title1: | Electricity | ||||||
| Demographics2 Title2: | Water | ||||||
| Demographics2 Title3: | Telecommunications | ||||||
| Demographics2 Title4: | Cable TV | ||||||
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | Native languages | ||||||
| Blank2 Name Sec1: | Crime index | ||||||
| Blank1 Name Sec2: | Major religions | ||||||
| Blank2 Name Sec2: | Feast date | ||||||
| Blank3 Name Sec2: | Catholic diocese | ||||||
| Blank4 Name Sec2: | Patron saint | ||||||
Balabac, officially the Municipality of Balabac (Tagalog: Bayan ng Balabac), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Palawan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 42,527 people.
Balabac was converted from a municipal district to a full municipality in 1957. Before that, it was a barrio of neighboring Bataraza.[1]
The Cape Melville Lighthouse, located on the island of Balabac, is one of the Philippines oldest lighthouses built in 1892[2] during the Spanish era and a major landmark of the town.
Not considering the disputed Spratly Islands, the municipality is the westernmost point in the Philippines. It is separated from Sabah by the Balabac Strait.
The municipality consists of some 36 islands,[3] 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 UNESCO World Heritage Site nomination in the future.
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.[4]
Balabac is politically subdivided into 20 barangays: Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Balabac has a tropical monsoon climate (Am) with moderate rainfall from February to May and heavy rainfall in the remaining months.
In the 2020 census, the population of Balabac was 42,527 people, with a density of NaNPD/km2NaNPD/km2.
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.[5] 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.[6] The coconut is especially important in Molbog culture as it is their most prized agricultural crop.[7]
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.