Kalayaan, Palawan
Encyclopedia
Kalayaan is a 6th class municipality in the province of Palawan, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

. According to the latest census, it has a population of 114 people in 12 households.

Kalayaan is composed of only one barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...

, Pag-Asa
Thitu Island
Thitu Island , having an area of 37.2 hectares is the second largest Spratly Island and the largest of all Philippine-occupied Spratly Islands. It lies about west of Puerto Princesa City...

. This island has a 1.3 km airstrip that is used both by the military and civilians. It has a regulated civilian population of about 350, most of whom are fishermen. This civilian population is the result of Philippine government initial efforts to put civilians in the Kalayaan. Once a month, a Philippine Navy Ship goes to this island to drop supplies of goods. This island has a water-filtering plant, power generators, weather stations and a communication tower which is built by the Philippine-based SMART Telecommunications
Smart Communications
Smart Communications is a wholly owned mobile phone and Internet service subsidiary of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company .On June 30, 2010 the company reported that it had over 45 million cellular subscribers.-Brands:...

.

The municipal government of Kalayaan is making new projects to promote tourism for the island. Also, they had been successful in convincing many Filipino businessmen to invest in Kalayaan.

History

In 1946, Vice President Elpidio Quirino reiterated that the Southern Islands, the forerunner name for Kalayaan, as part of the Philippines.

In 1947, Tomas Cloma
Tomas Cloma
Tomás Cloma was a Filipino lawyer and businessman from the province of Bohol. Cloma was born in Panglao to Ciriaco Cloma, a Spanish settler, and Irena Arbolente, a native of Bohol....

, a Filipino adventurer and a fishing magnate, discovered a group of several uninhabited and unoccupied islands/islets in the vastness of the Luzon Sea also called the South China Sea.

On May 11, 1956, together with 40 men, Tomas Cloma
Tomas Cloma
Tomás Cloma was a Filipino lawyer and businessman from the province of Bohol. Cloma was born in Panglao to Ciriaco Cloma, a Spanish settler, and Irena Arbolente, a native of Bohol....

 and his brother Filemon took formal possession of the islands, lying some 380 miles west of the southern end of Palawan and named it “Free Territory of Freedomland."
Four days later on May 15, 1956, Cloma issued and posted copies of his “Notice to the Whole World” on each of the islands as a decisive manifestation of unwavering claim over the territory.

Then on May 31, 1956, Tomas Cloma declared the establishment of the Free Territory of Freedomland, ten days after he sent his second representation to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, informing the latter that the territ

On July 6, 1956, Cloma declared to the whole world his claim and the establishment of a separate government for the "Free Territory of Freedomland" with its capital on Flat Island (Patag Island). His declaration was met with violent and unfriendly reactions from several neighboring countries especially the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...

 (ROC; on Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

 since 1949) when on September 24, 1956 it effectively garrisoned the nearby island of Itu Aba
Taiping (island)
Itu Aba Island or Taiping Island , is the largest of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea and the only island with a freshwater supply. The island is elliptical in shape being 1.4 km in length and 0.4 km in width...

 and intercepted Cloma’s men and vessels found within its immediate waters. Unable to surmount the difficulties and pressure, he ceded his claim to the Philippines for one peso.

The Spratly Archipelago or the Spratlys is the international reference to the entire archipelago wherein the Kalayaan Chain of Islands is located. In so far as claims are concerned, the People's Republic of China (PRC), the Republic of China (ROC; on Taiwan) and Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...

 claim the entire archipelago. The Philippines essentially claims only the western section of the Spratlys, which is nearest to Palawan. Malaysia occupies five reefs. Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...

 claims only a reef in the southern part of the Spratlys which is still underwater. Unlike other claimants, Brunei does not maintain any military presence in the Spratlys.

The dispute exists because of the claims and counterclaims of countries around like the PRC which presently occupies eight (8) islets, the ROC which occupies only one (1) island which is the biggest in land area (approximately 42 hectares) and, Vietnam which occupies 25 islands which China had considered a vassal state and subject to Chinese sovereignty. Moreover, the display of active interest in the archipelago was triggered by Cloma’s declaration and subsequent assertion of the Philippines.

In March 1976, President Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...

 issued the Letter of Instruction (LOI) No.1-76 organizing the AFP Western Command
AFP Western Command
The Western Command, known officially as the WestCom, is one of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Wide Support Commands Combating Terrorism and Insurgency in the islands of Palawan and Kalayaan, including the disputed Spratlys Island group....

 based in Palawan in response to the heightening conflict of interest in the region and to abate any untoward incident.

To further the claim of the Philippines, on June 11, 1978 President Marcos, by virtue of Presidential Decree No.1596, formally annexed the Kalayaan Islands creating a distinct and separate Municipality known as “Kalayaan” under the political jurisdiction of the Province of Palawan, but under the custody of the Department of National Defense.

The nature by which the Municipality was created by-passed the normal procedures and requirements embodied in the Local Government Code. The Municipality therefore is a creation to facilitate its development and strengthen the Philippine claim.

The first ever recorded election in Kalayaan during the post Marcos dictatorship was on January 30, 1980 where Mr. Aloner M. Heraldo was elected as the first Municipal Mayor.

But the Municipality of Kalayaan was after the Marcos regime created “demilitarized” on January 18, 1988 and the first appointed Mayor was Alejandro Rodriguez who was subsequently replaced by his appointed Vice-mayor Gaudencio R. Avencena.

The first free election in Kalayaan was held on May 11, 1992 synchronized election, where mostly young Municipal officers under the leadership of Hon. Mayor Gil D. Policarpio served for nine years, equivalent to three (3) terms from 1992-2001.

A new administration assumed office on July 2, 2001 when Hon. Mayor Rosendo L. Mantes won the election on May 14, 2001.

Geography

The Municipality of Kalayaan is located in the western section of the Province of Palawan. It is composed of seven (7) islets and one (1) reef with aggregate land area of approximately 79 hectares. They are: a) Pag-asa, 32.7 has.; b) Likas, 18.6 has.; c) Parola, 12.7 has.; d) Lawak, 7.9 has.; e) Kota, 6.45 has.; f) Patag, 0.57 ha.; g) Panata, 0.44 ha.; h) Ayungin Reef, 0 ha; and I) Rizal Reef, 0 ha.

Pag-asa Island (Thitu Island) has the biggest area, which is 37.2 hectares. The airstrip in the island has an area of 5.6 hectares, running a length of approximately 1,260 meters

Next in terms of land area is Likas Island (West York Is). This island is located 47 miles northeast of Pag-asa and has an area of 18.6 hectares whose outcrops are visible on the southern and eastern portion of the island during low tides. This island is considered a sanctuary for giant sea turtles (pawikan) that lay their eggs on the island all year round.

The high salinity of the ground water in the island retards the growth of introduced trees like coconuts, ipil-ipil, and other types. Only those endemic to the area that are mostly beach type of plants thrive and survive the hot and humid condition especially during the dry season.

Smaller than Likas Island is the Parola Island (Northeast Cay), located 28 miles northwest of Pag-asa Island. Parola has a land area of approximately 12.7 hectares and is closer to the Vietnamese occupied Pugad island than to Pag-asa Island. Some of its outcrops are visible on its western side. It has high salinity groundwater and vegetation limited to beach type of plants.
The corals around the island were mostly destroyed by rampant use of dynamite fishing and cyanide method employed by foreign fishing boats in the past.

Kota Island (Loita Is) has a land area of 6.45 hectares and located 22 miles southeast of Pag-asa. It fringes the Laoita bank and reef. Its calcarenite outcrop is visible along its western side at low tide. The present shape of the island indicates sand buildup along its eastern side. The anchor-shaped side will eventually connect with the northern portion as the sand buildup continues thereby creating another mini-lagoon in the process.

The presence of migrating sea birds adds to the high phosphorus contents of the sand found in the island. Occasionally, giant sea turtles are reported to be laying their eggs in the island.

Panata Island (Lankiam Cay) is located 8 miles northeast of Kota Island. It has a surface area of 4,400 sq. meters (0.44 hectare). A few years ago this island has a surface area of more than 5 hectares but strong waves brought by a strong typhoon washed out the sandy surface (beach) of the island leaving behind today the calcarenite foundation that can be seen at low tide.

The Lawak Island (Nanshan Is) has a total land area of 7.93 hectares and located 98.0 miles east of Pag-asa. This island is the bird sanctuary of Kalayaan. Its surroundings are highly phosphatized that superphosphate materials can be mined out on a small-scale basis.

Near the fringes of the breakwaters (approx. 2 miles from the island), intact hard coral reefs were observed to retain their natural environment and beautiful tropical fishes were seen colonizing these coral beds of varying colors.

About 6 miles southwest of Lawak Island is Patag Island (Flat Is). It has a surface area of 5,740 sq. meters (0.574 hectare). Patag Island is an example of a cay. It changes its shape seasonally. The sand build up will depend largely on the direction of prevailing wind and waves. Presently, it takes the shape of an elongated one, three years ago it had a shape like that of a crescent moon, and years back it formed the shape of a letter “S”.

Like Panata Island, it is also barren of any vegetation. No underground water source is found in the island. Presently, this island serves only as a military observation post in Kalayaan.

Rizal (Commodore) Reef

Located nearest to Balabac. It is a typical reef lying underwater and is now being manned by a military contingent based and established in the area.

TOPOGRAPHY

The islets that comprise the Municipality are generally flat. The highest ground elevation is approximately two (2) meters above sea level.

See also

  • Spratly Islands
    Spratly Islands
    The Spratly Islands are a group of more than 750 reefs, islets, atolls, cays and islands in the South China Sea. The archipelago lies off the coasts of the Philippines and Malaysia , about one third of the way from there to southern Vietnam. They comprise less than four square kilometers of land...

  • Policies, activities and history of the Philippines in Spratly Islands
    Policies, activities and history of the Philippines in Spratly Islands
    -Overview:The Philippines, along with Vietnam, People's Republic of China, Republic of China , Malaysia and Brunei, is a claimant country in the disputed Spratly Islands group. Currently the Philippines is occupying nine features :As a comparison, Vietnam occupies six islands, seventeen reefs and...

  • Cagayan de Oro

External links

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