Rio Tuba is one of the populated barangay

Barangay

A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...

s in the Municipality of Bataraza in the Province of Palawan

Palawan

Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region or Region 4. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the...

 in the 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...

. It is about 236 kilometers from Puerto Princesa City, the provincial capital. The town of Bataraza can be reached by bus, jeepney, or shuttle van which departs daily from the city. Bataraza is about 6 hours drive from Puerto Princesa City.

Name

The name "Rio" is a Spanish term which means river. However "Tuba" is a local plant which was used by the natives a poisons to fishes during their local festivities.

History

The barangay was founded by Mr. Anselmo dela Chica in the early 1920's, also the community's first captain. Then in 1968, a small group of geologist and engineers came and found out the vast nickel deposit. Then a year or two followed the foundation of the RTNMC (Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation).

Government

The barangay is ruled by an elected Bgy. Captain. He/She is assisted by several Bgy. Councilors.

List of Rio Tuba Bgy. Captains

• Anselmo dela Chica
• Severino dela Chica
• Hji. Abdulhamid Usman
• Hji. Aittok Abdurasid
• Hji. Ayob Acob
• Rodolfo Consolacion
• Ernesto Llacuna
• Engr. Antonio Sadongdong
• Gomer Miano
• Engr. Rufil Jayag
• Gomer Miano - incumbent

Rio Tuba is divided into sitios.

• Bukid-Bukid
• Santo Niño
• Marabahay
• Tagdalungon
• Bungkol-Bungkol
• Macadam
• Racob
• Kinurong
• RTN Townsite
• BCI

Transportation

It is also in Rio Tuba where means of transport are available to reach most of the inner barangays of Bataraza either by public utility jeeps, tricycle, motorcycle or pumpboat.

Education

There are 4 public schools, 1 private school, and 16 learning centers for the indigenous people (IP)

Public

• RTNES (Rio Tuba North Elementary School)
• RTNES (Rio Tuba North Elementary School Annex)
• RTNHS (Rio Tuba National High School)
• RTSES (Rio Tuba South Elementary School)

Private

• LSVMS (Leonides S. Virata Memorial School)

Indigenous Learning System (ILS)

• 16 centers under the supervision of the Arnold Janssen Catholic Mission Foundation, Inc.

Since there is no college and university in the area. The students continue their studies in Puerto Princesa City, Manila, Baguio and Bacolod.

Economy

Rio Tuba is known for its nickel mineral reserves. Nickel mining is a very important industry in the locality. The primary minesite of Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation(RTN) is located within its jurisdiction. The Coral Bay Nickel Corporation (CBNC), a joint venture between Japanese investors and RTN, put up a US$180-million expanded Hydrometallurgical Processing Plant (HPP). The plant is designed to extract nickel from low-grade ores previously considered waste.

Bird's Island

Bird's island is a bird sanctuary that is about 2 hours pumpboat ride from Rio Tuba. This island is a haven for birds that converge here about two hours before sunset, to take their rest after a day's long ride.