WELCOME 2 PHILIPPINES

Palawan is an island province of the Philippines Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the Philippines. The islands of Palawan measures 450 kilometers long, by 50 kilometers wide. Palawan's has approximately 2,000 kilometers of coastline with 1,780 islands and islets, rocky coves, and powder white sandy beaches. It also has forests that covers its mountains. The Spratly Islands according to the Philippines form part of the Province.

Arpund the 12th century, Malay settlers began to populate the island and were ruled by Malay chieftains. These people grew palay, ginger, coconuts, camote, sugar and bananas. They also raised pigs, goats and chickens. Most of their economic activities were fishing, farming, and hunting by the use of bamboo traps and blowguns. Prior to being ceded to the Spanish in 1749 some southern portions of the island were ruled by the Sultinate of Borneo where Islam was the main religion. Palawan traded with the Chinese, Japanese, Arab and Indian countries throughout this period.

The first ever recorded act of piracy in the Philippines happened in Palawan when Chief Tuan Mohammad and his staff were captured aboard their vessel and taken hostage by the Spaniards who demanded ransom within 7 days consisting of 400 sukats or 190 sacks of clean rice, 450 chickens, 20 pigs, 20 goats and several jars filled with tuba (an alcoholic drink made from coconut).

World War II saw the massacre of 150 prisoners of war by the Japanese forces who burned their victims to death by pouring gasoline into a trench in which the prisoners were forced to enter and setting it alight in order to prevent their rescue by advancing allied troops. Those who escaped the burning inferno were shot down. The site of this massacre is still visited by families and tourists.

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