PALAWAN LAWMAKERS REJECT INCLUSION IN MINDANAO INDEPENDENCE PROPOSAL

Palawan’s Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) has formally opposed attempts to include the province in proposals seeking Mindanao independence before the United Nations Committee on Decolonization (UNCD). During a session on January 6, board members highlighted that historical and administrative records show Palawan has never been part of Mindanao, and its inclusion stems from an outdated concept of Mindanao-Sulu-Palawan (Minsupala), which was previously rejected by Palaweños in a plebiscite. SP members emphasized Palawan’s distinct cultural history, home to indigenous groups such as the Tagbanua, Palaw’an, Batak, Tao’t-Bato, and Cuyonon, and stressed that the province has never experienced belligerency or colonization, unlike the conflict areas in Mindanao. Legislators argued that underdevelopment in the region is not equivalent to colonization, and solutions should focus on development, accountability, and autonomy within the Constitution, not political secession. The resolution underscores that Palawan will not be represented in any separatist moves, clarifying its status as part of the Philippines.