Kalayaan, Palawan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kalayaan
Municipality
Municipality of Kalayaan
Seaport under-construction in Thitu (Pag-asa) Island.
Flag Seal
Map of Palawan with Kalayaan highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Kalayaan Location in Philippines Show map of Philippines Kalayaan Location in South China Sea Show map of South China Sea Kalayaan Location in Southeast Asia Show map of Southeast Asia
Country	Philippines
Region	Mimaropa
Province	Palawan
District	[[{{#property:P7938}} | — Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1804: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).]]
Founded	June 11, 1978
Barangays	1 (Pag-asa)
Government
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
Area
• Total	290.00 km2 (111.97 sq mi)
Elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Highest elevation	14 m (46 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census)
• Total	193
• Density	0.6655/km2 (1.724/sq mi)
• Households	35
Economy
• Income class	5th municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	18.21 % (2021)
• Revenue	₱ 91.05 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 277 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 76.9 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 103.3 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Kalayaan Municipal Electric System (KAMES)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	5322
PSGC	[https://psa.gov.ph/classification/psgc/?q=psgc/barangays/{{#pro000&regcode={{&provcode= p {{#property:P988}} ]
IDD : area code	+63 (0)48
Native languages	Palawano Tagalog
Website	kalayaanpalawan.gov.ph

Kalayaan, officially known as the Municipality of Kalayaan, is a small town in the province of Palawan, Philippines. It is the least populated town in the Philippines, with only 193 people living there as of the 2020 census.

Kalayaan is part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. Its main island is Thitu Island, also called Pag-asa, which is where the town's government is located. Kalayaan is about 280 miles (450 km) northwest of Puerto Princesa. The municipality includes seven islands and three reefs. These islands and reefs are also claimed by other countries like China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

History of Kalayaan

Early History of the Islands

People have traveled through these islands for trade for a very long time. However, permanent homes and military bases only started appearing in the 1900s.

In 1734, the Spanish government in the Philippines created a map called the Velarde map. This map showed areas under Spanish control, including Scarborough Shoal and the Kalayaan or Spratly Islands. Later maps in 1808 and 1875 also included these islands as part of the Philippines.

Changes in Ownership

After the Spanish-American War in 1898, Spain gave the Philippines to the United States. Some islands, like Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands, were still under Spanish rule. To fix this, the 1900 Treaty of Washington was signed. This treaty made sure that all islands belonging to the Philippine Archipelago, including Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands, became part of the Philippines under U.S. rule.

The United States used the 1875 map as the official map for the Philippines. In 1928, during an international court case, the U.S. confirmed that this map showed Scarborough Shoal and the Spratly Islands as Philippine territory.

Philippines' Claim to the Islands

When the Philippines became a Commonwealth in 1935, its constitution again stated that Scarborough Shoal and the Kalayaan Islands were part of its national territory. After gaining full independence in 1946, the Philippines continued to claim the Spratly Islands.

In 1947, a man named Tomás Cloma found the Kalayaan islands, which were empty at the time. In 1956, Cloma and 40 men officially took possession of the islands. He called them the "Free Territory of Freedomland." He put up notices on the islands to show his claim. Other countries, especially Taiwan, did not like this. Taiwan even sent its military to nearby Itu Aba. In 1974, Cloma gave his rights over the islands to the Philippine government for one peso.

Kalayaan Becomes a Municipality

In 1978, the Municipality of Kalayaan was officially created by a special law (PD No. 1596). This law made Kalayaan a separate municipality of Palawan. It also set the exact boundaries of the municipality.

In 2009, a new law (Republic Act No. 9522) further supported the Philippines' claim over the Kalayaan Island Group.

In 2012, the Philippine government started a legal case against China in an international court. In 2016, the court ruled that China's claims over most of the South China Sea were not valid. Many countries support this ruling.

Today, many countries claim parts of the Spratly Archipelago. The Philippines occupies 10 reefs and islands. China occupies seven reefs, and Taiwan has the largest island. Vietnam occupies 21 islets and reefs, and Malaysia claims seven reefs.

Geography of Kalayaan

Unofficial NAMRIA map showing features in the Kalayaan Island Group (Spartly Islands). Features names are those recognized by Philippine government.

Kalayaan is located in the western part of Palawan. It has only one official village, called a barangay:

• Pag-asa

This barangay controls eight small islands (four of which are sand cays) and three reefs. The total land area is about 79 hectares (0.79 square kilometers). Here are some of the features:

Land Features

The islands that make up Kalayaan are mostly flat. The highest point is only about 2 meters (6.5 feet) above sea level.

Climate in Kalayaan

People of Kalayaan

In 2020, the population of Kalayaan was 193 people. This makes it the least populated municipality in the Philippines. The civilian population, which includes children, started living on the island in 2001.

Life and Facilities in Kalayaan

Kalayaan municipality has several important facilities. These include an airstrip, a naval port, a small clinic with five beds, an evacuation center, and a covered court for community events. There is also a police station, a coast guard station, and a marine research station. The island has a small school that teaches both elementary and high school students. Before 2002, Thitu Island was only for military use. Now, civilians can live there too.

Rancudo Airfield

Thitu Island (Pag-asa) has a 1,300-meter long runway. It was built in the early 1970s. In 1992, the runway was named "Rancudo Airfield" to honor Major General Jose Rancudo, who ordered its construction.

Port and Beaching Ramp

On June 9, 2020, a new beaching ramp was opened on Thitu Island. This ramp makes it easier to bring in materials and equipment. It helps with repairing the airstrip and building new facilities. A new seaport was also completed and ready to use by June 12, 2020.

Staying Connected: Telecommunications

Smart Communications set up a cell site on Thitu Island in 2005. This allowed people on the island to use their cell phones. The first call was made on June 12, 2005. In 2020, Smart upgraded the cell site for faster 4G/LTE services.

In April 2021, the government also installed free Wi-Fi at the Pag-asa Integrated School and other places on Thitu Island. This helps students with their online learning.

Power Supply

During the day, residents get electricity from a power generator. At night, they use stored solar power from solar panels. On June 12, 2021, a new diesel power plant started operating. This plant provides electricity 24 hours a day to the facilities on Thitu Island.

Environment and Nature

On June 8, 1982, Loaita (Kota) and Lankiam (Panata) islands were made special places to protect marine turtles. This means these islands are important sanctuaries for these animals.

See also

In Spanish: Kalayaan (Palawan) para niños