Coron, officially the Municipality of Coron (), is a municipality in the province of Palawan, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people.

It is home to the Coron Island Natural Biotic Area, which is listed in the natural category of the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.

Etymology

Before the present name, it was called Bancuang, named after the native name of the palm that grew abundantly along the rivers and marshes especially at the spot where the spring that was source of the town's water supply was found. When the Spaniards arrived, they named the area Peñon de Coron, after the Tagbanua word "Corong", a type of pot. In 1902, the name was changed into Coron, its present name.

History

Precolonial and Spanish era

The Calamian Islands were originally inhabited mainly by the Cuyunon tribe and nominally by the Tagbanuas and the Calamianen. Cuyunon oral history tells that the Datu Macanas ruled the entire Busuanga Island where present-day Coron town lies. Early on Spanish exploration of the islands, Fray de la Concepcion took note of the friendliness of the people of Busuanga Island and the ferocity of the Tagbanua tribe living in Coron Island.

Between 1730-1735, Spanish missionaries built another cotta at Culion to defend from Moro incursions. The Spaniards eventually left for Panay with the exception of priests who stayed at Camianan. During the American occupation (1898–1948), the old Provincia de Calamianes was dissolved and jointly administered with the Island of Paragua as the new province of Palawan.

Revolutionary era

After the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution led by the Katipunan, the Spaniards became paranoid and convicted 200 men in both Balabac and Calamianes of being anti-Spanish propagandists and placed them in exile. At least half of them were from Busuanga. The anti-Spanish propagandists garrisoned in Culion were led by Rufo Sandoval.

Liberation

In February 1945, guerrilla forces from Palawan arrived in Culion and established their headquarters. American aircraft subsequently delivered food supplies to lepers and civilian refugees. At the same time, American PT boats bombarded the town of Coron under the command of Lt. Trinidad Vizconde, amid reports that Japanese forces remained in the area awaiting the arrival of American liberation troops. The bombardment resulted in the destruction of many houses. By March 1945, Coron had been liberated from Japanese control. American forces later utilized an airfield at Malaking Patag. In recognition of his wartime service, Captain Carlos Amores was later elected mayor of Coron, but was however replaced by Lt. Simeon Macolor after the Supreme Court, through a general resolution, discounted the inmate votes from Culion. In 1954, the islands of Linapacan, Cabunlaoan, Niangalao, Decabayotot, Calibanbangan, Pical, and Barangonan were separated from Coron to form the town of Linapacan.

On June 5, 1998, Coron Island was recognized as an ancestral domain with the issuance of CADC No. 134 to the Tagbanua people.

Geography

The municipality of Busuanga comprises the western part of Busuanga Island, while Coron comprises the eastern part of Busuanga Island, all of Coron Island and about 50 other minor islets stretching as far as Tara Island in the north-east and Canipo Island in the south. All these islands are part of the Calamian Archipelago in northern Palawan that separates the South China Sea from the Sulu Sea.

Barangays

Coron is politically subdivided into 23 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

  • Banuang Daan
  • Bintuan
  • Borac
  • Buenavista
  • Bulalacao
  • Cabugao
  • Decabobo
  • Decalachao
  • Guadalupe (also called Binalabag)
  • Lajala
  • Malawig
  • Marcilla
  • Barangay I (Poblacion)
  • Barangay II (Poblacion)
  • Barangay III (Poblacion)
  • Barangay IV (Poblacion)
  • Barangay V (Poblacion)
  • Barangay VI (Poblacion)
  • San Jose
  • San Nicolas
  • Tagumpay
  • Tara
  • Turda

Climate

Demographics

In the 2024 census, the population of Coron was 69,439 people, with a density of .

Economy

thumb|Fishing boats in Coron.

The main industries of Coron are fishing and tourism. Former industries include manganese mining at Singay Mines in Barangay San Nicolas during the Japanese Occupation period. This was followed by the fishing industry boom during the 1970s up to the 1990s which gradually dwindled due to illegal blast and sodium cyanide fishing. The rattan and basket-weaving industry which also gradually declined during the same period due to the ensuing depletion of raw materials.

Currently tourism is the top industry in Coron due to local beaches, dive sites, Lagoons and other natural tourist spots. A dozen sunken Japanese warships at depths between off Coron Island is a diving destination,

The municipality is the commercial capital of the Calamian Islands.

Siete Pecados Marine Park

On April 17, 2024, the Siete Pecados Marine Park, under Jose Mazo, manager, in Coron, as one of 3 marine protected areas, won the Blue Park Award by Marine Conservation Institute at the 9th Our Ocean Conference in Athens for its role in conservation of marine biodiversity. It is part of the Calamian Islands Network in the Philippines, within a short distance from the coast of Coron. Founded in 2005 by the United States Agency for International Development, it is currently an ecotourism landmark.

Government

The main population center of the municipality is composed of Poblacion barangays 1 to 6, where the Municipal Building, the Municipal Legislative Building, and the Judicial Hall of the Municipal Circuit Trial Court are located.

Transportation

Coron is served by Francisco B. Reyes Airport, which has direct flights to Manila, Cebu and Angeles.

Culture

Town fiesta is held annually on August 28 in honor of Saint Augustine.

Education

There are two schools district offices which govern all educational institutions within the municipality. They oversee the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools. These are the:

  • Coron Coastal Schools District
  • Coron Inland Schools District

Primary and elementary schools

  • Banuang Daan Elementary School
  • Bayang Elementary School
  • Bayo Bayo Elementary School
  • Benecan Elementary School
  • Bintuan Elementary School
  • Borac Elementary School
  • Buenavista Elementary School
  • Buyot Elementary School
  • Cabugao Elementary School
  • Camanga Elementary School
  • Canipo Elementary School
  • Capayas Elementary School
  • Central Fundamental Baptist Church of Coron Learning Center
  • Christ Our Refuge Learning Center
  • Claudio Sandoval Elementary School
  • Claudio Sandoval South Elementary School
  • Decabobo Elementary School
  • Decalachao Elementary School
  • Diandanao Elementary School
  • Dipuyok Elementary School
  • Guadalupe Elementary School
  • Lajala Elementary School
  • Lelebquen Elementary School
  • Malawig Elementary School
  • Malbato Elementary School
  • Marcilla Elementary School
  • Maricaban Elementary School
  • Napuagan Elementary School
  • Saint Augustine Academy
  • San Jose Elementary School
  • San Nicolas Elementary School
  • Sta. Monica Elementary School
  • Tagum Elementary School
  • Tagumpay Elementary School
  • Tara Elementary School
  • Tulbuan Elementary School
  • Turda Elementary School

Secondary schools

  • Bintuan High School
  • Borac National High School
  • Buenavista National High School
  • Bulalacao Integrated School
  • Coron School of Fisheries
  • Decalachao National High School
  • San Nicolas National High School
  • Sta. Monica High School
  • Tara High School
  • Turda National High School

<gallery widths="150" heights="120" > <!-- DO NOT ADD MORE IMAGES HERE, THAT IS WHAT COMMONS IS FOR -->

Coron church(코론 시내의 교회) - panoramio.jpg|Church in Coron

Isola di coron, baia nei pressi del lago kayangan 06.jpg|Coron Island

File:Coron - Kayangan Lake.jpg|The lagoon going to Kayangan Lake

File:Waling-Waling Island.jpg|Waling Waling Island, Coron, Palawan

File:Nepenthes sp. (pitcher plant) sa Mt. Tapyas, Coron, Palawan.jpg|Pitcher plant along the slopes of Mt. Tapyas

</gallery>

References

  • [ Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
  • Local Governance Performance Management System
  • Philippine Department of Tourism official site