Palawan Island’s Art And Culture Groups Confront Development Boom

Palawan Island, a western Philippine archipelago, has emerged as one of Asia’s most sought-after luxury destinations, and it’s easy to understand why. Spanning 264 miles between the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea, the island is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. That rich biodiversity includes sheltered lagoons, limestone cliffs, mist-shrouded jungle mountain ranges, inland freshwater lakes and one of Southeast Asia’s most ancient and diverse rainforests.

Such prismatic beauty has attracted both international jetsetters and deep-pocketed developers. In recent years, preservation has solidly bumped up against progress. Tourists have taken note, with a nearly 90% increase in visits during 2023, no doubt a post-pandemic bump, but the numbers continue to rise.

The tourism boom has attracted some of the world’s most exclusive hospitality brands, with Amanpulo and El Nido Resorts commanding rates upwards of $2,000 per night during peak seasons A night at Banwa Private Island, tucked in a marine-protected sanctuary on the island’s northeastern coast, easily equals the down payment on a modest house: $100,000 a night.

Yes, raise an umbrella cocktail to the island’s success, but with development comes growing concerns from local communities about cultural preservation and authentic representation.

“This sleepy town is no more,” says Matt Lubetich, who first visited the island’s capital, Puerto Princesa, in 2006. “Logging on the island stopped thirty years ago, for the most part. If developers stick to their original eco-plans, there won’t be a problem. But if for any reason they decide to break the sustainable development covenant they made amongst themselves years ago, then there will be.”

Megaworld’s Ambitious Vision

Lubetich, who splits his time between the Philippines and Seattle with his wife and three children, cites Megaworld Corporation as one of the biggest property investors in the western Philippines. Filipino billionaire Andrew Tan has partnered with Nepalese business magnate Binod Chaudhary to launch projects on two fronts: the 462-hectare Paragua Coastown (hotels, residences and shops) in the San Vicente municipality, and the six-hectare Baytown Palawan in Puerto Princesa City, which will have a similar development mix.

Megaworld is sinking nearly 50 billion Philippine pesos ($895 million) to create the developments, certain to further boost tourism numbers.

What will it all look like, and what will future guests experience? Megaworld starts with not just a luxury hotel, but a luxury hotel district–international five-star brands, surrounded by a high-end retail and dining complex, premium residential condominiums and a waterfront promenade pushed up against Palawan’s natural beauty. The master plan also incorporates a dedicated cultural center and educational facilities.

Cultural Heritage At A Crossroads

But will those centers be a mere nod to Palawan’s cultural tapestry that spans 87 cultural groups? That cultural weave is in sync with the island’s ecological landscape; both are diverse and harbor deep and abiding history. The island’s indigenous groups include the Tagbanwa (also called Tagbanua), Batak, Palawano and Molbog peoples. Each has distinct traditions, craftsmanship and artistic expressions that have evolved over centuries.

“I grew up fishing in Alaska, and when I first went to Palawan, it was like a warm Alaska: rough and edgy,” says Lubetich, who founded Evening Sea Entertainment in 2011 with his wife Ester Lubetich. “I get a strong sense of place there. The Palaweños are very much bootstrappers, they get things done on their own terms. They treat everyone as equals, always with a sense of ‘let’s enjoy each other.’”

The Tagbanwa, one of the oldest tribes in the Philippines, are known as skilled musicians. They use a range of instruments, including a gimbal (drum), babarak (nose flute), aruding (mouth harp), and babandil, a type of gong. Dancing naturally follows suit, some of it connected to rituals, including those held after a full moon, which is thought to ward off epidemics.

The big question: how much will Palawan’s influx of luxury development affect the island’s indigenous groups? And which way will the scales tip for artists, in terms of opportunities versus challenges? Increased interest in indigenous art forms can indeed increase sales. But many local artists worry about the authenticity of representation.

Adaptation And Resistance

The response from Palawan’s artistic community to the development surge has been multifaceted. Some have embraced the potential for wider recognition and economic opportunity, while others have organized to ensure cultural preservation and appropriate representation.

Various arts groups are holding the line, including the Palawan Heritage Center, located in a Puerto Princesa legislative building. Opened in 2012, the museum offers a comprehensive look at indigenous tribes and highlights local fine arts. It’s known for its interactive modules, which include holograms. There’s also a documentary on the Tau’t Bato tribe (also known as Taaw’t Bato), or “People of the Rock,” who live in field houses, and during rainy months, caves.

As on other Philippine islands, festivals reign supreme in Palawan–the top tier being the month-long Baragatan Festival, a celebration of all things Palawano.

The most promising news in the ongoing efforts to safeguard Palawan’s culture and traditions is the 2024 launch of the Culture and Arts Summit. The two-day event tackled such topics as defining and governing culture, along with the economics of culture.

The summit also addressed the need for Palawan to establish a cultural inventory, considering that its traditions are scattered across the island. Additionally, it suggested placing cultural officers in local governments as overseers.

“This summit marks a significant milestone in the cultural landscape of Palawan and indeed the entire nation,” said Bernan Joseph Corpuz, deputy director of operations for the National Commission on Culture and the Arts. He spoke during the summit’s opening. “It serves as a testament to the unwavering commitment … to preserving, safeguarding, promoting and celebrating (Palawan’s) rich culture.”