PN 1, Provincial GDP, challenges, and opportunities for Palawan

Provincial GDP, challenges, and opportunities for Palawan

PROVINCES & PROSPERITY

Bienvenido S. Oplas Jr.

January 13, 2026

https://palawan-news.com/provincial-gdp-challenges-and-opportunities-for-palawan/

 

Aside from producing data on the national gross domestic product (GDP), the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) also produces regional and provincial product accounts, or provincial GDP, including those of highly urbanized cities (HUCs).

 

For my maiden column here, I begin with the GDP size of Puerto Princesa City (PPC) and other HUCs in the Visayas and Mindanao. The HUCs in Luzon, such as those in Metro Manila, Cavite, and Bulacan, are not included for now.

 

PPC recorded fast provincial GDP growth in 2023 and 2024, similar to the growth seen in Bacolod and Iloilo cities. However, PPC’s provincial GDP remains small, the second smallest among the HUCs, after Tacloban City (see table).

 

Provincial GDP of HUCs in Mimaropa, the Visayas, and Mindanao, in ₱ billion, except %.

 

Source: PSA https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/ppa/tables 

 

PPC is largely a services-oriented economy. Out of its ₱81 billion GDP in 2024, ₱62.6 billion came from services. By sub-sector, transportation and storage contributed ₱13.8 billion, trade and repair of vehicles accounted for ₱10.3 billion, accommodation and food services generated ₱7.4 billion, while finance and insurance contributed ₱7.7 billion.

 

PPC’s agriculture, fishery, and forestry sector is small, at only ₱2.2 billion in 2024. The industry sector recorded ₱16.3 billion, of which construction accounted for ₱6.1 billion, while electricity, steam, and water contributed ₱7.6 billion.

 

Thus, the major challenge for PPC is to raise the contribution of agriculture, fishery, and forestry from about ₱2 billion to at least ₱4 billion through expanded food processing and manufacturing.

 

Manufacturing and services such as hotels, resorts, malls, and hospitals require large and reliable electricity supply. PPC and Palawan as a whole must develop large power plants that are dependable and not dependent on the weather.