The Republic of the Philippines (Pilipinas in Filipino) includes more than 7600 islands stretching over 1750 km (1100 mi) of the western Pacific and separating the Philippine Sea on the east from the South China Sea on the west. The largest islands are Luzon at the northern end of the country and Mindanao at the southern end. As of 2020 the population of the country was about 109 million. The archipelago was a Spanish colony until the Spanish-American War of 1898, which brought the islands under U.S. administration. Japan occupied the islands during World War II (1942-45) and the country became independent shortly thereafter (1946). The Philippines is divided into 17 regions and subdivided into 81 provinces. This page describes lighthouses of Palawan Province in the southwestern Phillipines. Palawan itself, the major part of the province, is a large but narrow island, about 450 km (280 mi) long but rarely more than 50 km (30 mi) wide. Separating the South China Sea (known as the West Philippine Sea in the Philippines) on the northwest from the Sulu Sea on the southeast, the island is largely undeveloped and includes many outstanding natural areas. Palawan Province also includes islands to the northeast and southwest of Palawan Island as well as many of the reefs of the Sulu Sea. The province is sparsely populated with fewer than 800,000 residents spread over a very large area. Palawan is part of the region of the country known by the acronym Mimaropa (Mindoro + Marinduque + Romblon + Palawan). Filipino and English are official languages in the Philippines. In Filipino a lighthouses is called a parola; an island is an isla or pulo. Many English maritime terms have been adopted into Filipino, including cape, bay, and port, and the names of historic lighthouses are often retained in their Spanish forms. Lighthouses in the Philippines are maintained by the Marine Safety Services Command of the Philippine Coast Guard. Notices to Mariners are posted by the National Mapping and Resource Information Agency (NAMRIA). Many Philippine lighthouses are not well known so better information and photos are always needed. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. PCG numbers are the Philippines Light List numbers, where known. Admiralty numbers are from volume F of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.
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![]() Culion Island Light, Culion, April 2010 ex-Panoramio photo copyright jhohng; permission requested |
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Information available on lost lighthouses:
Notable faux lighthouses:
Adjoining pages: North: Mindoro | East: Southern Mindanao | South: Malaysia: Labuan and Sabah | West: Northern Spratly Islands
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Posted July 24, 2005. Checked and revised January 14, 2024. Lighthouses: 35. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.