Palauig

Palauig, officially the Municipality of Palauig (Sambal: Babali nin Palauig; Ilocano: Ili ti Palauig; Filipino: Bayan ng Palauig), is a municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 39,784 people.^[6]

Palauig
Municipality
Municipality of Palauig
Downtown area
Flag Seal
Map of Zambales with Palauig highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Palauig Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 15°26′01″N 119°54′30″E
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Luzon
Province	Zambales
District	2nd district
Founded	1870
Reestablished	January 1, 1910[1]
Barangays	19 (see Barangays)
Government  [2]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Christian Daniel H. Aceron
• Vice Mayor	Billy M. Aceron
• Representative	Doris 'Nanay Bing' Maniquiz
• Municipal Council	Members Franklin T. Nacin James Nicholas T. Aranda Eric S. Alba Bryan A. Anaud Ferdinand T. Catolico Fred M. Sevilla Jeffrey G. Landero Dan Gabriel B. Paradeza
• Electorate	28,607 voters (2025)
Area [3]
• Total	310.00 km2 (119.69 sq mi)
Elevation	9.0 m (29.5 ft)
Highest elevation	2,037 m (6,683 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2024 census)[4]
• Total	43,250
• Density	140/km2 (360/sq mi)
• Households	9,612
Economy
• Income class	3rd municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	28.92 % (2021)[5]
• Revenue	₱ 285.1 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 709.2 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 183.8 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 254.6 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Zambales 1 Electric Cooperative (ZAMECO 1)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	2210
PSGC	0307108000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)47
Native languages	Sambal Ilocano Tagalog

The municipality of Palauig is the nearest mainland to the Philippine-claimed EEZ Panatag Shoal, or Scarborough Shoal.

Geography

Barangays

Palauig is politically subdivided into 19 barangays, as indicated below. ^[7] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

• Alwa
• Bato
• Bulawen
• Cauyan
• East Poblacion
• Garreta
• Libaba
• Liozon
• Lipay
• Locloc
• Macarang
• Magalawa
• Pangolingan
• Salaza
• San Juan
• Santo Niño
• Santo Tomas
• San Vicente
• West Poblacion

Climate

Climate data for Palauig, Zambales
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	31 (88)	32 (90)	33 (91)	34 (93)	32 (90)	31 (88)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	30 (86)	31 (88)	31 (88)	31 (88)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	20 (68)	20 (68)	21 (70)	23 (73)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	24 (75)	23 (73)	22 (72)	20 (68)	23 (73)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	16 (0.6)	18 (0.7)	28 (1.1)	51 (2.0)	200 (7.9)	253 (10.0)	301 (11.9)	293 (11.5)	246 (9.7)	171 (6.7)	70 (2.8)	28 (1.1)	1,675 (66)
Average rainy days	6.2	7.1	10.4	15.5	24.4	26.4	28.2	27.5	26.2	23.6	15.9	8.7	220.1
Source: Meteoblue[8]

Demographics

Population census of Palauig

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	3,363	—
1918	4,406	+1.82%
1939	6,026	+1.50%
1948	8,386	+3.74%
1960	10,392	+1.80%
1970	14,546	+3.42%
1975	16,359	+2.38%
1980	17,176	+0.98%
1990	21,577	+2.31%
1995	26,794	+4.14%
2000	29,983	+2.44%
2007	30,747	+0.35%
2010	33,286	+2.93%
2015	34,947	+0.93%
2020	39,784	+2.77%
2024	43,250	+2.03%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[9][10][11][12][13]

In the 2020 census, the population of Palauig was 39,784 people,^[14] with a density of 130 inhabitants per square kilometre or 340 inhabitants per square mile.

Language

See also: Sambalic languages

Most of the citizens in the municipality speak Sambal followed by Ilocano and Tagalog.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Palauig

10 20 30 40 2000 39.81 2003 24.38 2006 19.20 2009 21.27 2012 20.76 2015 22.91 2018 10.32 2021 28.92 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]

Government

Local government

Main article: Sangguniang Bayan

At present, Palauig is headed by Mayor Billy M. Aceron , with the Municipal Council called Sangguniang Bayan with 8 members, particularly 7 regular Councilors and the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) President Bel Ponce Altares.

Tourism

Palauig is home to the mountain climbing resort of Mount Tapulao. Because of cold climate on its summit similar to Baguio, it has become an attraction to many local and foreign mountaineering groups and tourists. The Municipal Tourism Authority of the Palauig Municipal Government also promotes the Magalawa Island Resort and Famous Beach Resorts along the coastal Barangay of Locloc.

Due to the municipal government's aggressive tourism campaign, local and foreign tourist arrivals in the municipality is on the rise and bringing Palauig as another Tourist destination in Zambales Province.

Special Administrative Zone

• Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal)
• Palauig Point (Parola)(Lighthouse)

Gallery

• 
  Municipal hall and police station
• 
  Mount Tapulao
• 
  Magalawa Island
• 
  Town center
• 
  Parish of the Immaculate Conception