Brooke's Point

Geography

Brooke’s Point is situated in the south-eastern section of Palawan Island, approximately 215 kilometres (134 mi) from Puerto Princesa City. It has a total land area of 85,064.90 hectares (210,199.9 acres) stretching about 20 kilometres (12 mi) along the length of Palawan. Brooke's Point is bounded by in the north Sofronio Española, in the south Bataraza, in the west Rizal, and in the east the Sulu Sea. The municipalities of Bataraza, Sofronio Española and parts of Rizal, Palawan and Quezon, Palawan was once a part of Brooke's Point.

History

The name Brooke’s Point comes from an Englishman Sir James Brooke, first white Rajah of Sarawak and founder of the Brooke Dynasty. It is believed that during one of his voyages, he landed on the tip of an island with a long narrow stretch of land inhabited by native Palaweños and Muslims under the Sultanate of Sulu. Establishing trade and gaining the trust of the people, the name Brooke was so imprinted in the minds of the people that when American scouts came to the land almost a century later, they named it Brooke's Point.

On June 28, 1949, the Municipality of Brooke’s Point was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 232 by then President Elpidio Quirino.

There pioneer families who settled in Brooke's Point are the Rodriguez,Setias,

Barangays

Brooke's Point is subdivided into 18 barangays, two urban (Poblacion I and Poblacion II) and 16 rural barangays. Samariñana was separated from Tanionbog in 1954.

Religion

The town is predominantly Christian with a sizeable Muslim population. Most of the population's Christians are Born-again Christians and Catholics. Other Christian denominations include Church of God International, Iglesia ni Cristo, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints and more.

The Catholic Church is located north of the town center while the Evangelical Christian Churches are the Gospel Hall, located north of the town center, the Iglesia ni Cristo, south of the municipal hall, the Church of Christ International's building is located in Old Camp while the LDS Church is in Edward's Subdivision.

Economy

Brooke's Point is one of Palawan's main economic centers outside Puerto Princesa, along with Narra, Coron and Cuyo. The town is home to several banks like the Land Bank and Rural Bank of Brooke's Point. Money transfers like Western Union and Money Gram also have branches in the town. There are several pawnshops like M'Lhullier, Cebuana Lhullier, among others. The town also has a Mercury Drug and a Generic Pharmacy.

Commercial Enterprises are thriving. There are many medium-sized stores, mostly located in the town proper. The service sector is also growing with the rise of many commercial establishments. The town's economy is primarily based on agriculture. The town produces great quantity of rice, copra and corn. The palm oil industry is headquartered in Brgy. Mainit in the south. Unlike most of Palawans' towns, Brooke's Point does not have white and pristine beaches that draws local and foreign tourist. But because of abundant freshwater resources, the town is one of the most productive in the province in terms of agriculture. Many fruits and vegetables grow in abundance.

In addition, the town is also one of the Philippines' gateway to Southeast Asia. Its proximity to Sabah is a strategic advantage, but the lack of infrastructure and inter-governmental agreement between Malaysia and the Philippines hinders the town from being a trading hub. There is a minimal trade between Malaysia through many of the towns Muslim and Christian population who have relatives in Sabah. The town is supposed to become an international port with cargo services to Sabah and Brunei.

Transportation

Brooke's Point has a modern sea port that serves many cargo ships from Manila, Mindanao, the Visayas and other parts of Luzon. The port also cater numerous fishing vessels. Commercial vessels from Malaysia, Indonesia and other countries also make several stops in the port. The port also serves as a docking point for vessels containing commercial goods from Manila and abroad, and also mining-related materials to Rio Tuba. The port of Brooke's Point is considered as one of the most profitable ports in Southern Philippines.

The El Nido-Bataraza highway connects the town to other mainland towns and municipalities. Transportation between Puerto Princesa and Brooke's Point is through commercial vans, buses or jeepneys. There is also a private airport located at Lada. Transportation throughout the town is through tricycle and multi-cabs. Kuliglig, a machine also used for agriculture, is widely used as means of transportation is rural areas.

Health

Health facilities in the municipality include a 25-bed capacity secondary government hospital, the Southern Palawan Provincial Hospital; a Rural Health Unit (RHU); Barangay Health Stations (BHS); and private clinics and hospitals. Dental and optical clinics, laboratories, and drugstores are also present and not only serve Brooke's Point, but also neighboring municipalities.

Education

The Palawan State University has its campus in Brooke's Point. In addition to this, the town is also home to Southern Palawan College, Inc. which offers several technical and vocational courses.

There are 9 secondary schools in Brooke's Point. Brooke's Point Christian High School, a Christian-run institution, and the Sacred Heart of Jesus High School administered by the Augustinians are located in the town center. Public secondary schools include the Brooke's Point National High School, Governor Abueg Memorial and Vocational High school, and more. There are also at least 40 public elementary schools.

Media

Brooke's Point has three radio stations, Radyo Natin Brooke's Point, Palawan, Radyo Mo Nationwide and RadioPoint911 that broadcasts to Balabac, Bataraza, Sofronio Española, Rizal, Palawan, and some parts of Quezon, Palawan and Narra. Brooke's Point, along with Coron and Puerto Princesa City, is a site of GMA Network's satellite transmission center. The town is also a telecommunications hub of several companies like Smart and Globe networks. Internet cafes are becoming increasingly popular while the percentage of personal computer ownership is also rising.

Environmental issues

Many parts of the town's forests are cleared to give way for agriculture. Slash and burn agriculture is a common practice in the towns interior. Burning of garbage and waste are common, so as illegal fishing. Illegal logging is done on a small basis, but the frequency of this practice has a substantial impact on the town's forest cover. Small scale illegal pet trade also exists. Mynahs, parrots, pangolins among many animals only found in Palawan are poached and traded to other parts of the country and abroad. Although the practice is increasingly common, many of these activities are not known to authorities.

In recent years, the local government with the National government have made several policies and programs to protect the environment. But apathy and corruption hinders government efforts in implementation of the said policies and programs.