Binga Island Palawan Philippine Fishing and Farming

After a powerful storm hit this coastal village several decades ago, residents scouring the beach found thousands of shells known as “binga” in the Calamianes Islands in northern Palawan. Because of this, the indigenous Tagbanua people who first inhabited this place decided to name their community “Binga”, after the shell. In 1920, Binga became a barrio of Taytay municipality. It was among the barangays that formed San Vicente when the latter became a municipality in 1972.

Binga Island

Binga island is located in the northernmost part of San Vicente. Six kilometers of barangay roads constructed by a former logging company traverse the settlement but most roads are in poor condition so boats are the main mode of transportation. It takes about 2 hours by boat to reach the Poblacion. Because of this, residents find it easier and more practical to trade with the nearby barangays of Taytay, such as Liminangcong and San Jose, than with the Poblacion. Fishing and farming are the principal sources of livelihood. Other means of employment are retail services and wage labor. Major crops produced are rice, coconut, cashew, and banana. Out of 120 boats used by fishermen, 94 are motorized, indicating a certain level of affluence.

Binga, in the northernmost part of San Vicente, was named aftera shell.

Binga Island

SITIOS : Boding, Binga Proper, Gue, Malarim, Lincuan, Lumambong, Mamagang, Cauban, Newtio, Ipidal, Imuruan

POPULATION: 1,363 individuals in 336 households (1995 census)

LAND AREA: 1,387 hectares

LANGUAGES SPOKEN: Tagalog, Cebuano, Cuyunon, Ilonggo, Tagbanua, Agutaynon

MAJOR RELIGIONS: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Iglesia ni Cristo, Tagbanua

MOST COMMON ILLNESSES: Malaria, pulmonary diseases, diarrhea

SCHOOLS: 1 elementary school in Binga proper, 1 primary school in sitio Cauban

ORGANIZATIONS: Masigasig na Katutubong Samahan ng Binga, Boding Resource
Management Center, Boding Women’s Organization

HEALTH SERVICES: 1 barangay health center with nurse and health worker

WATER SOURCE: Level II communal faucet, dug wells, Jetmatic pumps, creeks

ELECTRICITY: In Binga proper, 20 households are serviced by a barangay-owned generating set, and some sitios are powered by privately-owned generating sets. All told, only 10% of barangay residents have
electricity, and 90% use kerosene lamps for light.

COMMUNICATION: More than 70% of households have portable radios. The barangay captain has one hand-held radio connected to the municipal frequency for monitoring purposes.