# Governor of Palawan

The governor of Palawan is the local chief executive and head of the Provincial Government of Palawan in the Philippines. Along with the governors of Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, and Romblon, the province's chief executive is a member of the Regional Development Council of the Mimaropa Region.

## History

In 1622, Governor General Alonso Fajardo de Entenza and Catholic Bishop Pedro de Arce of the Diocese of Cebu started the colonization of Palawan by sending Augustinian Recollects missionaries, led by Fr. Juan de Santo Tomas to Cuyo and Taytay. Southern Palawan that was still then controlled by the Bruneian Empire. Eventually, a garrison was built in Taytay to support the missionaries.
However, in 1658, Governor-General Sabiniano Manrique de Lara, ordered the removal of the garrison in Calamianes to reinforce the capital, which was then threatened by Chinese raids. Upon the removal of the garrison, a series of Moro raids occurred stealing the islands. Recollects unable to maintain themselves in Calamianes, eventually abandoned it. The Bishop of Cebu put clerics in their place but they were also forced to flee from the threat of Moro pirates.
It was only in 1718 under the administration of the Marshal, Governor-General Fernando Manuel de Bustillo Bustamante y Rueda, the Recollects returned to Calamianes, with the support of rebuilding of the garrison in Taytay, as the capital and the fortifications in various towns. Furthermore, the Recollects asked for another garrison to be set up in Paragua. In order to proceed accordingly, Bustamante sent Antonio Faveau, to Sultan of Borneo to ask the part he owned on the southern portion of Paragua. With no objection to granting it, and Bustamante eventually assigned Faveau as in-change and the new governor of the garrison. The province of Calamianes (now Palawan) was established which is includes the islands of Paragua, Cuyo, Lutaya, Calamianes, and other surrounding islands.
On December 14, 1857, Governor-General Fernándo Norzagaray y Escudero established the naval-military province of Balabac consisting of Agutayan, Bugsuk, Cabuliga, Carandurian (Candaraman), Catagupan (Gugupan), Dalauan (Indalawan), Panaan (Bancalaan), Pasig, Rabor (Labor), Tagagailo, and Singalo (Silom-Silom).
On May 16, 1859, Governor-General Norzagaray ordered the division of province into Calamianes and Paragua. Calamianes includes Cuyo as the capital, Agutaya, Busuanga, Coron, Culion, and Linapacan. While Paragua includes Taytay (as capital) in mainland Paragua, and Dumaran. On March 4, 1872, Puerto Princesa became an independent pueblo from Taytay, and established as the new capital of Paragua.

## List of governors of Palawan

* Governors of Palawan
1. FIRST PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC (1898–1901) :
| No. | Name | Term | Origin | Note(s) |
| 1 | Esteban Causapin | June 18, 1898 - March 24, 1899 | — | Representative of Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo in Calamianes as chief of revolutionary army with seat of government in Taytay. Appointed head of provincial government. |
| 2 | Santiago M. Patero | December 1898 - July 1899 | Culion | He served as provincial president (governor) of Paragua |
| 3 | Hermogenes Constantino | March 24, 1899 - August 31, 1900 | Bulacan | Appointed commissioner of Paragua. Later confirmed Governor-delegate to the central government. |
| 4 | Rufo Sandoval | September 1, 1900 - July 4, 1901 | Culion | Former gobernadorcillo of Culion, appointed governor of Paragua by Gen. Baldomero Aguinaldo. |
2. AMERICAN GOVERNORS (1901–1914) :
| No. | Name | Term | Note(s) |
| 1 | John Brown | July 4, 1901 - June 23, 1902 | designated Lieutenant Governor of Paragua. |
| 1 | John Brown | June 23, 1902 - December 8, 1902 | appointed Governor of Paragua, after its official reorganization and defining its boundaries. |
| 2 | William Phillips | December 8, 1902 -1903 | |
| 3 | John Elmick | 1903 - 1904 | |
| 4 | Luke Edward Wright | 1904 - 1905 | Governor-General of the Philippines |
| 5 | Edward Y. Miller | 1905 - May 7, 1910 | During his time Paragua was changed to Palawan. Longest serving American governor. Died while in office, drowned in Aborlan river. |
| 6 | John Henry Evans | May 7, 1910 - 1913 | |
| 7 | Herbert J. Detrick | 1913 - April 6, 1914 | Acting governor, returned to US, and later resigned. |
3. PHILIPPINE LEGISLATURE (1914–1937) :
| No. | Name | Term | Origin | Note(s) |
| 1 | Ambrosio Pablo | April 6, 1914 - 1916 | San Vicente | Former provincial secretary-treasurer. Appointed governor. |
| 2 | Francisco Sanz y Perez | 1916 - June 30, 1919 | Sibuyan | Acting capacity. Former governor of Romblon. |
| 3 | Vicente Manlave Sandoval | June 30, 1919 - June 30, 1922 | Coron | first elected governor. |
| 4 | Anastacio Manalo | June 30, 1922 - June 30, 1925 | Puerto Princesa | elected |
| 5 | Perfecto Abordo | June 30, 1925 - October 18, 1926 | Agutaya | Elected but later found not to have met the minimum residency requirement at the time of election. Governor General Leonard Wood declared office of the governor vacant. |
| 6 | Sotero F. Cacdac | October 18, 1926 - March 27, 1927 | Taytay | Appointed governor in acting capacity. |
| 7 | Rufo San Juan | March 27, 1927 - June 30, 1928 | Agutaya | Declared winner in last 1925 election after vote recount. |
| (4) | Anastacio Manalo | June 30, 1928 - June 30, 1931 | Puerto Princesa | On his second term. |
| 8 | Higinio Acosta Mendoza Sr. | June 30, 1931 - October 4, 1931 | Puerto Princesa | Elected but later vacate the position due to election protest. |
| 9 | Eduardo V. Valencia | October 5, 1931 - November 4, 1931 | Puerto Princesa | Senior board member. Acting capacity as governor. |
| (8) | Higinio Acosta Mendoza Sr. | November 5, 1931 - June 30, 1934 | Puerto Princesa | Continued the remainder of this first term. |
| (8) | Higinio Acosta Mendoza Sr. | June 30, 1934 - December 30, 1937 | Puerto Princesa | Reelected. Filipino patriot, later executed on January 24, 1944, in Canigaran, Puerto Princesa upon orders of Japanese officials. |
4. COMMONWEALTH PERIOD (1937–1946) :
| No. | Name | Term | Origin | Note(s) |
| 10 | Sofronio T. Española | December 30, 1937 - December 30, 1940 | Puerto Princesa | Elected. |
| 10 | Sofronio T. Española | December 30, 1940 - September 6, 1941 | Puerto Princesa | Reelected but later resigned to run in 1941 Congress. |
| 11 | Gaudencio E. Abordo | September 6, 1941 - May 18, 1942 | Agutaya | Incumbent vice-governor, succeeded Española when the latter ran in Congress. |
| 11 | Gaudencio E. Abordo | May 18, 1942 - March 4, 1945 | Agutaya | Governor of Free Local Civil Government during Japanese occupation. Capital was transferred to Aborlan. |
| 12 | Iñigo Racela Peña | May 18, 1942 - November 25, 1942 | Aborlan | Captured by Japanese militia and forced to serve as governor. Former justice of Peace of Aborlan and Congressman. |
| 13 | Patricio Fernandez | November 25, 1942 - January 1944 | Puerto Princesa | Appointed governor during Japanese Occupation. |
| 14 | Amando K. Gaitos | January 1944 - January 1945 | — | Appointed governor. Former provincial treasurer. |
| 15 | Felix Blanco | January 1945 - March 4, 1945 | — | Appointed governor. |
| (11) | Gaudencio E. Abordo | March 4, 1945 - May 25, 1946 | Agutaya | Provincial civil government reinstated. Later resigned to run in Congress. |
| 16 | Ramiro Castro | May 25, 1946 - June 6, 1946 | — | Appointed governor upon the resignation of Abordo. |
5. THIRD PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC (1946–1978) :
| No. | Name | Term | Origin | Note(s) |
| 17 | Alfredo Mendoza Abueg Sr. | June 6, 1946 - December 30, 1947 | Brooke's Point | Appointed governor. |
| 17 | Alfredo Mendoza Abueg Sr. | December 30, 1947 - December 30, 1951 | Brooke's Point | Elected. |
| (13) | Patricio Fernandez | December 30, 1951 - December 30, 1955 | Puerto Princesa | Elected. |
| (17) | Alfredo Mendoza Abueg Sr. | December 30, 1955 - December 30, 1959 | Brooke's Point | Elected on this second term. |
| 18 | Telesforo S. Paredes Sr. | December 30, 1955 - December 30, 1959 | Puerto Princesa | First governor to be elected in two consecutive terms. |
| 19 | Salvador Paredes Socrates | December 30, 1967 - June 30, 1980 | Cuyo | Elected in two consecutive terms. |
6. FOURTH PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC (1980–1986) :
| No. | Image | Name | Term | Origin | Note(s) |
| (19) | | Salvador Paredes Socrates | June 30, 1980 - March 15, 1986 | Cuyo | Elected but later vacated the office upon the assumption of President Corazon C. Aquino. |
7. FIFTH PHILIPPINE REPUBLIC (1986–present) :
| No. | Name | Term | Origin | Note(s) |
| 20 | Victoriano J. Rodriguez | March 16, 1986 - January 31, 1988 | Puerto Princesa | Appointed by President Corazon C. Aquino. |
| 20 | Victoriano J. Rodriguez | February 1, 1988 - June 30, 1992 | Puerto Princesa | Elected |
| (19) | Salvador Paredes Socrates | June 30, 1992 – July 2, 2000 | Cuyo | Elected for 3 consecutive terms. Longest serving governor. Died on a plane crash off the sea of Cagayancillo. |
| 21 | Mario Joel Tolentino Reyes | July 3, 2000 -June 30, 2001 | Coron | incumbent vice-governor, succeeded Socrates. |
| 21 | Mario Joel Tolentino Reyes | June 30, 2001 – June 30, 2010 | Coron | Elected for 3 consecutive terms. |
| 22 | Abraham Kahlil Blanco Mitra | June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2013 | Puerto Princesa | Elected. |
| 23 | Jose Chaves Alvarez | June 30, 2013 – June 30, 2022 | Kidapawan, resident of Rizal | Elected for 3 consecutive terms. |
| 24 | Victorino Dennis M. Socrates | June 30, 2022 – present | Puerto Princesa | Incumbent. |