Kalayaan, Palawan

Kalayaan
Municipality of Kalayaan
Seaport under-construction in Thitu (Pag-asa) Island.
Map of Palawan with Kalayaan highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Kalayaan
Location in the South China Sea and the Philippines
Kalayaan
Kalayaan (South China Sea)
Kalayaan
Kalayaan (Southeast Asia)
Coordinates: 11°03′08″N 114°17′00″E / 11.0522°N 114.2833°E / 11.0522; 114.2833
CountryPhilippines
RegionMimaropa
ProvincePalawan
District 1st district
FoundedJune 11, 1978
Barangays1 (Pag-asa)
Government
  TypeSangguniang Bayan
  MayorRoberto M. del Mundo
  Vice MayorBeltzasar S. Alindongan
  Municipal Council
Members
  Electorate819 voters (2025)
Area
  Total
290.00 km2 (111.97 sq mi)
Elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Highest elevation
14 m (46 ft)
Lowest elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (2020 census)
  Total
193
  Density0.67/km2 (1.7/sq mi)
  Households
35
Economy
  Income class5th municipal income class
  Poverty incidence
18.21
% (2021)
  Revenue134.5 million (2022)
  Assets321.3 million (2022)
  Expenditure115.1 million (2022)
  Liabilities28.24 million (2022)
Service provider
  ElectricityKalayaan Municipal Electric System (KAMES)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
5322
PSGC
IDD:area code+63(0)48
Native languagesPalawano
Tagalog
Websitekalayaanpalawan.gov.ph

Kalayaan, officially the Municipality of Kalayaan (Tagalog: Bayan ng Kalayaan), is a municipality under the jurisdiction of the province of Palawan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 193 people making it the least populated town in Palawan and in the Philippines.

Part of the Spratly Islands, in the South China Sea, the Kalayaan municipality, which includes Thitu Island (locally known as Pag-asa, the administrative center of Kalayaan Island Group) is 280 nautical miles (320 mi; 520 km) northwest of Puerto Princesa and 932 kilometres (503 nmi; 579 mi) south-west of Metro Manila. It consists of a single barangay named Pag-asa located on Thitu, which also serves as the seat of the municipal government. Besides Thitu Island, the municipality comprises six other islands: West York Island, Northeast Cay, Nanshan Island, Loaita Island, Flat Island (South China Sea) and Lankiam Cay (respectively locally named Likas, Parola, Lawak, Kota, Patag and Panata), and three shoals or reefs: Irving Reef (Balagtas Reef), Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Shoal) and Commodore Reef (Rizal Reef). It is the least populated municipality in the Philippines. Kalayaan's annual budget is 47 million pesos (about $1.1 million).

All the islands and shoals within the municipality are disputed territories, claimed by all or some of China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam.