Palawan mining sector shrinks 11.8% in 2025
Tourism-related services expand 13% as mining and manufacturing decline, highlighting uneven economic growth in the province.
PALAWAN — Palawan's mining and quarrying industry contracted by 11.8 percent in 2025, while manufacturing declined by 4.2 percent, underscoring uneven economic performance in one of MIMAROPA's largest resource-producing provinces.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority's (PSA) 2025 Provincial Product Accounts, released on 13 October, showed that the contractions occurred as the province's overall economy grew by only 0.5 percent.
In contrast, accommodation and food service activities expanded by 13 percent, reflecting stronger performance in tourism-related services despite weakness in other industries.
The contrasting sectoral figures raise questions about the factors affecting Palawan's mineral production, industrial activity and broader economic growth.
Palawan remained MIMAROPA's largest provincial economy, accounting for 29.3 percent of the region's total economic output.
The mining contraction is particularly significant given the province's mineral resources and the industry's role in economic activity.
However, the PSA figures alone do not establish whether the decline resulted from lower mineral output, market conditions, operational restrictions or other factors.
Further examination of production records and industry performance is needed to determine the causes and assess possible effects on employment, investments and government revenues.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau's regional production data could help establish which mineral commodities contributed to the contraction and whether the slowdown affected major mining operations.
Meanwhile, the expansion of accommodation and food services highlights the different growth patterns across Palawan's industries.
The latest figures underscore the challenge of sustaining economic growth across multiple sectors rather than relying on gains in selected industries.