10/07/2026
Tagbanwa are one of the oldest indigenous groups in the Philippines, possibly descended from the Tabon Man, living mainly in central and northern Palawan. Central Tagbanwa are found in Aborlan, Quezon, and Puerto Princesa, while Calamian Tagbanwa inhabit Busuanga, Coron, Culion, Linapacan, and parts of El Nido. Traditionally fishermen, swidden farmers, weavers, and potters, they maintain rituals like Pagdiwata and a strong spiritual connection to nature. a74d
They speak three related but mutually unintelligible Austronesian languages: Aborlan Tagbanwa with about 17,000 speakers, Calamian Tagbanwa with roughly 10,000, and Central Tagbanwa with around 2,000 speakers, now nearly extinct. Younger generations are shifting to Cuyonon and Tagalog, putting the languages at risk. b2ff
Tagbanwa also names a pre-colonial abugida script derived from Kawi, which came from Pallava and Brahmi. Each character carries an inherent /a/ vowel, with diacritics added above for /i/ and below for /u/. It was traditionally written on bamboo in vertical columns bottom-to-top, left-to-right, but read horizontally. Revival efforts are pushing to teach it in schools with Tagbanwa populations.
Wikipedia – Tagbanwa people (Palawan ethnic groups)
· National Commission for Culture and the Arts – Tagbanwa cultural profile
· Tagbanwa Heritage and Cultural Practices (Palawan studies)