Sofronio Española

The creation of the Municipality of Sofronio Española took nearly three decades to materialize. It began with Resolution No. 120, dated December 12, 1988, of the Sangguniang Bayan of Brooke’s Point, which proposed the separation of its northern barangays—Abo-Abo, Isumbo, Panitian, Labog, Punang, Iraray, Pulot Shore, Pulot Center, and Pulot Interior—into a new municipality. The proposed entity was to be named Sofronio Española in honor of the late Congressman Sofronio Española of Palawan’s then lone district. This initiative was further strengthened by a barangay resolution dated April 16, 1990, issued by Barangay Pulot, which formally requested House Speaker Ramon V. Mitra Jr. to support and facilitate the creation of the new municipality.

On July 9, 1992, Hon. Alfredo E. Abueg, Jr., then congressman of the Second District of Palawan, filed House Bill No. 60, an Act creating the Municipality of Sofronio Española in the Province of Palawan. To expedite the approval of this bill, Board Member Cipriano Barroma sponsored Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution No. 120 on April 16, 1993.

The House of Representatives approved Republic Act 7679, the law creating the Municipality of Sofronio Española in the Province of Palawan on August 3, 1993, and by the Senate on November 25, 1993. Finally, the law creating Sofronio Española was lapsed into law.

Section 1 of RA 7679 states that Barangays Pulot Center, Pulot Shore (Pulot I), Pulot Interior (Pulot II), Iraray, Punang, Labog, Panitian, Isumbo and Abo-Abo are to be separated from the Municipality of Brooke’s Point and constituted into a distinct and independent municipality of the province to be known as the Municipality of Sofronio Española. The seat of government shall be in Barangay Pulot Center.

Sofronio Española is located in the southern part of Palawan along its eastern seaboard, beginning at kilometer 128.1 to kilometer 166 of the National Highway (Puerto Princesa City, South Road). It lies approximately between 8 53’3.58” to 9 11’26.26” North and 117 51’24.42” to 118 7’35.58” East. It is bounded on the north by Narra, on the south by Brooke's Point, on the east by the Sulu Sea, and on the West by Quezon. It is 163 kilometres (101 mi) from Puerto Princesa.

In the 2024 census, the population of Sofronio Española was 39,371 people,^[14] with a density of 83 inhabitants per square kilometre or 210 inhabitants per square mile.

Religion

Based on the religion of the population of Sofronio Española in 2024, the majority were Christianity (96.4%), followed by Islam (3.2%), and others (0.4%). In this municipality, Christianity, especially Catholicism, is practiced by Tagalog-speaking people and the indigenous peoples of Palawan. Meanwhile, Islam is practiced by some of the native Palawano people, as well as Moro immigrants, especially the Maranao and Tausug.

Barangay Abo-Abo is one of the first places where the Muslim of Tausug people officially established a settlement, during the Spanish government era, precisely during the reign of the 31st Sultan of Sulu, Harun Ar-Rashid, was exiled to Palawan in 1894.

Poverty incidence of Sofronio Española

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority^{[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]}

The Brooke's Point II (Sofronio Española) Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.^[23]