Ah, Palawan—the last frontier, where the beaches are pristine, the sunsets are postcard-perfect, and the politicians? Well, they’re the same old family faces you’ve seen in power for decades. It’s like Palawan’s political landscape is a never-ending teleserye, except the plotlines never really change, and the audience? None the wiser.

We’ve got the usual suspects—the dynasties that have held the reins of power like an exclusive club. Every election season, it’s like musical chairs, except no one ever really leaves the game. They just shift seats and pass around the title of “Governor,” “Congressman,” or “Mayor” like a family heirloom. You’d think Palawan politics was a family reunion, with the same names popping up on ballots over and over again. 

Despite decades of family governance and countless promises of economic development and progress—let’s not forget those glossy billboards with slogans like “Ang Bagong Palawan” plastered during election season—Palawan still seems to be, well, lagging. Don’t get us wrong, the natural beauty of the province is second to none, but when it comes to actual progress? Let’s just say it’s moving slower than a karabaw on a Sunday stroll.

How is it that the same families, with their decades of experience (wink), have yet to fully unlock Palawan’s economic potential? Could it be that the focus on staying in power has eclipsed any real commitment to long-term development? Or are we simply too mesmerized by their last names to notice?

Meanwhile, the rest of the Philippines is booming with infrastructure developments, tech hubs, and emerging industries. And yet, here in Palawan, we’re still talking about basic services, roads that don’t get washed away with every typhoon, unstable and expensive energy supply, non-existent jobs for the newly minted graduates, more stable tourism industry and dreams of an airport that won’t get overwhelmed during tourist season and the list goes on and on. Dream big, right?

But hey, maybe we’re just missing something. Maybe Palawan’s political families have some secret master plan they’re waiting to unveil—something that will transform the province into the next economic powerhouse. Any day now, right? Any day.

Until then, we’ll keep voting for the same surnames, listening to the same promises, and waiting for that mythical economic boom. Who knows? Maybe the next election will finally be the one where change happens. Or maybe not. After all, in Palawan’s political game of thrones, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

So, grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the show. It’s a political soap opera like no other, with dynasties, drama, and just a little less development than you’d expect.