Provinces of the Philippines

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The Provinces of the Philippines are the primary administrative divisions of the Philippines. There are 79 provinces at present, further subdivided into component cities and municipalities. The National Capital Region, as well as independent cities, are autonomous from any provincial government. Each province is administered by an elected governor who oversees various local government entities.

The provinces are grouped into seventeen regions based on geographical, cultural, and ethnological characteristics. Fourteen of these regions are designated with numbers corresponding to their geographic location in order from north to south. The National Capital Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao do not have numerical designations.

Each province is member to the League of Provinces of the Philippines, an organization which aims to address issues affecting provincial and metropolitan government administrations.^[1]

Government

Provincial government is autonomous of other provinces within the Republic. Each province is governed by two main elected branches of government: executive and legislative. Judicial affairs are separated from provincial governance, administered by the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

National

National intrusion into the affairs of each provincial government is limited by the constitution. The President of the Philippines however coordinates with provincial administrators through the Department of the Interior and Local Government. For purposes of national representation, each province is divided into one or more congressional districts. One congressional representative represents each district in the House of Representatives. Senate representation is elected at an at-large basis and not apportioned by provincial districts.

Executive

The provincial governor is chief executive and head of each province. Elected to a term of three years and limited to three terms, he or she appoints the directors of each provincial department which include the office of administration, engineering office, information office, legal office and treasury office.

Legislative

The vice-governor acts as the president of each Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP; English: Provincial Board), the province's legislative body. The Sanggunian is composed of regularly-elected members from provincial districts, as well as ex-officio members. The number of regularly-elected SP members to which a province is entitled is determined by its income class. First- and second-class provinces have ten SP members; third- and fourth-class provinces have eight, and fifth- and sixth-class provinces have six. The only exceptions to this rule are provinces which have more than five congressional districts. Cavite has 14 regularly-elected SP members, while Cebu, Negros Occidental and Pangasinan have twelve each.

Each Sangguniang Panlalawigan has designated seats for ex-officio members. Such seats are given to the local president of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC), the local president of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL), and the local president of the Sanggunian Kabataan (SK; English: Youth Council).

The vice-governor and the regular members of the Sanggunian are elected by the voters within the province. Ex-officio members are elected by members of their respective organizations.

Map

Pangasinan

La Union

Ilocos
Sur

Ilocos
Norte

Benguet

Ifugao

Mountain
Province

Kalinga

Abra

Apayao

Nueva
Vizcaya

Quirino

Isabela

Cagayan

Batanes

Pampanga

Bulacan

Bataan

Zambales

Tarlac

Nueva
Ecija

Aurora

Metro
Manila

Rizal

Laguna

Cavite

Batangas

Quezon

Marinduque

Romblon

Oriental
Mindoro

Occidental
Mindoro

Palawan

Camarines
Norte

Camarines
Sur

Albay

Sorsogon

Catanduanes

Masbate

Aklan

Capiz

Iloilo

Guimaras

Negros
Occidental

Antique

Cebu

Bohol

Negros
Oriental

Siquijor

Northern Samar

Eastern
Samar

Western
Samar

Biliran

Leyte

Southern
Leyte

Zamboanga
del Norte

Zamboanga
del Sur

Zamboanga
Sibugay

Camiguin

Bukidnon

Misamis
Oriental

Misamis
Occidental

Lanao
del Norte

Surigao
del Norte

Surigao
del Sur

Agusan
del Sur

Agusan
del
Norte

Davao
del
Norte

Compostela
Valley

Davao
Oriental

Davao
del Sur

South
Cotabato

Sarangani

Sultan Kudarat

North
Cotabato

Basilan

Sulu

Tawi-Tawi

Maguindanao

Lanao
del Sur

List of provinces

For a sortable table containing figures for all first-level subdivisions (provinces and independent cities), see List of primary local government units of the Philippines.

NOTES:

• All population and land area figures include cities independent from provinces. In this table, they are counted as part of the province to which they are often grouped for statistical purposes, but in actuality they are first-level entities on their own right.
• Metro Manila is included for comparison although it is not a province but an administrative region.
• Land area figures taken from 2007 IRA computation factors.
• Population figures taken from National Statistics Office.

Maps

Provinces by the years they achieved province status.	Island (blue) and landlocked (red) provinces. The grey areas have both land and sea boundaries.	Provinces classified by income classification.	Provinces classified by population.
Provinces classified by area.	Provinces classified by population density.

Etymologies

History

When the United States acquired the Philippines from Spain in 1898, the islands were divided into four gobiernos (governments), which were further subdivided into provinces and districts. The American administration initially inherited the Spanish divisions and placed them under military government. As insurgencies were pacified, civil government was gradually restored.

• 1901-06-11: Morong district merged with part of Manila Province to form Rizal Province.

• 1902: Mindoro merged with Marinduque; Amburayan province split from La Union; later, Marinduque province merged with Tayabas.

• 1903: Moro Province formed, consisting of the districts of Cotabato, Davao, Lanao, Sulu, and Zamboanga. Its capital was the town of Zamboanga.

• 1905: Name of Paragua province changed to Palawan. Masbate province merged with Sorsogon.

• 1907: Romblon merged with Capiz; split from it again in 1917.

• 1907-08-20: Agusan province split from Surigao.

• 1908: Abra province merged with Ilocos Sur; split from it again on 1917.

• 1908-08-13: Mountain Province formed by merging the provinces of Amburayan, Apayao, Benguet, Bontoc, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Lepanto, which became its sub-provinces.

• 1909: Batanes province split from Cagayan.

• 1916-08-29: Name and status of Moro Province changed to the Department of Mindanao and Sulu. Status of its districts (Bukidnon, Cotabato, Davao, Lanao, Sulu, and Zamboanga) changed to provinces.

• 1917-03-10: Most of the pre-war provinces formally established or re-established. Ambos Camarines province divided into Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur provinces; Abra and Romblon re-established.

• 1920-02-21: Marinduque province split from Tayabas.

• 1920-12-15: Masbate province split from Sorsogon.

• 1921-02-20: Mindoro province split from Marinduque.

• 1923-03-27: Leyte divided into Occidental Leyte and Oriental Leyte by law, but never proclaimed by the governor-general.

• 1929-11-02: Misamis province divided into Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental provinces (implemented 1939-11-28).

• 1945-09-26: Catanduanes province split from Albay.

• 1946: Romblon province merged again with Capiz; split from it again on 1947-01-01.

• 1946-09-07: Name of Tayabas province changed to Quezon.

• 1950-06-13: Mindoro province split into Mindoro Occidental and Mindoro Oriental.

• 1952-06-06: Zamboanga province split into Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur.

• 1956-04-25: Aklan province split from Capiz (implemented 1956-11-08).

• 1959-05-22: Lanao province divided into Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur; Southern Leyte province split from Leyte.

• 1960-06-19: Surigao province divided into Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur provinces.

• 1965-06-19: Samar province divided into Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Western Samar.

• 1966-06-18: South Cotabato province split from Cotabato; Benguet, Ifugao, and Kalinga-Apayao provinces split from Mountain Province; Camiguin province split from Misamis Oriental.

• 1967-05-08: Davao province divided into Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental provinces (implemented 1967-07-01).

• 1967-06-17: Agusan province divided into Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur provinces (implemented 1970-01-01).

• 1969-06-21: Name of Western Samar province changed to Samar.

• 1969-08-04: Samal sub-province created from Davao del Norte but never inaugurated.

• 1971-09-10: Quirino province split from Nueva Vizcaya.

• 1971-10-04: Maranaw province created from Lanao del Sur but never inaugurated.

• 1972-01-08: Siquijor province split from Negros Oriental.

• 1972-06-17: Name of Davao del Norte province changed to Davao.

• 1973-09-11: Tawi-Tawi province split from Sulu.

• 1973-11-22: Cotabato province divided into Maguindanao, North Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat provinces.

• 1973-12-27: Status of Basilan changed from chartered city to province.

• 1975-11-08: Metro Manila established from four chartered cities, and towns of Rizal and Bulacan.

• 1979-08-13: Aurora province split from Quezon, following a plebiscite.

• 1983-12-19: Name of North Cotabato province changed to Cotabato.

• 1986-01-03: Negros del Norte province split from Negros Occidental.

• 1986-08-18: Negros del Norte creation found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, reverts as part of Negros Occidental.

• 1992-03-16: Sarangani province split from South Cotabato.

• 1992-05-11: Biliran province split from Leyte; Guimaras province split from Iloilo.

• 1995-02-14: Kalinga-Apayao province split into Kalinga and Apayao provinces.

• 1998-03-07: Compostela Valley province split from Davao province. Name of Davao province changed back to Davao del Norte.

• 2001-02-23: Zamboanga Sibugay province split from Zamboanga del Sur.

• 2006-08-30: Shariff Kabunsuan province split from Maguindanao.

• 2006-10-02: Dinagat Islands province split from Surigao del Norte.

• 2008-11-18: Shariff Kabunsuan creation found unconstitutional by Supreme Court, reverts as part of Maguindanao.

• 2010-02-11: Dinagat Islands creation found unconstitutional by Supreme Court, reverts as part of Surigao del Norte.

Formally proposed provinces

Note: This section lists only those proposals that reached the stage where legislation was enacted for the purpose of establishing a province.

• Occidental Leyte and Oriental Leyte (March 27, 1923) – Leyte was divided into two new provinces by Act No. 3117 on March 27, 1923. The division never took place however as no proclamation was issued by the governor-general. ^[31]
  • The province of Oriental Leyte would have covered the present-day territories of the entire province of Biliran, the municipalities of Abuyog, Alangalang, Babatngon, Barugo, Burauen, Calubian, Capoocan, Carigara, Dagami, Dulag, Jaro, Javier, Julita, La Paz, Leyte, MacArthur, Mahaplag, Mayorga, Palo, Pastrana, San Isidro, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Tabango, Tabontabon, Tanauan, Tolosa, Tunga and Tacloban City (which was designated as the provincial capital).
  • The province of Occidental Leyte would have covered the present-day territories of the entire province of Southern Leyte, the municipalities of Albuera, Bato, Hilongos, Hindang, Inopacan, Isabel, Kananga, Matag-ob, Matalom, Mérida, Palompon, Villaba and the cities of Baybay and Ormoc. The province capital of Occidental Leyte "SEC. 2. ... shall be designated by the Governor-General, until determined by a plurality vote of the electors of the new province at the next general election."
• Samal (1969) – The sub-province of Samal was created by Republic Act No. 5999 and covered the area of the present-day Island Garden City of Samal (or in other words, the whole island of Samal). However, the sub-province was never inaugurated.
• Maranaw (1971) – Republic Act 6406, which sought to create a new province out of eastern Lanao del Sur (now corresponding to the province's first congressional district), was approved on October 4, 1971. The province was to consist of Marawi City (the capital) and the municipalities of Bubong, Ditsaan-Ramain (including what is now Buadiposo-Buntong), Kapai, Lumba-Bayabao (including what is now Maguing), Marantao, Masiu, Mulondo, Saguiaran, Piagapo, Poona Bayabao, Tamparan, Taraka and Wao (including what is now Bumbaran). Lanao del Sur was to retain the remaining municipalities, with Malabang serving as its new capital. Without the political will or the resources to implement it, the division never took place. A legacy of this unimplemented division is the existence of two ZIP code series for Lanao del Sur: the 93 series was retained by what were to be the remaining towns of the province (with Malabang, the new capital, being assigned the code 9300), while a new series (97) was assigned to what was supposed to be the province of Maranaw (with Marawi City getting the code 9700).
• Negros del Norte (1985-1986) – Batas Pambansa Blg. 885, which sought to create a new province out of the northern portion of Negros Occidental, took effect on December 23, 1985, with a plebiscite to ratify the law held on January 3, 1986. The province was to be composed of what are now the cities of Cadiz (which was to serve as the capital), Escalante, Sagay, San Carlos, Silay and Victorias, as well as the municipalities of Calatrava, Enrique B. Magalona, Manapla, Salvador Benedicto and Toboso. Although the creation of the new province was ratified by voters in the proposed new province, the Supreme Court declared Batas Pambansa Blg. 885, as well as the proclamation of the province of Negros del Norte, null and void on July 11, 1986 after ruling that the enabling law was unconstitutional.
• Isabela del Norte and Isabela del Sur (1995) – On February 20, 1995 Republic Act 7891, which sought to divide the province of Isabela, was approved. Isabela del Norte was to comprise municipalities belonging to the province's first and second congressional districts with Ilagan serving as capital. Isabela del Sur was to consist of the third and fourth congressional districts (excluding the independent component city of Santiago), with Cauayan City as the capital. The proposed division was rejected in a plebiscite held on June 20, 1995.
• Quezon del Norte and Quezon del Sur (2007) – The act dividing the province of Quezon into two, Republic Act 9495, lapsed into law without the president's signature on September 7, 2007. Quezon del Norte was to be composed of the first and second congressional districts of the province, with Lucena City as its capital. Quezon del Sur, with its capital at Gumaca, would have been composed of the third and fourth congressional districts. The COMELEC held the plebiscite on December 13, 2008 and majority of the votes cast rejected the division.

See also

• List of Philippine provincial name etymologies
• ISO 3166-2:PH

References

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code Interactive, National Statistical Coordination Board
• 2007 Census of Population Results, National Statistics Office, Republic of the Philippines
• The Local Government Code of the Philippines, Department of Interior and Local Government, Republic of the Philippines
• Provinces of the Philippines, Gwillim Law, Statoids.com

External links

• Flags of the World – Philippines Provincial Flags

Political Divisions of the Philippines Capital Manila • National Capital Region Autonomous region Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Provinces Abra • Agusan del Norte • Agusan del Sur • Aklan • Albay • Antique • Apayao • Aurora • Basilan • Bataan • Batanes • Batangas • Benguet • Biliran • Bohol • Bukidnon • Bulacan • Cagayan • Camarines Norte • Camarines Sur • Camiguin • Capiz • Catanduanes • Cavite • Cebu • Compostela Valley • Cotabato • Davao del Norte • Davao del Sur • Davao Oriental • Eastern Samar • Guimaras • Ifugao • Ilocos Norte • Ilocos Sur • Iloilo • Isabela • Kalinga • La Union • Laguna • Lanao del Norte • Lanao del Sur • Leyte • Maguindanao • Marinduque • Masbate • Misamis Occidental • Misamis Oriental • Mountain Province • Negros Occidental • Negros Oriental • Northern Samar • Nueva Ecija • Nueva Vizcaya • Occidental Mindoro • Oriental Mindoro • Palawan • Pampanga • Pangasinan • Quezon • Quirino • Rizal • Romblon • Samar • Sarangani • Siquijor • Sorsogon • South Cotabato • Southern Leyte • Sultan Kudarat • Sulu • Surigao del Norte • Surigao del Sur • Tarlac • Tawi-Tawi • Zambales • Zamboanga del Norte • Zamboanga del Sur • Zamboanga Sibugay Other subdivisions Island groups • Regions • Cities • Municipalities • Barangays • Legislative districts Territorial disputes Benham Plateau • North Borneo (Sabah) • Scarborough Shoal • Spratly Islands Luzon · Visayas · Mindanao

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