Zamboanga (province)

Zamboanga is a former province of the Philippines located in the western region of the southern Philippine island of Mindanao.

History

Creation

During the time of the United States' purchase of the Philippines of 1898, the Republic of Zamboanga had its own independence and jurisdiction on what is now Zamboanga City. After the dissolution of the republic, Zamboanga was eventually consolidated into one major administrative area by the American government of the Philippines, consisting of an enormous region that was the Mindanao island's western peninsula, Basilan island, and the entire Sulu archipelago, with the ancient namesake town–fort of Zamboanga as the seat of its government, and was called the Moro Province of the Philippines.

The Moro Province, in 1914 was replaced by the Department of Mindanao and Sulu. It was divided into Zamboanga, Sulu, Cotabato, Davao, Agusan and Surigao. The town of Zamboanga as its capital. Luis Lim^[1] was appointed as the first governor of Zamboanga.

In 1920, the Department of Mindanao and Sulu was officially dissolved and Zamboanga became an independent province and in 1922, elections were held for the first elected provincial officials of Zamboanga. Florentino Saguin was elected as first elected governor.

World War II

When the Japanese invaded the Philippines in 1942, Zamboanga acting Governor Felipe Azcuna moved the capital from Zamboanga City to Dipolog. After the defeat of the American-Filipino forces in Corregidor, most of the province went under Japanese control.

On March 1945, American forces seized an airfield in Dipolog giving an opportunity for the liberation of the whole province, before the American liberating troops was aided and helpful by the local Philippine Commonwealth military forces and the Zamboangueño guerrilla resistance groups in Zamboanga province against the Japanese. By the end of the month, the province with Zamboanga City was officially liberated and the return of the provincial government from Dipolog to Zamboanga City.

After the war, on June 16, 1948, Molave was designated as Zamboanga's capital by the virtue of Republic Act 286^[2] by President Elpidio Quirino.

Liberation and the Battle of Zamboanga

Beginning the Battle for the Liberation of Zamboanga on 1944 to 1945 between the joint and combined U.S. and Philippine Commonwealth military forces including the local Zamboangueño guerrilla resistance and fought against the Imperial Japanese military forces in Zamboanga.

On January to December 1944, Some of all local Filipino ground troops under the Philippine Commonwealth Army 6th, 10th, 101st, 102nd and 105th Infantry Division and the Philippine Constabulary 10th Infantry Regiment to beginning the sending the local combat military operations and they arrival the recaptured and liberated around the province of Zamboanga and aiding the Zamboangueño Christian and Muslim resistance groups attacks the Imperial Japanese military forces from the couple of twelve months and one year before the liberation. Before the U.S. liberation forces was returned and came back and they landing beaches on Leyte on October 1944 and Zamboanga on March 1945.

In the right of Eastern Zamboanga was they entered and local sending military combat operations by the local Filipino troops, military officers and tank commanders under the 6th, 10th, 101st, 102nd and 105th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and 10th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary was liberated and recaptured on January to March 1945 and aided the local Zamboangueño Christian and Muslim guerrilla resistance was attacked and defeating Japanese Imperial ground forces from the couple of three months and one year before the arrival of American liberation military forces under by Major General Jens A. Doe of the U.S. Army’s 41st Infantry Division on March 1945 in Zamboanga City.

Division

On June 6, 1952, the Republic Act 711^[3], authored by Zamboanga Congressman Roseller Lim was passed by the Philippine House of Representatives to divide the province of Zamboanga to Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur, while the chartered City of Zamboanga was relegated its own independent area of city governance. The bill was signed by President Elpidio Quirino in a ceremony held at the Malacañang Palace.

The towns of Dapitan, Dipolog, Rizal, New Piñan, Polanco, Katipunan, Manukan, Sindangan, Liloy, Labason and Siocon are composed of the province of Zamboanga del Norte. The towns of Molave, Pagadian, Labangan, Margosatubig, Dimataling, Dinas, Ipil, Buug, Malangas, Kabasalan and Aurora are under Zamboanga del Sur.

The town of Dipolog was designated capital of Zamboanga del Norte and the municipality of Pagadian as Zamboanga del Sur's capital.

In 2001, a brand new Zamboanga province, Zamboanga Sibugay, was created from the province of Zamboanga del Sur with Ipil as its provincial capital.

Governors

Timeline

American Colonial Period and the Philippine Commonwealth era

• 1935 - The establishment of the Commonwealth of the Philippines under the collaboration of colonial period from the United States of America.

• November 15, 1935 - Former President Manuel L. Quezon was inaugurated and founding established of the Commonwealth of the Philippines under the American control and before the pre-World War II era.

• July 26, 1941 - The 101st Infantry Division, Philippine Commonwealth Army, USAFFE was establishment on 1941 to 1946 at the general headquarters in Zamboanga.

World War II under the Japanese Occupation

• December 1941 - Begins in World War II, The Japanese bomber and fighter pilots was air raid invasion and around the provinces in Zamboanga during the Japanese Invasion.

• January 1942 - The Japanese Imperial forces was occupied and entering the province of Zamboanga during the Japanese Occupation. The military built of the general headquarters and garrisoned of the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces in Zamboanga.

• 1942 - Christian and Muslim soldiers of the 101st Infantry Division, Philippine Commonwealth Army, USAFFE was fall the sieges and main battles around in Zamboanga for the couple of few months. After the Fall of Zamboanga, Christian and Muslim troops of the USAFFE 101st Infantry Division surrender to the Imperial Japanese Army forces and they found captured and taken in Zamboanga.

• 1942 – The military establishment of the 6th, 10th and 102nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was found active on 1942 to 1946 at the general headquarters and camp bases in the province of Zamboanga.

• 1942 – The military establishment of the 105th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was found active on 1942 to 1946 at the general headquarters and camp bases in Dipolog, Zamboanga.

• 1942-1944 – local Zamboangueno guerrilla groups and sword men begins the conflict sieges and insurgencies around the province of Zamboanga and attack and retreated by the Japanese troops. Meanwhile, the Zamboangueno resistance fighters was found retreating by the Japanese for the couple of three years around the main provinces. Before the stronghold local Filipino troops and officers under the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Philippine Constabulary units was they entered in Eastern Zamboanga in 1944 and the American troops and officers under the U.S. Armed Forces units entering in Zamboanga City, Western Zamboanga province and Sulu and helps the Christian and Islamic resistance against the Japanese during the liberation.

• 1943 - The establishment of the Second Republic of the Philippines under the collaboration from the Empire of Japan.

• October 14, 1943 - The inauguration of Jose P. Laurel as a former president of the Japanese Sponsored Second Philippine Republic.

• 1944 – The military establishment of the 10th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary was found active on 1944 to 1946 at the general headquarters and camp bases in the province of Zamboanga.

• 1944-1945 – Filipino soldiers and officers under the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Philippine Constabulary units was recaptured and entering the sending the military combat operations around the clearing in Eastern Zamboanga province and aided the local Zamboangueno resistance was attacking Japanese troops. Before the American forces of the U.S. Army units was liberated in Zamboanga and helping Filipino Commonwealth troops and Zamboangueno guerrillas on March 1945.

• 1944-1945 – Filipino troops of the Philippine Commonwealth Army 6th, 10th, 101st, 102nd and 105th Infantry Division and Philippine Constabulary 10th Infantry Regiment clearing the combat operations and around the cities and town municipalities in Zamboanga included Dipolog, Pagadian and many others.

• March 1945 – American troops of the U.S. Army 41st Infantry Division led by Major General Jens A. Doe was arrive and landing beaches in Zamboanga City and Western Zamboanga province start the found recaptured and liberated and aiding the local Filipino troops of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Philippine Constabulary units and the local Zamboangueno resistance was they defeated and attacking Japanese.

• March 1945 – American troops of the U.S. Army 41st Infantry Division invaded and captured in Dipolog Airfield in Dipolog, Zamboanga and attacks Japanese. Meanwhile, all Filipino troops of the Philippine Commonwealth Army 6th, 10th, 101st, 102nd and 105th Infantry Division and the Philippine Constabulary 10th Infantry Regiment enters in the town municipality of Dipolog was they found invaded and aiding the local Zamboangueno guerrillas and attacking again by the Imperial Japanese forces.

• March to August 1945 – After the beaching landings of the American troops of the United States Army 41st Infantry Division in Zamboanga City and Western Zamboanga province on March 1945. Combined U.S. and Philippine Commonwealth troops including Zamboangueno guerrilla groups was fought side by side around the invasions and main battles to the fall in Zamboanga City and Zamboanga province and attacking the Imperial Japanese armed forces for the couple of six months and one year battles before the Japanese Surrenders to the Filipino and American troops on August 1945 after liberation.

• 1945 – The sieges of the general headquarters and garrisons of the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces around the main provinces in Zamboanga by the inside of the Japanese Imperial forces and entered the invading of the combined force of the Filipino troops of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Philippine Constabulary, the American troops of the U.S. Armed Forces units and the Zamboangueno resistance captures of the Japanese military camps.

• August 15, 1945 – The Japanese Imperial forces was defeated and surrendered by the combined United States and Philippine Commonwealth military forces and they taken and capturing the clearing province of Zamboanga City and Zamboanga province from the successfully to the Allies and aftermath of ending of Second World War.

Post-War Period

• July 04, 1946 - The Second Declaration of the Independence of the Philippine Republic from the United States of America after the Second World War.

• 1970 - Philippine Government troops was invaded in Zamboanga and clearing the command battlefields against the Islamic rebels of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) begins the Islamic Insurgencies.

• September 21, 1972 - Former Philippine president Ferdinand E. Marcos was declared Martial Law in the Philippines.

• November 14, 1984 - Former Zamboanga City Mayor Cesar Climaco was assassination and shot dead in downtown Zamboanga City.

• February 22-25, 1986 - EDSA People Power Revolution was started. Corazon A. Aquino is a first woman president and 11th President of the Philippines on February 25 after the EDSA People Power Revolution.

• January 05, 1989 - The main sieges of Camp Cawa-Cawa in Zamboanga City was fall and invading sieges of the government armed forces led by Gen. Eduardo Batallia and Col. Romeo Abendan of the Philippine Constabulary against the Muslim rebels led by Rizal Alih and others.

See also

• Legislative district of Zamboanga
• Zamboanga City
• Zamboanga del Norte
• Zamboanga del Sur
• Roseller T. Lim
• Provinces of the Philippines

References