PROVINCES OF THE PHILIPPINES

The 'province' (Filipino: ''lalawigan'' or ''probinsya'', ) is the primary local government unit in the Philippines. The country is divided into 81 provinces, which are further subdivided into cities (''lungsod'') and municipalities (''bayan''). The National Capital Region, which includes the capital city Manila, is not divided into provinces.
The provinces are grouped into 17 regions (''rehiyon'') based on geographical, cultural, and ethnological characteristics. Fourteen of the regions are designated with numbers corresponding roughly with their geographic location from north to south. The National Capital Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao do not have a number designation.
The provincial government is headed by a governor (''gobernador''). For purposes of legislative representation, the province is divided into one or more congressional districts (''distrito''). Each city or municipality belongs to one of these districts. One congressman (''kinatawan'') represents each district in the House of Representatives. Every district also has board members in the Provincial Board (see the succeeding section on the ''Provincial government'').
On October 30, 2006, the people of the 1st district of Maguindanao approved the creation of the new province, Shariff Kabunsuan in a plebescite officiated by the COMELEC.
On December 2, 2006, the people of Surigao del Norte approved the creation the new province of Dinagat Islands through a plebiscite after the Philippine Congress approved the law creating the said province.

Contents

Map

History

Government

Executive

Legislative

List of provinces

Etymologies

References

External links

Map

History

When the United States acquired the Philippines from Spain in 1898, the islands were divided into four ''gobiernos'', 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 province 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 Zamboanga.

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

★ 1907: Romblon province 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 1917-03-09.

★ 1908-08-13: Mountain province formed by merging Amburayan, Apayao, Benguet, Bontoc, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Lepanto province, 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: Ambos Camarines province divided into Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur provinces.

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

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

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

★ 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 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; 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.

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

★ 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 (formerly within Zamboanga del Sur province) changed from chartered city to province.

★ 1975-11-08: Metro Manila split from Rizal province.

★ 1979-08-13: Aurora province split from Quezon, following a referendum.

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

★ 1986-01-03: Negros del Norte province split from Negros Occidental. This action was found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, and Negros Occidental reverted to its original status on 1986-08-18.

★ 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.

Government

The provincial government has an executive and a legislative branch. The judicial powers in the province are under the supervision of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. The provincial government is an autonomous unit, given direct supervision of the affairs of the province. The president of the Philippines coordinates with the provinces through the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Executive

The provincial government is headed by a governor (''gobernador''), who is the chief executive and head of the province. Under the governor are the various provincial departments such as the Administration, Legal Office, Information Office, Engineering Office, and Treasury Office.
The governor is elected a term of three years and may be elected for a maximum of three terms. The provincial department heads are appointed by the governor.

Legislative

Heading the legislature of the province is the vice-governor (''bise-gobernador'') who presides over the Provincial Board (''Sangguniang Panlalawigan''), which is composed of board members from each district in the province. Depending on the income class of the province, it may either have eight or ten board members. First and second class provinces have ten board members while third and fourth class provinces have eight. Cebu, Negros Occidental and Pangasinan are exceptions, having 12 board members each.
The board also has, as ex-officio members, the provincial president of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) (''Liga ng mga Barangay''), the provincial president of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL), and the provincial president of Sanggunian Kabataan (SK) Federation (the youth council).
All of the board members are elected by the citizens of the province along with the governor. The ex-officio members are elected within their organizations.

List of provinces

Province		Capital	Region	Population	Area (km²)	Pop. density (per km²)
	Abra	Bangued	CAR	209,491	3,975.6	52.7
	Agusan del Norte	Cabadbaran	Region XIII	552,849	2,590.0	213.5
	Agusan del Sur	Prosperidad	Region XIII	559,294	8,966.0	62.4
	Aklan	Kalibo	Region VI	451,314	1,817.9	248.3
	Albay	Legazpi City	Region V	1,090,907	2,552.6	427.4

|-
|| || Antique || San Jose || Region VI || 471,088 || 2,522.0 || 186.8
|-
|| || Apayao || Kabugao || CAR || 97,129 || 3,927.9 || 24.7
|-
|| || Aurora || Baler || Region III || 173,797 || 3,239.5 || 53.6
|-
|| || Basilan || Isabela City || ARMM || 322,828 || 1,234.2 || 243.8
|-
|| || Bataan || Balanga City || Region III || 557,659 || 1,373.0 || 406.2
|-
|| || Batanes || Basco || Region II || 16,467 || 209.3 || 78.7
|-
|| || Batangas || Batangas City || Region IV-A || 1,905,348 || 3,165.8 || 601.9
|-
|| || Benguet || La Trinidad || CAR || 582,515 || 2,655.4 || 219.4
|-
|| || Biliran || Naval || Region VIII || 140,274 || 555.5 || 252.5
|-
|| || Bohol || Tagbilaran City || Region VII || 1,139,130 || 4,117.3 || 276.7
|-
|| || Bukidnon || Malaybalay City || Region X || 1,060,265 || 8,293.8 || 127.8
|-
|| || Bulacan || Malolos || Region III || 2,234,088 || 2,625.0 || 851.1
|-
|| || Cagayan || Tuguegarao City || Region II || 993,580 || 9,002.7 || 110.4
|-
|| || Camarines Norte || Daet || Region V || 458,840 || 2,112.5 || 217.2
|-
|| || Camarines Sur || Pili || Region V || 1,551,549 || 5,266.8 || 294.6
|-
|| || Camiguin || Mambajao || Region X || 74,232 || 229.8 || 323.0
|-
|| || Capiz || Roxas City || Region VI || 654,156 || 2,633.2 || 248.4
|-
|| || Catanduanes || Virac || Region V || 215,356 || 1,511.5 || 142.5
|-
|| || Cavite || Trece Martires City || Region IV-A || 2,063,161 || 1,287.6 || 1,602.3
|-
|| || Cebu || Cebu City || Region VII || 3,356,137 || 5,088.4 || 659.6
|-
|| || Compostela Valley || Nabunturan || Region XI || 580,244 || 4,667.0 || 124.3
|-
|| || Cotabato || Kidapawan City || Region XII || 958,643 || 6,569.9 || 145.9
|-
|| || Davao del Norte || Tagum City || Region XI || 743,811 || 3,463.0 || 214.8
|-
|| || Davao del Sur || Digos City || Region XI || 1,905,917 || 6,377.6 || 298.8
|-
|| || Davao Oriental || Mati || Region XI || 446,191 || 5,164.5 || 86.4
|-
|| || Dinagat Islands || San Jose || Region XIII || 106,951 || 802.12 || 133.3
|-
|| || Eastern Samar || Borongan || Region VIII || 375,822 || 4,339.6 || 86.6
|-
|| || Guimaras || Jordan || Region VI || 141,450 || 604.7 || 233.9
|-
|| || Ifugao || Lagawe || CAR || 161,623 || 2,517.8 || 64.2
|-
|| || Ilocos Norte || Laoag City || Region I || 514,241 || 3,399.3 || 151.3
|-
|| || Ilocos Sur || Vigan City || Region I || 594,206 || 2,579.6 || 230.3
|-
|| || Iloilo || Iloilo City || Region VI || 1,925,002 || 4,719.4 || 407.9
|-
|| || Isabela ^[1] || Ilagan || Region II || 1,287,575 || 10,664.6 || 120.7
|-
|| || Kalinga || Tabuk || CAR || 174,023 || 3,119.7 || 55.8
|-
|| || La Union || San Fernando City || Region I || 657,945 || 1,493.1 || 440.7
|-
|| || Laguna || Santa Cruz || Region IV-A || 1,965,872 || 1,759.7 || 1,117.2
|-
|| || Lanao del Norte || Tubod || Region X || 758,123 || 3,092.0 || 245.2
|-
|| || Lanao del Sur || Marawi City || ARMM || 800,162 || 3,872.9 || 206.6
|-
|| || Leyte || Tacloban City || Region VIII || 1,592,336 || 5,712.8 || 278.7
|-
|| || Maguindanao || Shariff Aguak || ARMM || 599,103 || 4,900.1 || 163.5
|-
|| || Marinduque || Boac || Region IV-B || 217,392 || 959.3 || 226.6
|-
|| || Masbate || Masbate City || Region V || 707,668 || 4,047.7 || 174.8
|-
|| || Misamis Occidental || Oroquieta City || Region X || 486,723 || 1,939.3 || 251.0
|-
|| || Misamis Oriental || Cagayan de Oro City || Region X || 1,126,215 || 3,570.0 || 315.5
|-
|| || Mountain Province || Bontoc || CAR || 140,439 || 2,097.3 || 67.0
|-
|| || Negros Occidental ^[2] || Bacolod City || Region VI || 2,565,723 || 7,926.1 || 323.7
|-
|| || Negros Oriental || Dumaguete City || Region VII || 1,130,088 || 5,402.3 || 209.2
|-
|| || Northern Samar || Catarman || Region VIII || 500,639 || 3,498.0 || 143.1
|-
|| || Nueva Ecija || Palayan City || Region III || 1,659,883 || 5,284.3 || 314.1
|-
|| || Nueva Vizcaya || Bayombong || Region II || 366,962 || 3,903.9 || 94.0
|-
|| || Occidental Mindoro || Mamburao || Region IV-B || 380,250 || 5,879.9 || 64.7
|-
|| || Oriental Mindoro || Calapan City || Region IV-B || 681,818 || 4,364.7 || 156.2
|-
|| || Palawan || Puerto Princesa City || Region VI || 755,412 || 14,896.3 || 50.7
|-
|| || Pampanga || San Fernando City || Region III || 1,882,730 || 2,180.7 || 863.4
|-
|| || Pangasinan || Lingayen || Region I || 2,434,086 || 5,368.2 || 453.4
|-
|| || Quezon || Lucena City || Region IV-A || 1,679,030 || 8,706.6 || 192.8
|-
|| || Quirino || Cabarroguis || Region II || 148,575 || 3,057.2 || 48.6
|-
|| || Rizal || Antipolo City || Region IV-A || 1,707,218 || 1,308.9 || 1,304.3
|-
|| || Romblon || Romblon || Region IV-B || 264,357 || 1,355.9 || 195.0
|-
|| || Samar || Catbalogan City || Region VIII || 641,124 || 5,591.0 || 114.7
|-
|| || Sarangani || Alabel || Region XII || 410,622 || 2,980.0 || 137.8
|-
|| || Shariff Kabunsuan || Datu Odin Sinsuat || ARMM || 365,848 || ||
|-
|| || Siquijor || Siquijor || Region VII || 81,598 || 343.5 || 237.5
|-
|| || Sorsogon || Sorsogon City || Region V || 650,535 || 2,141.4 || 303.8
|-
|| || South Cotabato || Koronadal City || Region XII || 1,102,550 || 4,489.0 || 245.6
|-
|| || Southern Leyte || Maasin City || Region VIII || 360,160 || 1,734.8 || 207.6
|-
|| || Sultan Kudarat || Isulan || Region XII || 586,505 || 4,714.8 || 124.4
|-
|| || Sulu || Jolo || ARMM || 619,668 || 1,600.4 || 387.2
|-
|| || Surigao del Norte || Surigao City || Region XIII || 374,465 || 1,936.9 || 193.3
|-
|| || Surigao del Sur || Tandag || Region XIII || 501,808 || 4,552.2 || 110.2
|-
|| || Tarlac || Tarlac City || Region III || 1,068,783 || 3,053.4 || 350.0
|-
|| || Tawi-Tawi || Panglima Sugala || ARMM || 322,317 || 1,087.4 || 296.4
|-
|| || Zambales || Iba || Region III || 627,802 || 3,714.4 || 169.0
|-
|| || Zamboanga del Norte || Dipolog City || Region IX || 823,130 || 6,618.0 || 124.4
|-
|| || Zamboanga del Sur || Pagadian City || Region IX || 1,438,011 || 4,964.1 || 289.7
|-
|| || Zamboanga Sibugay || Ipil || Region IX || 497,239 || 3,087.9 || 161.0
|}
1. On February 20, 1995, legislation was approved for the division of Isabela into Isabela del Norte and Isabela del Sur. It was disapproved in the provincial plebiscite. The division never took place.
2. Negros del Norte was created from Negros Occidental on January 3, 1986. Its creation was declared unconstitutional on July 11, 1986, and it was abolished on August 18, 1986.

Etymologies

The provinces are mainly named after geographic features like rivers and islands, after people or individuals, or they bear a name of older local origin.
Provinces named after:

★ Ethnic groups:

★
★ Apayao

★
★ Bukidnon (Cebuano for 'people of the mountain')

★
★ Batanes

★
★ Ifugao

★
★ Kalinga

★
★ Maguindanao

★
★ Negros

★
★ Zambales

★ Presidents:

★
★ Quezon

★
★ Quirino

★ Heroes:

★
★ Rizal

★
★ Sultan Kudarat

★ Other known people:

★
★ Aurora

★
★ Isabela

★
★ Shariff Kabunsuan

★ Sultanates: Sulu, Maguindanao

★ :

★
★ Agusan (root word: ''agasan'' - where the water flows)

★
★ Apayao (root word: ''apayaw'' - negotiable river)

★
★ Aklan

★
★ Cagayan (root word: ''carayan'' - Ilocano word for river)

★
★ Davao

★
★ Iloilo

★
★ Pampanga (root word: ''pampang'' - river bank)

★ :

★
★ Laguna

★
★ Lanao

★ :

★
★ Zamboanga Sibugay

★ Other bodies of water:

★
★ Albay (root word: ''albaybay'' - shore)

★
★ Dinagat Islands (root word: ''dagat'' - sea)

★
★ Ilocos (root word: ''look'' - bay)

★ :

★
★ Bataan

★
★ Cavite

★ Other landforms:

★
★ Bukidnon (root word: ''bukid'' - mountain)

★
★ Mountain Province

★
★ Compostela Valley

★ Prominent cities and towns in the province:

★
★ Batangas

★
★ Bulacan

★
★ Cavite

★
★ Cebu

★
★ Cotabato

★
★ Iloilo

★
★ Masbate

★
★ Siquijor

★
★ Tarlac

★
★ Zamboanga

★ Regions in Spain:

★
★ Nueva Ecija

★
★ Nueva Vizcaya

★ Spanish words:

★
★ Camarines (root word: ''camarin'' - granary)

★
★ Abra (root word: ''abrir'' - to open)

★
★ La Union

★
★ Laguna

★ Local objects and words:

★
★ Basilan (root word: ''basilan'' - iron trail)

★
★ Benguet (root word: ''benget'' - Ibaloi term for head scarf)

★
★ Cebu (root word: ''sugbo'')

★
★ Cavite (root word: ''kawit'' - hook)

★
★ Cotabato (root word: ''kuta bato'' - stone fort)

★
★ Sarangani (root word: ''sangir'' - the language spoken by inhabitants of Sarangani Island)

★
★ Sorsogon (root word: ''solsogon'' - to follow the river upstream)

★ Nature, flora and fauna:

★
★ Antique (from the red ants known locally as ''lantik-lantik'')

★
★ Batangas (root word: 'batang' - log)

★
★ Biliran (root word: ''biliran'' - native grass for weaving mats)

★
★ Bohol (root word: ''bo-ol'' - a local tree)

★
★ Bulacan (root word: ''burak'' - mud, or ''bulaklak'' - flower)

★
★ Camiguin (root word: ''kamagong'' tree)

★
★ Capiz (root word: ''kapis'' - pearl shells)

★
★ Catanduanes (root word: ''tando'' tree abundant along Catandungan River)

★
★ Pangasinan (root word: ''asin'' - salt)

★
★ Tarlac (root word: ''tarlak'' - Sambal term for weeds)

★
★ Zamboanga (root word: ''sampaga'' - flower)
In addition, many Philippines provinces have Spanish and English directions in their names, such as Zamboanga del Norte (English: Northern Zamboanga).

References

★ Philippine Standard Geographic Code Interactive, National Statistical Coordination Board

★ Total Population, Number of Households, Average Household Size, Population Growth Rate and Population Density by Region, Province and Highly Urbanized City: as of May 1, 2000, Census 2000 Final Counts, National Statistics Office, Republic of the Philippines

★ The Local Government Code of the Philippines, Department of Interior and Local Government, Republic of the Philippines

★ Government system based on US and Spanish models under review, Andrew Stevens, Local government in The Philippines, City Mayors

★ Provinces of the Philippines, Gwillim Law, Statoids.com

External links

★ League of Provinces of the Philippines

★ Flags of the World - Philippines Provincial Flags