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The Province of Basilan (Lalawiganng Basilan in Filipino/Tagalog; Provincia de Basilan in Spanish/Chavacano) is an island province of the Philippines within the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Basilan is the largest and northernmost of the major islands of the Sulu Archipelago and is located just off the southern coast of Zamboanga Peninsula. Its capital, Isabela City, is administered as part of the Zamboanga Peninsula Region.

Basilan is home to three main ethnic groups, the indigenous Yakans, and the later-arriving Tausugs and Chavacanos. The Yakans and Tausugs are predominantly Muslim, while the Chavacanos are mainly Christian. There are also a number of smaller groups. Although the official language is Filipino and English, the lingua franca is Chavacano, but other languages are well represented, with Yakan being the most widespread.

Basilan, although classified as a 4th-Class Province in terms of gross provincial income, has one of the lowest incidence of poverty in the Philippines (26.19% of the general population), ranked 20 among the Philippines' 80 Provinces (in comparison, Maguindanao which is ranked last at no. 80 has a poverty incidence of 44.24%). More importantly, the gap between Basilan's rich and poor residents are among the narrowest in the country (ranked 3rd nationwide), pointing to one of the most equitable distributions of wealth anywhere in the country (GINI Coefficient 0.2826, which is slightly better than the Provinces of Pampanga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Cavite, Batanes and Batangas).

The province lies within the region in which Abu Sayyaf and Moro Islamic Liberation Front groups operate, to the detriment of the economy and the well-being of the inhabitants. Basilan had a Human Development Index of 0.425, the third worst of the 77 provinces in 2000.[2] The arrival of various foreign-funded Non-Government Organizations starting in 2002, and the re-invigoration of the rubber industry improved the local situation quite dramatically since then. Geography Elijah Himayot Basilan is located between latitudes 615' and 700', and longitudes 12115' and 12230'. The island is bordered by the Basilan Strait to the north, the Sulu Sea to the northwest and west, the Moro Gulfto the northeast, and the Celebes Sea to the south, southeast and east. It is one of the 7,107 islands that make up the Philippine archipelago.

Topographical map of Basilan and outlying islands Basilan Island is the largest and northernmost island of the Sulu Archipelago between the Philippine islands of Mindanao and Borneo which includes about 400 islands. Basilan Strait, about 17 nautical miles (31 km) at its narrowest point, separates Basilan Island from the mainland of

Mindanao and the port city of Zamboanga. The terrain of the island is simple, with several undulating slopes concentrated around Isabela City along the coastal areas and hilly towards the interior. Urban areas are usually 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in) above sea level and gently sloping to 300 metres (980 ft) toward the hinterlands. The stand of timber and forest vegetation is more or less evenly distributed throughout. Basilan National Park is located at the eastern portion of the remaining public forest between the city of Isabela and the municipalities of Lamitan, Tipo-Tipo and Sumisip. The park has an elevation of 971 metres (3,186 ft) above sea level, and the tallest peak, Puno Mahaji or Basilan Peak, dominates the park's landscape. Land

Basilan in Mindanao, Philippines (Regions IX, X, XII and ARMM) The province of Basilan has an aggregate historical jurisdiction of 135,892 hectares (335,800 acres), with mainland Basilan encompassing an area of 124,892 hectares (308,610 acres). The province encompasses all of Basilan Island (including Isabela City, which forms part of the province, although it is excluded from the Autonomous Region) and offshore islands, together with the Pilas island group (now HadjiMuhtamad Municipality) west of the island, and the Bubuan and Tapiantana island group (now Tabuan-Lasa Municipality) in the south. These are listed among the Philippine islands with a moderate risk of getting hit by tsunamis. Culture Main article: Culture of Basilan

Sta. Isabel Cathedral, in the heart of Isabela City's poblacion, is the center of Basilan's thriving Catholic community. The biggest cultural influences on the island derive from Basilan's tri-ethnic community: the native Yakan, Tausug and Chavacano peoples. The Yakans and Tausugs are predominantly Muslim, while the Chavacanos are primarily Christian. Among the Tausugs and Samals, the phrase "mag-tausugnakaw" means "become a Muslim", instead of the more literal translation, "become a Tausug", as the Tausug tribe is regarded as the "original Muslims" of the area. Although the majority of the Yakans have converted to Islam, a significant number still conform to traditional local beliefs, traditions and rituals, while others have converted to Christianity. Along with a majority of the Chavacano, the Cebuano and the Ilonggo/Hiligaynon Bisayaare Christian.

Yakan interior/east: Yakans gathered at Materling, Al Barka (Tipo-Tipo), Basilan, visited by Kapamilya broadcaster Bernadette Sembrano. Culturally, the Yakan and the Tausug are distinct groups; the Yakan represent the "Lumad" or indigenous peoples of Basilan, while the Tausugs, the Samal and the Bajao are regarded as the "Muslims", and the Chavacanos, Cebuanos and Ilonggos are the "Christians". The rest, a mixture of Tagalogs, Ilocanos, Waray, Bicolanos, Maranaos, Iranuns and Maguindanaos, are more recent migrants permanently residing in the region, itinerant merchants or government workers. This mix of ethnicities, forged together first by the Spanish practice of establishing resettlements orreducciones, as well as the multinational plantations' importation of skilled Christian farm workers and laborers from the Visayas and Luzon, gives Basilan a distinct culture in the Philippines. It is the only majority-Muslim province that is governed by Lumads, and whose most commonly spoken language is Chavacano.

Christian north/northwest: J. S. Alano Street, one of the main thoroughfares of Isabela City, connecting Sta. Isabel Cathedral with the Isabela City Plaza/Plaza Rizal and the Provincial Capitol. The Tausugs and Samals, for the most part having been denied ownership of land, and owing also to their primary livelihood of fishing, live along the coastlines, constructing their houses on stilts at the water's edge near population centers. Their houses are, for the most part, outside of the municipal water and sewerage systems of the urban centers. The Yakans, on the other hand, having been driven far inland, are scattered throughout the island's interior, in similar raised houses usually made of light materials, but separated from each other. The Christians are mostly found in the plains, the cities and in the plantations, squeezed between the Tausug-dominated coasts and the Yakan-dominated hinterlands. They make up the bulk of the island's professionals, entrepreneurs, and lowland farmers. The Christians own most of the arable land, as well as nearly all of the businesses and occupy most of the professions. Tausug/Samal festivals are usually connected to the sea, celebrating the bounty of the seas, even staging dazzling fluvial wedding parades on colorfully bedecked vintas and paraws, a nod to the Tausugs' former naval prowess. Christian fiestas are almost always related to good harvests on the farms, as well as saintly miracles against natural calamities and victories against Moro attacks. Yakan festivals, meanwhile, are rooted in older, pre-Islamic rituals such as warrior dances, colorful wedding pageants, and harvest rituals.

Tausug south/southeast: Main road at Port Holland, Maluso, Basilan, flanked by Tausug traders and market stall owners. Culturally, therefore, Christians and Muslims have a close relationship, both professionally as well as in trade and commerce, being regarded as the island's "lowlanders" by the Yakan, who are themselves regarded as "de arriba" by the Christians or "tagihamas" by the Tausugs, which roughly translates as "uplanders". Conversely, the Yakan are suspicious of the intents and motives of the tribe's lowland neighbors, having been at the receiving end of slave raids, invasions and punitive attacks from both groups for over 500 years.

With the island's strategic location right at the crossroads of the warring camps of Tausugs and the Spanish, Basilan was divided into three primary spheres of cultural dominance by one of the three groups. Basilan's northern and northwestern coasts, facing the heavily HispanizedZamboanga City across the narrow Basilan Strait, is culturally Christian, or more precisely Filipino Catholic. Basilan's southern and southwestern coastal areas have a distinctly Tausug-oriented culture. The eastern and interior portions of Basilan, on the other hand, isolated for the most part from the Spanish in Zamboanga, and the Tausug from Jolo, are enclaves of the indigenous Yakan. [edit]Demographics

Basilan ethnicity profile By the eve of the Commonwealth era in the Philippines, local census estimates showed that a majority of the people of Basilan were Christian migrants, mostly plantation workers recruited from over Mindanao and the Visayas, and Tausug traders, as well as Samal and Bajaufisherfolk. Only around 5,000 Yakans were counted in the census. Until then, most Yakans preferred not to interact directly with their lowland neighbors. Statistics from the 2000 Census report the following breakdown:

   

Yakan: 137,545 (41.36%) Tausug: 76,366 (22.96%) ZamboangueoChavacano / Bisaya / Cebuano / Hiligaynon / Ilonggo / Ilocano / Ibanag: 71,344 (21.45%) Others (Samal / Bajao / Tagalog / Maranao / Maguindanao / Bikolano): 46,174 (14.23%)

Basilan Province population distribution (NSO figures 2000) The following figures in this subsection are from the National Statistical Coordination Board - NSCB Philippine Database, Census of 2000,[6] unless otherwise noted. Basilan' median age was 19 years, lower than the 1995 figure of 25 years. The sex ratio is almost even. There were 166,413 males and 166,415 females in the 2000 CPH[clarification needed]. However, there were more females in the 15-to-39 age group and more males in all other age groups. The economically active population, aged 15 to 64, comprises 55.2% of the population. About 42.3% are young dependents (0 to 14 years old) while less than 3% are old dependents (64 years old and older). The overall dependency ratio is 81.2: for every 100 persons aged 15 to 64, there were about 77 young dependents and 4 old dependents. Married persons accounted for 47.76% of the total persons 10 years old and over, lower than the 1995 figure (49.11%). Single persons comprised 43.80% in 2000, a decrease from 45.71% in 1995. The widowed (4.49%) increased less than one percentage point from the figure registered in 1995 (3.89%). Those with other arrangements increased from 3.87% in 1995 to 4.49% in 2000. Out of 60,710 housing units in Basilan, 60,699 (99.98%) were occupied by 61,546 households. This rate of occupancy was higher than that of 1990 (95.6%). There was a ratio of 1.01 households for every occupied housing unit or 5.48 persons per occupied housing unit. A large proportion (94.3%) of the occupied housing units in Basilan in 2000 were single houses. 75.9% of the occupied housing units did not need repair or with minor repair[clarification needed], while 17.8% needed major repair. One out of nine occupied housing units was built between 1996 to 2000. The proportion of occupied housing units with roofs made of galvanized iron/aluminum rose from 23.1% in 1990 to 42.5% in 2000. On the other hand, roofs made of cogon/nipa/anahaw declined from 69.6% in 1990 to 50.3% in 2000. As for the construction material of the outer walls, the use of wood rose from 42.2% in 1990 to 52.4% in 2000.

Out of Basilan's estimated 60,582 families, 19,740 lived in urban areas and 40,842 were rural. Average poverty thresholds province-wide were pegged at Php9,271.00 monthly family income, of which Php10,997.00 was considered the urban threshold and Php8,080.00 the threshold for rural families. 26.20% of the total population was below the poverty threshold: 36.50% of the urban population and 21.20% of the rural. Poverty incidence is defined as the proportion of families whose income cannot provide for the basic food and non-food requirements called the poverty threshold to the total number of families. According to the ARMM government website, in 2006, Basilan ranked 46th among all provinces, with a poverty incidence of 31.7.[7] [edit]Population growth Basilan is experiencing a rapid increase in population; between 2000 and 2007, the population increased by 163,675, from 332,828 to 496,503, whereas it only rose by 37,263 between 1995 and 2000. A corresponding increase in the number of households was also registered, from 55,137 in 1995 to 61,546 in 2000. This resulted to an average household size of 5.4 persons, higher than the national average of five. Of the seven original municipalities in Basilan as of May 1, 2000, Isabela, the capital of the province, was the largest in terms of population with 73,032 persons or 21.94% of the provincial total. It was followed by Lamitan (17.64%), Sumisip (15.23%), Tipo-Tipo (14.50%), and Tuburan (12.78%). Lantawan and Maluso, on the other hand, had less than 10% each.

US Ambassador Kristie Kenney with the DatuBantilan Dance Troupe in traditional Yakan costume. By 2007, the three biggest local government units (LGUs) saw their shares of the population fall relative to neighboring communities; Isabela City fell to 17.72% of Basilan's total population despite remaining the most densely populated area on the island. Lamitan is now only at 16.53% (-1.11%). Old Sumisip (two municipalities with a population of 71,807), with the biggest aggregate land area, fell to 14.46% (-0.77%). Meanwhile, Old Tipo-Tipo (three municipalities: 83,249 pop.) rose to 16.75% (+2.25%) and is now bigger than Lamitan, while Old Tuburan (three municipalities: 73,942 pop.) is 14.89% (+2.11%) and is now bigger than Old Sumisip. Old Lantawan (two municipalities: 49,270 pop.) is at 9.92%, while Maluso (48,175 pop.) comprises 9.7% of the total. The seven-year increases are widely disparate, which explains the 2000-2007 percentage figures stated above. In Isabela City, the population growth was 20.47% (+2.92% per annum; 73,032 in 2000, to 87,985 in 2007), slower when compared to the newly created Akbar Municipality, scene of many of the latest gun-battles between government troops and Moro separatist groups. The municipality's seven-year population growth

was 101.42% (+14.48% per annum; 10,581 in 2000 to 21,312 in 2007). The average aggregate annual population increase in the seven-year period for the ten municipalities and one city that comprise Basilan was 9.12%. By comparison, that of the rest of the Philippines was only 2.3%. These figures are derived from the National Statistics and Coordination Board and National Statistics Office of the Philippines.[8][9] These rapid growth rates have been attributed mainly to the practice of local governments of padding their real population numbers in order to: (1) obtain a bigger slice of the Internal Revenue Allotment fund given to Philippine LGUs, (2) to fulfill minimum requirements set by the Philippine Local Government Code (for the newly created municipalities and Lamitan city), (3) as well as a reserve of votes for local political clans from constituencies that "usually" record 100% turn-outs during election periods.[citation needed] [edit]Religion

Basilan Faith Profile Religion in Basilan religion Islam (Sunni) Islam (Folk) Roman Catholic Protestant Others percent 41% 30% 24% 3% 2%

Basilan's population is 27% Christian, 90% of them Roman Catholic, and 71% Muslim. Non-Catholic Christians include Evangelicals, Episcopalian (Anglican Catholics), and Iglesiani Cristo (INC), Mormons,Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and a number of other Protestant denominations. Only the most recent Chinese immigrants adhere to Buddhism or Taoism, while most of the older Chinese families have acculturated and have either converted to Christianity or Islam while retaining most of their Chinese beliefs. A majority of Basilan's Muslims are concentrated on the island's southern slopes. Christians reside mostly in the urban centers of Isabela and Lamitan on the island's northern coast, where they constitute a majority. Sizable Christian settlements are also found in the former multi-national

plantations, for example Tairan, Lantawan; Tumahubong, Sumisip; MalusoTownsite, Maluso. The rest have a mixture of both traditional and autochthonal beliefs. The Jesuit mission was replaced by a parish when Basilan was reassigned to the Order of Augustinian Recollects in 1850. The Jesuits regained Isabela Parish from 1860 to 1880, and then lost it again to the Recollects, who administered the parish until 1920, at which time Isabela de Basilan was turned over todiocesan priests until 1930. From 1930 through 1950, the Jesuits returned to Isabela, finally relinquishing their longheld outpost to the Claretian Fathers, who took over from 1951 to 1974. The Isabela Parish burned to the ground in 1962,[clarification needed] and was rebuilt in 1964 under the aegis of Basilan's first bishop, the Most Rev. Jose Ma. Querexeta, a Spaniard. The cathedral was consecrated to Sta. Isabel in 1970, and diocesan priests have since administered the same from 1974 to the present. The cathedral figured prominently in recent news, suffering one destructive explosion in a triple bomb blast on April 13, 2010. The Prelature of Isabela de Basilan was created on October 12, 1963, and comprises all territories constituting the civil jurisdiction of Basilan Province, including Isabela City. Its titular patron is Sta. Isabel de Portugal.[10] Bishop Querexeta was succeeded by Bishop Romulo T. Dela Cruz, Basilan's first Filipino bishop, on February 16, 1989, who served until January 10, 2002, when the present bishop, the Most Rev. Martin S. Jumoad took over.

KaumPurnah Mosque, the oldest masjidon the island of Basilan. A majority of Basilan's Muslim population (41%) practice Sunni Islam of the Shafi'i tradition, as taught by Arab and Malaccan missionaries from the 14th century onwards. A substantial number follow a syncretist mix of Islam and Yakan folk customs and traditions exclusively among the native Yakan populations farther inland, and a different version of the same folk Islamic tradition which is practiced by the Bajao in Basilan's outlying islands and surrounding seas. Relatively newer Islamic sects, mostly brought by returning veterans of the Afghan wars and missionaries from Pakistan's stricter Sufi traditions, referred to as the Tableegh, have been active in propagating what they believe to be a "purer" Islamic way of life and worship. A very small number who have since married into Iranian or Iraqi families have converted to Shiite Islam. [edit]Language

Native ZamboangueoChavacano speakers in Mindanao. ZamboangueoChavacano is the lingua franca of Basilan, understood and spoken by nearly 80% of the residents, both Christian and Muslim. Basilan has the biggest concentration of ZamboangueoChavacano speakers in the Philippines outside of Zamboanga City. Tausug is also widely spoken, especially among the Muslim tribes, and is spoken and understood by approximately 70% of Basilan's population. Most residents also use Filipino/Tagalog as a third language. Cebuano/Bisaya is a preferred third tongue among the Christian tribes and is spoken and understood by approximately 60% of residents. Yakan, the acknowledged native dialect of Basilan, is used primarily by Yakans, although it is also spoken and understood by about 15%-20% of the non-Yakan residents. A lesser percentage can speak or understand Samal/Banguingui, Maranao, Ilocano and Ilonggo, which are mostly confined to members of their respective tribes. The educated classes use English for most official business or government transactions. A dwindling group of native-Spanish speakers live in Isabela City and Lamitan. Chinese/Fookien is used by the immigrant/naturalized Chinese community. [edit]Education

Basilan National High School, Isabela City, Basilan's premier secondary institution Basilan's literacy rate has risen over the past two decades, although it remains one of the Philippines' lowest; 72.23% are considered literate, as opposed to the national figure of 92.6%. The province has one state college and five private colleges. Basilan State College is located in Isabela City and has an extension college in Lamitan City and Maluso.

Furigay Colleges, Lamitan City, Basilan Basilan is served by two school divisions of the Department of Education, one for Basilan and one for Isabela City, though both are headquartered in Isabela City. A number of public and private high schools dot the province. The premier secondary educational institution on the island is Basilan National High School located in Isabela City, followed by Lamitan National High School in Lamitan City. The Claret High Schools of Isabela, Lamitan, Maluso and Tumahubong, and a number of Madaris provide private secondary instruction. More than 42% of the population five years old and older attended or completed elementary education, 17.3% attended or completed high school, while 1.5% attended or finished post secondary education. Less than 3% possessed academic degrees, while 6.2 percent were college undergraduates. A very small number pursued post-baccalaureate studies. There were more males than females among those who attended or finished elementary (51.1%), high school (50.3%), among college undergraduates (52.0%) and those who took post baccalaureate courses (58.4%). On the other hand, there were more females who attended or completed post-secondary courses (52.9%) and were academic degree holders (52.34%). Etymology

Examples of finely crafted Moro blades made from Basilan "basih" (iron). Oral traditions of the local Yakan people include several names for pre-historic Basilan: "Uleyan", which is derived from the presentnamed Basilan Peak(Puno Mahaji), and later changed to "Matangal" after a mountain farther to the east of the island. These names were presumably used by the Maguindanao traders from mainland Mindanao, utilizing these mountains as navigational landmarks when sailing the Celebes Sea. Other names romantically given were "PuhGulangan" or "island of forests", "UmusTambun" or "fertile land", "Kumalarang" after the westward flowing river on the island's western half which is also otherwise called BaunuhPeggesan. [edit]Taguima

Pre-Hispanic texts from the royal archives of the Sulu Sultanate referred to the northernmost island of the Sulu Archipelago as Taguima, from the Yakan who were called "Tagihamas" (people of the interior or hinterlands) by the Tausug and Samal peoples who came and settled in numerous but scattered communities along Basilan's western and southwestern shores and outlying islets and island groups. Later references mentioned "Bantilan", probably referring to Maluso, which was established as a major Tausug base by Sulu Sultan Muizzud-Din (whose princely name was DatuBantilan). Imperial Chinese texts mention a "Kingdom of Kumalarang" (from the Yakan "kumalang" or "to sing", owing to the location being a place for celebrations and gatherings) during the Ming Dynasty, believed to be the island which now has a barangay of the same name on its northwestern shores.

The first Spanish map of Mindanao officially naming "Basilan" island (instead of Taguima/Tagyma) by Nicolas Norton Nicols, published in 1757. The earliest map of the Philippines which made reference to an island labeled "Taguima" was produced by GiacomoGastaldi,[4] throughwoodblock prints in 1548 and subsequently included in the influential travel book of Giovanni Battista Ramusio, the Della Navigatione e Viaggi, which was published between 1556 and 1583 in three volumes. This was followed by Abraham Ortelius's work IndiaeOrientalisInsularumqueAdiacientiumTypus, published in 1573 in a German text edition of the atlas TheatrumOrbisTerrarum by Christophe Plantin in Antwerp. As late as 1719,[5] a map titled "Die philippinischeInseln - Isle Brneo" by AllainManesson Mallet of Frankfurt, Germany featured an island still labeled "Tagyma I." [edit]Basilan The process by which all these names became "Basilan" is almost certainly due to miscommunication between the natives and the Spanish, as well as the penchant to engage in editorial license by European map-makers of the era.[citation needed] Basilan's name may also derive from its iron ore deposits. Tausug warriors and slave-traders from Sulu came to Taguima to purchase high-quality magnetic iron ores, which they used for swords, knives and other blades. This profitable trade, helped in large measure by the establishment of Maluso as a major military-naval base of the Sulu Sultanate, eventually gave the island the distinction of being the source ofbasih-balan, the Tausug word for magnetic iron. Roughly translated and abbreviated, however, basih-lan means "the iron (magnet) trail" or "the iron way".

When several Tausug warriors were caught by the Spanish in one of their numerous raids on the Zamboanga settlement, Spanish officials supposedly admired the artistry and skill that went into making the warriors' elaborately decorated swords, knives and blades, and asked where these weapons could be bought. From atop the ramparts of the Spanish commandery at the Fuerza del Nuestra Senora del Pilar de Zaragoza (Fort Pilar), the warriors supposedly pointed to the island visible across today's Basilan Strait, and said, simply, "ha basih-lan". Reports from the Jesuit reducciones in Zamboanga and Pasangen (Isabela) were relayed to Manila, where Spanish cartographer Pedro Murillo de Velarde published Historia de la Provincia de Philipinas de la Compaia de Jesvs. Segvnda parte using the Jesuit printing press at Manila in 1749. It featured a map of the Philippines with the as yet unofficial "I. Basilan". The map was re-published byLeipzig mapmaker NicolausBellinn for general European circulation in 1752. Finally, to represent a clear break from the Habsburg Dynasty (which had ruled Spain for 184 years from 1516 to 1700), the first officially sanctioned Spanish maps of its colonies, including "Las Islas de Mindanao", were commissioned by the Bourbons (1700present). This particular map of Mindanao, apparently copied from the NicolausBellinn map of 1752, was published by Nicolas Norton Nicols in 1757, featuring "Basilan" and bearing the royal stamp of Spanish Bourbon King Ferdinand VI. It has been called "Isla de Basilan" (Basilan Island) ever since. [edit]Treasure Islands of the Southern Seas Basilan Island's reputation as a staging-ground for Moro raids on Zamboanga, the Visayas and even Luzon, and as a temporary repository of the plunder from these raids. gave the island a notoriety not unlike the "Treasure Islands" of the West Indies or the buccaneers' havens and pirate coves of the Caribbean. Spanish and Tausug fleets engaged each other in sea battles and skirmishes not far from the western shores of the islands. Many of their ships were scuttled or sunk, sometimes with precious cargoes of traded goods and Mexican silver pieces meant for the fort in Zamboanga and the naval squadron at Isabela, as well as goods en route to Jolo from the Mindanao mainland. The Spanish Pigafetta expedition landed on a group of islets west of the main island of Basilan, where they found precious pearls; subsequent Spanish cartographers aptly named these the "Isletas de Perlas" (Pearl Islets). Native Samal and Bajao folk called this group of islets and reefs "Pilas" (Perlas), a name still used to this day. More recently, there have been local rumors about gold bars and other trinkets hidden among the many islets by retreating Japanese troops at the end of World War II. To date, treasure hunters of various nationalities, among them Japanese and Europeans, have scoured the area. All these tales of treasures hidden in Basilan's many remote, unpopulated islets gave it the nickname "Treasure Islands of the Southern Seas", immortalized in the official anthem of the Province of Basilan, "Fair Basilan", composed by Basilan lyricist and composer Tranquilino Gregorio. [edit]

Lanao del Sur (Filipino:TimogLanaw) is a province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Its capital is Marawi City and borders Lanao del Norte to the north, Bukidnon to the east, and Maguindanao and Cotabato to the south. To the southwest lies Illana Bay, an arm of the Moro Gulf. Found in the interior of Lanaodel Sur is Lanao Lake, the largest lake in Mindanao.

People and culture Maranao is the most commonly spoken language in the province. Also spoken are Tagalog as well as English and Arabic. Points of interest in the province include:

              

Mindanao State University (Main Campus) Aga Khan Museum Torogan (of Tuka) Islamic Center of the Philippines (the country's largest dome) Tallest Minarets of Marawi Abu Bakar Mosque (largest mosque in Lanao del Sur) Lanao People's Park (only park in Lanao del Sur) Lanao Library Ayala Resort Hotel (only hotel in Lanao del Sur) Dansalan Market (natively known as Padian) MSU Golf Course piagapo firing line tapukan falls located in wato O.OO Kilometer zone (the reference point of all roads in Mindanao) King Faisal Mosque King Faisal Mosque

[edit]Geography [edit]Political Lanaodel Sur is subdivided into 39 municipalities and 1 city. [edit]City

Marawi City

[edit]Municipalities

    

Bacolod-Kalawi (Bacolod-Grande) Balabagan Balindong (WATO) Bayang Binidayan

    

Maguing Malabang Marantao Marogong Masiu

              

Buadiposo-Buntong Bubong Bumbaran Butig Calanogas Ditsaan-Ramain Ganassi Kapai Kapatagan Lumba-Bayabao Lumbaca-Unayan Lumbatan Lumbayanague Madalum Madamba (Uya-an)

             

Mulondo Pagayawan Piagapo Picong (Sultan Gumander)[1] Poona Bayabao (Gata) Pualas Saguiaran Sultan Dumalondong Tagoloan II Tamparan Taraka Tubaran Tugaya Wao

[edit]Physical Lanaodel Sur forms the western portion of Northern Mindanao. It is bounded on the north by Lanao del Norte, on the east by Bukidnon, on the west by Illana Bay, and on the south by Maguindanao andCotabato. The landscape is dominated by rolling hills and valleys, placid lakes and rivers. The climate in the province is characterized by even distribution of rainfall throughout the year, without a distinct summer season. The province is located outside the typhoon belt. [edit]History Further information: Lanao (province) [edit]Sultanate of Lanao Lanao comes from the word ranao, meaning "lake." Lanao centers on the basin of Lake Lanao; thus, it is the land of the Maranaos, the "people of the lake." Lanao is the seat of the Sultanate of Lanao. When the Spaniards first explored Lanao in 1689, they found a well-settled community named Dansalan at the lake's northern end. Dansalan became a municipality in 1907 and a city in 1940. [edit]World War II In 1942, it was occupied by the Japanese Imperial forces who landed in Southern Lanao. On May 2, 1942, the former chief justice of the supreme court of the Philippines Jose Abad Santos was killed by the Japanese Imperial forces in a Firing Squad at Malabang, Lanaodel Sur. In 1945, the

first of the liberation forces landed in Southern Lanao and liberated the area with United States, Philippine Commonwealth troops together with the Maranao guerrilla units. They used infantry weapons, the Maranao Kris, Barong and Kampilan swords against the Japanese forces in the Battle of Lanao. In 1956, Republic Act NO. 1352 changed the name Dansalan to Marawi, taken from the word rawi, referring to the reclining lilies abundant in the Agus River. [edit]Division When Lanao was divided into two provinces under Republic Act No. 2228 in 1959, Marawi was made the capital of Lanaodel Sur. In 1980, the city was renamed the Islamic City of Marawi. It is now the only chartered city in the country with a predominantly Muslim population. [edit]Proposed Maranaw Province In 1971, Republic Act No. 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 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), with the chartered city of Marawi serving as the new province's capital. The division never took place due to the declaration of Martial Law in the Philippines on September 21, 1972, which disrupted the elections for 1973. [edit]Joining the ARMM In a 1989 plebiscite, Lanaodel Sur voted to join the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), but Marawi City elected to remain outside ARMM. It later joined ARMM in 2001 following the plebiscite that sought to expand the autonomous region. [edit]

Maguindanao (Filipino:Magindanaw) is a province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Its capital is ShariffAguak. It borders Lanaodel Sur to the north, Cotabato to the east, and Sultan Kudarat to the south.

Geography Maguindanao is composed of 36 municipalities, which are further subdivided into 492 barangays. Cotabato City is often grouped with Maguindanao, but it actually independent from the province. The province is divided into two congressional districts. In October 2006, the first congressional district was split off into a new province, ShariffKabunsuan. However, the ARMM's Act creating the province was nullified by the Supreme Court in July 2008, on the basis that creation of a province is a function of the Philippine legislature. The area has since reverted to the province of Maguindanao.

Municipality

No. of Population Area Pop. density Barangays (2007) (km) (per km)

Ampatuan

11

33,702

Buluan

32,310

Datu Abdullah Sangki

10

33,259

DatuAnggalMidtimbang

23,713

Datu Hoffer Ampatuan

11[n 1]

22,471[n 1]

DatuPaglas

23

29,979

DatuPiang

16[n 2]

18,995[n 2]

DatuSalibo

17[n 3]

13,876[n 3]

Datu Saudi-Ampatuan

9[n 4]

25,249[n 4]

Datu Unsay

7[n 5]

22,622[n 5]

Gen. S. K. Pendatun

19

36,038

Guindulungan

11

23,777

Mamasapano

14[n 6]

23,830[n 6]

Mangudadatu

24,300

Pagagawan

11

32,995

Pagalungan

12

31,052

Paglat

23,432

Pandag

20,557

Rajah Buayan

11

24,973

ShariffAguak (Maganoy)

14

41,725[n 7]

ShariffSaydona Mustapha

16[n 8]

20,463[n 8]

South Upi

11

32,014

Sultan saBarongis (Lambayong)

12

25,767

Talayan

15

25,753

Talitay

21,964

Sulu (Taus g: S g Arabic script: ) is an autonomous island province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Its capital is Jolo and occupies the middle group of islands of the Sulu Archipelago, between Basilan and Tawi-Tawi. It is home to the historical Sultanate of Sulu.

Geography Sulu's main island, Jolo is 15th largest island of the Philippine Archipelago in terms of the area, spanning 1,600 square kilometers. Sulu is a part of the Sulu Archipelago, which stretches from the tip of the Zamboanga Peninsula to the island of Borneo. The main island and also its islets are located between the island-provinces of Basilan to the northeast, and Tawi-Tawi to the southwest. People and culture

Although consisting of a mixed community of Muslims and Christians, the Tausug dominate the Sulu Archipelago. The Tausug were among the first inhabitants of the Philippines to embrace Islam as a religion and a way of life. Their traditional religio-political structure is the sultanate. The sultan is the head of all ranks. Succession is by election by his staff although patrilineal succession is the ideal. The Tausug are referred to as people of the current, reflective of their close ties to the sea. The handicrafts of Sulu mirror Islamic and Indonesian influences. Skilled artisans make boats, bladed weapons, bronze and brassware, pis cloth, embroidered textiles, shellcraft, traditional house carvings, and carved wooden grave markers. Economy The province of Sulu is predominantly agricultural with farming and fishing as its main livelihood activities. Its fertile soil and ideal climate can grow a variety of crops such as abaca, coconuts, oranges, and lanzones as well as exotic fruits seldom found elsewhere in the country such as durian and mangosteen. Fishing is the most important industry since the Sulu Sea is one of the richest fishing grounds in the country. The province also have an extensive pearl industry. Pearls are extensively gathered and a pearl farm is established at Marungas Island. The backs of sea turtles are made into beautiful trays and combs. During breaks from fishing, the people build boats and weave mats. Other industries include coffee processing and fruit preservation. Politics and administration Sulu is subdivided into 19 municipalities. Municipalities

Municipality

No. of Population Pop. density Area (km) Barangays (2007) (per km)

Banguingui (Tongkil)

14

22,502

124.00

181

HadjiPanglimaTahil (Marunggas)

6,192

49.50

125

Indanan

34

85,220

101.90

836

Jolo

140,307

22.20

6,320

KalingalanCaluang

30,046

55.80

538

Lugus

17

21,650

35.40

47

Luuk

12

33,508

167.10

200

Maimbung

27

38,092

47.90

795

Old Panamao

31

49,903

51.10

977

Omar

25,102

Pandami

16

23,527

86.90

271

PanglimaEstino (New Panamao)

12

35,263

45.00

783

Pangutaran

16

29,571

258.10

114

Parang

40

65,019

97.40

667

Pata

14

20,095

58.60

343

Patikul

30

56,805

179.30

316

Siasi

50

63,518

102.50

620

Talipao

52

85,920

141.00

609

Tapul

15

17,430

55.50

314

Tawi-Tawi is an island province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The capital of TawiTawiisBongao. The province is the southernmost of the country sharing sea borders with the Malaysian State of Sabah and the Indonesian Kalimantan province. To the northeast lies the province of Sulu and to the west is Sabah in Malaysia. Tawi-Tawi also covers some islands in the Sulu Sea to the northwest, the Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi Island and the Turtle Islands, just 20 kilometers away from Sabah. Demographics Most of the people in Tawi-Tawi belong to the Sama cultural group. Within this group are subgroups and named based on the location of the speaker. SamaSibutu are those from the Sibutu-Sitangkai Island Group, SamaSimunul are those from Simunul-ManukMangkaw Island Group, and so on. The JamaMapunare largely found in the Cagayan Mapun and Turtle Island Group. Many of the people from the Turtle Islands and Cagayan Mapunmaintain daily commerce with Sabah, since it is only 14 kilometers away. The Badjao (also called "SamaDilaut") are widely dispersed across the province. Though their population is diminishing due to diseases and migration to other areas in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. The Tausog or Tau Sug, Orang Suluk or Aa Suk are migrants from the Sulu Province and came to Tawi-Tawi in search of better livelihood opportunities or run away from the seemingly unending conflict and violence in Sulu. [edit]Language The prevailing language is the indigenous BahasaSama which is widely used in varied tones and accents. This variety led to the development of Sinama dialects. The major ones are SinamaSibutu (spoken mainly in the Sibutu-Sitangkai Region), SinamaSimunul (concentrated in SimunulManuk-Mangkaw Islands), SinamaKapoan (spoken in the South Ubian-Tandubas and Sapa-Sapa Regions) and SinamaBanguingui (concentrated in Buan Island and spoken by Banguingui people). The ajau- ama language is also spoken, as are English and Filipino (Tagalog). Many local locals and barter traders can speak Malay andIndonesian. ZamboangueoChavacano is also spoken by Christian and Muslim locals who maintain contacts and trade with the mainland Zamboanga Peninsula and Basilan. [edit]Economy Agriculture, fishing, and agar-agar farming are the leading source of livelihood of the people of Tawi-Tawi, with quite a number engaged in the barter trade business. Copra is the top agricultural produce, followed by root crops, fruits, and vegetables. [edit]Transportation Sanga-Sanga Airport, the main airport of the province, is located in the municipality of Bongao. Cebu Pacific will begin operating daily flight from Zamboanga City to Tawi-Tawi Province starting October 14, 2011, utilizing its 150-seater Airbus A319 aircraft. The oldest mosque in the Philippines can be found in Tawi-Tawi, as well as ethnic groups Sama, JamaMapun, Tausug and Badjaos. It also serves as a gateway to Sabah, Malaysia. [edit]Geography

[edit]Political Tawi-Tawi is subdivided into 11 municipalities:

   

Bongao is the capital of the province and a microcosm of religious and cultural diversity. Languyan was created by then President Marcos for rebel leader HadjirilMatba who decided to join the government fold in the 70s. Mapun (Cagayan De Tawi-Tawi or Cagayan de Sulu) PanglimaSugala was formerly known as Balimbing. However, after the EDSA Revolution, the word "balimbing" got a rather derogatory definition as a turncoat because of fruit's many sides.

  

Sapa-Sapa Sibutu is home to the descendants of Malay royalty in Borneo and not necessarily associated with the Sulu royalty. Simunul is the site of oldest Mosque in the Philippines and home of the revered Sheikh Makdum one of the early pioneers in the spread of the Islamic religion in the country.

   

Sitangkai the southernmost municipality in the country; known as "Venice of the South" South Ubian Tandubas Turtle Islands are declared as turtle sanctuaries and protected areas in the Philippines.

Turtle Islands Mapun Languyan Bongao Sitangkai PanglimaSugala South Ubian Tandubas Simunul Sapa-Sapa Sibutu TAWI-TAWI Sulu Sea

Most of the municipalities are located on the islands in the Sulu Archipelago. Two of them, Mapun, and Turtle Islands lie in the Sulu Sea. The municipalities are further subdivided into 203 barangays. [edit]Physical

Tawi-Tawi lies at the southwestern tip of the country. Irregular in shape, with splashes of white sandy beaches and rock-bound coasts, the province has 107 islands and islets with a combined land area of 1197 km (462 square miles). The province has two seasons: dry and wet The climate is generally moderate. The wettest months are from August to November. The other months of the year are generally dry with occasional rain showers.