Zamboanga del Sur is a
provinceThe Provinces of the Philippines are the primary political and administrative divisions of the Philippines. There are 80 provinces at present, further subdivided into component cities and municipalities. The National Capital Region, as well as independent cities, are autonomous from any provincial...
of the
PhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
located in the
Zamboanga PeninsulaZamboanga Peninsula / Western Mindanao is a peninsula and an administrative region in the Philippines. Designated as Region IX, the region consists of three provinces, namely, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay, its component cities of Dipolog, Dapitan, Pagadian, and...
regionIn the Philippines, regions are administrative divisions that serve primarily to organize the provinces of the country for administrative convenience. Currently, the archipelagic republic of the Philippines is divided into 17 regions...
in
MindanaoMindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
.
Pagadian CityThe City of Pagadian is the provincial capital of Zamboanga del Sur in the island of Mindanao, Republic of the Philippines.-Overview:The city had its beginnings as a...
is the capital. The province borders
Zamboanga del NorteZamboanga del Norte or simply known as ZANORTE is a province of the Philippines located in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in Mindanao. Its capital is Dipolog City and the province borders Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay to the south and Misamis Occidental to the east...
to the north,
Zamboanga SibugayZamboanga Sibugay is a province of the Philippines located in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in Mindanao. Its capital is Ipil and it borders Zamboanga del Norte to the north, Zamboanga del Sur to the east and Zamboanga City to the southwest. To the south lies Sibuguey Bay in the Moro Gulf...
to the west,
Misamis OccidentalMisamis Occidental is a province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital is Oroquieta City...
to the northeast, and
Lanao del NorteLanao del Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital is Tubod. The province borders Lanao del Sur to the southeast, Zamboanga del Sur to the west, Illana Bay to the southwest, Iligan Bay to the north, Iligan City to the northeast, and is separated...
to the east. To the south is the
Moro GulfThe Moro Gulf is a sea in Mindanao in the Philippines. It is part of Celebes Sea and is surrounded by the Zamboanga Peninsula and the central part of Mindanao. Sibuguey Bay and Illana Bay are its major branches. Zamboanga City is the most important port city on its coast...
.
Demographics
As of the 2000 census, Zamboanga del Sur had a population of 836,147, making it the 16th most populous province. The population density was 3,480/km², the 20th most densely populated province.
Languages
The most commonly spoken language is Standard Subanon, spoken by 72.47% of the population. Also spoken are Zamboangueño Chavacano,
TagalogTagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
, , Ilonggo,
MaguindanaoMaguindanaon is an Austronesian language spoken by majority of the population of Maguindanao Province in the Philippines. It is also spoken by sizable minorities in different parts of Mindanao such as the cities of Zamboanga, Davao, and General Santos, and the provinces of North Cotabato, Sultan...
,
IranunThe Iranun are an ethnic group of Mindanao, Philippines and the west coast of Sabah, Malaysia, in 25 villages around the Kota Belud and Lahad Datu districts; also in Kudat and Likas, Kota Kinabalu. Their current population is estimated to be around 1,000,000-1,500,000 .For centuries, the Illanun...
,
CebuanoCebuano, referred to by most of its speakers as Bisaya , is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines by about 20 million people mostly in the Central Visayas. It is the most widely spoken of the languages within the so-named Bisayan subgroup and is closely related to other Filipino...
,
BoholanoBoholano is a variant of Cebuano spoken in the province of Bohol in the Philippines and eastern parts of Southern Leyte...
, and Ilocano.
Economy
The economy is predominantly
agriculturalAgriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. Products include coco oil, livestock feed milling, rice/corn milling, including the processing of fruits, gifts and housewares made from indigenous materials like handmade paper, roots, rattan, buri, and bamboo; wood-based manufacture of furniture and furniture components from wood, rattan, and bamboo; marine and aquaculture including support services; construction services and manufacture of marble, concrete, and wooden construction materials. There are also mining areas in the province, such as found in the Municipality of Bayog managed by TVI, a Canadian-based mining firm which concentrates on gold mining, and the Cebu Ore Mining which is handling the Ore-Copper-Steel mines. There are also small-scale mines in the Municipality of Dumingag.
Geography
Zamboanga del Sur occupies the southern section of the Zamboanga peninsula that forms the western part of the Island of Mindanao. It is located at longitude 122° 30"" and latitude 7° 15"" north. It has a total land area of 473,491 hectares or 4,734.91 square miles.
Stretching northward from Sibugay in the southwest and running along the northern boundary to Salug Valley in the east is the province’s mountainous countryside. The coastal plains extend regularly from south to west then spread into wide flat lands when reaching the coastal plains of the Baganian peninsula in the southeast.
Political
Zamboanga del Sur is subdivided into 26 municipalities and 1
cityA city is a tier of local government in the Philippines. All Philippine cities are chartered cities, whose existence as corporate and administrative entities is governed by their own specific charters in addition to the Local Government Code of 1991, which specifies the administrative structure...
. These divisions are further subdivided into 681
barangayA barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
s. The province comprises two congressional districts.
Municipalities
- Aurora
Aurora is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 42,820 people in 8,329 households. It is the easternmost municipality in Zamboanga del Sur, bounded by the Province of Lanao del Norte on its eastern side...
- Bayog
Bayog is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines.Potential tourist attractions in Bayog include the 90-foot Buco Falls, the Sigacad Hot Spring in Barangay Sigacad, and the Balumbunan Caves, which feature thousands of exotic birds.- History :It was in the year...
- Dimataling
Dimataling is a 4th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 25,843 people in 4,949 households....
- Dinas
Dinas is a 4th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 31,570 people in 6,033 households.-History:...
- Dumalinao
Dumalinao is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 29,732.- Barangays :Dumalinao is politically subdivided into 30 barangays.* Anonang* Bag-ong Misamis...
- Dumingag
Dumingag is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines.-Name Origin:Local stories said it is named after a noted Subanen chieftain, "Dumi" and his wife, "Ingag"....
- Guipos
Guipos is a 5th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 19,616.-Townhood:...
- Josefina
Josefina is a 6th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 8,758 people in 1,773 households.-Barangays:Josefina is politically subdivided into 14 barangays.* Bogo Calabat...
- Kumalarang
Kumalarang is a 4th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it had a population of 24,926 people in 4,520 households.-Barangays:Kumalarang is politically subdivided into 18 barangays.Mayor Allan P...
- Labangan
Labangan is a 4th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. The New Division Site of 1st Infantry Division, Philippine Army is located on the top of the Hill of Kuta Major Cesar L Sang-an....
- Lakewood
Lakewood is a 4th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 16,317 people in 3,122 households....
- Lapuyan
Lapuyan is a 4th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 24,366 people in 4,637 households. The municipality of Lapuyan is located in the southern section of the Zamboanga del Sur province...
- Mahayag
Mahayag is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 42,462 people in 8,026 households.-History:...
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Margosatubig Margosatubig is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 39,012 people in 6,560 households.-Barangays:Margosatubig is politically subdivided into 17 barangays....
MidsalipMidsalip is a 4th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 28,909 people in 5,479 households.-History:...
MolaveMolave is a 1st class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. It has a population of 48,215 as of Aug 1, 2007 census. The name "Molave" refers to the hard, strong and resilient tree that abounds in the place during the 1950s. It was created through the efforts of Congressman...
PitogoPitogo is a 5th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 21,064 people in 4,235 households.-Barangays:Pitogo is politically subdivided into 15 barangays.* Balabawan, Bastasa...
Ramon MagsaysayRamon Magsaysay is a 4th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. It was formerly called "Liargao" and is named after Philippine president Ramon Magsaysay who created the municipality by virtue of Executive Order Number 239...
(Liargo)
San MiguelSan Miguel is a 5th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 15,269 people in 3,043 households.-Barangays:San Miguel is politically subdivided into 18 barangays.* Betinan...
San PabloSan Pablo is a 4th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 23,450 people in 4,739 households.-Barangays:San Pablo is politically subdivided into 28 barangays....
SominotSominot is a 5th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 14,815 people in 2,913 households....
(Don Mariano Marcos)
TabinaTabina is a 5th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. Zip Code is 7034.-Geography:It is the southernmost town in the Province of Zamboanga del Sur, facing the area wherein the waters of Illana Bay flows out to the Cotabato Sea.-Demographics:According to the 2000...
TambuligTambulig is a 4th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 31,399 people in 6,078 households.-Barangays:Tambulig is politically subdivided into 31 barangays....
TigbaoTigbao is a 5th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 16,914 people in 3,089 households.Mt...
TukuranTukuran Tukuran Tukuran (Cebuano: Lungsod Sa Tukuran; ; Iranun: Tukudan is a 4th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines.-Geography:The town of Tukuran is situated in the isthmus of Zamboanga peninsula of its southern part....
Vincenzo A. SagunVincenzo A. Sagun is a 5th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 19,072 people in 3,679 households. The municipality is named after Zamboanga del Sur Governor and Representative Vincenzo Sagun.-Barangays:Vincenzo A...
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Physical
Zamboanga del Sur occupies the southern section of the
Zamboanga PeninsulaZamboanga Peninsula / Western Mindanao is a peninsula and an administrative region in the Philippines. Designated as Region IX, the region consists of three provinces, namely, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay, its component cities of Dipolog, Dapitan, Pagadian, and...
that forms the western part of the island of
MindanaoMindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
. It is located at longitude 122° 30"" and latitude 7° 15"" north. It has a land area of 4,734.91 km². It is bounded on the north by the province of
Zamboanga del NorteZamboanga del Norte or simply known as ZANORTE is a province of the Philippines located in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in Mindanao. Its capital is Dipolog City and the province borders Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay to the south and Misamis Occidental to the east...
; on the south by the
Moro GulfThe Moro Gulf is a sea in Mindanao in the Philippines. It is part of Celebes Sea and is surrounded by the Zamboanga Peninsula and the central part of Mindanao. Sibuguey Bay and Illana Bay are its major branches. Zamboanga City is the most important port city on its coast...
; on the southwest by
Zamboanga SibugayZamboanga Sibugay is a province of the Philippines located in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in Mindanao. Its capital is Ipil and it borders Zamboanga del Norte to the north, Zamboanga del Sur to the east and Zamboanga City to the southwest. To the south lies Sibuguey Bay in the Moro Gulf...
; and on the east and northeast by
Lanao del NorteLanao del Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital is Tubod. The province borders Lanao del Sur to the southeast, Zamboanga del Sur to the west, Illana Bay to the southwest, Iligan Bay to the north, Iligan City to the northeast, and is separated...
,
Misamis OccidentalMisamis Occidental is a province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital is Oroquieta City...
, and Panguil Bay.
Stretching northward from Sibugay in the southwest and running along the northern boundary to Salug Valley in the east is the province's mountainous countryside. The coastal plains extend regularly from south to west then spread into wide flat lands when reaching the coastal plains of the Baganian peninsula in the southeast.
The province has a relatively high mean annual rainfall: 1,599 - 3,500 mm. Temperature is relatively warm and constant throughout the year: 22 - 35 °C.
The longest river in Region IX, the Sibugay River gets its water from the mountains of Zamboanga del Sur most specifically in Bayog and Lakewood, from where it flows into Sibugay Bay which is now part of
Zamboanga SibugayZamboanga Sibugay is a province of the Philippines located in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in Mindanao. Its capital is Ipil and it borders Zamboanga del Norte to the north, Zamboanga del Sur to the east and Zamboanga City to the southwest. To the south lies Sibuguey Bay in the Moro Gulf...
. Other notable rivers are the Kumalarang River and Salug River in Molave.
History
The name of Zamboanga was derived from the
MalayMalay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
word "Jambangan", meaning a pot or place of flowers. The original inhabitants of the Zamboanga peninsula were the
SubanensThe name Subanon means "river people", which is derived from the word "suba" or river. The Subanon, also known in the Anglicized form as "Subanen," is a tribe indigenous to the Zamboanga Peninsula area, particularly living in the mountainous areas of Zamboanga del Sur and Misamis Occidental...
, who settled along the riverbanks. The next group of settlers to arrive were
MuslimA Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
migrants from the neighboring provinces. The Maguindanaoans and Kalibugans were farmers; the Tausugs,
Samal-Cultures:* The Sama languages of the Sulu Archipelago in island Southeast Asia* The ethnic groups that speak this language , see Samal people-In Turkey:* An ancient Hittite city, now the Zincirli archaeological site in southern Turkey...
s, and Badjaos were fishermen; and the
MaranaoMaranao is the term used for the people of Lanao, a predominantly Muslim region in the Philippines island of Mindanao. They are famous for their artwork, sophisticated weaving, wood and metal craft, and their epic literature...
s were traders and artisans. Mat weaving was the major occupation of the Muslim settlers.
Then came an exodus of migrants from nearby provinces. Historians say most of them came from the
VisayasThe Visayas or Visayan Islands and locally known as Kabisay-an gid, is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Mindanao and Luzon. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are considered the northeast...
,
CebuCebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands...
,
BoholBohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting of Bohol Island and 75 minor surrounding islands. Its capital is Tagbilaran City. With a land area of and a coastline long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines...
, Negros, and
SiquijorSiquijor is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is the municipality also named Siquijor. To the northwest of Siquijor are Cebu and Negros, to the northeast is Bohol and to the south, across the Bohol Sea, is Mindanao.Siquijor is the third...
. Together with the original settlers, these pioneers helped develop Zamboanga del Sur into the abundant and culturally diverse province that it is.
Historically,
ZamboangaThe City of Zamboanga : is a highly urbanized, independent and a chartered city located in Mindanao, Philippines....
was the capital of the
Moro ProvinceMoro Province is the name of the province of the Philippines consisting of the current provinces/regions of Zamboanga, Lanao, Cotabato, Davao, and Sulu...
presently known as
MindanaoMindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
, which comprised five districts:
CotabatoCotabato , is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao...
,
DavaoDavao refers to several closely related places in Mindanao in the Philippines. The term is used most often to refer to the city.*Davao Region, an administrative region*Davao del Norte province*Davao del Sur province*Davao Oriental province...
, Sulu, Lanao, and
ZamboangaZamboanga is a former province of the Philippines located in the western region of the southern Philippine island of Mindanao.-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...
. In 1940, these districts became individual provinces.
Zamboanga CityThe City of Zamboanga : is a highly urbanized, independent and a chartered city located in Mindanao, Philippines....
became the capital of Zamboanga province. Soon after
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the provincial capital was transferred to Dipolog.
MolaveMolave is a 1st class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. It has a population of 48,215 as of Aug 1, 2007 census. The name "Molave" refers to the hard, strong and resilient tree that abounds in the place during the 1950s. It was created through the efforts of Congressman...
was created as the provincial capital in 1948.
Zamboanga del Sur was carved out from the former Zamboanga province that encompassed the entire peninsula in the southwestern Mindanao on September 17, 1952 by virtue of Republic Act 711. As the 52nd province of the Philippines, it originally consisted of 11 towns, which were later expanded into 42 municipalities and one city,
PagadianThe City of Pagadian is the provincial capital of Zamboanga del Sur in the island of Mindanao, Republic of the Philippines.-Overview:The city had its beginnings as a...
, its capital.
Political developments in February 2001 saw another major change in the territorial jurisdiction of Zamboanga del Sur. Its inhabitants voted to create a new province out of the third congressional district, named
Zamboanga SibugayZamboanga Sibugay is a province of the Philippines located in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in Mindanao. Its capital is Ipil and it borders Zamboanga del Norte to the north, Zamboanga del Sur to the east and Zamboanga City to the southwest. To the south lies Sibuguey Bay in the Moro Gulf...
.
Governors
| Governor |
Term |
Vice-Governor |
| Serapio J. Datoc |
July 1, 1952-March 20, 1954 |
no vice-governor |
| Bienvenido A. Ebarle |
March 20, 1954-December 30, 1961 |
Vincenzo Sagun |
| Vincenzo A. Sagun |
December 30, 1961-1962 |
Javier Ariosa |
| Javier A. Ariosa |
1962-December 30, 1967 |
Vicente Cerilles (1963-1967) |
| Vicente M. Cerilles |
December 30, 1967-December 30, 1969 |
Bienvenido Ebarle |
| Bienvenido A. Ebarle |
December 30, 1969-December 30, 1971 |
Vicenta Enerio |
| Jose L. Tecson |
December 30, 1971-1977 |
Vicenta Enerio |
| Vicente M. Cerilles |
1977-June 30, 1984 |
Raymundo Jose (1980-1984) |
| Raymundo R. Jose |
June 30, 1984-1985 |
Samuel Arcamo |
| Samuel A. Arcamo |
1985-March 25, 1986 |
no vice-governor |
| Javier A. Ariosa |
March 25, 1986-June 30, 1992 |
Belma Calibao |
| Isidro E. Real, Jr. |
June 30, 1992-June 30, 2001 |
Romeo Vera Cruz |
| Aurora E. Cerilles |
June 30, 2001-June 30, 2010 |
Roseller Ariosa |
| Antonio H. Cerilles |
June 30, 2010-present |
Juan Regala |