Autonomous regions of the Philippines

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Autonomous regions of the Philippines
Ph locator barmm.svg
Bangsamoro, the only extant autonomous region in the Philippines
Category Autonomous region
Location Philippines
Number1 (as of 2019)
Subdivisions

An autonomous region of the Philippines (Filipino : rehiyong awtonomo ng Pilipinas) is a first-level administrative division that has the authority to control a region's culture and economy. The Constitution of the Philippines allows for two autonomous regions: in the Cordilleras and in Muslim Mindanao. Currently, Bangsamoro, which largely consists of the Muslim-majority areas of Mindanao, is the only autonomous region in the country.

Contents

Current autonomous region

Bangsamoro

On October 15, 2012, [1] a preliminary agreement was signed by the Government of the Philippines' chief negotiator Marvic Leonen, MILF Peace Panel Chair Mohagher Iqbal and Malaysian facilitator Tengku Dato' Ab Ghafar Tengku Mohamed along with President Aquino, Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia, MILF chairman Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim and Secretary-General Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation at Malacañang Palace in Manila. [2] [3] [4]

It replaced the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and was formed after voters decided to ratify the Republic Act no. 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law in a January 21 plebiscite. The ratification was announced on January 25, 2019, by the Commission on Elections. [5] [6] [7] This marked the beginning of the transition of the ARMM to the BARMM.

Former autonomous region

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

Ph locator armm.svg

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was proposed in 1976 during the Ferdinand Marcos administration and created on August 1, 1989, through Republic Act No. 6734 (otherwise known as the Organic Act) in pursuance with a constitutional mandate. In 2012 President Benigno Aquino III described ARMM as a "failed experiment". He proposed an autonomous region named Bangsamoro to replace ARMM with the agreement between the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

A plebiscite was held in the provinces of Basilan, Cotabato, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Palawan, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur; and in the cities of Cotabato, Davao, Dapitan, Dipolog, General Santos, Koronadal, Iligan, Marawi, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa and Zamboanga to determine if their residents wished to be part of the ARMM. Of these areas, only four provinces (Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi) voted in favor of inclusion in the new autonomous region. The ARMM was officially inaugurated on November 6, 1990, in Cotabato City, which was designated as its provisional capital.

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) ceased to exist after a two-part 2019 plebiscite that ratified the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL). It was replaced with the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and now under the interim government, Bangsamoro Transition Authority.

Western Mindanao and Central Mindanao

Prior to the ARMM, there were two autonomous regions in Mindanao; namely Western Mindanao (Region IX) and Central Mindanao (Region XII) which each governed by a Lupong Tagapagpaganap ng Pook (LTP) or Regional Executive Council led by a chairman. [8]

Proposed autonomous regions

Mindanao

In the 1977 Southern Philippines autonomy plebiscite, there was a proposal to merge the Western Mindanao and Central Mindanao regions into one autonomous region called the "Bangsamoro Islamic Region".

Cordilleras

The Cordillera Administrative Region administers the area that was designated for an autonomous region. Two plebiscites were held in the Cordilleras, the latest in 1998, to create an autonomous region, but both failed. There have been bills filed in Congress to re-propose and establish an autonomous region in the Cordilleras, but none of these have succeeded. [9]

In 1990, a plebiscite was held to create an autonomous region under Republic Act No. 6766 but only Ifugao voted in favor of the law's ratification. The component provinces of the Cordillera Administrative Region at the time and the city of Baguio participated in the plebiscite with only localities voting in favor of the law's ratification to be part of a new autonomous region in the Cordilleras. There was also a failed attempt to establish an autonomous region with a single province. [10]

Metro Manila

It was proposed that the National Capital Region or Metro Manila be converted to an autonomous region. Metro Manila is governed by mayors of its 16 highly urbanized cities and 1 independent municipality with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority serving as an advisory body to the local government units of the metropolis. Former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista had advocated for a Metro Manila autonomous region as an alternative to President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign for federalism, which would render Metro Manila as an independent state within the Philippines. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Mindanao is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of the same name that also includes its adjacent islands, notably the Sulu Archipelago. According to the 2020 census, Mindanao has a population of 26,252,442 people, while the entire island group has an estimated population of 27,021,036 according to the 2021 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regions of the Philippines</span>

In the Philippines, regions are administrative divisions that primarily serve to coordinate planning and organize national government services across multiple local government units (LGUs). Most national government offices provide services through their regional branches instead of having direct provincial or city offices. Regional offices are usually but not necessarily located in the city designated as the regional center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cotabato</span> Province in Soccsksargen, Philippines

Cotabato or North Cotabato, officially the Province of Cotabato, is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the Soccsksargen region in Mindanao. Its capital is the city of Kidapawan. Some of its barangays are under the jurisdiction of the nearby Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soccsksargen</span> Administrative region of the Philippines

Soccsksargen, formerly known as Central Mindanao, is an administrative region of the Philippines, designated as Region XII. Located in south-central Mindanao, its name is an acronym that stands for the region's four provinces and one highly urbanized city. The regional center is in Koronadal, located in the province of South Cotabato, and the center of commerce and industry is General Santos, which is the most populous city in the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao</span> 1989–2019 autonomous region of the Philippines

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was an autonomous region of the Philippines, located in the Mindanao island group of the Philippines, that consisted of five predominantly Muslim provinces: Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. It was the only region that had its own government. The region's de facto seat of government was Cotabato City, although this self-governing city was outside its jurisdiction.

ISO 3166-2:PH is the entry for the Philippines in ISO 3166-2, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which defines codes for the names of the principal subdivisions of all countries coded in ISO 3166-1.

The Philippines is divided into four levels of administrative divisions, with the lower three being defined in the Local Government Code of 1991 as local government units (LGUs). They are, from the highest to the lowest:

  1. Regions are mostly used to organize national services. Of the 17 regions, only one—the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao—has an elected government to which the central government has devolved competencies.
  2. Provinces, independent cities, and one independent municipality (Pateros)
  3. Component cities and municipalities within a province
  4. Barangays within a city or municipality

General elections were held for the first time on February 12, 1990, in the newly created Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao for the regional governor and vice governor.

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In the late 1960s, an independence movement was founded in Mindanao, the Philippines, to separate the Muslim majority-Moro areas from the rest of the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bangsamoro</span> Autonomous region of the Philippines

Bangsamoro, officially the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is an autonomous region in the Philippines, located in the southwestern portion of the island of Mindanao.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bangsamoro Organic Law</span> 2018 Philippine law establishing the Bangsamoro autonomous region

The Bangsamoro Organic Law, also known as the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), and officially designated as Republic Act No. 11054, is a Philippine law that provided for the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 Tripoli Agreement</span> Treaty between the Philippines and Moro National Liberation Front

The 1976 Tripoli Agreement was signed on December 23, 1976 in Tripoli, Libya by Carmelo Z. Barbero, representing the Government of the Philippines and Nur Misuari of the Moro National Liberation Front. The agreement defined autonomous administrative divisions for Muslims in the southern Philippines, the establishment of an autonomous government, judicial system for Sharia law and special security forces, and the observance of a ceasefire. The autonomous region was to have its own economic system, including an Islamic bank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeddah Accord</span>

The Jeddah Accord was signed on January 3–4, 1987 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia by Aquilino Pimentel Jr., representing the Government of the Philippines and Nur Misuari of the Moro National Liberation Front. The two panels agreed upon the continued discussion of the proposal of the grant of full autonomy to Mindanao, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Palawan subject to democratic processes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Bangsamoro autonomy plebiscite</span> Plebiscite to create the Bangsamoro autonomous region

The 2019 Bangsamoro autonomy plebiscite was a two-part plebiscite held in Mindanao, Philippines, that ratified the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) and replaced the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), as well as the scope of the said region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bangsamoro transition period</span>

The transition period of the now-defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) into the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) began when the Bangsamoro Organic Law was ratified in a two-part plebiscite held in January and February 2019. It is set to end after the first set of regular officials are elected in 2025.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Bangsamoro</span>

The flag of Bangsamoro is the flag which represents the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, an autonomous region of the Philippines.

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The COVID-19 pandemic in Bangsamoro is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The virus reached the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao on March 11, 2020, when the first case of the disease was confirmed in Lanao del Sur. Cases has been confirmed in Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, and the independent city of Cotabato.

The 1977 Southern Philippines autonomy plebiscite was a plebiscite to create an autonomous region held on April 17, 1977 in parts of Mindanao and Palawan in the Philippines.

References

  1. ↑ Calonzo, Andreo (October 7, 2012). "Govt, MILF agree to create 'Bangsamoro' to replace ARMM". GMA News. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Framework Agreement of the Bangsamoro" (PDF). Government of the Philippines. October 20, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Gov't, MILF seal preliminary peace pact". October 15, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  4. ↑ Regencia, Ted (March 25, 2014). "Philippines prepares for historic peace deal". aljazeera.com. Retrieved February 24, 2019.
  5. ↑ Depasupil, William; TMT; Reyes, Dempsey (January 23, 2019). "'Yes' vote prevails in 4 of 5 provinces". The Manila Times. Archived from the original on January 24, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  6. ↑ Galvez, Daphne (January 22, 2019). "Zubiri: Overwhelming 'yes' vote for BOL shows Mindanao shedding its history of conflict". Inquirer.net. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  7. ↑ Esguerra, Christian V. (January 25, 2019). "New era dawns for Bangsamoro as stronger autonomy law ratified". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  8. ↑ Ugung, Ulbert Ulama (1980). "The Economics of Development in Autonomous Regions" (PDF). Philippine Political Science Journal. 8 (11): 6–15. doi:10.1080/01154451.1980.9754088 . Retrieved June 17, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Cordillera Solons expressed views on regional autonomy". National Economic and Development Authority – Cordillera Administrative Region. August 12, 2013. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Ordilla et. al. vs. COMELEC". www.chanrobles.com. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  11. ↑ "QC mayor Bautista seeks 'independent Metro Manila state'". Rappler. August 17, 2017. Archived from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
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