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.
Maguindanao was a province of the Philippines located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). From 2014 to 2022, its provincial capital was Buluan, but the legislative branch of government, the Maguindanao Provincial Board, convened at the old provincial capitol in Sultan Kudarat. It bordered Lanao del Sur to the north, Cotabato to the east, Sultan Kudarat to the south, and Illana Bay to the west.
Marawi, officially the Islamic City of Marawi, is a 4th class component city and capital of the province of Lanao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 207,010 people.
Sapad, officially the Municipality of Sapad, is a 5th class municipality in the province of Lanao del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 22,974 people.
Datu Montawal, officially the Municipality of Datu Montawal, is a 5th class municipality in the province of Maguindanao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 37,314 people.
The Philippine Statistics Authority is the central statistical authority of the Philippine government that collects, compiles, analyzes and publishes statistical information on economic, social, demographic, political affairs and general affairs of the people of the Philippines and enforces the civil registration functions in the country.
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:
- Regions, 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.
- Provinces, independent cities, and one independent municipality (Pateros).
- Component cities and municipalities within a province.
- Barangays within a city or municipality.
The Department of Budget and Management is an executive body under the Office of the President of the Philippines. It is responsible for the sound and efficient use of government resources for national development and also as an instrument for the meeting of national socio-economic and political development goals.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government, abbreviated as DILG, is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for promoting peace and order, ensuring public safety and strengthening local government capability aimed towards the effective delivery of basic services to the citizenry.
The Department of Agriculture is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the promotion of agricultural and fisheries development and growth. It has its headquarters at Elliptical Road corner Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City.
The National Economic and Development Authority is an independent cabinet-level agency of the Philippine government responsible for economic development and planning. It is headed by the president of the Philippines as chairman of the NEDA board, with the Secretary of Socioeconomic Planning as vice-chairman. A number of Cabinet members, the Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Chairperson of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the Chief Minister of Bangsamoro, the Secretary of Information and Communications Technology, the Chairman of the Subic–Clark Area Development Corporation, and the National President of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines are members of the NEDA Board.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency is the lead anti-drug law enforcement agency, responsible for preventing, investigating and combating any dangerous drugs, controlled precursors and essential chemicals within the Philippines. The agency is tasked with the enforcement of the penal and regulatory provisions of Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Teofisto "TG" de Lara Guingona III, or more commonly known as "TG" is a lawyer and the son of former Vice President Teofisto "Tito" Guingona, Jr. He was a Congressman of the 2nd District of Bukidnon during the 13th and 14th Congress from 2004 to 2010 and a Senator of the Philippines during the 15th and 16th Congress from 2010 to 2016.
Metro Davao, officially Metropolitan Davao, is a metropolitan area in Mindanao, Philippines. It includes the cities of Davao, Digos, Mati, Panabo, Samal and Tagum and spanned parts of all five provinces of the Davao Region. Metro Davao is one of three metropolitan areas in the Philippines. It is administered by the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority. It is the largest metropolitan region by land area and the second most populous in the Philippines.
The Office of the President of the Philippines, is an administrative, advisory, and consultative government agency that aids the president of the Philippines in performing their duty as head of state and chief of the executive branch of government.
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.
Romeo Mencidor Montenegro devoted most of his career in pursuing sustainable peace and economic development in the island-region of Mindanao in Southern Philippines. He is currently serving as Director for Investment Promotion and Public Affairs Office of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), a government body with principal mandate to integrate the socioeconomic development of Mindanao and serves as the Philippine Coordinating Office for the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area BIMP-EAGA. He is married to Venus Alcomendras, with whom he has a son named Juan Carlos.
Datu Abul Khayr Dangcal Alonto was a Filipino businessman and politician. He was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte in September 2016 as the chairperson of the Mindanao Development Authority, serving as its first Muslim chair until his death in May 2019.
In the morning of January 27, 2019, two bombs exploded at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu, Philippines. Twenty people were killed and 102 others injured. The bombings took place a week after the autonomy plebiscite held on January 21 for the creation of Bangsamoro. It is believed that the attacks were carried out by the Abu Sayyaf, and the Islamic State claimed responsibility. President Rodrigo Duterte responded by issuing an "all-out war" directive against the Abu Sayyaf. The bombings were widely condemned by other countries and organizations.
Halal literally means "permissible" in Arabic and refers to goods, including food items and services that are permissible to be consumed or availed under Sharia law, whereas haram refers to goods that are forbidden to be consumed or availed. The Philippines despite being a Christian-majority country has a state-sanctioned program to facilitate halal certification of goods under the Halal Act of 2016.
