Special geographic area of Bangsamoro

Special geographic area of Bangsamoro
Special geographic area
Territory in Cotabato province under the special geographic area of Bangsamoro
Country	Philippines
Region	Bangsamoro
Province	Cotabato
Municipalities	Aleosan Carmen Kabacan Midsayap Pigcawayan Pikit
Area clusters	8
Barangays	63
Plebiscite of Cotabato barangays to join Bangsamoro	February 6, 2019
Turnover to Bangsamoro	November 20, 2019
Government
• Body	Special Geographic Area Development Authority [1]
• Administrator	Mohammad Kelie Antao
Population  (2020 census) [2]
• Total	215,433

The special geographic area of Bangsamoro (SGA) is a loose collection of 63 barangays in six municipalities of the province of Cotabato in the Philippines. It is part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, despite the province of Cotabato itself being part of a separate neighboring region, Soccsksargen.

These barangays were partitioned from Soccsksargen following a two-part plebiscite held in January and February 2019 that formed Bangsamoro after residents of said barangays consented to their localities' inclusion in the new autonomous region. The municipalities these barangays are a part of, as well as the barangays themselves, remain part of Cotabato. These barangays could be reorganized into one or more new municipalities or merged with any of the neighboring municipalities in Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, which are part of Bangsamoro.

The Bangsamoro regional government has started effective governance over these barangays since the official turnover of these localities to the region by the Cotabato provincial government on November 20, 2019.

Some of these barangays are exclaves, which means they are entirely surrounded by localities that are not part of Bangsamoro.

History

Turnover ceremony of the 63 barangays in Cotabato to the BARMM. November 20, 2019.

The Philippine government organized a two-part plebiscite that concerns the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the founding basis of the then-to-be established Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), which was intended to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), and the expansion of the then-proposed Bangsamoro autonomous region to potentially include municipalities in Lanao del Norte, the cities of Isabela in Basilan and Cotabato in Maguindanao, and select barangays in Cotabato province. For the prospective barangays in Cotabato to join, voters in all of the parent municipalities also had to consent to their bid to join Bangsamoro.

Out of 67 barangays in Cotabato that were included in the plebiscite, 63 had successful bids for their inclusion in the Bangsamoro autonomous region. ^[3] The four that rejected the measure are Galidan in Tulunan, Balatican in Pikit, and Pagangan and Lower Mingading in Aleosan; these four were excluded from BARMM and remained part of Soccsksargen. Meanwhile, each municipality consented to its barangays joining the BARMM. In Pikit, the most populous municipality in Cotabato, all but one barangay that voted in the plebiscite to join declined. This led to 20 barangays staying out of the BARMM out of 42. Pikit's town hall, which is located in Fort Pikit, one of the barangays that voted for inclusion, is being petitioned to be annexed by Poblacion, one of the towns that did not petition to be included. ^[4]

The barangays in Aleosan and Tulunan voted in favor of their inclusion, but the majority of voters in the rest of their parent municipalities voted against the barangays' inclusion. Barangay Baltican in Pikit rejected their inclusion, while the rest of Pikit consented to the barangay's inclusion and would have been part of the new autonomous region if Baltican voters also voted for their inclusion. ^[5]

Upon the effective foundation of the new Bangsamoro autonomous region, the barangays remained part of their parent municipalities. Their residents voted for municipal officials of their parent municipalities and Cotabato provincial officials in the 2019 Philippine general election. ^[6] The barangays could be reorganized into one or more municipalities or merged with any of the neighboring municipalities in Maguindanao. ^[7]

The full transfer of jurisdiction of the Cotabato barangays to the Bangsamoro autonomous government was ordered by Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Eduardo Año following a meeting with Bangsamoro Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim on July 8, 2019. ^[8]

These barangays were still not under the effective control of Bangsamoro as of July 2019 since they were not yet officially turned over to the Bangsamoro regional government, which was initially set to occur once a local government code was passed by the Bangsamoro Parliament. ^[9]

With the local government code still pending, the official turnover took place on November 20, 2019. ^{[10] [11]} The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Cotabato has passed a resolution concerning the transfer. Amidst budgetary concerns, the barangays were assured that they will still receive their internal revenue allocation directly from the Department of Budget and Management after the transfer takes place. ^[12]

An official appointed to the Development Coordinating Office (DCO) taking their oath of moral governance on June 30, 2020, before Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim (left).

By March 2020, the 63 barangays had already been grouped into a special geographic area of the Bangsamoro region. ^[13]

Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim issued an executive order establishing a Development Coordinating Office (DCO) led by an administrator and eight area coordinators to manage affairs in the 63 barangays in Cotabato. Mohammad Kelie Antao was appointed administrator on June 30, 2020. Jimmy Adil, Jabib Guiabar, Esmael Maguid, Duma Mascud, Ibrahim Rahman, Abdulatip Tiago, and Nayang Timan were appointed as area coordinators on the same date. ^[14]

A second ceremony was held on December 15, 2020, to mark the symbolic assumption of the Bangsamoro regional government over the 63 Cotabato barangays along with Cotabato City. ^[15]

Governance

The special geographic area of Bangsamoro consists of barangays that are part of Cotabato province, which is not part of the autonomous region, despite the barangays themselves being part of Bangsamoro. For the Bangsamoro region to govern the barangays, these were constituted into a single administrative area under the direct supervision of the Bangsamoro chief minister through the region's Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG). The MILG deals with the affairs of the area through the Special Geographic Area Development Authority, which is headed by an administrator appointed by the chief minister. ^[1]

Subdivisions

Area clusters

Area clusters of the special geographic area of Bangsamoro:

  Pigcawayan cluster

  Midsayap I cluster

  Midsayap II cluster

  Kabacan cluster

  Carmen cluster

  Pikit I cluster

  Pikit II cluster

  Pikit III cluster

The 63 barangays in the special geographic area of Bangsamoro is grouped into eight area clusters. ^[16] Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

Area clusters of the special geographic area ^[3]

Cluster	Population (2020) [17]
Carmen	28,463
Kabacan	16,658
Midsayap I	25,573
Midsayap II	22,438
Pigcawayan	19,627
Pikit I	38,795
Pikit II	34,341
Pikit III	29,538
Total: Eight clusters	215,433

List of barangays

Bangsamoro barangays in Cotabato ^[18]

Barangay	Municipality	Cluster	Population (2020) [2]
Balacayon	Pigcawayan	Pigcawayan	1,306
Bago-inged	Pikit	Pikit II	3,080
Barungis	Pikit	Pikit II	3,367
Batulawan	Pikit	Pikit I	6,306
Bualan	Pikit	Pikit III	2,177
Buliok	Pikit	Pikit II	4,624
Bulol	Pikit	Pikit II	5,145
Buluan	Kabacan	Kabacan	1,418
Buricain	Pigcawayan	Pigcawayan	1,626
Central Labas	Midsayap	Midsayap I	1997
Damatulan	Midsayap	Midsayap II	4,570
Datu Binasing	Pigcawayan	Pigcawayan	1,650
Datu Mantil	Pigcawayan	Pigcawayan	1,220
Dunguan	Aleosan	Pikit III	3,285
Fort Pikit	Pikit	Pikit I	7,476
Gli-Gli	Pikit	Pikit II	3,861
Gokotan	Pikit	Pikit I	5,494
Kabalasan	Pikit	Pikit II	7,591
Kadigasan	Midsayap	Midsayap II	5,441
Kadingilan	Midsayap	Midsayap II	2,414
Kadingilan	Pigcawayan	Pigcawayan	1,683
Kapinpilin	Midsayap	Midsayap I	4,593
Kibayao	Carmen	Carmen	7,146
Kitulaan	Carmen	Carmen	6,079
Kudangaran	Midsayap	Midsayap II	3,218
Lagunde	Pikit	Pikit III	5,332
Langogan	Carmen	Carmen	2,082
Libungan Torreta	Pigcawayan	Pigcawayan	2,290
Lower Baguer	Pigcawayan	Pigcawayan	1,208
Lower Pangangkalan	Pigcawayan	Pigcawayan	1,129
Macabual	Pikit	Pikit II	4,557
Macasendeg	Pikit	Pikit III	2,516
Malingao	Midsayap	Midsayap I	4,456
Manaulanan	Pikit	Pikit III	7,632
Manarapan	Carmen	Carmen	4,355
Matilac	Pigcawayan	Pigcawayan	1,817
Mudseng	Midsayap	Midsayap I	2,831
Nabalawag	Midsayap	Midsayap II	3,093
Nabundas	Pikit	Pikit I	4,996
Nalapaan	Pikit	Pikit I	2,323
Nanga-an	Kabacan	Kabacan	3,715
Nunguan	Pikit	Pikit I	5,380
Nasapian	Carmen	Carmen	4,423
Olandang	Midsayap	Midsayap II	3,702
Panicupan	Pikit	Pikit I	2,357
Patot	Pigcawayan	Pigcawayan	2,287
Pebpoluan	Carmen	Carmen	1,038
Pedtad	Kabacan	Kabacan	4,593
Pamalian	Pikit	Pikit III	3,256
Rajah Muda	Pikit	Pikit II	2,116
S. Balong	Pikit	Pikit III	3,573
S. Balongis	Pikit	Pikit I	4,463
Sambulawan	Midsayap	Midsayap I	3,599
Sanggadong	Kabacan	Kabacan	869
Simbuhay	Kabacan	Kabacan	1,871
Simone	Kabacan	Kabacan	2,652
Simsiman	Pigcawayan	Pigcawayan	2,506
Tamped	Kabacan	Kabacan	1,540
Tapodoc	Aleosan	Pikit III	1,767
Tugal	Midsayap	Midsayap I	4,665
Tumbras	Midsayap	Midsayap I	3,432
Tupig	Carmen	Carmen	3,340
Upper Pangankalan	Pigcawayan	Pigcawayan	905
Total population			215,433

Barangays per municipality

Number of barangays per municipality

Municipality	No of barangays
Aleosan	2
Carmen	7
Kabacan	7
Midsayap	13
Pigcawayan	12
Pikit	22
Total: Six municipalities	63

Proposed reorganization

In September 2019, there was a reported proposal to reorganize the Cotabato barangays into four municipalities through regional legislation and possibly annex them to the neighboring Maguindanao province. Pending the passage of the regional law, there is a plan by Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim to issue an executive order to group the barangays into eight clusters. ^[19] However, such a plan to form towns from the barangays was temporarily set aside, and it was decided that an administrative body be formed to oversee the barangays' affairs. ^[20]

Another proposal was to group the barangays into three municipalities instead of four. One of the proposed municipalities is Sultan Tambilawan, which is planned to consist of Midsayap's 13 barangays. ^[21]

The regional government will wait for the results of the 2020 census to determine the exact barangays that will be reorganized into new towns. ^[22]

On December 21, 2022, a proposal was made to group the barangays into eight municipalities. The proposed municipalities are Pahamudin, Kadayangan, Kabalukan, Northern Kabacan, Kapalawan, Malmar, Tugunan, and Ligawasan. ^{[23] [24]}

Proposed municipalities that will be created from the special geographic area of Bangsamoro:

  Pahamudin

  Kadayangan

  Kabalukan

  Northern Kabacan/Laya

  Kapalawan

  Malmar/Madridagao

  Tugunan

  Ligawasan

Proposed municipalities

Municipality	Barangays		Parliament Bill No.
	Seat of government	Other barangays
Pahamudin	Libungan Torreta	Balacayon Buricain Datu Binasing Datu Mantil Kadilingan Lower Pangangkalan Matilac Patot Upper Pangangkalan Lower Baquer Simsiman	129
Kadayangan	Kapinpilan	Central Labas Malingao Mudseng Sambulawan Tugal Tumbras	130
Kabalukan	Nabalawag	Damatulan Kadigasan Kadingilan Kudarangan Olandang Macasendeg Dungguan	131
Northern Kabacan (or Laya [25] )	Pedtad or Nangaan	Buluan Sanggadong Simbuhay Simone Tamped	132
Kapalawan	Kitulaan	Kibayao Langogan Manarapan Nasapian Pebpoloan Tupig	133
Malmar (or Madridagao [25] )	Gokotan	Balungis Batulawan Fort Pikit Nabundas Nalapaan Nunguan	134
Tugunan	Manaulanan	Balong Bualan Lagunde Macabual Pamalian Panicupan	135
Ligawasan	Bagoinged	Barungis Bulol Buliok Gli-Gli Kabasalan Rajamuda	136

References

1. "Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 13". Bangsamoro Parliament . Retrieved November 7, 2020.
2. Census of Population (2020). "Region XII (Soccsksargen)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved July 8, 2021.
3. Santos, Tina (February 15, 2019). "63 Cotabato barangays now part of BARMM". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved May 22, 2019.
4. Arguillas, Carolyn O. "Pikit's fate: 20 barangays remain with Cotabato, 22 joining BARMM". MindaNews . Retrieved February 10, 2019.
5. Depasupil, William (February 15, 2019). "63 NCotabato villages to join Bangsamoro". The Manila Times . Retrieved February 18, 2019.
6. Arguilas, Carolyn (February 8, 2019). "Pikit's fate: 20 barangays remain with North Cotabato, 22 joining BARMM". MindaNews . Retrieved February 9, 2019.
7. Layug, Margaret Claire (February 8, 2019). "What happens to Cotabato barangays not part of new Bangsamoro region?". GMA News (in English and Tagalog). Retrieved May 22, 2019.
8. Fernandez, Edwin (July 9, 2019). "Cotabato City, 63 villages placed under BARMM". Philippine News Agency . Retrieved July 9, 2019.
9. Fernandez, Edwin (July 21, 2019). "NoCot guv, BARMM chief meet on fate of 63 villages". Philippine News Agency . Retrieved July 22, 2019.
10. Macabalang, Ali (November 13, 2019). "BARMM to assume official supervision over 63 NorCot villages on Nov. 20". Manila Bulletin . Retrieved November 13, 2019.
11. Cabrera, Ferdinandh (November 20, 2019). "63 North Cotabato villages officially now part of BARMM". NDBC News. Archived from the original on December 11, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
12. Cayon, Manuel (November 15, 2019). "North Cotabato's 63 barangays to be turned over to Barmm". BusinessMirror . Retrieved November 15, 2019.
13. Fernandez, Edwin (March 21, 2020). "BARMM records 2 Covid-19 deaths, 2 infected" . Retrieved June 30, 2020.
14. "BARMM creates office to administer 63 barangays in North Cotabato". BARMM Bureau of Public Information. June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
15. Unson, John (December 18, 2020). "North Cotabato promises support for 63 villages now in BARMM". The Philippine Star . Retrieved January 1, 2021.
16. Fuerzas, Edgar (June 29, 2020). "Administrador sa mga barangay sa Barmm napili na" [The administrator of barangays in Barmm has been elected]. Superbalita Davao. SunStar (in Cebuano).
17. Total Population, Household Population, Number of Households, and Average Household Size by Region, Province, and City/Municipality: Philippines, 2020. Philippine Statistics Authority.
18. "PSA Board Resolution No. 13, Series of 2021: Approving and Adopting the Third Quarter 2021 Philippine Standard Geographic Code Updates to Include the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) and Correct the Names of 37 Barangays" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority . 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
19. Macabalang, Ali (September 10, 2019). "63 brgys which voted to join BARMM to comprise 4 clustered municipalities". Manila Bulletin . Retrieved September 10, 2019.
20. Fernandez, Edwin (September 19, 2019). "BARMM shelves cluster plan for 63 NoCot villages". Philippine News Agency . Retrieved September 20, 2019.
21. Fuerzas, Garry (September 23, 2019). "Konsultasyon patuloy sa 63 brgys sa North Cotabato na sinakop ng BARMM" [Consultation continues with 63 barangays in North Cotabato absorbed by BARMM]. Bombo Radyo Philippines (in Tagalog). Retrieved September 24, 2019.
22. Solaiman, Taher (November 23, 2019). "Cotabato cedes 63 villages to Bangsamoro". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved November 23, 2019.
23. Sahidala, Johaira (December 21, 2022). "Gov't of the Day files bills creating 8 municipalities in BARMM Special Geographic Area". Bangsamoro Information Office. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
24. Cabrera, Ferdinandh (December 22, 2022). "Bills seek creation of eight municipalities in BARMM's Special Geographic Area". MindaNews . Retrieved December 22, 2022.
25. "Constituents unite in support of establishing municipalities in BARMM Special Geographic Area". Bangsamoro Parliament. June 11, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2023.