Maguindanao del Norte

Maguindanao del Norte, officially the Province of Maguindanao del Norte (Maguindanaon: Dairat nu Utara Magindanaw, Jawi: دَاِيْرَتْ نُوْ اُوْتَرَ مَڬِنْدَنَوْ; Iranun: Perobinsia a Pangutaran Magindanao, ڤروبنسيا ا ڤڠوترن مڬیندانو Filipino: Hilagang Maguindanao), is a province in the Philippines located in the Bangsamoro region in Mindanao. Its capital is the municipality of Datu Odin Sinsuat. It borders Cotabato province to the east, Lanao del Sur to the north, Maguindanao del Sur to the south-east, and Sultan Kudarat to the south.

Maguindanao del Norte Utara Magindanaw اُوْتَرَ مَڬِنْدَنَوْ
Province
Polloc Port in Parang
Flag Seal
Location in the Philippines
OpenStreetMap
Coordinates: 07°08′N 124°16′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Bangsamoro
Plebiscite	September 17, 2022
Transition period	September 18, 2022 - January 9, 2023
Capital	Datu Odin Sinsuat
Largest city	Cotabato City
Government
• Governor	Tucao Mastura
• Vice Governor	Marshall Sinsuat
• Representative	Sittie Shahara I. Mastura
Area
• Total	3,988.82 km2 (1,540.09 sq mi)
Population  (2020)
• Total	926,037
• Rank	52nd out of 82
• Density	230/km2 (600/sq mi)
• Rank	24th out of 82
Demonym	North Magindanawon
Divisions
• Independent cities	1 Cotabato City (Independent component city)
• Component cities	0
• Municipalities	12 Barira Buldon Datu Blah T. Sinsuat Datu Odin Sinsuat Kabuntalan Matanog Northern Kabuntalan Parang Sultan Kudarat Sultan Mastura Talitay Upi
• Districts	Legislative districts of Maguindanao del Norte
Time zone	UTC+8 (PHT)
ISO 3166 code	PH-MGN
Spoken languages	Iranun Maguindanaon Mëranaw Teduray Tagalog Ilonggo English
Income classification	4th class

The province's largest city, Cotabato City, is administratively independent from the province but is grouped for congressional representation.

History

Historical affiliations

Spain 1521–1898
 United States of America 1898–1942
 Japan 1942–1945
 United States of America 1945–1946
 Philippines 1946–present

See also: Maguindanao

Further information: Shariff Kabunsuan

Foundation

See also: Maguindanao leadership crises

The idea of creating a province in the present territory of Maguindanao del Norte dates back to 2006 when the province of Shariff Kabunsuan briefly existed for two years before being reverted as part of Maguindanao.^[1]

Maguindanao del Norte was formed when Maguindanao province was split into two provinces; the other province being Maguindanao del Sur. The division occurred following a plebiscite on September 17, 2022 which ratified Republic Act 11550 wherein it proposed the partitioning of the province. Former Maguindanao Vice Governor Ainee Sinsuat was expected to become the acting governor of the newly formed Maguindanao del Norte province.^[2] However an issue arose since the determination of the first set of officials of the province presumes that the plebiscite was held prior to the 2022 national and local elections. However the plebiscite was postponed to a date after the elections.^[3] This led to the Commission on Elections to come up with a legal opinion.^[4][5] The position was issued on September 28, 2022, where the election body conclude that only the Department of the Interior and Local Government could appoint the first officials of the province.^[3]

Sinsuat took oath as the first governor of the province on October 13, 2022 with former Maguindanao Provincial Board member Sharifudin Mastura as her vice governor.^[6] A transition period would take place until January 9, 2023.^[7] On April 28, 2023, President Bongbong Marcos appointed Abdulraof Macacua as the full pledged governor of the province while Sinsuat was appointed as the vice governor. On August 14, 2023, Sinsuat vacated her position as vice governor and revived her claim as the legitimate governor. Both the national and Bangsamoro regional government does not recognize Sinsuat's claim.

Geography

Map of Maguindanao del Norte

Maguindanao del Norte has a total area of 3,988.82 square kilometers (1,540.09 sq mi). The province is bordered to the north by Lanao del Sur, to the east by Cotabato, to the southwest by Maguindanao del Sur, and to the south by Sultan Kudarat. It has an outlying island near the mainland called Bongo Island, which falls under its jurisdiction.

Administrative divisions

Maguindanao del Norte is composed of 1 independent city, 12 municipalities, and 3 legislative districts.

•  †  Capital municipality
•   Municipality
•  ∗∗  Independent component city (only geographically grouped with the province)
• ∞ Largest settlement

City or municipality DistrictPSGC unknown Population ±% p.a. AreaPSGC unknown Density Barangay Coordinates[A] (2020)[8] (2015)[9] km2 sq mi /km2 /sq mi Barira 1st 3.8% 36,143 30,004 3.61% 392.61 151.59 92 240 14 7°28′15″N 124°21′23″E Buldon 1st 4.2% 39,684 35,282 2.26% 429.40 165.79 92 240 15 7°30′33″N 124°22′17″E Cotabato City∞ ∗∗ Lone — 325,079 299,438 1.58% 176.00 67.95 1,800 4,700 37 7°13′15″N 124°14′48″E Datu Blah T. Sinsuat 2nd 3.0% 28,243 25,024 2.33% 147.21 56.84 190 490 13 6°55′38″N 123°58′18″E Datu Odin Sinsuat † 2nd 12.4% 116,768 99,210 3.15% 461.80 178.30 250 650 34 7°01′25″N 124°18′57″E Kabuntalan 2nd 2.7% 25,439 17,276 7.65% 371.08 143.27 69 180 17 7°07′03″N 124°23′04″E Matanog 1st 3.8% 36,034 29,770 3.70% 146.50 56.56 250 650 8 7°26′17″N 124°15′14″E Northern Kabuntalan 2nd 2.8% 26,277 25,232 0.78% 106.77 41.22 250 650 11 7°10′13″N 124°25′52″E Parang 1st 10.9% 102,914 89,194 2.76% 850.78 328.49 120 310 25 7°22′32″N 124°16′02″E Sultan Kudarat 1st 11.1% 105,121 95,201 1.91% 712.91 275.26 150 390 39 7°16′45″N 124°18′12″E Sultan Mastura 1st 2.7% 25,331 22,261 2.49% 242.07 93.46 100 260 13 7°18′15″N 124°16′46″E Talitay 2nd 1.9% 17,463 14,863 3.12% 62.96 24.31 280 730 9 7°01′42″N 124°23′45″E Upi 2nd 6.3% 59,004 53,583 1.85% 742.95 286.85 79 200 23 7°00′38″N 124°09′45″E Total[B] 618,421 536,900 2.73% —[C] —[C] —[C] —[C] 258 (see GeoGroup box) ^ Coordinates are sortable by latitude. (Italicized entries indicate the generic location. Otherwise, they mark the city or town center). ^ Total figures exclude the independent component city of Cotabato, which is geographically within and traditionally grouped with the province. ^ The city of Cotabato, which is geographically within and traditionally grouped with the province, is independent from the province and does not vote for provincial officials. Only votes with Maguindanao del Norte for representation in the various national legislatures. Dashes (—) in cells indicate unavailable information.

Demographics

Population census of Maguindanao del Norte

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	1,706	—
1918	25,719	+19.83%
1939	52,766	+3.48%
1948	105,386	+7.99%
1960	190,201	+5.04%
1970	241,796	+2.43%
1975	265,383	+1.88%
1980	297,597	+2.32%
1990	424,267	+3.61%
1995	456,208	+1.37%
2000	529,697	+3.25%
2010	695,622	+2.76%
2015	821,475	+3.22%
2020	926,037	+2.55%
a No census was held in 1985 due to a political and economic crisis b Census was delayed from the original 2005 due to the reenacted budget that lasted until 2006 Source: National Census and Statistics Office (1975,[10] 1980,[11] and 1990[12] census), National Statistics Office (1995,[13] 2000,[14] 2007,[15] and 2010[16] census) and Philippine Statistics Authority (2015 and 2020 census)[17]

According to the 2020 census conducted before the province's creation, Maguindanao del Norte has a population of 926,037 people, with a population density of 230 inhabitants per square kilometer or 600 inhabitants per square mile.^[18] The predominant ethnic group is the Maguindanaon.

Population percentage (2020 Census)[19]
Barira: 36,143 (3.8%)   Bonggo: 32,298 (3.4%)   Buldon: 39,684 (4.2%)   Cotabato: 325,079 (34.5%)   Datu Balabaran Sinsuat: 55,836 (5.9%)   Datu Blah T. Sinsuat: 28,243 (3.0%)   Datu Odin Sinsuat: 34,244 (3.6%)   Kabuntalan: 25,439 (2.7%)   Matanog: 36,034 (3.8%)   Northern Kabuntalan: 26,277 (2.8%)   Nuling: 38,589 (4.1%)   Parang: 87,305 (9.3%)   Sheik Abas Hamza: 26,703 (2.8%)   Sultan Kudarat: 66,532 (7.1%)   Sultan Matsura: 25,331 (2.7%)   Upi: 59,004 (6.3%)
Total population: 994,182

Government

GOVERNORS OF MAGUINDANAO DEL NORTE

1. Bai Fatimah Aimee L. Sinsuat
2. Abdulraof A. Macacua
3. Datu Shariffudin Tucao P. Mastura
4. Datu Tucao O. Mastura

VICE GOVERNORS OF MAGUINDANAO DEL NORTE

1. Datu Shariffudin Tucao P. Mastura
2. Bai Fatimah Aimee L. Sinsuat
3. Abdulnasser A. Abas
4. Datu Marshall I. Sinsuat

Economy

Transportation and storage, other non-agricultural services, food and accommodation services is becoming the fastest growing sector in the province. Agricultural activities include forestry and fishing.^[20]

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, Maguindanao del Norte had improved its economic growth from 7.8 percent in 2021 (before its establishment) to 8.8 percent in 2022. The province had a Gross Domestic Product of 78.01 billion Philippine pesos in 2022.^[20]

Notable people

• Orlando Quevedo – Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church
• Elias Lumayog Ayuban Jr. – second bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Cubao.
• Noel Felongco – Lead Convenor of National Anti-Poverty Commission
• Imah Dumagay – Stand-up comedian based in Dubai
• Romero Duno – Professional Boxer
• Jay Jaboneta – Blogger, Philanthropist, Media Advocate, and Online Community Organizer
• Kublai Millan – Prolific Artist
• Ben Farrales – Fashion Designer, known for his muslim inspired terno designs

Notes