 Romblon 

(except the island of Maestro de Campo, annexed to Mindoro) annexed

to Capiz as sub-province through Act No. 1665 enacted on July 2, 1907.
 August 10, 1907: Marinduque declared a sub-province of Tayabas through Act No.
1649 enacted on May 17, 1907.
 August 20, 1907: Act No. 1693 creates Agusan (composed of the sub-provinces
of Butuan and Bukidnon), and establishes Batanes as a sub-province of Cagayan.
 October 8, 1907: Siquijor established as sub-province of Negros Oriental through Act No.
1753.
 August 18, 1908: Mountain Province, with seven sub-provinces, formed by merging
territories of the entire province of Lepanto-Bontoc (with Amburayan, Bontoc, Kalinga and
Lepanto sub-provinces); the district in the province of Nueva Vizcaya that formerly the
comprised the Spanish-era Comandancia of Quiangan (annexed as Ifugao sub-province);
the entire province of Benguet except Baguio (annexed as Benguet sub-province);
and Apayao sub-province in Cagayan, through Act No. 1876.
 May 20, 1909: Batanes re-established as province, separated from Cagayan through Act
No. 1952.
 December 20, 1913: Act No. 2309 renames Moro Province to Department of Mindanao
and Sulu and annexes Agusan (with Bukidnon sub-province) to the Department.
Department of Mindanao and Sulu formally organized on January 1, 1914.
 September 1, 1914: Department of Mindanao and Sulu provided with autonomous
government through Act No. 2408 enacted on July 23, 1914. Bukidnon sub-province and
the former Moro Province districts
of Cotabato, Davao, Lanao, Sulu and Zamboanga converted to provinces.
 March 9, 1917: Abra re-established as regular province, separated from Ilocos
Sur through Act No. 2683.
 December 7, 1917: Romblon re-established as regular province, separated
from Capiz through Act No. 2724.
 March 3, 1919: Ambos Camarines divided into Camarines Norte and Camarines
Sur through Act No. 2809.
 February 4, 1920: Act No. 2877 abolishes Amburayan sub-province in the Mountain
Province by annexing its municipal entities to Ilocos Sur and La Union; Lepanto sub-
province reduced in size by annexing some of its municipal entities to Ilocos
Sur and Benguet.
 November 21, 1920: Marinduque re-established as regular province, separated
from Tayabas through Act No. 2880.
 December 15, 1920: Masbate re-established as regular province, separated
from Sorsogon through Act No. 2934.
 March 27, 1923: Leyte divided into Occidental Leyte and Oriental Leyte through Act
No. 3117, but never proclaimed by the governor-general.
 November 28, 1939: Division of Misamis into Misamis Occidental and Misamis
Oriental implemented by virtue of Act No. 3777 (enacted on November 29, 1930), the
law that amended Act No. 3537 (enacted on November 2, 1929) which first sought the
division.
 June 8, 1940: Provincial government of Romblon abolished, municipal governments
reorganized into four "special municipalities" through Commonwealth Act No. 581.
 January 1, 1942: Executive Order No. 400 issued by Manuel L. Quezon creates the City
of Greater Manila, composed of the chartered cities of Manila and Quezon City with the
following municipalities from the province
of Rizal: Caloocan, Makati, Mandaluyong, Parañaque, Pasay and San Juan.
 May 18, 1942: Executive Order No. 43 issued by Jorge Vargas of the Japanese-
era Philippine Executive Commission abolishes sub-provinces, annexing their
municipalities to their respective provinces. Provisions of this order only apply for the
duration of the Japanese occupation; revoked after the restoration of the Commonwealth
in 1945.
 August 31, 1942: Executive Order No. 84 issued by Jorge Vargas abolishes the province
of Batanes and annexes its municipalities to Cagayan; annexes the municipalities
of Baler and Casiguran (corresponding to the entire present-day territory of Aurora)
from Tayabas to Nueva Ecija; annexes the municipality of Infanta (including the present-
day municipalities of General Nakar and Real) from Tayabas to Laguna; abolishes the
province of Marinduque and annexes its municipalities to Tayabas; and abolishes the
province of Romblon and annexes its special municipalities to Capiz. Provisions of this
order only apply for the duration of the Japanese occupation; revoked after the
restoration of the Commonwealth in 1945.
 November 1, 1942: Executive Order No. 103 issued by Jorge Vargas annexes the Polillo
Islands from Tayabas to Laguna. Provisions of this order only apply for the duration of
the Japanese occupation; revoked after the restoration of the Commonwealth in 1945.
 August 1, 1945: Executive Order No. 58 issued by Sergio Osmeña reduces the territory
of the City of Greater Manila to only Manila and Quezon City,
restoring Caloocan, Makati, Mandaluyong, Parañaque, Pasay and San
Juan to Rizal. Republic Act No. 54 of October 10, 1946 later repeals Executive Order No.
400 (series 1942) and Executive Order No. 58 (series 1945), finally abolishing the City of
Greater Manila and restoring the pre-war status of the chartered cities of Manila and
Quezon City.
 October 26, 1945: Catanduanes established as regular province, separated
from Albay through Commonwealth Act No. 687 enacted on September 26, 1945.
 September 7, 1946: Name of Tayabas changed to Quezon through Republic Act No. 14.
 October 1, 1946: CA 581 repealed and Romblon's provincial and municipal governments
restored through Republic Act No. 38.
 June 13, 1950: Mindoro divided into Occidental Mindoro and Oriental
Mindoro through Republic Act No. 505.
 June 14, 1951: Aurora established as sub-province of Quezon through Republic Act No.
648.
 June 6, 1952: Zamboanga divided into Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del
Sur through Republic Act No. 711.
 April 25, 1956: Aklan separated from Capiz through Republic Act No. 1414.
 June 22, 1956: Camiguin established as sub-province of Misamis
Oriental through Republic Act No. 2021.
 April 8, 1959: Biliran established as sub-province of Leyte through Republic Act No.
2141.
 May 22, 1959: Lanao province divided into Lanao del Norte and Lanao del
Sur through Republic Act No. 2228.
 July 1, 1959: Southern Leyte separated from Leyte through Republic Act No.
2227 approved on May 22, 1959.
 June 19, 1960: Surigao divided into Surigao del Norte and Surigao del
Sur through Republic Act No. 2786.
 November 19, 1965: Plebiscite approves the division of Samar into Eastern
Samar, Northern Samar, and Western Samar by virtue of Republic Act No.
4221 enacted on June 19, 1965.
 June 18, 1966: Guimaras established as sub-province of Iloilo through Republic Act No.
4667; Camiguin established as regular province, separated from Misamis
Oriental through Republic Act No. 4669; Benguet re-established,
and Ifugao and Kalinga-Apayao created, from Mountain Province through Republic Act
No. 4695; Quirino established as sub-province of Nueva Vizcaya through Republic Act
No. 4734; South Cotabato separated from Cotabato through Republic Act No. 4849.
 May 8, 1967: Davao province divided into Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao
Oriental through Republic Act No. 4867.
 November 14, 1967: Plebiscite approves the division of Agusan into Agusan del
Norte and Agusan del Sur by virtue of Republic Act No. 4979 enacted on June 17,
1967.
 June 21, 1969: Name of Western Samar province changed to Samar through Republic
Act No. 5650.
 August 4, 1969: Samal sub-province created from Davao del Norte through Republic Act
No. 5999, but never inaugurated.
 October 4, 1971: Maranaw province created from Lanao del Sur through Republic Act
No. 6406, remained unorganized due to the disruption caused by the declaration
of Martial Law in the Philippines.
 November 11, 1971: Plebiscites approve the establishment of Quirino and Siquijor as
regular provinces by virtue of Republic Act No. 6394 (approved on September 10, 1971)
and Republic Act No. 6398 (approved on September 17, 1971), separating them
from Nueva Vizcaya and Negros Oriental, respectively.
 June 17, 1972: Name of Davao del Norte changed to Davao through Republic Act No.
6430.
 September 11, 1973: Tawi-Tawi separated from Sulu through Presidential Decree No.
302.
 November 22, 1973: Cotabato divided into Maguindanao, North Cotabato, and Sultan
Kudarat through Presidential Decree No. 341.
 December 27, 1973: Basilan province created through Presidential Decree No. 356 out
of most of the territory of the City of Basilan, which itself was delimited to only the
downtown area of what is now Isabela City, then finally abolished by Presidential Decree
No. 840 in 1975.
  November 7, 1975: Metro Manila established through Presidential Decree No. 824,
composed of the four chartered cities of Manila, Caloocan, Pasay and Quezon City, and
several municipalities of Rizal and Bulacan, all of which effectively became independent
from provincial supervision.
 August 13, 1979: Aurora proclaimed a regular province, separated
from Quezon through Batas Pambansa Blg. 7 enacted on November 21, 1978. Plebiscite
held on May 20, 1979, approves provincehood.
 March 7, 1984: Name of North Cotabato province changed to Cotabato through Batas
Pambansa Blg. 660.
 January 3, 1986: Plebiscite approves the separation of Negros del Norte from Negros
Occidental by virtue of Batas Pambansa Blg. 885 enacted on December 3, 1985.
 August 18, 1986: BP No. 885 found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, Negros del
Norte reverts as part of Negros Occidental.
 May 11, 1992: Plebsicites affirm the establishment of Biliran and Guimaras as regular
provinces, separating them from Leyte and Iloilo, respectively, by virtue of Section 462
of Republic Act No. 7160 (Local Government Code of 1991) approved on October 10,
1991.
 November 28, 1992: Plebiscite approves the separation of Sarangani from South
Cotabato by virtue of Republic Act No. 7228 approved on March 16, 1992.
 May 8, 1995: Plebiscite approves the division of Kalinga-
Apayao into Apayao and Kalinga by virtue of Republic Act No. 7878 approved on
February 14, 1995.
 March 7, 1998: Plebiscite approves the separation of Compostela Valley from Davao by
virtue of Republic Act No. 8470 approved on January 30, 1998. Name of Davao changed
back to Davao del Norte.
 February 22, 2001: Plebiscite approves the separation of Zamboanga
Sibugay from Zamboanga del Sur by virtue of Republic Act No. 8973 approved on
November 7, 2000.
 October 28, 2006: Plebiscite approves the separation of Shariff
Kabunsuan from Maguindanao by virtue of Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act No.
201 enacted on August 28, 2006.
 December 2, 2006: Plebiscite approves the separation of Dinagat Islands from Surigao
del Norte by virtue of Republic Act No. 9355 approved on October 2, 2006.
 November 18, 2008: MMA Act No. 201 declared void by the Supreme Court, Shariff
Kabunsuan reverts as part of Maguindanao.
 February 11, 2010: RA No. 9355 found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, Dinagat
Islands reverts as part of Surigao del Norte.
 March 30, 2011: Supreme Court reverses its decision on Dinagat Islands and became a
province once again.
 October 28, 2013: Plebiscite approves the separation of Davao Occidental from Davao
del Sur by virtue of Republic Act No. 10360 approved on January 21, 2013.
 December 8, 2019: Name of Compostela Valley changed to Davao de
Oro through Republic Act 11297 approved on April 17, 2019.

Formally proposed/renamed provinces[edit]

Proposed provinces with enacted law[edit]
This section only lists the proposals that reached the stage where a legislation was enacted for the purpose of establishing a
province or a sub-province but never achieved, or yet to achieve, corporate existence.
 Occidental Leyte and Oriental Leyte (1923) – Leyte was divided into two new
provinces by Act No. 3117 on March 27, 1923.  The division never took place, however,
[43]

as no proclamation was issued by the Governor-General.

o The province of Oriental Leyte would have covered the present-day territories of
the entire province of Biliran, the municipalities of Abuyog, Alangalang, Babatngon,
Barugo, Burauen, Calubian, Capoocan, Carigara, Dagami, Dulag, Jaro, Javier,
Julita, La Paz, Leyte, MacArthur, Mahaplag, Mayorga, Palo, Pastrana, San Isidro,
San Miguel, Santa Fe, Tabango, Tabontabon, Tanauan, Tolosa, Tunga and
Tacloban (which was designated as the provincial capital).
o The province of Occidental Leyte would have covered the present-day territories of
the entire province of Southern Leyte, the municipalities of Albuera, Bato, Hilongos,
Hindang, Inopacan, Isabel, Kananga, Matag-ob, Matalom, Merida, Palompon,
Villaba and the cities of Baybay and Ormoc. The province capital of Occidental
Leyte "SEC. 2. ... shall be designated by the Governor-General, until determined by
a plurality vote of the electors of the new province at the next general election."
 Samal (1969) – The sub-province of Samal was created by Republic Act No. 5999  and [44]

covered the area of the present-day Island Garden City of Samal. However, the sub-
province was never inaugurated.
 Maranaw (1971) – Republic Act No. 6406,  which sought to create a new province out of
[45]

eastern Lanao del Sur (now corresponding to the province's first congressional district),

was approved on October 4, 1971. The province was to consist of the municipalities
of Bubong, Ditsaan-Ramain (including what is now Buadiposo-Buntong), Kapai, Lumba-
Bayabao (including what is
now Maguing), Marantao, Masiu, Mulondo, Saguiaran, Piagapo, Poona
Bayabao, Tamparan, Taraka and Wao (including what is now Bumbaran), with the
chartered city of Marawi serving as the new province's capital. Lanao del Sur was to
retain the remaining municipalities, with Malabang serving as its new capital. Section 4 of
RA 6406 provided that "The new provinces as provided in this Act shall come into
existence upon the election and qualification of their first elective provincial officials, who
shall be elected in a special election simultaneously with the general elections of
November, nineteen hundred and seventy-three." The division never took place due to
the declaration of martial law in the Philippines on September 21, 1972, which disrupted
the scheduled general elections for 1973 and paved the way for the adoption of a
 new Constitution and the establishment of the Fourth Philippine Republic. A legacy of this
unimplemented division is the existence of two ZIP code series for Lanao del Sur: the 93-
series was retained by what were to be the remaining towns of the province (with
Malabang, the new capital, being reassigned the code 9300), while a new series (97-)
was assigned to what was supposed to be the province of Maranaw (with Marawi getting
the new code 9700).

Rejected in a plebiscite [edit]

 Isabela del Norte and Isabela del Sur (1995) – On February 20, 1995, Republic Act No.
7891,  which sought to divide the province of Isabela, was approved. Isabela del Norte
[46]

was to comprise municipalities belonging to the province's first and second congressional

districts with Ilagan serving as capital. Isabela del Sur was to consist of
the third and fourth congressional districts (excluding the independent component city
of Santiago), with Cauayan as the capital. The proposed division was rejected in a
plebiscite held on June 20, 1995.
 Quezon del Norte and Quezon del Sur (2007) – The act dividing the province
of Quezon into two, Republic Act No. 9495,  lapsed into law without the President's
[47]

signature on September 7, 2007. Quezon del Norte (which would be renamed from
Quezon) was to be composed of the first and second congressional districts of the
province, with Lucena as its capital. Quezon del Sur, with its capital at Gumaca, would
have been composed of the third and fourth congressional districts. The COMELEC held
the plebiscite on December 13, 2008 and the majority of the votes rejected the division.

Scheduled for a plebiscite [edit]

 Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental, and Palawan del Sur (2021) – On April 5, 2019,

President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11259 that mandates the division the
province of Palawan, with the exception of the independent city of Puerto Princesa, into
three separate provinces. A plebiscite was originally scheduled for the second Monday of
May 2020  but was postponed to May 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Palawan
[48] [49]

del Norte would be composed of Taytay and municipalities north of it. Palawan del Sur
would be composed of the municipalities west and south of Puerto Princessa,
including Kalayaan (which administers the country's claims in the Spratly Islands), while
the rest are proposed to form Palawan Oriental. The proposed provincial capitals would
be Taytay (Palawan del Norte), Brooke's Point (Palawan del Sur), and Roxas (Palawan
Oriental). [50]

Other proposed provinces[edit]

 Northwestern Samar (2019)  – House Bill No. 8824 was introduced in the House of

Representatives on January 22, 2019 by Representative Edgar Mary Sarmiento to
establish a new province called Northwestern Samar, consisting of 9 municipalities of
which Calbayog would be the designated capital. [51]

 Maguindanao North (2017) – House Bill No. 5185 was introduced in the House of

Representatives on March 2, 2017 by former Representative Bai Sandra Sema to
establish a new province called Maguindanao North, consisting of 11 municipalities and 2
legislative districts, of which Datu Odin Sinsuat would be the designated capital. The
independent city of Cotabato would be grouped with the proposed province only for the
purposes of congressional representation. [52]

 Zamboanga Hermosa (2017) – On February 21, 2017, House Bill No. 5040 was
introduced in the House of Representatives that seeks to carve out a new province from
Zamboanga del Norte, consisting of the 12 municipalities and 2 legislative districts that
make up the 3rd legislative district of Zamboanga del Norte. [53][54]

Proposed renaming[edit]

 Southern Leyte to Leyte del Sur (2017) – House Bill No. 6408 proposed to change the
name of the province to Leyte del Sur. Representative Roger Mercado authored the bill to
enhance the identity of the province as it is geographically part of the island of Leyte with
a distinct personality of its own. The bill did not prosper as it was left pending in the
Committee on Local Government since September 20, 2017 until the end of the 17th
Congress. [55]

See also[edit]
  List of Philippine provinces by population
 List of Philippine provincial etymologies
 List of Philippine provinces by Human Development Index
 List of demonyms for Philippine provinces
 ISO 3166-2:PH
 Sub-provinces of the Philippines, a defunct group of administrative divisions in the
Philippines

References[edit]

1. ^ "About the League of Provinces". League of Provinces of the Philippines. Archived from the
original on March 5, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2008.

2. ^ Jump up to:a b c d Republic Act No. 7160 – Local Government Code of 1991 ArchivedMay 3, 2016, at
the Wayback Machine

3. ^ "Archived copy"  (PDF). Archived from the original  (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September
29, 2014.

4. ^ "ISO 3166-2 Newsletter: Changes in the list of subdivision names and code elements"  (PDF). ISO
(International Organization for Standardization). June 30, 2010. pp. 56–58. Retrieved January
19, 2015.

5. ^ "Highlights of the Philippine Population 2015 Census of Population". 2015 Census of Population.

Philippine Statistics Authority. May 19, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2016.

6. ^ "List of Provinces". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination

Board. Archived from the original on April 19, 2016. Retrieved May 14, 2014.

7. ^ Republic Act  No. 8811  of  August 16, 2000  (PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on March 3, 2016.

8. ^ "Agusan del Sur..." OoCities.org. OoCities.org. Retrieved February 22, 2016.

9. ^ "Proclamation No. 290, s. 1956". GOVPH. Retrieved February 22, 2016.

10. ^ "Albay celebrates 439th Foundation Day". balita-dot-ph. Retrieved October 14,2015.

11. ^ "Apayao gov't center established in Luna". Philippine Information Agency.[dead link]

12. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on August 11, 2017. Retrieved May 14, 2017.

13. ^ Bangsamoro Development Plan: Environment and Natural ResourcesArchived March 4, 2016, at

the Wayback Machine

14. ^ "The Batanes Islands". National Commission on Culture and the Arts. Archived from the original on
March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2015.

15. ^ "No work on Monday, July 23, in observance of Bohol Day". The Bohol Standard. Archived from the
original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 18, 2015.