Provinces of The Philippines - History

History

When the United States acquired the Philippines from Spain in 1898, the islands were divided into four gobiernos (governments), which were further subdivided into provinces and districts. The American administration initially inherited the Spanish divisions and placed them under military government. As insurgencies were pacified, civil government was gradually organized.

• 1900-11-23: Civil government of the province of Benguet established through Act No. 49. Capital moved to Baguio.
• 1901-02-06: Act No. 83 ("The Provincial Government Act") enacted by the Philippine Commission.
• 1901-02-13: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Pampanga through Act No. 85.
• 1901-02-16: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Pangasinan through Act No. 86. Towns of Balungao, Rosales, San Quintin and Umingan annexed from Nueva Ecija.
• 1901-02-18: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Tarlac through Act No. 87.
• 1901-02-27: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Bulacan through Act No. 88. Capital moved to Malolos.
• 1901-03-02: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Bataan through Act No. 92.
• 1901-03-12: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Tayabas through Act No. 103. Capital moved to Lucena.
• 1901-03-16: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Romblon, elevated from Spanish-era status of District, through Act No. 104.
• 1901-03-18: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Masbate, elevated from Spanish-era status of District, through Act No. 105.
• 1901-04-11: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Iloilo, formed through the merging of the Spanish-era Province of Iloilo with the Comandancia of Concepcion, through Act No. 113.
• 1901-04-13: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Antique through Act No. 114.
• 1901-04-15: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Capiz through Act No. 115.
• 1901-04-18: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Cebu through Act No. 116.
• 1901-04-20: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Bohol through Act No. 117.
• 1901-04-22: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Leyte through Act No. 121.
• 1901-04-26: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Albay through Act No. 122.
• 1901-04-27: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Ambos Camarines through Act No. 123.
• 1901-04-30: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Sorsogon through Act No. 124.
• 1901-05-01: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Occidental Negros and Oriental Negros through Acts No. 119 and 120, respectively, enacted on April 20, 1901; Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to newly created Marinduque through Act No. 125.
• 1901-05-02: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Batangas through Act No. 126.
• 1901-05-15: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Surigao, elevated from Spanish-era status of District, through Act No. 127; Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Misamis through Act No. 128.
• 1901-06-11: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to newly created Rizal, formed through the merging of the Politico-Military District of Morong with the entire province of Manila except the territory of the city of Manila, through Act No. 137; Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Cavite through Act No. 138. Annexed Lubang and adjacent islands to the province. Provincial government provided an option to move capital from the town of Cavite; Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to Nueva Ecija through Act No. 139. Provincial government provided an option to move capital from the town of San Isidro.
• 1901-07-16: Catanduanes annexed to Albay through Act No. 169.
• 1901-07-17: Batangas, Bohol and Cebu placed under the control of military governors through Act No. 173.
• 1901-08-15: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to La Union through Act No. 203.
• 1901-08-16: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to Ilocos Sur through Act No. 205.
• 1901-08-19: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to Abra, excluding its territory east of the crest of the Cordillera Central, through Act No. 206.
• 1901-08-20: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to Ilocos Norte through Act No. 207.
• 1901-08-22: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to Cagayan through Act No. 209. The Babuyan Islands and the Spanish-era province of Batanes annexed to the province.
• 1901-08-24: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to Isabela through Act No. 210.
• 1901-08-28: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to Zambales through Act No. 211.
• 1902-01-01: Civil government of the Province of Cebu restored through Act No. 322 enacted on December 20, 1901.
• 1902-01-28: Civil government of the Province of Nueva Vizcaya established through Act No. 337.
• 1902-04-01: Civil government of the Province of Bohol restored through Act No. 365 enacted on March 3, 1902.
• 1902-05-28: Spanish-era comandancias of Amburayan, Bontoc and Lepanto organized into sub-provinces under the new province of Lepanto-Bontoc through Act No. 410. Areas between Abra and Cagayan not yet placed under the jurisdiction of any province annexed as part of the sub-province of Bontoc.
• 1902-06-12: Spanish-era districts of El Principe and Infanta, including the Polillo Islands, annexed to Tayabas through Act No. 417.
• 1902-06-17: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to Samar through Act No. 419.
• 1902-06-23: Civil government of the Province of Paragua established through Act No. 422; Mindoro, Lubang and surrounding small islands annexed to Marinduque through Act No. 423.
• 1902-07-01: Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to La Laguna through Act No. 424.
• 1902-11-10: Marinduque annexed to Tayabas through Act No. 499; Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to newly created Mindoro, separated from Marinduque through Act No. 500.
• 1903-05-14: Cagayancillo, Balabac and the rest of Palawan Island (south of Tapul and Ulugan rivers) annexed to Paragua through Act No. 747. Provincial government provided the option to choose capital between Cuyo or Puerto Princesa.
• 1903-05-26: Spanish-era Comandancia of Kayapa annexed to Benguet through Act No. 768.
• 1903-07-15: Moro Province formed, composed of the districts of Cotabato, Davao, Lanao, Sulu, and Zamboanga through Act No. 787 enacted on June 1, 1903.
• 1905-04-01: Abra annexed to Ilocos Sur as sub-province through Act No. 1306 enacted on February 27, 1905.
• 1907-10-08: Catanduanes established as sub-province of Albay through Act No. 1331.
• 1905-06-28: Name of Paragua changed to Palawan through Act No. 1363.
• 1906-01-01: Masbate annexed to Sorsogon as sub-province through Act No. 1413 enacted on November 23, 1905.
• 1907-05-09: Apayao and Kalinga established as sub-provinces of Cagayan and Lepanto-Bontoc, respectively, through Act No. 1648.
• 1907-07-15: 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.
• 1907-08-10: Marinduque declared a sub-province of Tayabas through Act No. 1649 enacted on May 17, 1907.
• 1907-08-20: Act No. 1693 creates Agusan (composed of the sub-provinces of Butuan and Bukidnon), and establishes Batanes as a sub-province of Cagayan.
• 1907-10-08: Siquijor established as sub-province of Negros Oriental through Act No. 1753.
• 1908-08-18: 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 City (annexed as Benguet sub-province); and Apayao sub-province in Cagayan, through Act No. 1876.
• 1909-05-20: Batanes re-established as province, separated from Cagayan through Act No. 1952.
• 1913-12-20: 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.
• 1914-09-01: 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.
• 1917-03-09: Abra re-established as regular province, separated from Ilocos Sur through Act No. 2683.
• 1917-12-07: Romblon re-established as regular province, separated from Capiz through Act No. 2724.
• 1919-03-03: Ambos Camarines divided into Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur through Act No. 2809.
• 1920-02-04: 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.
• 1920-11-21: Marinduque re-established as regular province, separated from Tayabas through Act No. 2880.
• 1920-12-15: Masbate re-established as regular province, separated from Sorsogon through Act No. 2934.
• 1923-03-27: Leyte divided into Occidental Leyte and Oriental Leyte through Act No. 3117, but never proclaimed by the governor-general.
• 1939-11-28: 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.
• 1940-06-08: Provincial government of Romblon abolished, municipal governments reorganized into four "special municipalities" through Commonwealth Act No. 581.
• 1945-10-26: Catanduanes established as regular province, separated from Albay through Commonwealth Act No. 687 enacted on September 26, 1945.
• 1946-09-07: Name of Tayabas changed to Quezon through Republic Act No. 14.
• 1946-10-01: CA 581 repealed and Romblon's provincial and municipal governments restored through Republic Act No. 38.
• 1950-06-13: Mindoro divided into Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro through Republic Act No. 505.
• 1951-06-14: Aurora established as sub-province of Quezon through Republic Act No. 648.
• 1952-06-06: Zamboanga divided into Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur through Republic Act No. 711.
• 1956-04-25: Aklan separated from Capiz through Republic Act No. 1414.
• 1956-06-22: Camiguin established as sub-province of Misamis Oriental through Republic Act No. 2021.
• 1959-04-08: Biliran established as sub-province of Leyte through Republic Act No. 2141.
• 1959-05-22: Lanao province divided into Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur through Republic Act No. 2228.
• 1959-07-01: Southern Leyte separated from Leyte through Republic Act No. 2227 approved on May 22, 1959.
• 1960-06-19: Surigao divided into Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur through Republic Act No. 2786.
• 1965-11-19: 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.
• 1966-06-18: 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.
• 1967-05-08: Davao province divided into Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental through Republic Act No. 4867.
• 1967-11-14: 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.
• 1969-06-21: Name of Western Samar province changed to Samar through Republic Act No. 5650.
• 1969-08-04: Samal sub-province created from Davao del Norte through Republic Act No. 5999, but never inaugurated.
• 1971-11-11: 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.
• 1971-10-04: 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.
• 1972-06-17: Name of Davao del Norte changed to Davao through Republic Act No. 6430.
• 1973-09-11: Tawi-Tawi separated from Sulu through Presidential Decree No. 302.
• 1973-11-22: Cotabato divided into Maguindanao, North Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat through Presidential Decree No. 341.
• 1973-12-27: 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.
• 1975-11-07: 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.
• 1979-08-13: 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.
• 1984-03-07: Name of North Cotabato province changed to Cotabato through Batas Pambansa Blg. 660.
• 1986-01-03: Plebiscite approves the separation of Negros del Norte from Negros Occidental by virtue of Batas Pambansa Blg. 885 enacted on December 3, 1985.
• 1986-08-18: BP No. 885 found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, Negros del Norte reverts as part of Negros Occidental.
• 1992-05-11: 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; Plebiscite approves the separation of Sarangani from South Cotabato by virtue of Republic Act No. 7228 approved on March 16, 1992.
• 1995-05-08: Plebiscite approves the division of Kalinga-Apayao into Apayao and Kalinga by virtue of Republic Act No. 7878 approved on July 25, 1994.
• 1998-03-07: 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.
• 2001-02-22: Plebiscite approves the separation of Zamboanga Sibugay from Zamboanga del Sur by virtue of Republic Act No. 8973 approved on November 7, 2000.
• 2006-10-28: Plebiscite approves the separation of Shariff Kabunsuan from Maguindanao by virtue of Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act No. 201 enacted on August 28, 2006.
• 2006-12-02: Plebiscite approves the separation of Dinagat Islands from Surigao del Norte by virtue of Republic Act No. 9355 approved on October 2, 2006.
• 2008-11-18: MMA Act No. 201 declared void by the Supreme Court, Shariff Kabunsuan reverts as part of Maguindanao.
• 2010-02-11: RA No. 9355 found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, Dinagat Islands reverts as part of Surigao del Norte.
• 2011-03-30: Supreme Court reverses it decision on Dinagat Islands and became a province once again.