Zamboanga (province)

Former province of the Philippines

This article is about the former province. For current Zamboanga provinces, see Zamboanga (disambiguation).

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)

This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article. (December 2013)

|

This article possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (December 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Zamboanga" province – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

(Learn how and when to remove this message)

Zamboanga

Province of the Philippines
1914–1952

Location of the historical province of Zamboanga.
Capital| Zamboanga (1914-1942)
Dipolog (1942-1948)
Molave (1948-1952)
History|

• Established

| 1 September 1914

• Splitting of Zamboanga

| 6 June 1952

Preceded by | Succeeded by

|

|  | Moro Province

|

| Zamboanga del Norte |

|

Zamboanga del Sur |
Today part of|  · Basilan
· Zamboanga City
· Zamboanga del Norte
· Zamboanga del Sur
· Zamboanga Sibugay

Zamboanga (also Zamboaŋga) was a province of the Philippines located in the western region of the southern island of Mindanao, Philippines.

## History

[edit]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Zamboanga" province – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

### Creation

[edit]

Map of Zamboanga province in 1918

During the time of the United States' purchase of the Philippines (1898), the Republic of Zamboanga had its own independence and jurisdiction on what is now Zamboanga City. After the dissolution of the republic, Zamboanga was eventually consolidated into one major administrative area by the American government of the Philippines, consisting of an enormous region that was the Mindanao island's western peninsula, Basilan Island, and the entire Sulu archipelago, with the ancient namesake town/fort of Zamboanga as the seat of its government, and was called the Moro Province of the Philippines.

The Moro Province, in 1914 was replaced by the Department of Mindanao and Sulu. It was divided into Zamboanga, Sulu, Cotabato, Davao, Agusan and Surigao. The town of Zamboanga as its capital. Luis Lim[1] was appointed as the first governor of Zamboanga.

In 1920, the Department of Mindanao and Sulu was officially dissolved and Zamboanga became an independent province. In 1922, elections were held for the first elected provincial officials of Zamboanga. Florentino Saguin was elected as first elected governor.

At that time, the province was composed of five municipalities:

* Dipolog
* Dapitan
* Lubungan
* Isabela
* Zamboanga

Zamboanga was also sub-divided into 12 municipal districts:

* Bangaan
* Dinas
* Kabasalan
* Kumalarang
* Lamitan
* Maluso
* Margosatubig
* Panganuran
* Sibuko
* Sindangan
* Sirawai
* Taluksangay

### World War II

[edit]

When the Japanese invaded the Philippines, Zamboanga acting Governor Felipe Azcuna moved the capital from Zamboanga City to Dipolog. After the defeat of the American-Filipino forces in Corregidor, most of the province went under Japanese control.

After the war, on June 16, 1948, Molave was designated as Zamboanga's capital by the virtue of Republic Act No. 286[2] signed by President Elpidio Quirino.

### Division

[edit]

On June 6, 1952, the Republic Act 711,[3] authored by Zamboanga Congressman Roseller Lim was passed by the Philippine House of Representatives to divide the province of Zamboanga to Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur, while the chartered City of Zamboanga and Basilan became part of Zamboanga del Sur . The bill was signed by President Elpidio Quirino in a ceremony held at the Malacañan Palace.

The towns of Dapitan, Dipolog, Rizal, New Piñan, Polanco, Katipunan, Manukan, Sindangan, Liloy, Labason and Siocon are composed of the province of Zamboanga del Norte. The City of Zamboanga & Island of Basilan and towns of Molave, Pagadian, Labangan, Margosatubig, Dimataling, Dinas, Ipil, Buug, Malangas, Kabasalan and Aurora are under Zamboanga del Sur.

The town of Dipolog was designated capital of Zamboanga del Norte and the town of Pagadian as Zamboanga del Sur's capital.

In 2001, a brand new Zamboanga province, Zamboanga Sibugay, was created from the province of Zamboanga del Sur with Ipil as its provincial capital.

### Governors

[edit]

Governor  | Portrait  | Term  | Notes  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

DISTRICT OF ZAMBOANGA
Luis Lim |  | July 23, 1914–1917 | Lim was the first appointed civil governor of the province. | [4]
Agustin Alvarez |  | 1917–1920 | Alvarez succeeded Lim in 1917 as governor and reelected in 1928.
In 1940, he was elected Zamboanga City Mayor. | [4]
PROVINCE OF ZAMBOANGA
Agustin Alvarez |  | 1920–1922 |  | [4]
Florentino Adasa Saguin |  | 1922–1925 | Saguin was the first elected governor of the province.
He later represented Zamboanga in the 1934 Constitutional Convention. | [4]
Jose Dalman Aseniero |  | 1925–1928 | Aseniero formerly served as Municipal President of Dapitan before elected Governor. | [4]
Agustin Alvarez |  | 1928–1931 |  | [4]
Carlos Hernandez Camins |  | 1931–1934 |  | [4]
Felipe Ramos |  | 1934–1937 | Ramos previously served as Municipal President of Zamboanga City from 1925 to 1934 before being elected Governor. | [4]
Matias Castillon Ranillo |  | 1937–1940 | Ranillo was later elected representative of Zamboanga's Lone District in 1941.
When war broke out, he was appointed as the province's military governor. | [4]
Felipe B. Azcuna |  | 1940–1941 | Azcuna was a member of the Provincial Board before elected as governor. He was reelected governor in 1948. | [4]
WORLD WAR II
Lazaro Alfabeto |  | 1945–1946 | Alfabeto was appointed governor after Zamboanga was liberated. |
Leoncio Sagario Hamoy |  | 1946–1948 | Hamoy was appointed Provincial Fiscal before becoming governor. | [4]
Felipe B. Azcuna |  | 1948–December 30, 1949 | Azcuna would become Zamboanga del Norte's first governor when the province becomes divided in 1952. | [4]
Serapio Datoc |  | December 30, 1949–June 6, 1952 | Datoc served as Zamboanga's last governor
When the province was divided, Datoc became Zamboanga del Sur's first governor. | [4]

## Timeline

[edit]

### Post-War Period

[edit]

* 1970 – Local Government troops invaded Zamboanga and cleared the fields against the Islamic rebels of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) that began the Islamic Insurgencies.
* September 21, 1972 – Then President Ferdinand E. Marcos declared Martial Law in the Philippines.
* November 14, 1984 – Then Zamboanga City Mayor Cesar Climaco was assassinated and shot dead in downtown Zamboanga City.
* February 22–25, 1986 – EDSA People Power Revolution. Corazon A. Aquino was the first woman president and 11th President of the Philippines when she was declared as the winner of the 1986 presidential election after the EDSA People Power Revolution.
* January 5, 1989 – Camp Cawa-Cawa siege in Zamboanga City; government forces assaulted the camp where Gen. Eduardo Batalla and Col. Romeo Abendan of the Philippine Constabulary were being held hostage by rogue Muslim policemen led by Rizal Alih.

## See also

[edit]

* Legislative district of Zamboanga
* Provinces of the Philippines

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Father of Congressman Roseller T. Lim
2. ^ "REPUBLIC ACT NO. 286 AN ACT CREATING THE MUNICIPALITY OF MOLAVE IN THE PROVINCE OF ZAMBOANGA AND MAKING SAID MUNICIPALITY THE CAPITAL OF THE PROVINCE". PhilippineLaw.info. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
3. ^ Firm, Ronald Echalas Diaz, Chan Robles & Associates Law. "PHILIPPINE LAWS, STATUTES AND CODES; CHAN ROBLES VIRTUAL LAW LIBRARY". www.chanrobles.com. Retrieved 2018-09-15.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "DISTINGUISHED GOVERNORS OF THE PROVINCE". Old website of the Provincial Government of Zamboanga del Norte (ZaNorte). Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2007-04-21.

* v
* t
* e

Former Philippine provinces, sub-provinces, and cities

Provinces|

* Agusan
* Ambos Camarines
* Concepción
* Cotabato
* Davao
* Ilocos
* Kalinga-Apayao
* Lanao
* Lepanto-Bontoc
* Manila
* Maguindanao
* Mindoro
* Misamis
* Moro Province
* Morong
* Negros
* Negros del Norte
* Samar
* Shariff Kabunsuan
* Surigao
* Zamboanga

Sub-provinces*|

* Abra (1905–1917)1
* Amburayan (1902–1920)2
* Apayao (1907–1995)1
* Aurora (1951–1979)1
* Batanes (1907–1909)1
* Benguet (1908–1966)1
* Biliran (1959–1992)1
* Bontoc (1902–1966)3
* Bukidnon (1907–1914)1
* Butuan (1907–1914)4
* Camiguin (1956–1966)1
* Catanduanes (1905–1945)1
* Guimaras (1966–1992)1
* Ifugao (1908–1966)1
* Kalinga (1907–1995)1
* Lepanto (1902–1920)2
* Marinduque (1907–1920)1
* Masbate (1906–1920)1
* Quirino (1966–1971)1
* Romblon (1907–1917)1
* Siquijor (1907–1971)1

Cities|

* Basilan5
* Jaro
* Greater Manila
* Legazpi6
* Nueva Cáceres
* Nueva Segovia

* * All sub-provinces were temporarily abolished during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines (1942–1945).
* 1 Converted to full-fledged province.
* 2 Dissolved and divided between neighboring (sub-)provinces.
* 3 Became the only sub-province left comprising Mountain Province in 1966, and therefore assumed the name of the mother province.
* 4 Became the only sub-province left comprising Agusan in 1914, and therefore assumed the name of the mother province.
* 5 Delimited to the downtown area of present-day Isabela City in 1973; dissolved in 1975.
* 6 Legazpi City from 1948 to 1954 consisted of the present-day territories of Legazpi City and Daraga; this city was dissolved in 1954 into its two former constituent municipalities. Legazpi became a city on its own in 1959.

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template