Zamboanga del Sur, Region IX,  Philippines

Zamboanga del Sur is an independent province and Zamboanga City is an independent chartered City. Neither one belongs to the other. Yet google and the government of the Philippines continues with their erroneous ways and report Zamboanga City as part of Zamboanga del Sur. (“Stupid is as stupid does”)

Zamboanga del Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the western part of Mindanao and is in the Zamboanga Peninsula. Zamboanga del Sur is occupying the southern section of the Zamboanga Peninsula that forms the western part of the island of Mindanao. It is located within longitude 1220 54′ to 1230 40′ east and latitude 70 22′ to 80 20′ north. It is bounded in the north by the Province of Zamboanga del Norte, in the south by the Moro Gulf, in the southwest by the newly-created Province of Zamboanga Sibugay, in the east by the Province of Misamis Occidental, the Panguil Bay and a portion of Lanao del Sur Province.

Stretching northward from Sibugay Province in the southwest and running along the northern boundary onward to Salug Valley in the east is a mountainous country. The coastal plains are narrow strips extending regularly from the southwest, then spreading into wide flat lands when reaching the coastal plains of Baganian Peninsula in the southeast.

Province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines

• Created in September 17,1952 R.A. No. 711 with a land area of 473,491 hectares.
• The province of Zamboanga del Sur is in Region IX
• The capital city of Zamboanga del Sur is Pagadian City.
• Zamboanga del Sur has 26 Municipalities, 1 City, and 681 Barangays.
• Registered Voters per the COMELEC as of 2010 = 851,280
• Population (as of 2015 census) = 1,010,674
• Population (as of May 1, 2010 census) = 959,685
• Population (as of Aug 1, 2007 census)= 914,278

History of Zamboanga del Sur

Zamboanga del Sur’s name originates from the Malay word Jambangan, which means “a pot or place of flowers.” Historically, Zamboanga was the capital of the Moro Province, a large administrative region comprising five districts: Cotabato, Davao, Sulu, Lanao, and Zamboanga. In 1940, these districts were established as separate provinces. Zamboanga City served as the capital of Zamboanga Province until shortly after World War II, when the capital was relocated to Dipolog. Molave was later designated as the new provincial capital of Zamboanga Province through Republic Act 286, which was enacted on June 16, 1948.

On September 17, 1952, Zamboanga del Sur was officially created as the 52nd province of the Republic under Republic Act 711. It was carved out of the former Zamboanga Province, which had encompassed the entire peninsula in Southwestern Mindanao. Originally consisting of just 11 towns, the province later expanded to include 42 municipalities and its capital city, Pagadian.

The province was divided into three congressional districts. The first district contained 11 municipalities and Pagadian City, while the second and third districts had 15 and 16 towns, respectively. In 1990, Executive Order 429 reorganized Region IX’s administrative setup, designating Pagadian City as the new regional center. The gradual transfer of national government offices to Pagadian began in mid-2002. The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) were among the first agencies to complete the move, while other regional offices established field or extension offices in the city.

In a significant political development in February 2001, the inhabitants of Zamboanga del Sur voted to create a new province, Zamboanga Sibugay Province, from its Third Congressional District. The legal creation of this province is embodied in Republic Act 8973. This change left the original “mother province” of Zamboanga del Sur with 26 municipalities, one city, and 681 barangays.

People of Zamboanga del Sur

Population and Demographics

According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing, the population of Zamboanga del Sur is 1,050,668. This represents a growth from the 1,010,674 recorded in the 2015 census. The province has an annual population growth rate of 0.82% from 2015 to 2020.

Languages and Dialects

The most widely spoken language in Zamboanga del Sur is Cebuano, which is the mother tongue for over 61% of the population. Other languages spoken in the province include:

• Tagalog

• Subanon

• Chavacano

• Ilonggo

• Maguindanao

• Tausug

• Boholano

• Ilocano

Ethnic Composition and Migration

The province’s demographic history has been shaped by various migration patterns. The Subanen people are the oldest and most established group in the Zamboanga Peninsula. Their name, which means “people of the river,” reflects their historical settlements along rivers and streams. However, due to the arrival of other groups, many Subanen were pushed into the more mountainous, interior regions.

The Subanen were followed by the arrival of Muslim groups, who established sultanates and dominated trade in the region. Later, the influx of Visayan settlers, particularly those speaking Cebuano, significantly altered the demographic landscape. More recent migrations of groups like the Chavacano and Tagalogs from other provinces have further contributed to the diverse cultural tapestry of Zamboanga del Sur.