Encyclopedia > Provinces of the Philippines
Provinces of the Philippines
A province (lalawigan or probinsya in Filipino) is the primary local government unit in the Philippines. As of 2002, there are a total of 79 provinces. The provinces are grouped into 17 regions (rehiyon) and are subdivided into cities (lungsod) and municipalities (bayan).
For purposes of legislative representation, the province is divided into one or more districts (distrito). Each city or municipality belongs to one of these districts. One congressman (kinatawan) represents every district in the House of Representatives[?]. Every district also has board members in the Provincial Board (see the succeeding section on the Provincial Government).
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The provincial government has an executive and a legislative branch. The judicial powers in the province is under the supervision of the Supreme Court of the Philippines[?]. The provincial government is an autonomous unit, given direct supervision of the affairs of the province. The president of the Philippines coordinates with the provinces through the Department of Interior and Local Government[?] (DILG).
Executive Branch
The provincial government is headed by a governor (gobernador) who is the chief executive and head of the province. Under the governor are the various provincial departments such as the Administration, Legal Office, Information Office, Engineering Office, and Treasury Office.
The governor is elected a term of three years and may be elected for a maximum of three terms. The provincial department heads are appointed by the governor.
Legislative Branch
Heading the legislature of the province is the vice-governor (bise-gobernador) who presides over the Provincial Board (Sangguniang Panlalawigan), which is composed of a number of board members for each district of the province. The board also has, as ex-officio members, the provincial president of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) (Liga ng mga Barangay), the provincial president of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL), and the provincial president of Sanggunian Kabataan[?] (SK) Federation (the youth council).
All of the board members are elected by the citizens of the province along with the governor. The ex-officio members are elected within their organizations.
| Province | Capital | Region | Population | Area (kmē) |
Pop. Density (per kmē) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abra[?] | Bangued | CAR[?] | 209,491 | 3,975.6 | 52.7 |
| Agusan del Norte[?] | Butuan City | XIII[?] | 552,849 | 2,590.0 | 213.5 |
| Agusan del Sur[?] | Prosperidad | XIII[?] | 559,294 | 8,966.0 | 62.4 |
| Aklan[?] | Kalibo | VI[?] | 451,314 | 1,817.9 | 248.3 |
| Albay | Legazpi City | V | 1,090,907 | 2,552.6 | 427.4 |
| Antique[?] | San Jose | VI[?] | 471,088 | 2,522.0 | 186.8 |
| Apayao[?] | Kabugao | CAR[?] | 97,129 | 3,927.9 | 24.7 |
| Aurora | Baler | III[?] | 173,797 | 3,239.5 | 53.6 |
| Basilan[?] | Isabela City | ARMM[?] | 259,796 | 1,234.2 | 210.5 |
| Bataan | Balanga City | III[?] | 557,659 | 1,373.0 | 406.2 |
| Batanes[?] | Basco | II | 16,467 | 209.3 | 78.7 |
| Batangas | Batangas City | IV-A | 1,905,348 | 3,165.8 | 601.9 |
| Benguet[?] | La Trinidad | CAR[?] | 582,515 | 2,655.4 | 219.4 |
| Biliran | Naval | VIII[?] | 140,274 | 555.5 | 252.5 |
| Bohol | Tagbilaran City | VII | 1,137,268 | 4,117.3 | 276.2 |
| Bukidnon | Malaybalay City | X | 1,060,265 | 8,293.8 | 127.8 |
| Bulacan | Malolos | III[?] | 2,234,088 | 2,625.0 | 851.1 |
| Cagayan[?] | Tuguegarao City | II | 993,580 | 9,002.7 | 110.4 |
| Camarines Norte | Daet | V | 458,840 | 2,112.5 | 217.2 |
| Camarines Sur | Pili | V | 1,551,549 | 5,266.8 | 294.6 |
| Camiguin | Mambajao | X | 74,232 | 229.8 | 323.0 |
| Capiz[?] | Roxas City | VI[?] | 654,156 | 2,633.2 | 248.4 |
| Catanduanes | Virac | V | 215,356 | 1,511.5 | 142.5 |
| Cavite | Imus | IV-A | 2,063,161 | 1,287.6 | 1,602.3 |
| Cebu | Cebu City | VII | 3,356,137 | 5,088.4 | 659.6 |
| Compostela Valley[?] | Nabunturan | XI[?] | 580,244 | 4,667.0 | 124.3 |
| Cotabato[?] | Kidapawan City | XII[?] | 958,643 | 6,569.9 | 145.9 |
| Davao[?] | Tagum City | XI[?] | 743,811 | 3,463.0 | 214.8 |
| Davao del Sur[?] | Digos City | XI[?] | 1,905,917 | 6,377.6 | 298.8 |
| Davao Oriental[?] | Mati | XI[?] | 446,191 | 5,164.5 | 86.4 |
| Eastern Samar[?] | Borongan | VIII[?] | 375,822 | 4,339.6 | 86.6 |
| Guimaras[?] | Jordan | VI[?] | 141,450 | 604.7 | 233.9 |
| Ifugao[?] | Lagawe | CAR[?] | 161,623 | 2,517.8 | 64.2 |
| Ilocos Norte[?] | Laoag City | I[?] | 514,241 | 3,399.3 | 151.3 |
| Ilocos Sur[?] | Vigan City | I[?] | 594,206 | 2,579.6 | 230.3 |
| Iloilo[?] | Iloilo City | VI[?] | 1,925,002 | 4,719.4 | 407.9 |
| Isabela[?] | Ilagan | II | 1,287,575 | 10,664.6 | 120.7 |
| Kalinga[?] | Tabuk | CAR[?] | 174,023 | 3,119.7 | 55.8 |
| La Union[?] | San Fernando City | I[?] | 657,945 | 1,493.1 | 440.7 |
| Laguna | Santa Cruz | IV-A | 1,965,872 | 1,759.7 | 1,117.2 |
| Lanao del Norte | Tubod | X | 758,123 | 3,092.0 | 245.2 |
| Lanao del Sur[?] | Marawi City | ARMM[?] | 800,162 | 3,872.9 | 206.6 |
| Leyte | Tacloban City | VIII[?] | 1,592,336 | 5,712.8 | 278.7 |
| Maguindanao[?] | Shariff Aguak | ARMM[?] | 801,102 | 4,900.1 | 163.5 |
| Marinduque | Boac | IV-B[?] | 217,392 | 959.3 | 226.6 |
| Masbate | Masbate City | V | 707,668 | 4,047.7 | 174.8 |
| Misamis Occidental | Oroquieta City | X | 486,723 | 1,939.3 | 251.0 |
| Misamis Oriental | Cagayan de Oro City | X | 1,126,215 | 3,570.0 | 315.5 |
| Mountain Province[?] | Bontoc | CAR[?] | 140,439 | 2,097.3 | 67.0 |
| Negros Occidental[?] | Bacolod City | VI[?] | 2,565,723 | 7,926.1 | 323.7 |
| Negros Oriental | Dumaguete City | VII | 1,126,061 | 5,402.3 | 208.4 |
| Northern Samar[?] | Catarman | VIII[?] | 500,639 | 3,498.0 | 143.1 |
| Nueva Ecija | Palayan City | III[?] | 1,659,883 | 5,284.3 | 314.1 |
| Nueva Vizcaya[?] | Bayombong | II | 366,962 | 3,903.9 | 94.0 |
| Occidental Mindoro | Mamburao | IV-B[?] | 380,250 | 5,879.9 | 64.7 |
| Oriental Mindoro | Calapan City | IV-B[?] | 681,818 | 4,364.7 | 156.2 |
| Palawan | Puerto Princesa City | IV-B[?] | 755,412 | 14,896.3 | 50.7 |
| Pampanga | San Fernando City | III[?] | 1,882,730 | 2,180.7 | 863.4 |
| Pangasinan[?] | Lingayen | I[?] | 2,434,086 | 5,368.2 | 453.4 |
| Quezon | Lucena City | IV-A | 1,679,030 | 8,706.6 | 192.8 |
| Quirino[?] | Cabarroguis | II | 148,575 | 3,057.2 | 48.6 |
| Rizal | Antipolo City | IV-A | 1,707,218 | 1,308.9 | 1,304.3 |
| Romblon | Romblon | IV-B[?] | 264,357 | 1,355.9 | 195.0 |
| Samar[?] | Catbalogan | VIII[?] | 641,124 | 5,591.0 | 114.7 |
| Sarangani[?] | Alabel | XII[?] | 410,622 | 2,980.0 | 137.8 |
| Siquijor | Siquijor | VII | 81,598 | 343.5 | 237.5 |
| Sorsogon | Sorsogon City | V | 650,535 | 2,141.4 | 303.8 |
| South Cotabato[?] | Koronadal City | XII[?] | 1,102,550 | 4,489.0 | 245.6 |
| Southern Leyte | Maasin City | VIII[?] | 360,160 | 1,734.8 | 207.6 |
| Sultan Kudarat[?] | Isulan | XII[?] | 586,505 | 4,714.8 | 124.4 |
| Sulu[?] | Jolo | ARMM[?] | 619,668 | 1,600.4 | 387.2 |
| Surigao del Norte[?] | Surigao City | XIII[?] | 481,416 | 2,739.0 | 175.8 |
| Surigao del Sur[?] | Tandag | XIII[?] | 501,808 | 4,552.2 | 110.2 |
| Tarlac | Tarlac City | III[?] | 1,068,783 | 3,053.4 | 350.0 |
| Tawi-Tawi[?] | Panglima Sugala | ARMM[?] | 322,317 | 1,087.4 | 296.4 |
| Zambales | Iba | III[?] | 627,802 | 3,714.4 | 169.0 |
| Zamboanga del Norte | Dipolog City | IX | 823,130 | 6,618.0 | 124.4 |
| Zamboanga del Sur | Pagadian City | IX | 1,437,941 | 4,964.1 | 289.7 |
| Zamboanga Sibugay | Ipil | IX | 497,239 | 3,087.9 | 161.0 |
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