Maguindanao del Norte (Maguindanaon: Dairat nu Pangutaran Magindanaw, Jawi: دايرت نو ڤڠوترن ماڬينداناو; Iranun: Perobinsia a Pangutaran Magindanao, ڤروبنسيا ا ڤڠوترن ماڬينداناو) is a province in the Philippines located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in Mindanao. Its capital is the municipality of Datu Odin Sinsuat. It borders Cotabato province to the east, Lanao del Sur to the north, Maguindanao del Sur to the south-east, and Sultan Kudarat to the south.

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Maguindanao del Norte Pangutaran Magindanaw ڤڠوترن ماڬينداناو
Province
Province of Maguindanao del Norte
Location in the Philippines
Coordinates: 07°08′N 124°16′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Bangsamoro
Plebiscite	September 17, 2022
Transition period	September 18, 2022 - present
Capital	Datu Odin Sinsuat
Largest city	Cotabato City
Government
• Governor	Bai Fatima Ainee L. Sinsuat
• Vice Governor	Sharifudin Tucao P. Mastura, CPA
• Representative	Sittie Shahara I. Mastura
Area
• Total	3,653.64 km2 (1,410.68 sq mi)
Population  (2020)
• Total	926,037
• Density	156/km2 (400/sq mi)
Demonym	Maguindanaon
Divisions
• Independent cities	1 Cotabato City (Independent Component City)
• Component cities	0
• Municipalities	12 Barira Buldon Datu Blah T. Sinsuat Datu Odin Sinsuat Kabuntalan Matanog Northern Kabuntalan Parang Sultan Kudarat Sultan Mastura Talitay Upi
• Districts	Legislative districts of Maguindanao del Norte
Time zone	UTC+8 (PHT)
Spoken languages	Maguindanaon Tiruray Iranun Tagalog English

The province's largest city, Cotabato City is administratively independent from the province but is grouped for congressional representation.

History

The idea of creating a province in the present territory of Maguindanao del Norte dates back to 2006 when the province of Shariff Kabunsuan briefly existed for two years before being reverted as part of Maguindanao.[1]

Present

Maguindanao del Norte was formed when Maguindanao province was split into two provinces; the other province being Maguindanao del Sur. The division occurred following a plebiscite on September 17, 2022 which ratified Republic Act 11550 wherein it proposed the partitioning of the province. Former Maguindanao Vice Governor Ainee Sinsuat was expected to become the acting governor of the newly formed Maguindanao del Norte province.[2] However an issue arose since the determination of the first set of officials of the province presumes that the plebiscite was held prior to the 2022 national and local elections. However the plebiscite was postponed to a date after the elections.[3] This led to the Commission on Elections to come up with a legal opinion.[4][5] The position was issued on September 28, 2022, where the election body conclude that only the Department of Interior and Local Government could appoint the first officials of the province.[3]

Sinsuat took oath as the first governor of the province on October 13, 2022 with former Maguindanao provincial board member Sharifudin Mastura as her vice governor.[6]

Geography

Maguindanao del Norte is composed of 12 municipalities and 1 legislative district.

• Barira
• Buldon
• Datu Blah T. Sinsuat
• Datu Odin Sinsuat (capital, seat of government)
• Kabuntalan
• Matanog
• Northern Kabuntalan
• Parang
• Sultan Kudarat
• Sultan Mastura
• Talitay
• Upi

Demographics

References