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Tawi-Tawi Jawi Jawi | |
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    | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location in the Philippines | |
 Interactive map of Tawi-Tawi | |
| Coordinates:5°12′00″N120°05′00″E / 5.2°N 120.0833333°E /5.2; 120.0833333 | |
| Country |  Philippines |
| Region |  Bangsamoro |
| Founded | September 11, 1973 |
| Capital and largest municipality | Bongao |
| Government | |
| • Type | Sangguniang Panlalawigan |
| • Governor | Yshmael I. Sali (PFP) |
| • Vice Governor | Al-Syed A. Sali (PFP) |
| • Representative | Dimszar M. Sali (NUP) |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,087.40 km2 (419.85 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 74th out of 82 |
| Highest elevation | 552 m (1,811 ft) |
| Population (2024 census)[3] | |
• Total | 482,645 |
| • Rank | 62nd out of 82 |
| • Density | 443.852/km2 (1,149.57/sq mi) |
| • Rank | 18th out of 82 |
| Demonym | Tawihanon |
| Divisions | |
| • Independent cities | 0 |
| • Component cities | 0 |
| • Municipalities | |
| • Barangays | 203 |
| • Districts | Legislative district of Tawi-Tawi |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PHT) |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)68 |
| ISO 3166 code | PH-TAW |
| Spoken languages | |
| Income classification | 3rd class |
Tawi-Tawi, officially theProvince of Tawi-Tawi (Tausug:Wilaya' sin Tawi-Tawi;Sinama:Jawi Jawi/Jauih Jauih; (Malay: Wilayah Tawi-Tawi), (Tagalog:Lalawigan ng Tawi-Tawi), is an islandprovince in thePhilippines located in theBangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The capital of Tawi-Tawi isBongao.[4]
It is the southernmost province of the country, sharing sea borders with theMalaysian state ofSabah and theIndonesianNorth Kalimantan province, both on the island ofBorneo to the west. To the northeast lies the province ofSulu. Tawi-Tawi also covers some islands in theSulu Sea to the northwest,Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi Island and theTurtle Islands, just 20 kilometres (12 mi) away from Sabah.
The municipalities comprising the current Tawi-Tawi province were formerly under the jurisdiction of Sulu until 1973.
The province was named after itsmain island, which at 580.5 km2 (224.1 sq mi) accounts for a little more than half the province's 1,087.40 km2 (419.85 sq mi) land area. Tawi-Tawi is theSinama form ofjawi-jawi,Malay for thebanyan tree;[5] the island is known for having an abundance of this tree.[6] Early Spanish accounts give the name of the island asTauitaui and[7]Tavi-Tavi orTavitavi.[8]
Evidence of human presence in Tawi-tawi was carbon-dated to be 6,810 BC to 3,190 B.C., signifying one of the earliest known evidence of human presence in Southeast Asia. The bones, jars, shells, and other artifacts and fossils were found in theBolobok Rock Shelter Cave Archaeological Site, which has been declared as an Important Cultural Treasure by the government in 2017.[9][better source needed]
Much of the Tawi-tawi area was the center ofSama culture and arts for hundreds of years. Some islands are sites of centuries-old traditional burial grounds featuring traditional Samaokil carvings of ancestors.[10][11]
In 1380, the firstmosque in the Philippines, theSheik Karimol Makhdum Mosque, was established by an Arab trader and missionary,Makhdum Karim. The area was heavily converted to Islam, especially when the Sultanate of Sulu in nearby Sulu province was founded. Although unlike theTausug people, many Sama retained at least part of their ancientanimist religions.[12]
As early as January 28, 1761, Sultan Muizz ud-Din entered into an agreement withAlexander Dalrymple of theBritish East India Company for commercial and economic concessions. The subsequent treaties with Muizz ud-Din on September 12, 1762, and with Sultan Azim ud-Din, claimant to the Sultanate and a prisoner of the British in Manila, on February 23, 1763, confirmed these British claims. However, on March 5, 1775, Datu Teteng annihilated the British troops in Balambangan. Since then, the Muslims not only fought the British soldiers but also the Spanish troops. After the brother of Sultan Aliyud-Din I captured the Spanish ship San Jose in Tawi-Tawi, the British forces withdrew from Balambangan in 1805.[13]
On January 22, 1878,Baron von Overbeck, representing theBritish North Borneo Company, signed a treaty with Sultan Jamalul Alam for the lease of the Sultan's land in Borneo at an annual rent of 5,000 Mexican dollars. The Germans also asked for commercial concessions. Due to foreign encroachments, the Spaniards constructed a naval base at Tata'an and built garrisons in Bongao and Siasi.[13]
On March 7, 1885, Spain, Britain and Germany signeda protocol in Madrid whereby Spain relinquished all her claims to the offshore lands in Borneo, granted freedom of trade and navigation in Sulu, and Britain and Germany recognized Spanish sovereignty over Balabac and Cagayan de Sulu. However, the British diplomatically continued to pay the annual rents for Sabah (Sultan's land in Borneo) to Harun ar-Rashid.[13]
During the Philippine Revolution of 1896, the mutiny of the 68th Regiment at Busbus, Jolo implicated Tagalog soldiers. The Muslims, however, retained their own views on independence and freedom.[13]
When the American forces occupied Jolo on May 19, 1899, they established garrisons at Bongao and Siasi after the Muslims wiped out the Spanish garrison in Tata'an, Tawi-Tawi. In 1900, the United States entered into theTreaty of Washington with Spain whereby Sibutu and Cagayan de Sulu were ceded to the former forUS$100,000 (equivalent to $3,779,600 in 2024). The Sultanate continued to receive the rentals for Sabah until 1946 when the British North Borneo Company sold its rights to the British Crown.[13]
DuringWorld War II, the calm but exposed waters around the islands were used by theImperial Japanese Navy as a major fleet anchorage due to its proximity to the oilfields of Borneo. Japanese forces, however, did not develop any facilities on the islands leaving the anchorage without an airfield, which allowed American submarines to track the movements of the Japanese fleet at the exposed anchorage.[14] After the Japanese Imperial Forces occupied Tawi-Tawi, guerilla forces were organized under Lts. Konglamtio and Alejandro Tresperes in Siasi and Tawi-Tawi. These units were under the Sulu Command led by Lt. Col. Alejandro Suarez. The Command aided the American Liberation Forces at Sanga-Sanga Island on April 2, 1945.[13]
On October 16, 1947, the offshore lands of Borneo—Taganak, Bakkungan, Bayaua, Sibauang and Lihiman Islands—were turned over to the Philippines by the British North Borneo government. The unveiling ceremonies of the marker in Taganak Island on June 26, 1948, were attended by M.G. Combe, representing Great Britain, former PresidentDiosdado Macapagal for the Philippines,Princess Tarhata Kiram for the Sultanate, and Governor Kalingalan Caluang for Sulu.[13]
Previously part of the province ofSulu, Tawi-Tawi was converted into a province on September 11, 1973, pursuant toPresidential Decree No. 302[15] and erstwhile CommodoreRomulo Espaldon was appointed as its first governor until the first provincial elections were held.[16]
Prior to issuing the decree, President Marcos had asked Espaldon, “Why are the young boys of Tawi-Tawi easily wooed by the Moro National Liberation Front?” Espaldon replied, “The Sama boys, like their elders and leaders, are tired and weary of their union with the Province of Sulu. They want to have their own leaders and manage their own affairs. If His Excellency wants to solve the problem, I recommend that he create them into a separate province and allow them to exercise their own local prerogatives.” Hence, Espaldon earned the moniker "Father of Tawi-Tawi."[17]
During the first 730 days of Tawi-Tawi as a province, Espaldon spearheaded over 100 civilian infrastructure projects, including the construction of the provincial capitol, provincial hospital, public market, 50 mosques, school houses, radio station, airstrips, piers, houses, bridges, roads and water system.[18]
The seat of the provincial government was initially designated as Bato-Bato in the municipality ofBalimbing (now Panglima Sugala),[15] but was moved toBongao on April 4, 1979, by virtue ofBatas Pambansa Blg. 24.[4]
Tawi-Tawi is currently being groomed as the location of a special economic zone and transhipment point, a future center of commerce as the Tawi-Tawi freeport is being built in the area.[19]
The province lies at the southwestern tip of the country, situated between theSulu Sea in the north and theCelebes Sea in the south. The province is part of theSulu Archipelago, and consists ofTawitawi Island and 106 surrounding islands and islets with a combined land area of 1,087.4 square kilometres (419.8 square miles).[1] Tawitawi Island itself has an area of 580.5 square kilometres (224.1 square miles).[20] The last island of the province at the edge of the Philippine-Malaysia border isPanguan Island.
The province has two seasons: dry and wet. The climate is generally moderate. The wettest months are from August to November. The other months of the year are generally dry with occasional rain showers.[21]
Themain island of Tawi-Tawi supports many endemic species and subspecies of vertebrates, invertebrates and plants unique to this island, plus some that are only shared with Sulu Province. These include theTawitawi brown dove, theSulu hornbill and theSulu bleeding-heart, although this latter species may already be extinct.
The rapid expansion of human settlements into forested areas together with clearance for agriculture in the last few decades has dramatically reduced the available habitat for most of the endemic species, many of which are now considered 'Critically Endangered' by theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature.
Tawi-Tawi comprises 11municipalities, all encompassed bytwo legislative districts and further subdivided into 203barangays.[22]
Most of the municipalities are located on the islands in theSulu Archipelago. Two of them,Mapun (which is closer toPalawan) andTurtle Islands, lie within theSulu Sea.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1903 | 16,675 | — |
| 1918 | 44,799 | +6.81% |
| 1939 | 45,769 | +0.10% |
| 1948 | 58,531 | +2.77% |
| 1960 | 78,594 | +2.49% |
| 1970 | 110,196 | +3.43% |
| 1975 | 143,487 | +5.44% |
| 1980 | 194,651 | +6.29% |
| 1990 | 228,204 | +1.60% |
| 1995 | 250,718 | +1.78% |
| 2000 | 322,317 | +5.53% |
| 2007 | 450,346 | +4.72% |
| 2010 | 366,550 | −7.22% |
| 2015 | 390,715 | +1.22% |
| 2020 | 440,276 | +2.55% |
| 2024 | 482,645 | +2.23% |
| Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[23][26][27] | ||
The population of Tawi-Tawi in the 2020 census was 440,276 people,[28] with a density of 400 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,000 inhabitants per square mile.
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Most of the people in Tawi-Tawi belong to theSama cultural group.[21] Within this group are subgroups and named based on the location of the speaker. Sama Sibutu are those from the Sibutu-Sitangkai Island Group, Sama Simunul are those from Simunul-Manuk Mangkaw Island Group, and so on.
The Jama Mapun are largely found in theCagayan Mapun andTurtle Island Group. Many of the people from the Turtle Islands and Cagayan Mapun maintain daily commerce with Sabah, since it is only 14 kilometers away.
TheBadjao (also called "Sama Dilaut") are widely dispersed across the province, though their population is diminishing due to diseases and migration to other areas in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.
The Tausog orTau Sug, Orang Suluk or Aa Suk are aMoro ethnic group constituting a significant minority in Tawi-Tawi.[29]
TheTausug language is the lingua franca of Tawi-Tawi, as in the case of the rest of the provinces in the Sulu Archipelago. Another prevailing local language,Sama, is spoken in varied tones and accents with the major ones being Sinama Sibutu (spoken mainly in the Sibutu-Sitangkai Region), Sinama Simunul (concentrated inSimunul-Manuk-Mangkaw Islands), Sinama Kapoan (spoken in the South Ubian-Tandubas and Sapa-Sapa Regions) and Sinama Banguingui (concentrated in Buan Island and spoken byBanguingui people).
Chavacano,Cebuano, andYakan are also spoken, as are the official languages ofFilipino andEnglish. Many locals and barter traders can also speakSabah Malay. Many can also speak Cebuano because of the mass influx ofVisayan settlers to Mindanao, since Tausug is a relatedVisayan language.
Almost all (99%) of the population of Tawi-Tawi isMuslim, with a minority ofChristians (0.7%).
A majority of Tawi-Tawi's Muslim population practiceSunni Islam of theShafi'i tradition, as taught by Arab, Persian, Indian Muslim, Chinese Muslim and Malaccan missionaries from the 14th century onwards. The oldest mosque in the Philippines, and in Southeast Asia, theSheik Karimol Makdum Mosque, can be found inSimunul, Tawi-Tawi.
Relatively newer Islamic sects, mostly brought by returning veterans of the Afghan wars and missionaries from Pakistan's stricterSufi traditions, referred to as theTableegh, have been active in propagating what they believe to be a "purer" Islamic way of life and worship. A very small number who have since married intoIranian orIraqi families have converted toShiite Islam.
Majority of Tawi-Tawi Christians areRoman Catholic, they are under the jurisdiction ofRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Zamboanga through its suffraganApostolic Vicariate of Jolo/Diocese of Jolo. Non-Catholic Christians includeEvangelicals,Jesus Miracle Crusade,Episcopalian, andIglesia ni Cristo (INC),Mormons,Seventh-day Adventists,Jehovah's Witnesses, and a number of otherProtestant denominations. Only the most recent Chinese immigrants adhere toBuddhism orTaoism, while most of the older Chinese families have acculturated and have either converted to Islam while retaining most of their Chinese beliefs.
Agriculture, fishing, and agar-agar (seaweeds) farming are the leading source of livelihood of the people of Tawi-Tawi, with quite a number engaged in the barter trade business. Copra is the top agricultural product, followed by root crops, fruits, and vegetables.
Sanga-Sanga Airport, the main airport of the province, is located in the municipality ofBongao.
Recently,Philippine Airlines and Bangsamoro Government launches the inaugural flight of the first ever regional air connectivity on June 9, 2022, from Cotabato City, the regions seat and capital. Meanwhile,Cebu Pacific began operating a daily flight fromZamboanga City to Tawi-Tawi Province on October 14, 2011, utilizing its 150-seater Airbus A319 aircraft.Philippine Airlines (operated by PAL Express) also started operating flights to and from Zamboanga City on December 15, 2019.[38]
A sea connection to other parts of the Philippine archipelago as well as an international route toSemporna,Malaysia is available from Bongao.
Total Land Area; 108, 740 has.
Media related toTawi-Tawi at Wikimedia Commons
Geographic data related toTawi-Tawi atOpenStreetMapPlaces adjacent to Tawi-Tawi | ||||||||||||||||
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