Zamboanga Peninsula Peninsula de Zamboanga Lawis sa Zamboanga | |
|---|---|
 Vintas of Zamboanga | |
 Location in the Philippines | |
OpenStreetMap  | |
| Coordinates:7°50′N122°25′E / 7.83°N 122.42°E /7.83; 122.42 | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Island group | Mindanao |
| Regional center | Pagadian |
| Largest city | Zamboanga City |
| Area | |
• Total | 17,056.73 km2 (6,585.64 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 1,532 m (5,026 ft) |
| Population (2020 census)[1] | |
• Total | 3,875,576 |
| • Density | 230/km2 (590/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| ISO 3166 code | PH-09 |
| Provinces | |
| Independent cities | |
| Component cities | |
| Municipalities | 68 |
| Barangays | 1,904 |
| Cong. districts | 8 |
| Languages | |
| GDP (2023) | ₱531.7 billion $9.56 billion[2] |
| Growth rate |  (4.59%)[2] |
| HDI | 0.665 (Medium) |
| HDI rank | 16th in the Philippines (2019) |
Zamboanga Peninsula (Cebuano:Lawis sa Zamboanga.;Chavacano:Peninsula de Zamboanga;Filipino:Tangway ng Zamboanga) is anadministrative region inMindanao,Philippines, designated asRegion IX. It consists of theprovinces ofZamboanga del Norte,Zamboanga Sibugay andZamboanga del Sur, and the cities ofIsabela andZamboanga City.
The region was previously known asWestern Mindanao.Pagadian serves as the regional center, while Zamboanga City is the region's commercial and industrial center.[3]
The name of Zamboanga is theHispanicized spelling of theSinama term for "mooring place" -samboangan (also spelledsambuangan; and inSubanen,sembwangan), from the root wordsamboang ("mooring pole"). "Samboangan" was the original name ofZamboanga City, from where the name of the peninsula is derived from.[4] "Samboangan" is well-attested in Spanish,[5] British,[6][7] French,[8][9] German,[10] and American[11] historical records from as far back as the 17th century.[5]
This is commonly contested byfolk etymologies which instead attribute the name of Zamboanga to theIndonesian wordjambangan (claimed to mean "place of flowers", but actually means "pot" or "bowl"), usually with claims that all ethnic groups in Zamboanga were "Malays". However, this name has never been attested in any historical records prior to the 1960s.[12]
During the ancient era, the Zamboanga peninsula was a vast territory home to various ethnic groups – the largest of which was theSubanen people. Later on, the southern coastal areas of the region were under the influence of theJavaneseMajapahit Empire, although the empire never did conquer the area. The area is also believed to be the location ofSanmalan in Chinese historical records, due to the similarity of the name.
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In the 14th century, theSultanate of Sulu ruled the southwestern sections of the peninsula. By the late 15th century and early 16th century,Malay missionaries further spread Islam in the southern Philippines.Sharif Kabungsuwan, a Johore-born missionary ofMalay andArab descent established theSultanate of Maguindanao, which the entire island ofMindanao is named after. The sultanate also occupied the entire island except present-day Caraga region, stretching from the Zamboanga Peninsula to Davao Oriental, while the Sultanate of Sulu lost its territories in Zamboanga. Maguindanao's sultans provided Mindanao fierce armed resistance against the Spanish occupation, especially under the lead ofMuhammad Kudarat. They soon allied themselves with the Sulu sultanate. The Muslim natives of the region were collectively known asMoros by the Spanish, meaning "Moor", though the Iberian Moors and the Philippine Muslims had little cultural connection outside of followingIslam. A large chunk of theSpanish–Moro conflict, the war between the Spanish and Mindanao's Muslim natives took place in the Zamboanga Peninsula.
In 1569 Zamboanga was chosen as the site of the Spanish settlement and garrison on La Caldera (now called Barrio Recodo). Zamboanga was one of the main strongholds in Mindanao, supporting colonizing efforts in the south of the island and making way for Christian settlements. It also served as a military outpost, protecting the island against foreign invaders and Moro pirates and their Chinese allies. The province, named and centered onZamboanga City was partly founded by Peruvian soldiers brought bySebastián Hurtado de Corcuera.[13]
The Zamboanga Peninsula played a central role in theSpanish–Moro conflict. It was the site of constant battling between Spanish soldiers and Moro pirate raids. While the Spanish successfully established churches in the region, they suffered heavily at the hands of Moro raiders, and had to repeatedly withdraw from the region. While the Spanish achieved a tactical victory by launching several attacks against theSultanate of Sulu, constant fighting and attacks persisted, giving the Moros a psychological victory.
After the United States annexed theSpanish East Indies in 1898, the peninsula hosted a briefly independent state called theRepublic of Zamboanga. It was incorporated by theInsular Government into theMoro Province, which consisted of the central and western parts ofMindanao and theSulu Archipelago. The name and status of Moro Province were changed to theDepartment of Mindanao and Sulu on August 16, 1916, causing Zamboanga to become a separate province.
In 1942, the Zamboanga Peninsula along with the rest of the Philippine Islands wasoccupied by theEmpire of Japan at the beginning of theSecond World War. The Peninsula was liberated in 1945 by jointAmerican andPhilippine Commonwealth forces fighting against theImperial Japanese Army.
On June 6, 1952, the province waspartitioned intoZamboanga del Norte andZamboanga del Sur, while the chartered city ofZamboanga became part of Zamboanga del Sur.
Together with theSulu Archipelago, the provinces that formerly made up Zamboanga Province were re-organised into Region IX by order of Presidential Decree No. 1 as part of the Integrated Reorganization Plan ofPresidentFerdinand Marcos, that was signed on September 24, 1972.[14]
From 1975 to 1989, the old Region IX (Western Mindanao) was further divided into two sub-regions by Presidential Decree No. 8233 dated August 21, 1975.[15] Sub-Region IX-A consisted ofBasilan,Sulu andTawi-Tawi withJolo, Sulu, as the sub-regional center, while Sub-Region IX-B consisted of the provinces ofZamboanga del Norte,Zamboanga del Sur andZamboanga Sibugay, with the chartered city ofZamboanga City as the sub-regional centre.
In 2001,Zamboanga Sibugay, was created from the province of Zamboanga del Sur withIpil as the seat of government with the virtue of Republic Act No. 8973. In the same year, the residents ofBasilan opted to join theAutonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in a plebiscite. However, the citizens of the capital,Isabela, did not want to join so the city remained a part of this region as a result of Executive Order No. 36.
Isabela also opted out of inclusion to theBangsamoro region during the2019 plebiscite.
After a 2024 ruling which invalidated Sulu's inclusion to the Bangsamoro region, theCommission on Electionsen banc proposed of the province's re-admission to the Zamboanga Peninsula, the region it belonged prior to its inclusion in the ARMM back in 1989.[16][17][18]
In 1978, Presidential Decree No. 1555 transferred Region IX's regional center fromJolo, Sulu toZamboanga City.[19]
Executive Order (EO) No. 429 was issued in 1990 by PresidentCorazon Aquino which provided for the reorganization of the administrative regions in Mindanao. It declared that Western Mindanao would comprise Zamboanga City, Lanao del Norte,Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Basilan, and the cities comprising those provinces. It also declared thatPagadian shall serve as the new regional center.[3]
In 1996, PresidentFidel Ramos issued EO No. 325 which reorganized the Regional Development Councils. The Implementing Rules and Regulations of EO No. 325 provided that Zamboanga City is the regional center of Western Mindanao.[20]
In 2001, PresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo signed EO No. 36 which reorganized and renamed Western Mindanao to Zamboanga Peninsula. It was silent on the issue of regional government centers.[20][21]
In 2004, Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 75 directed the transfer of regional offices from Zamboanga City to Pagadian citing EO No. 429 as its legal basis. However, it provided that the regional offices of the departments of Trade and Industry, Tourism, and Labor and Employment will remain in Zamboanga City, but shall establish a presence in Pagadian.[22]
On December 22, 2010, MC No. 11 was issued imposing a moratorium on the transfer of regional offices to Pagadian. The Circular cited the high economic and social costs that the employees were experiencing in maintaining two residences and in fully transferring to Pagadian. It further directed all regional offices that are already in Pagadian to continue their operations.[23]
On June 30, 2020, MC No. 78 was issued, repealing MC No. 11 and lifting the moratorium on the transfer of the remaining regional offices to Pagadian. The Circular affirmed that Pagadian is the regional government center while Zamboanga City is the commercial and industrial center of Region IX.[24]
On April 19, 2023, under MC No. 18, another moratorium was imposed on the transfer of regional offices to Pagadian pending further study of its implications. The regional offices that are already in Pagadian shall continue to operate thereat.[25]
The region is located on the western part of the island ofMindanao, that lies between theMoro Gulf (part of theCelebes Sea) and theSulu Sea. Along the shores of the peninsula are numerous bays and islands of varying sizes. The peninsula is connected to the rest of Mindanao through anisthmus situated betweenPanguil Bay and Pagadian Bay.
The region surrounds the province ofMisamis Occidental on the northeastern corner of the geographic peninsula, though it is part ofNorthern Mindanao.
Zamboanga Peninsula comprises three provinces, onehighly urbanizedcity, fourcomponent cities, 67municipalities and 1,904barangays.
| ProvinceorCity | Capital | Population(2020)[26] | Area[27] | Density | Cities | Muni. | Barangay | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km2 | sq mi | /km2 | /sq mi | |||||||||
| Zamboanga del Norte | Dipolog City | 27.0% | 1,047,455 | 7,300.11 | 2,818.59 | 140 | 360 | 2 | 25 | 691 | ||
| Zamboanga del Sur | Pagadian City | 27.1% | 1,050,668 | 4,484.21 | 1,731.36 | 230 | 600 | 1 | 26 | 681 | ||
| Zamboanga Sibugay | Ipil | 17.3% | 669,840 | 3,481.28 | 1,344.13 | 180 | 470 | 0 | 16 | 389 | ||
| Zamboanga City | † | — | 25.2% | 977,234 | 1,414.70 | 546.22 | 690 | 1,800 | 1 | — | 98 | |
| Isabela City | ‡ | — | 3.4% | 130,379 | 233.73 | 90.24 | 560 | 1,500 | 1 | — | 45 | |
| Total | 3,875,576 | 16,904.03 | 6,526.68 | 230 | 600 | 5 | 67 | 1,904 | ||||
| ||||||||||||
| Province | Image | Governor | Political party | Vice governor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Rosalina Jalosjos | Nacionalista/APP | Julius Napigquit | ||
 |  | Victor Yu | PFP | Roseller Ariosa | |
 |  | Dulce Ann Hofer | PFP | Rey Andre Olegario | |
Dapitan is one of the two cities ofZamboanga del Norte. Known as the "Shrine City in the Philippines", this was whereJosé Rizal, the national hero of the country, was exiled.[28] It is also known for the old St. James Parish and the beach resort of Dakak.
Dipolog, capital ofZamboanga del Norte, is known for their abundance of orchids, thus it is called "Orchid City of the South" or "Orchid City". They have their nature spots and historical spots, such asDipolog Cathedral,Dipolog Boulevard, Cogon Park, Japanese Park, Plaza Magsaysay, the Sungkilaw Falls, and the 3,003 steps to Linabo Peak.
Isabela is acomponent city of the province ofBasilan. Until 2017, it was the capital of the said province, since then, Basilan's government was moved toLamitan. Isabela continues to be under the jurisdiction of Basilan for the administration of provincially devolved services and functions, but for regional and statistics purposes, the city is part of Zamboanga Peninsula, in contrast to the rest of Basilan which is underBARMM. Named afterQueen Isabella II, Isabela was the southernmost outpost of the Spanish Empire in the Philippines until the fall of Jolo in 1878. It hosted a Spanish fort (later destroyed in World War II) since 1848, and was the primary naval base of the Spanish in Mindanao until 1899. The city serves as an entry point for trade and commerce of Basilan island.[29]
Pagadian is the capital of Zamboanga del Sur, as well as the region's administrative center. The city is known as the "Little Hong Kong of the South" because of its topographical feature that is reminiscent ofHong Kong. It also has an affluent Chinese community that officially celebrates the Chinese Lunar New Year.[30]
Zamboanga City is the onlyhighly urbanized city in the region. Geographically located at the southwestern tip of the peninsula, the city continues to be the economic and industrial center of the region, generating more than half of its economy. The city is the lone member ofBIMP-EAGA in the Zamboanga Peninsula. It also has the largest airport and seaport and the city in the region with most investors.
| City | Population(2020)[26] | Area | Density | City class | Province | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km2 | sq mi | /km2 | /sq mi | ||||
| Dapitan | 85,202 | 390.53 | 150.78 | 220 | 570 | Component | Zamboanga del Norte |
| Dipolog | 138,141 | 241.13 | 93.10 | 570 | 1,500 | Component | Zamboanga del Norte |
| Isabela | 130,379 | 140.7 | 54.3 | 930 | 2,400 | Component | Basilan |
| †Pagadian | 210,452 | 378.80 | 146.26 | 560 | 1,500 | Component | Zamboanga del Sur |
| Zamboanga City | 977,234 | 1,414.7 | 546.2 | 690 | 1,800 | Highly urbanized | Zamboanga del Sur |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1903 | 98,086 | — |
| 1918 | 147,333 | +2.75% |
| 1939 | 355,984 | +4.29% |
| 1948 | 521,941 | +4.34% |
| 1960 | 900,730 | +4.65% |
| 1970 | 1,334,446 | +4.00% |
| 1975 | 1,541,459 | +2.93% |
| 1980 | 1,821,751 | +3.40% |
| 1990 | 2,280,460 | +2.27% |
| 1995 | 2,567,651 | +2.25% |
| 2000 | 2,831,412 | +2.12% |
| 2007 | 3,230,094 | +1.83% |
| 2010 | 3,407,353 | +1.96% |
| 2015 | 3,629,783 | +1.21% |
| 2020 | 3,875,576 | +1.30% |
| Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[1][31] | ||
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The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released the first ever report of the Provincial Product Accounts (PPA) of Zamboanga Peninsula covering the period 2018 to 2022. The release covers three provinces, namely,Zamboanga del Norte,Zamboanga del Sur, andZamboanga Sibugay, as well as the cities of Zamboanga and Isabela.[40] The PPA results showed that in 2022, the city of Zamboanga accounted for 32.6 percent of the region's total economy, followed by Zamboanga del Norte with a share of 26.8 percent, Zamboanga del Sur with 23.7 percent, and Zamboanga Sibugay with 14.1 percent. Meanwhile, the city of Isabela recorded a 2.7 percent share.
In terms of growth rate, all economies in the region expanded in 2022, with Zamboanga Sibugay recording the fastest growth of 8.6 percent, followed by city of Zamboanga with a growth rate of 8.1 percent, both of which were higher than the region's economic growth of 7.5 percent. On the other hand, the city of Isabela, Zamboanga del Norte, and Zamboanga del Sur posted growth rates of 7.21 percent, 7.17 percent, and 6.5 percent, respectively.
The region has the first export-processing zone in Mindanao. Farming and fishing are the main economic activities of the region. It also has rice and corn mills, oil processing, coffee berry processing and processing of latex from rubber. Its home industries include rattan and furniture craft, basket making, weaving and brass work.Dipolog is home to a number of Bottled Sardines Companies which are being exported abroad. Meanwhile,Dapitan is home to several tourist spots, such as Dakak Park and Beach Resort, Rizal Shrine, and Glorious Fantasyland, one of the very few amusement parks located in Mindanao.
WhilePagadian is the region's new regional center,Zamboanga City’s economy remains to be the most robust and fastest growing in the region.[41] Zamboanga City also retains the title of being the commercial and industrial center of the region.[42][43]
The region has vast forest resources and previously used to export logs, lumber, veneer and plywood. Mineral deposits include gold, chromite, coal, iron, lead, and manganese. Among its non-metallic reserves are coal, silica, salt, marble, silica sand, and gravel. Its fishing grounds are devoted to commercial and municipal fishing. It has also aqua farms for brackish water and freshwater fishes.
The economic fulcrum of the region lies at the center of the peninsula that is the area connectingIpil andLiloy. Along with its premiere towns ofSindangan andMolave, it has the fastest economic activity of the region. The 50-kilometer link between the north and the south would act as the main artery of economy in the region.
| Name | Location | Gross floor area | Opened | Status | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaisano Capital Pagadian | Rizal Avenue,Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur | 46,307 m2 | 2008 | Operating | First Gaisano Capital in the region. |
| CityMall Tetuan | Don Alfaro Street, Tetuan,Zamboanga City | 15,344 m2 | 2015 | Operating | FirstCityMall in the region and in Zamboanga City. |
| KCC Mall de Zamboanga | Camins Avenue,Zamboanga City | 162,000 m2 | 2015 | Operating | FirstKCC Mall and the largest mall in the region. |
| CityMall Dipolog | Sto. Filomena,Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte | 12,862 m2 | 2018 | Operating | First CityMall inZamboanga del Norte. |
| SM City Mindpro | La Purisima Street,Zamboanga City | 59,383 m2 | 2020 | Operating | FirstSM mall in the region. Originally Mindpro Citimall, it was acquired by SM Prime Holdings last 2016. |
| Gaisano Grand Ipil | Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay | 53,985 m2 | 2023 | Operating | FirstGaisano Grand mall in the region, and first national-scale mall in Zamboanga Sibugay. |
| Gaisano Capital Molave | Molave, Zamboanga del Sur | 13,206 m2 | Permanently Closed | For Sale | The second Gaisano Capital in Zamboanga del Sur and in the region. |
| Robinsons Pagadian | Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur | 57,221 m2 | 2024 | Under-construction | Set to become the firstRobinsons mall in the region. |
| Grand CityMall Guiwan | Guiwan,Zamboanga City | 33,814 m2 | 2024 | Under-construction | The secondCityMall in Zamboanga City, and the third in the region. Set to become the largest CityMall in the country.[44] |
| SM City Zamboanga | Vitaliano Agan Avenue,Zamboanga City | 110,055 m2 | 2024 | Under-construction | The secondSM Supermall in Zamboanga City and in the region. |
| Gaisano Grand Dipolog | Sto. Filomena,Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte | TBA | TBD | Under-construction | Set to become the first Gaisano Grand mall in Zamboanga del Norte. |
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Samboangan.
Theleaning of the Commission en banc is to include itfor this [2025] election in Region 9,
Another [issue] is to which administrative region Sulu will belong to. The nearest to it is the Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9), to which Lamitan City in Basilan, which is not part of the BARMM, belongs.
Media related toZamboanga Peninsula at Wikimedia Commons
Zamboanga Peninsula travel guide from Wikivoyage
Geographic data related toZamboanga Peninsula atOpenStreetMap 
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