ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY, Philippines โ Zamboanga Sibugay is a province in the Zamboanga Peninsula region of Mindanao, with Ipil as its capital and largest municipality. It is bordered by Zamboanga del Norte to the north, Zamboanga del Sur to the east, Zamboanga City to the southwest, and Sibuguey Bay in the Moro Gulf to the south.
Created in 2001, Zamboanga Sibugay is the 79th and youngest province in the Philippines, carved out of the third congressional district of Zamboanga del Sur after decades of political lobbying and grassroots support.
A long push for provincial status
Historical records trace the name โSibugayโ to a 1667 Spanish account by Jesuit priest Francisco Combรฉs. The priest described a settlement along the Sibuguey River.
Efforts to divide Zamboanga del Sur date back to the 1960s, with multiple bills filed in Congress and later in the Batasang Pambansa. These proposals repeatedly stalled until the early 1990s, when the Zamboanga Occidental Movement reignited calls for a separate province.
In 1997, a peopleโs initiative conducted alongside barangay and youth elections showed majority support for provincialhood. Then-Representative George T. Hofer sponsored the bill that would become Republic Act No. 8973, signed into law by President Joseph Estrada in November 2000. The law was ratified through a plebiscite on February 22, 2001, officially creating Zamboanga Sibugay.
Political leadership
The province is currently led by Governor Dr. Dulce Ann K. Hofer, with Richard Olegario serving as Vice Governor. Zamboanga Sibugay has two congressional districts, represented by Atty. Marlo Bancoro (First District) and Dr. Marly Hofer-Hasim (Second District).
Geography and climate
Zamboanga Sibugay covers 3,607.75 square kilometers, occupying the south-central portion of the Zamboanga Peninsula. It shares land boundaries with municipalities in Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur, and coastal access through Sibuguey Bay.
The province has a Type III climate, marked by relatively even rainfall throughout the year. Annual precipitation ranges from 1,599 to 3,500 millimeters, with temperatures averaging 22ยฐC to 35ยฐC. It lies outside the countryโs typhoon belt.
Administrative setup
Zamboanga Sibugay is composed of 16 municipalities, grouped into two congressional districts and subdivided into 389 barangays.
People and languages
Based on the 2020 census, the province has a population of 669,840, with a density of about 190 people per square kilometer.
Residents spoke widely Cebuano and Chavacano languages, alongside Subanen, Ilocano, Maguindanaon, and Tausug. Filipino and English are commonly used in schools, government offices, and media.
Faith
Christianity is the dominant religion in the province, with Roman Catholics accounting for about 60.29% of the population.
Other Christian denominations are also present.
Islam comprises roughly 15.94% of residents, reflecting the provinceโs cultural diversity.
Economy
Zamboanga Sibugayโs economy is predominantly agriculture, fisheries, and small-scale manufacturing. Key industries include rubber processing, rice and corn milling, food processing, wood and rattan furniture making, and dried fish and squid production.
Agricultural outputs include rice, corn, coconuts, rubber, cacao, coffee, fruits, vegetables, tobacco, and root crops. Livestock and poultry raising are mostly backyard operations.
The province also hosts coal mining and small-scale precious metal mining in selected areas.
โ Daily Sun Chronicle
About The Author
2 Comments