Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

For the Automated Retroactive Minimal Moderation program, see ARMM (Usenet). AUTONOMOUS REGION
IN MUSLIM MINDANAO Regional Center Cotabato CityRegional Governor Zaldy Ampatuan(Lakas-CMD) Population 2,803,805 – Density 220.9 per km² Area 12,695.0 km² Divisions – Provinces6 – Cities1 – Municipalities106 – Barangays2,469 – Cong. Districts8 Languages Banguingui, Maguindanao, Maranao, Tausug, Yakan, Sama, others

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (abbreviated ARMM) is the region of the Philippines that is composed of all the Philippines' predominantly Muslim provinces, namely: Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Shariff Kabunsuan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, and the Philippines' only predominantly Muslim city, the Islamic City of Marawi. It is the only region that has its own government. The regional capital is at Cotabato City, although this city is outside of its jurisdiction.

1 Geography
2 People
3 Political Divisions
- 3.1 Provinces
4 History
- 4.1 Establishment of the ARMM
5 Politics
- 5.1 Executive
- 5.2 Legislative
6 Economy
7 Cultural Heritage
8 References
9 See also
10 External links

Geography

The region is divided into two geographical areas – the Mindanao mainland and the Sulu Archipelago. Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao and Shariff Kabunsuan are situated in the Mindanao mainland, while Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi are located within the Sulu Archipelago.

People

Political Divisions

Provinces

Political map of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ProvinceCapital Population
(2000) Area
(km²) Pop. density
(per km²) Basilan [a]Isabela City [b]259,796 1,234.2 210.5 Lanao del Sur Marawi City800,162 3,872.9 206.6 Maguindanao [c]Shariff Aguak435,254 2,514 173.1 Shariff Kabunsuan [d]Datu Odin Sinsuat365,848 2,386 153.3 Sulu Jolo619,668 1,600.4 387.2 Tawi-Tawi Bongao322,317 1,087.4 296.4

a. ^ Figures exclude Isabela City.

b. ^ Part of Zamboanga Peninsula region.

c. ^ Figures exclude Cotabato City. Figures still include Shariff Kabunsuan.

d. ^ No separate data available yet. Province creation ratified on October 28, 2006. Figures are still included in Maguindanao.

History

An 1858 German map of the Far East showing the limits of Spanish Possessions (Spanische Besitzungen) in the Philippines

For the most part of the Philippines' history, the region and most of Mindanao has been a separate territory, which enabled it to develop its own culture and identity. The region has been the traditional homeland of Muslim Filipinos since the 15th century, even before the arrival of the Spanish who colonized most of the Philippines beginning 1565. Arab missionaries arrived in Tawi-Tawi in 1380 and started the conversion of the native population into Islam. In 1457, the Sultanate of Sulu was founded and not long after were the sultanates of Maguindanao and Buayan established. At the time when most of the Philippines was under Spanish rule, these sultanates maintained their independence and regularly challenged Spanish domination of the Philippines by conducting raids on Spanish coastal towns in the north and repulsing repeated Spanish incursions in their territory. It was not until the last quarter of the 19th century that the Sultanate of Sulu formally recognized Spanish sovereignty, however these areas remained loosely controlled by the Spanish as sovereignty was only limited to military stations and garrisons and pockets of civilian settlements in Zamboanga and Cotabato,[1] until they had to abandon the region as a consequence of their defeat in the Spanish-American War.

In 1942, the Japanese Imperial forces landed and entered of five provinces in Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

In 1945, Beginning the liberation of five provinces in Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao by the landed and entered to the United States and Filipino troops with the other Filipino guerillas attacked to the Japanese forces during the Second World War.

Establishment of the ARMM

The Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao region was first created on August 1, 1989 through Republic Act No. 6734 otherwise known as the Organic Act in pursuance with a constitutional mandate to provide for an autonomous area in Muslim Mindanao. A plebiscite was held in the provinces of Basilan, Cotabato, Davao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Palawan, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur; and in the cities of Cotabato, Dapitan, Dipolog, General Santos, Iligan, Marawi, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa and Zamboanga to determine if the residents would want to be part of the ARMM.

Of the areas where the plebiscites were held only Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi voted favorably for inclusion in the new autonomous region. The ARMM was officially inaugurated on November 6, 1990 in Cotabato City, which was designated as its provisional capital.

In 2001 a new law was passed for the expansion of the ARMM to include the areas which initially rejected inclusion and the provinces which were carved from them, however only Marawi City and Basilan with the exception of Isabela City opted to be integrated in the region.[2]

Politics

Executive

The region is headed by a Regional Governor. The Regional Governor and Regional Vice Governor are elected directly like regular local executives. Regional ordinances are created by the Regional Assembly, composed of Assemblymen, also elected by direct vote. Regional elections are usually held one year after general elections (national and local) depending on what legislation from the Philippine Congress. Regional officials have a fixed term of three years, which can be extended by an act of Congress.

Term Governor Party Vice Governor Party 1990–1993 Zacaria Candao Lakas-NUCDBenjamin Loong Lakas-NUCD1993–1996 Lininding Pangandaman Lakas-NUCD-UMDPNabil Tan Lakas-NUCD-UMDP1996–2002 Nurallaj Misuari Lakas-NUCD-UMDPGuimid P. Matalam Lakas-NUCD-UMDP 2001Alvarez Isnaji[a]Lakas-NUCD-UMDP2001–2005 Parouk S. Hussin Lakas-NUCD-UMDPMahid M. Mutilan Lakas-NUCD-UMDP 2005–present Zaldy Ampatuan Lakas-CMDAnsaruddin-Abdulmalik A. Adiong Lakas-CMD

a. ^ Acting capacity

Legislative

The ARMM has a unicameral Regional Legislative Assembly headed by a Speaker. It is composed of three members for every congressional district. The current membership is 24, where 6 are from Lanao del Sur including Marawi City, 6 from Maguindanao, 6 from Sulu, 3 from Basilan and 3 from Tawi-Tawi.

ProvinceDistrict Assemblyman Party Basilan LoneRajam M. Akbar Lakas-CMDBonnie Abdulaziz C. Balamo Lakas-CMDHatimil E. Hassan Lakas-CMD Lanao del Sur 1stSamer M.U. Salic independent Suhaylah R.P.M. Salic independent Paisalin P. Tago Liberal 2ndSaaduddin M. Alauya, Jr. Lakas-CMDYasser A. Balindong Lakas-CMDHosni B.M.A. Macapodi independent Maguindanao 1stJackson M. Bandila Lakas-CMDRoonie Q. Sinsuat Lakas-CMDBongarsa D. Tomawis, Jr. Lakas-CMD 2ndUmbrah A. Datumanong Lakas-CMDKhadafeh G. Mangudadatu Lakas-CMDPike T. Mentang Lakas-CMD Sulu 1stAbraham T. Burahan LiberalAlhabsi M. Hassan Lakas-CMDGarcia D. Tingkahan Lakas-CMD 2ndNashruper T. Daud Lakas-CMDMaulana M. Omar Lakas-CMDNurwiza S. Tulawie Lakas-CMD Tawi-Tawi LoneRomel Y. Matba independent Shameera S. Matolo LiberalRejie M. Sahali Lakas-CMD

Economy

The region is one of the most impoverished areas in the Philippines. It has a per capita gross regional domestic product of only PhP3,433 in 2005, 75.8 percent lower than the national average of PhP14,186. It is the lowest among the Philippines' 17 regions, the second lowest region has a per capita income almost double the ARMM's.[3]

Poverty incidence in the region is a high 45.4 percent in 2003, almost twice the national average of 24.4 percent. Significant progress has been made in reducing poverty in the region, which was reduced by 10.5 percent from the 2000 figure, only the Caraga region has a higher poverty incidence in 2003. Lanao del Sur reduced its povery incidence by as much as 26.9 percent, placing itself as the 12th most successful province in poverty reduction. Tawi-Tawi and Sulu have reduced their figures by 18 and 17.6 percent, respectively. In 2000, all the four provinces of the ARMM were among the 10 poorest in the Philippines. By 2003, Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi were out of the bottom 10, leaving only Maguindanao, which remains to be the second poorest or the second with the highest incidence of poverty among the Philippines' provinces.[4]

ProvincePoverty Incidence 2003 2000 Percent Rank[a]Percent Rank[b]Basilan [c][d]33.5 40 31.5 31 Lanao del Sur37.6 56 54.7 73 Maguindanao [e]60.4 78 59.3 76 Sulu45.1 67 58.9 75 Tawi-Tawi34.6 49 52.4 70

a. ^ 79 provinces in 2003.

b. ^ 77 provinces with data in 2000.

c. ^ Not yet part of the ARMM in 2000. 2000 figures include Isabela City.

d. ^ 2003 figures exclude Isabela City.

e. ^ Figures exclude Cotabato City.

Despite its "autonomous" nature, the ARMM receives approximately 98% of its operating revenue from the National Government of the Philippines, and has yet to create significant, viable sources of additional revenue. Perhaps for this reason, the per capita spending on such vital services as education and infrastructure are among the lowest in the Philippines, and the five provinces of the ARMM continue to be ranked consistently on the lower rungs of economic development within the country. The per student expenditure on education, for example, is less than $100, with the result that students within ARMM schools generally score poorly, in comparison with other provinces, on standardized achievement tests administered throughout the country.

Cultural Heritage

Main articles: Music of the Philippines and Kulintang

The native Maguindanaon and other native Muslim/non-Muslim groups have a culture that revolves around kulintang music, a specific type of gong music, found among both Muslim and non-Muslim groups of the Southern Philippines.

References

^ Mindanao Peace Process by Fr. Eliseo R. Mercado, Jr., OMI. [1]
^ Republic Act No. 9054 [2]
^ National Statistical Coordination Board - 2005 Gross Regional Domestic Product-Per Capita. [3]
^ National Statistical Coordination Board - Which provinces did best in reducing poverty?. [4][5]