Regions of the Philippines

Submitted by: Joey Anne Michelle M. Mengote

3/23/2012

National Capital Region (NCR)

Metropolitan Manila (Filipino: Kalakhang Maynila) or the National Capital Region (NCR) (Filipino: Pambansang Punong Rehiyon) is the capital of the Philippines and among the world's thirty most populous metropolitan areas. Metro Manila is one of the two defined metropolitan areas in the Philippines, the other being Metro Cebu. Metro Manila is the metropolitan area that contains the city of Manila, as well as sixteen surrounding cities and municipalities, including Quezon City, the capital from 1948 to 1976. Metro Manila is the political, economic, social, and cultural center of the Philippines, and is one of the more modern metropolises in Southeast Asia. Among locals, particularly those from Manila proper and those in the provinces, Metro Manila is often simply referred to as Manila; however locals from other parts of the metropolis may see this as offensive, owing to city pride and also the fact that some cities are actually geographically closer to the neighboring provinces than to Manila itself. Metro Manila is often abbreviated as M.M.. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is located in Makati City. Metro Manila is the smallest of the country's administrative regions, but the most populous and the most densely populated, having a population of 9,932,560 (2000 census) in an area of only 636 square kilometers. It is also the only region without any provinces. The region is bordered by the provinces of Bulacan to the north, Rizal to the east, and Cavite and Laguna to the south. Metro Manila is also sandwiched by Manila Bay to the west and Laguna de Bay to the southeast with the Pasig River running between them, bisecting the region. The term Metro Manila should not be confused with the metro rail system of the region, and the word metro itself always describes the metropolitan area (as in the metro). The railways are called by their abbreviations, such as the LRT and the MRT, also known as Light Rail Transit and Metro Rail Transit, respectively. On paper, Manila is the designated capital and seat of the Philippine government, but in practice, the seats of government are all around Metro Manila. The executive and administrative seat of government is located in Manila, so is the judiciary. The upper house of the legislature (Senate of the Philippines) is located in Pasay City, and the lower house (House of Representatives of the Philippines) in Quezon City.

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)

The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) of the Philippines is a land-locked region consists of the provinces of Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Apayao. Baguio City is the regional center. The Cordillera region encompasses most of the areas within the Cordillera Central mountain range of Luzon, the largest range in the country. This region is home to numerous indigenous tribes collectively called the Igorot. The Cordillera Administrative Region is the only landlocked region in the country. Cordillera has abundant mineral reserves. These include metallic ores such as gold, copper, silver, zinc, and non-metallic minerals like sand, gravel and sulfur. Mineral reserves are found in all the provinces. However, mining is concentrated in Benguet. Tourist attractions in the region include the world famous Banaue Rice Terraces in the province of Ifugao. This is supposedly considered as the "Eighth Wonder of the World". Natural attractions of the region include the Sumaguing Cave in Sagada and the mummy caves of Benguet and Mt. Province. There are four National Parks: Cassamata Hill, Mount Pulag (the second highest mountain in the Philippines with an elevation of 2,922 meters above sea level), Mt. Data and Balbalasang-Balbalan, located in the province of Kalinga. Kalinga is also offering world class white water rafting along the chico river.

Ilocos Region (Region I)

Region 1 of the Philippines is located in the northwestern part of Luzon. It is bounded by Cordillera Administrative Region and Cagayan Valley to the east, Central Luzon to the south and by the South China Sea to the west. The region is composed of four provinces, namely: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan. Its regional center is San Fernando City, La Union. The region is occupied 70% by Ilocanos and 28% by Pangasinenses. Although the Philippine government designated Region 1 as the Ilocos Region, many people find the designated name of the region as ethno-centric, as it promotes the wrong notion that all the residents of Region 1 are Ilocanos. Many people find the name Northwestern Region, which is geographically deduced, as the more appropriate term. The Ilocos provinces of Region 1 is the historical homeland of the Ilocanos as well as the famous former president who holds the title of longest presidential term of twenty years President Ferdinand Marcos. The Ilocanos have the following percentage of the population inside the bracket in each province: Pangasinan (43%), La Union (92%), Ilocos Norte (97%), and Ilocos Sur (93%). Pangasinan is the historical homeland of the Pangasinenses. The population of Pangasinan composed around 60% of the whole population of the region. The Pangasinenses presently constitute around 50% of the population of the province. The province was not originally part of the Region 1. It was only during the time of President Marcos, when Pangasinan was included in the province. Minority groups include the Tingguian and Isneg communities that inhabit the foothills of the Cordillera mountains. The population is predominantly Roman Catholic with strong adherents of Protestantism such as the Aglipayan denomination further north of the country. There is also an undercurrent of traditional animistic beliefs especially in rural areas. The small mercantile Chinese and Indian communities are primarily Buddhists and Hindus respectively. Although the economy in the southern portion of the region, esp. Pangasinan, is anchored in agroindustrial and service industry, the economy in the northern portion of the region is anchored in the agricultural sector. The economy in Pangasinan is driven by agro-industrial businesses, such as milkfish (bangus) cultivation and processing, livestock raising, fish paste processing (bagoong), and others. At the same time the importance of trading, financial services, and educational services in the economy cannot be denied. Income in the northern portion mostly come from cultivating rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, and fruits; raising livestock such as pigs, chicken, goats, and carabaos (water buffalos).

Cagayan Valley (Region II)

Cagayan Valley (Lambak ng Cagayan in Filipino) is a region of the Philippines, also designated as Region II or Region 02. It is composed of five provinces, namely: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino. Its regional center is Tuguegarao City. Most of the region lies in a large valley in northeastern Luzon, between the Cordilleras and the Sierra Madre mountain ranges. Cagayan River, the country's longest river runs through its center and flows out to Luzon Strait in the north, in the town of Aparri, Cagayan. The Babuyan and Batanes island groups that lie in the Luzon Strait also belong to the region. The Cagayan Valley Region is defined by the Cagayan River, the largest in the Philippines. The Province of Cagayan occupies the lower course of the river, and the northeast corner of the island of Luzon (with a few offshore islets). Cagayan's area is 9,003 sq.km., its population 952,000 (by the 2000 census) in twenty-nine towns, of which Tuguegarao is the capital. Archaeology indicates that the Cagayan Valley has been inhabited for half a million years, though no human remains of any such antiquity have yet appeared. The earliest inhabitants are the Agta, or Atta, food-gatherers who roam the forests without fixed abode. A large tract of land has lately been returned to them. The bulk of the population are of Malay origin. For centuries before the coming of the Spanish the inhabitants traded with Indians, Malays, Chinese, and Japanese. In the nineteenth century the prosperity found in tobacco cultivation caused many Ilocanos to settle here. Tobacco is still a major factor in the economy of Cagayan, though a special economic zone and free port has been created to strengthen and diversify the provincial economy. Cagayan has much to offer visitors: beaches, swimming, snorkeling, skin-diving, fishing in the river and the sea, hiking in primeval forest, mountain-climbing, archaeological sites, the remarkable collection of the provincial museum, the Callao Caves, and many fine churches. Even here there are fortifications built to protect the inhabitants from raids by the Moros. The Philippine Republic's Region II, Cagayan Valley, contains two landlocked provinces, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya. Both are relatively small in size (3057 sq.km. for Quirino, 4081 sq.km. for Nueva Vizcaya) and population (147,000 and 365,000, respectively, by the 2000 census). Both are ruggedly mountainous and heavily forested. Nueva Vizcaya is the remnant of the southern province created when Cagayan Province was divided in two in 1839. Both are ethnically and linguistically diverse, with a substrate of Agtas, Negritos who are food-gatherers with no fixed abode, overlaid by Ilonggos and others in a number of tribes, some of whom were fierce head-hunters until recently (we are firmly assured that they have given up the practice), with the latest but largest element of the population being Ilocanos. Nueva Vizcaya comprises fifteen towns; Bayombong is the capital.

Central Luzon (Region III)

Central Luzon region contains the largest plain of the Philippines and produces most of the country's rice supply. That is why it is called the Rice Bowl of the Philippines. Its provinces are: Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales. There are twelve cities which include: Balanga from Bataan; Cabanatuan, Gapan, Muoz, Palayan and San Jose from Nueva Ecija; Olongapo from Zambales; Angeles and San Fernando from Pampanga; San Jose del Monte and Malolos from Bulacan; and Tarlac from Tarlac. The City of San Fernando, in Pampanga, is the regional center. Aurora was transferred from Region IV by Executive Order No. 103. The Philippine Republic's Province of Aurora is as small and thinly populated as Quezon is large and populous. It is located just north of Quezon on the east coast of Luzon, known to the Spanish as the "contra costa." Its population is 173,000 in eight towns. Aurora is named for Aurora Quezon, the wife of President Manuel Quezon of the Commonwealth of the Philippines; both were born in the capital town of Baler, now apparently renamed Naval. The Catholic church of the town was defended by four Spanish officers and fifty men for nearly a year, June 1898 to June 1899, and was the last Spanish outpost in the Philippines to surrender. The Filipinos admire this heroic defense, and have set up a monument to it. Aurora became a sub-province of Quezon in 1951, and a full province in 1979, so the image above is very likely obsolete. Aurora is heavily forested, and the cleared land is used mostly for farming; there seems to be no industry. The province is exposed to Pacific typhoons, and is hit by an average of four per year, some of devastating severity. On the other hand it is a fine place for surfing, as well as scubadiving and snorkeling, though local support services are not readily found. It also has dramatic scenery on the side of the mountains. The principal products are copra, rice, banana, coffee, pepper, and citrus, plus various wood products and fish. There is some cottage weaving, and the provincial government is trying to develop food-processing and wood-processing industry. The early inhabitants apparently came in several waves from Java. They still speak a distinct language. Before the Spanish arrived the Kampampangans practiced irrigation, grew rice and sugar cane and fruit trees and fiber and ornamental plants and spices, wove useful and attractive fabrics, smelted metals and made tools and jewelry, wrote their language with a syllabary, and had a written code of laws. Farming and fishing are the main economic activities; Pampanga still grows rice and sugar cane, also maize, fruits, vegetables, melons, and root crops. The Pampanga River and commercial fishponds yield carp, crabs, and shrimp. Pampanga Agricultural College is located in Magalang. Woodcarving, furnituremaking, lantern-making, ceramics, and other crafts are also widely practiced. The oldest vocational school in the Far East is in Bacolor. Clark Air Base and two other American military bases were located in Pampanga, and their structures still stand, now constituting a special economic zone. During World War II the Japanese had a kamikaze base in Pampanga, and there are memorials to the kamikaze pilots.

CALABARZON (Region IV-A)

CALABARZON is one of the regions of the Philippines. It is also designated as Region IV-A and its regional capital is Calamba City in Laguna. The region is composed of five provinces, namely: Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon. The region's name is an acronym of the names of these provinces. CALABARZON and MIMAROPA were previously combined together as Southern Tagalog, until they were separated in 2002. Palawan was subsequently moved from Western Visayas to the more logical Western Visayas, turning the former into MIMARO. Executive Order No. 246, dated October 28, 2003, designated Calamba City as the regional center of CALABARZON. In the late nineteenth century the Philippines became one of the world's leading sources of coffee, and Batangas was heavily given over to coffee cultivation, but the coffee blight of the eighteen-eighties eventually overleapt quarantine measures and devastated the Philippine crops. The Philippines would not again export coffee for almost a century. The stately homes of the coffee planters still stand. Batangas was home to several early nationalist leaders, and contains museum-monuments to General Malvar, the last military leader in the Philippine-American War (Philippine Insurrection) to surrender to the United States, to Apolinario Mabini, to President Jos P. Laurel, and to Marcela Agoncillo, who made the first official Philippine flag during the insurrection against the Spanish. Batangas offers a number of vacation destinations, including Taal Volcano, the world's smallest, on an island in Lake Bombon. Dive spots are extremely numerous, and there is a "submarine garden" of coral, visible at low tide, at the town of Lobo. The first balisong, or Philippine butterfly knife, was made in Taal, Batangas, in 1905, and the province is still a center for their manufacture. It produces rice, maize, coconuts, sugar, pepper, fruits, vegetables, poultry, cattle, horses, other livestock, and fish, and has a considerable variety of light and heavy industries, from garments to electronics to steel. It is also a shipping center. What is now the Province of Cavite in the Philippine Republic has a long history of resistance to Spanish rule. It was known for generations as "Madre de los Ladrones," the mother of bandits--the way an imperial power usually describes resistance forces. (I do not know Spanish, and am open to correction on this interpretation.) In 1859 a battle involving cannon was fought at the Julian Bridge in Imus between Philippine and Spanish forces. In 1872 two hundred Filipinos working at the naval arsenal at Cavite mutinied. This mutiny was put down, and three Catholic priests, Jos Burgos, Mariano Gomez, and Jacinto Zamora, who were implicated in the uprising were executed. I believe the city of Trece Martires is named for them. In 1896 the last uprising against Spain began, and Cavite was swiftly secured for the rebellion. General Emilio Aguinaldo, president of that first Philippine Republic, was a native and resident of Cavite. One of the towns in the province now bears his name. The province also includes the island of Corregidor famous from World War II.

MIMAROPA (Region IV-B)

MIMAROPA is an administrative region of the Philippines. It is one of two regions of the Philippines having no land border with another region, Eastern Visayas being the other, and is designated as Region IV-B. The name is a portmanteau combining the names of its provinces, which are: Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan. Calapan City is the regional center, however most regional government offices like the Department of Public Works [1] are situated in Quezon City, Metro Manila. On May 23, 2005, Palawan and the highly urbanized city of Puerto Princesa were moved to Western Visayas by Executive Order No. 429.[2] However, on August 19, 2005, President Arroyo issued Administrative Order No. 129 to hold the earlier EO 429 in abeyance pending a review. Executive Order No. 103, dated May 17, 2002, divided Region IV (Southern Tagalog) into Region IV-A (CALABARZON) and Region IV-B (MIMAROPA). President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Executive Order 103 on May 17, 2002 which subdivided the Southern Tagalog provinces which comprised Region IV into two regions Regions IV- A and IV-B, to promote efficiency in the government, accelerate social and economic development and improve public services. Region IV-A is now known as CALABARZON- which stands for the provinces of Cavite, LAguna,BAtangas, Rizal and QueZON). Region IV-B on the other hand, is now known as MIMAROPA which stands for the island provinces comprising the region - MIndoro (Oriental and Occidental), MArinduque, ROmblon and PAlawan. EO103 also transferred the province of Aurora to Region III in Central Luzon. Executive Order 429 moved Palawan to Region VI on May 23, 2005.[2] After this, Region IV-B began to be called MIMARO instead of MIMAROPA. However, Palaweos criticized the move, citing a lack of consultation, with most residents in Puerto Princesa City and nearly all municipalities preferring to stay with Region IV-B. Consequently, Administrative Order No. 129 was issued on August 19, 2005 to address this backlash.[3] This order directed the abeyance of Executive Order 429 pending the approval of an implementation plan for the orderly transfer of Palawan from MIMAROPA to Region VI. Thus, it is not yet clear if the transfer of Palawan to region VI is already done and final creating confusion on whether to address the region as MIMARO or MIMAROPA.

Bicol Region (Region V)

The Bicol Region or Bicolandia (also known as Region V) is one of the 17 regions of the Philippines. Its regional center is Naga City. Bicol (also spelled Bikol) is composed of four provinces in the Bicol Peninsula, the southeastern end of Luzon island, and two island-provinces adjacent to the peninsula. The region is composed of six provinces, namely, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon and the island-provinces of Catanduanes and Masbate. It has one independent component city, Naga City, and six component cities - Iriga, Legazpi, Ligao, Masbate City, Sorsogon City, and Tabaco. Masbate City and Sorsogon City are cities within their namesake provinces. The regional centers are Naga City, the political and administrative center, the cultural, business and religious center. Together with Sorsogon City, they are the leading cities in the region in terms of urbanization and the hub of the economic activity. Bicol Region has a large amount of rich flat land, and agriculture is the largest component of the economy with close to 50% depending their livelihood on the industry. Coconuts, abaca, banana, coffee and jackfruit are the top five permanent crops in the region. Rice and maize are among the chief seasonal crops of the region. Commercial fishing is also important with thirteen major fishing grounds supplying fish markets in places as far as Metro Manila. Agriculture and fishing are the major factors in the province's economy. Mining is also one of the contributors to the region's economy. Several handicrafts, jewelry manufacturing, other small-scale industries and manufacturing enterprises bolster rural incomes.

Western Visayas (Region VI)

Western Visayas, one of the regions of the Philippines, is designated as Region VI. It consists of six provinces; Aklan, Antique, Negros Occidental, Capiz, Guimaras and Iloilo and 16 cities making it the region with the highest number of cities. Iloilo City is the regional center.[1] The presence of almost all the government agencies' regional offices in the city and it's geographical proximity to the other Region VI provinces affirm Iloilo City as the regional center. Western Visayas is composed of six provinces and the highly urbanized cities of Bacolod and Iloilo with Kalibo as the sole international gateway ( Kalibo International Airport serves direct flights to Incheon-Korea, and Taipei, with Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong and Singapore next) . The province of Aklan occupies the northwestern coastal plain of the island of Panay. Its 1,853 km supports a population of 441,000 in seventeen municipalities, of which Kalibo is the capital. After strenuous and sustained political efforts, Aklan was separated from Capiz by act of the national legislature in April 1956. Agriculture is a prominent part of the economy, principal products being rice, maize, coconuts, and cut flowers. Ocean- fishing is also important, as is tourism, Boracay, an internationally known, world-class white-sand island-resort just offshore. Kalibo is known also for the mother of Philippine Festivals Ati-Atihan held every third week of January, the Bakhawan Eco-park (Philippines' most successful mangrove reforestation project), and Piacloth weaving. Inland fishing and aquaculture yield several export products. This actually seems to explain every element in the shield. Meat-processing and paper-related cottage industries are widespread, and rattan furniture is manufactured for export. The province of Antique, on the western side of Panay Island, is separated from the other provinces by a long range of mountains. One of these, Mt. Madia-as, is the highest mountain on the island, a dormant volcano adorned with several lakes and more than a dozen waterfalls. The population is largely Austronesian; according to legend, they were immigrants from Borneo centuries before the Spanish arrived. The main language in Antique is Kinaray-a, but several Visayan languages are also spoken. The area was made a separate province by the Spanish government in 1790. Its name seems to be a Spanish adaptation of a local word. The province's area is 2,522 km, its population 456,000, no cities, eighteen towns, of which San Jos de Buenavista is the capital. Agriculture is important; sugar and coconuts lead, with coconut oil and coconut wine both being significant. Ocean fishing is also important; one website speaks of "the tuna highway along the coast." Seaweed is harvested. Marble and gemstones are mined. Other valuable mineral deposits are known but undisturbed. Like Capiz, it seems to have enormous potential for tourism, its many miles of sandy beaches being sparsely settled. There are also hot springs in the mountains.

Central Visayas (Region VII)

Central Visayas, designated as Region VII, is a region of the Philippines located in the central part of the Visayas island group. It consists of four provincesBohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor and the highly urbanized cities of Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Mandaue City. The region is dominated by the native speakers of Cebuano. Cebu City is its regional center. The land area of the region is 15,875 km. As of the 2007 census, it has a population of 6,398,628, making it the 5th most populous of the country's 17 regions. As of the 2007 census, Central Visayas had a population of 6,398,628, making it the 5th most populous of the country's 17 regions. The population density was 403.1 people per square kilometer (6,129.4/mi). The census showed an average annual population growth rate of 1.59% from 2000 to 2007, significantly less than the national average of 2.04%.[2] Cebuano is the dominant language of the region. Boholano is a dialectal variant of Cebuano spoken in Bohol. In the Camotes Islands, which is part of Cebu, Cebuano language is spoken in the towns of Tudela, Pilar and San Francisco. Except the town of Poro, in which, Porohanon is spoken (a variation or mixture of Cebuano, Hiligaynon (Ilonggo) and Masbateo language, with 87% Cebuano vocabulary).

Eastern Visayas (Region VIII)

Eastern Visayas is one of the two regions of the Philippines having no land border with another region, MIMAROPA being the other, and is designated as Region VIII. It consists of six provinces and seven cities, namely, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, Southern Leyte, the cities of Ormoc City, Baybay City, Maasin City, Calbayog City, Catbalogan City, Borongan City and the highly-urbanized city of Tacloban, the regional center. These provinces and cities occupy the easternmost islands of Visayas: Samar, Leyte and Biliran. Eastern Visayas directly faces the Pacific Ocean. The land area of the region is 23,432 km km. As of 2007, it has a population of 3,912,936. The regions sea and inland waters are rich sources of salt and fresh water fish and other marine products. It is one of the fish exporting regions of the country. There are substantial forest reserves in the interiors of the islands. Its mineral deposits include chromite, uranium(in Samar), gold, silver, manganese, magnesium, bronze, nickel, clay, coal, limestone, pyrite and sand and gravel. It has abundant geothermal energy and water resources to support the needs of medium and heavy industries. Waray-Waray is spoken on the island of Samar, Biliran and the province of Leyte. Cebuano is spoken in the western part of Leyte and Southern Leyte and parts of Biliran and a few island-municipalities in Samar. Both of these languages are called Visayan by their speakers. A Sama language, distantly related to the languages of the region, called Abaknon is spoken in the island of Capul in Northern Samar. Primary sources of revenue are manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade and services. Mining, farming, fishing and tourism contribute significantly to the economy Manufacturing firms include mining companies, fertilizer plants, sugar central, rice and corn mills and other food processing plants. Tacloban is the hub of investment, trade and development in the region. Other industries include mining, rice, corn and sugar milling, coconut oil extraction, alcohol distilling, beverage manufacture and forest products. Home industries include hat and basket weaving, metal craft, needlecraft, pottery, ceramics, woodcraft, shell craft and bamboo craft.

Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX)

Zamboanga Peninsula / Western Mindanao is a peninsula and an administrative region in the Philippines. Designated as Region IX, the region consists of three provinces, namely, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay, its component cities of Dipolog, Dapitan, Pagadian, and Isabela (Capital of Basilan Province, which is a part of the ARMM) and the Highlyurbanized, Independent and Chartered city of Zamboanga. Its capital is Pagadian City. The region was previously known as Western Mindanao before the enactment of Executive Order No. 36[1] on September 19, 2001. In 2001, Zamboanga Sibugay, was created from the province of Zamboanga del Sur with Ipil as the seat of government with the virtue of Republic Act No. 8973. In the same year, the residents of Basilan opted to join the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in a plebiscite. However, the citizens of the capital, Isabela City, did not want to join so the city remained a part of this region as a result of Executive Order No. 36. In 2004, Pagadian City officially became the Regional Center for Region IX- Zamboanga Peninsula, despite opposition from Zamboanga City, the former Regional Center. However, on March 4, 2011, the Regional Development Council (RDC) of Region IX voted to retain Zamboanga City as the regional center. In 2011, a group of politicians led by former Zamboanga del Norte Governor Romeo Jalosjos forged a group, whose aim is to create a new region called the Western Peninsula. This proposal includes Misamis Occidental in Region IX, which is nearer than Northern Mindanao to promote progress and development among the provinces and cities in the newly formed region. Its group membership includes all of the three provinces and component cities, excluding Zamboanga and Isabela Cities. Zamboanga Peninsula lies between the Moro Gulf, part of the Celebes Sea, and the Sulu Sea. Along the shores of the peninsula are numerous bays and islands. Its territory consists of the three Zamboanga provinces and Zamboanga City, as well as the Northern Mindanao province of Misamis Occidental. The peninsula is connected to the main part of Mindanao through an isthmus situated between Panguil Bay and Pagadian Bay. The boundary between the peninsula and the mainland is artificially marked by the border between the provinces of Zamboanga del Sur and Lanao del Norte. 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. It has the first export-processing zone in Mindanao. Farming and fishing are the main economic activities of the region

Northern Mindanao (Region X)

Designated as Region X of the Philippines, Northern Mindanao (Filipino: Hilagang Mindanao) is composed of five provinces and two cities classified as highly-urbanized, all occupying the north-central part of Mindanao island, and the island-province of Camiguin. The regional center is Cagayan de Oro City, where the national government's regional offices and other big establishments are located. Lanao del Norte was transferred to Northern Mindanao from Region XII (then called Central Mindanao) by virtue of Executive Order No. 36. The economy of Northern Mindanao is the largest regional economy in the island of Mindanao.[1] The economy in Northern Mindanao is mainly agricultural. But there is also a booming growth of industries particularly in Cagayan de Oro City and in Iligan City. The famous Del Monte Philippines located in the Province of Bukidnon and its processing plant is located in Cagayan de Oro City, which shipped to the entire Philippines and Asia-Pacific region. The Agus-IV to VII Hydroelectric Plants in Iligan City and Baloi, Lanao del Norte supplies most of its electrical power in Mindanao. The vast majority of the region's inhabitants are migrants from Cebu and Bohol. Some inhabitants are of Waray, Tagalog and Maranao descent. Rainfall in Northern Mindanao is evenly distributed throughout the year. Its abundant vegetation, natural springs and high elevation contribute to the region's cool, mild and invigorating climate. Northern Mindanao has a total land area of 14,032.93 km of which 6,571 km is alienable and disposable lands, and the remaining 7,461.99 km. More than 60% of Northern Mindanao's total land area are classified as forest land. Its seas abound with fish and other marine products.

Davao Region (Region XI)

Davao Region / Southern Mindanao, designated as Region XI,[1] is one of the regions of the Philippines, located on the southeastern portion of Mindanao. Davao Region consists of four provinces, namely: Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, and Davao del Sur. The region encloses the Davao Gulf and its regional center is Davao City. Davao is the Hispanicized pronunciation of daba-daba, the Bagobo word for "fire" (the Cebuano translation is "kalayo"). While the regions economy is predominantly agri-based, it is now developing into a center for agro-industrial business, trade and tourism. Its competitive advantage is in agri-industry as its products, papayas, mangoes, bananas, pineapples, fresh asparagus, flowers, and fish products are exported internationally. The region can be a vital link to markets in other parts of Mindanao, Brunei Darussalam and parts of Malaysia and Indonesia. There is also a growing call center sector in the region, mostly centered in Davao City. There is a gradual shift to industrialization as shown with industrys growth rate of 8.1% in 1996. Other economic activities are mining, fishery, forestry and agriculture. Due to the region's rise as the main commercial and industrial hub of Mindanao, many of its workers are oriented to urban services such as putting small-scale businesses and working in commercial industries in thriving urban areas like Davao City, Tagum City, and Digos City. Both private and foreign investors and businessmen are putting up huge business centers in the region, fueling up its commercial growth rate. The Region is also venturing to online business like outsourcing. They also open their official Buy and Sell Online, only for Davao Region, the Davao Eagle[2] derived from the famous Philippine Eagle, which can only be seen in Davao. Its regional center, Davao City, has an annual income of about P4.13 billion in 2010, without introducing new taxes, making it as the most economically rich city both in Mindanao and Visayas and also outside Metro Manila after Makati(P10.1 billion), Quezon City(P9.4 billion), Manila(P7.3 billion), and Pasig(P5.3 billion). The city has also a gross domestic product (GDP) of Php 21,914,645,328, or Php 15,696 per capita based on regional survey as of year 2009.

SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII)

SOCCSKSARGEN[1] (pronounced [soksardn]) is a region of the Philippines, located in central Mindanao, and is officially designated as Region XII. The name is an acronym that stands for the region's four provinces and one of its cities: South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City. The regional center is Koronadal City located in the province of South Cotabato.[2] Cotabato City, though geographically within the boundaries of the province of Maguindanao, itself is part of SOCCSKSARGEN, and is independent of that province. Maguindanao province is, in fact, a part of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) which has its seat in Cotabato City. SOCCSKSARGEN and the province of Maguindanao were once part of the original Cotabato province. The region has extensive coastlines, valleys and mountain ranges. Known for its river system, the region is the catch basin of Mindanao. The system is a rich source of food, potable water and energy production. Cotabato contains the Rio Grande de Mindanao, which is the longest river in Mindanao and the second longest in the Philippines. The region used to be named kudaan. Prior to the creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, these provinces comprised the region:

Maguindanao North Cotabato Sultan Kudarat

With the creation of ARMM, Lanao del Sur (excluding Marawi City) and Maguindanao (excluding Cotabato City) were removed from the region, leaving Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat, and Marawi City and Cotabato City as constituent provinces and cities. Lanao del Norte was later transferred to Northern Mindanao, while Marawi City became part of the ARMM. With the addition of South Cotabato and Sarangani or the (SocSarGen Province), transferred from Southern Mindanao, the region was renamed as SOCCSKSARGEN. The "Central Mindanao" name lives on as a description to the provinces populated by 65% Christians and 30% Muslim and 5% other Filipinos.

Caraga (Region XIII)

Caraga is an administrative region of the Philippines, on the northeastern portion of the island of Mindanao. It is the newest region in the Philippines and is also called Region XIII. The Caraga Region was created through Republic Act No. 7901 on February 25, 1995. The region is composed of five provinces: Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Dinagat Islands[1]; six cities: Bayugan, Butuan, Cabadbaran, Surigao, Tandag, Bislig; 71 municipalities and 1,346 barangays. Butuan City is the regional center. The "Kalagans", called "Caragans" by the Spaniards, occupied the district composed of the two provinces of Surigao, the northern part of Davao Oriental and eastern Misamis Oriental. The two Agusan provinces were later organized under the administrative jurisdiction of Surigao and became the independent Agusan province in 1914. In 1960, Surigao was divided into Norte and Sur, and in June 1967, Agusan followed suit. While Butuan then was just a town of Agusan, the logging boom in the 1950s drew business to the area. On August 2, 1950, by virtue of Republic Act 523, the City Charter of Butuan was approved. It is reported[by whom?] that during the early years of the Caraga region, its inhabitants came from mainland Asia, followed by Malayans, Arabs, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish and Americans. Migrants from the Visayan and Luzon provinces later settled in the area. Most of its inhabitants speak Cebuano and reside in the rural areas. Rich in natural resources, the region has large tracts of land available for development. The region is noted for its wood based economy, its extensive water resources and its rich mineral deposits such as iron, gold, silver, nickel, chromite, manganese and copper. Its leading crops are palay, banana and coconut. It has excellent tourism potentials because of its unspoiled and beautiful beaches, abundant and fresh seafood, ancient and historical landmarks, hot and cold springs, evergreen forests and balmy weather. Its long stretch of shoreline promises abundance in production of fisheries and aquatic products. With its large tract of fertile lands, the region has a great capacity in producing varied commercial crops as well as livestock and poultry. Major agricultural products of the region are palay, corn, coconut, gold, banana, rubber, oil palm, calamansi, prawns, milkfish, crabs, seaweeds and mango. Caraga's proximity to Cebu and Manila makes it a favorable shipping point for products to and from these markets. Nasipit Port can serve as a secondary shipping hub to Cagayan de Oro when traffic volume from other points in Mindanao increases. With a roll-on, roll-off (RORO) ferry service now in place, Surigao City serves as a vital transportation link for trucks and buses bound for Luzon.

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (abbreviated ARMM) is the region, located in the Mindanao island group of the Philippines, that is composed of predominantly Muslim provinces, namely: Basilan (except Isabela City), Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. 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. The ARMM previously included the province of Shariff Kabunsuan until July 16, 2008, when Shariff Kabunsuan ceased to exist as a province after the Supreme Court in Sema v. Comelec declared unconstitutional the "Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act 201", which created it. 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. Muslim 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,[3] until they had to abandon the region as a consequence of their defeat in the Spanish-American War. In 1942, during the early stages of Pacific War (a theater of the Second World War), troops of the Japanese Imperial Forces invaded and overran Mindanao and the ARMM. 3 years later, in 1945, combined United States and the Philippine Commonwealth Army troops liberated in Mindanao, and, with the help of local guerrilla units, ultimately defeated the Japanese forces occupying the region. 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.[14] ARMM has a population of 4.1 million based on the 2007 census. It is the country's poorest region, where average annual income was just 89,000 pesos ($ 2,025) in 2006, less than 1/3 of Manila level.