Sulu

This article is about the Philippine province. For other uses, see Sulu (disambiguation).

Sulu Province Wilāya sin Sūg
—  Province  —
Province of Sulu
Flag Seal
Map of the Philippines with Sulu highlighted
Coordinates: 6°00′N 121°00′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)
Founded	March 10, 1917
Capital	Jolo Seat of Government: Patikul
Government
• Type	Autonomous Province of the Philippines
• Governor	Abdulsakur bin Abubakar Tan (Lakas-Kampi-CMD)
• Vice Governor	Benjamin Loong (NPC)
• Sovereign (Sultan)	Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram
Area
• Total	2,135.3 km2 (824.4 sq mi)
Area rank	60th out of 80
Population (2010)
• Total	718,290
• Rank	27th out of 80
• Density	Bad rounding here340/km2 (Bad rounding here870/sq mi)
• Density rank	13th out of 80
Divisions
• Independent cities	0
• Component cities	0
• Municipalities	19
• Barangays	410
• Districts	1st and 2nd districts of Sulu
Time zone	PHT (UTC+8)
ZIP Code
Spoken languages	Bahasa Sūg (official), Zamboangueño Chavacano

Sulu (Tausūg: سوگ, Sūg), (Chavacano:Provincia de Sūlū), (Filipino:Lalawigan ng Sūlū) is an autonomous island province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Its capital is Jolo and occupies the middle group of islands of the Sulu Archipelago, between Basilan and Tawi-Tawi.

History

The peaceful advent of Islam around 1138 through merchants and traders had a distinct influence on Southeast Asia. The coming of Arabs, Persians and other Muslims paved the way for the arrival of religious missionaries, traders, scholars and travelers to Sulu and Mindanao in the 12th century.

Painting of Sulu home & coconut plantation

A landmark born of the social process was the founding of the principality of Buansa Sumatra, who settled there and married the daughter. A decade earlier (1380), Karim-ul-Mahkdum, an Arab religious missionary and learned judge, reinforced the Islamic foundation of Rajah Baguinda’s polity (1390–1460) and that of the Sultanate of Sayid Abubakar, princely scholar from Arabia who married Paramisuli, the daughter of Rajah Baguinda. Sayid Abubakar eventually inherited the rule of Rajah Baguinda, established the Sultanate of Sulu and became its first Sultan. To consolidate his rule, Sayid Abubakar united the local political units under the umbrella of the Sultanate. He brought Sulu, Zamboanga Peninsula, Palawan and Basilan under its aegis.

The navigational error that landed Ferdinand Magellan to Limasawa brought the Philippines to the awareness of Europe and opened the door to Spanish colonial incursion. The Spaniards introduced Christianity and a political system of church-state dichotomy encountering fierce resistance in the devastating Moro wars from 1578 to 1899.

After Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States, American forces came to Jolo and ended the 23 years of Spanish military occupation (1876- to 1899). On August 20, Sultan Jamalul Kiram II and Brig. Gen John C. Bates signed the Bates Agreement that continued the gradual emasculation of the Sultanate started by Spain (Treaty of 1878) until its final inertia on March 1915 when the Sultan abdicated his temporal powers in the Carpenter Agreement. The Agreement totally vanished opposition against the civilian government of Gov. Clinton Solidum.

The Department of Mindanao and Sulu under Gov. Carpenter was created by Philippine Commission Act 2309 (1914) and ended on February 5, 1920 by Act of Philippine Legislature No. 2878. The Bureau of Non-Christian Tribes was organized and briefly headed by Teofisto Guingona, Sr. With the enactment by the US Congress of the Jones Law (Philippine Autonomy Law) in 1916, ultimate Philippine independence was guaranteed and the Filipinization of public administration began. Sulu, however, had an appointed American governor until 1935 and the Governor General in Manila had a say in Sulu affairs. At any rate, the essence of local governance forged by Rajah Baguinda continued to permeate the ethos of Sulu politics despite centuries of colonial presence. History points to a local government in Sulu that antedates other similar systems in the country. Today, Sulu has a locally constituted government under the new leadership of Governor Benjamin T. Loong and is part of the ARMM.

Geography

Sulu's main island, Jolo is the 15th largest island of the Philippine Archipelago in terms of the area, spanning 1,600 square kilometers. Sulu is a part of the Sulu Archipelago, which stretches from the tip of the Zamboanga Peninsula to the island of Borneo. The main island and also its islets are located between the island-provinces of Basilan to the northeast, and Tawi-Tawi to the southwest.

People and culture

Although consisting of a mixed community of Muslims and Christians, the Tausug dominate the Sulu Archipelago. The Tausug were among the first inhabitants of the Philippines to embrace Islam as a religion and a way of life.

The Tausug are referred to as ‘people of the current’, reflective of their close ties to the sea. The handicrafts of Sulu have both Islamic and Malay influences. Skilled artisans make boats, bladed weapons, bronze and brassware, pis cloth, embroidered textiles, shellcraft, traditional house carvings, and carved wooden grave markers.

Economy

The province of Sulu is predominantly agricultural with farming and fishing as its main livelihood activities. Its fertile soil and ideal climate can grow a variety of crops such as abaca, coconuts, oranges, and lanzones as well as exotic fruits seldom found elsewhere in the country such as durian and mangosteen.

Fishing is the most important industry since the Sulu Sea is one of the richest fishing grounds in the country. The province also have an extensive pearl industry. Pearls are extensively gathered and a pearl farm is established at Marungas Island. The backs of sea turtles are made into beautiful trays and combs. During breaks from fishing, the people build boats and weave mats. Other industries include coffee processing and fruit preservation.

Politics and administration

Political map of Sulu

Sulu is subdivided into 19 municipalities.

Municipalities

Municipality	No. of Barangays	Population (2007)	Area (km²)	Pop. density (per km²)
Banguingui (Tongkil)	14	22,502	124.00	181
Hadji Panglima Tahil (Marunggas)	5	6,192	49.50	125
Indanan	34	85,220	101.90	836
Jolo	8	140,307	22.20	6,320
Kalingalan Caluang	9	30,046	55.80	538
Lugus	17	21,650	35.40	47
Luuk	12	33,508	167.10	200
Maimbung	27	38,092	47.90	795
Old Panamao	31	49,903	51.10	977
Omar	8	25,102	-	-
Pandami	16	23,527	86.90	271
Panglima Estino (New Panamao)	12	35,263	45.00	783
Pangutaran	16	29,571	258.10	114
Parang	40	65,019	97.40	667
Pata	14	20,095	58.60	343
Patikul	30	56,805	179.30	316
Siasi	50	63,518	102.50	620
Talipao	52	85,920	141.00	609
Tapul	15	17,430	55.50	314

See also

• Bangsamoro
• Moro people
• Islam in the Philippines
• Moro Islamic Liberation Front
• Sultanate of Sulu

External links

• Official website of Sulu Province
• Official website of the Royal House of Sulu
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 1995 Philippine Census Information
• 2000 Philippine Census Information
• 2007 Philippine Census Information (1)
• 2007 Philippine Census Information (2)
• 2010 Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System