Ligawasan, officially the Municipality of Ligawasan (Maguindanaon: Inged nu Ligawasan, Jawi: ; Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Ligawasan; Cebuano: Lungsod sa Ligawasan; Tagalog: Bayan ng Ligawasan), is a municipality in the province of Cotabato, Philippines. The municipality is part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao despite Cotabato being part of Soccsksargen.
Ligawasan | |
|---|---|
| Municipality of Ligawasan | |
 | |
 Map of Cotabato with Ligawasan highlighted | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Bangsamoro (Special Geographic Area) |
| Province | Cotabato |
| Founded | April 13, 2024 |
| Barangays | 7 (see Barangays) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Sangguniang Bayan |
| • Mayor | Ismael Sultan Mama |
| • Vice Mayor | Jenaida L. Abas |
| • Municipal Council | Members |
| • Electorate | 19,167 voters (2025) |
| Population (2024 census)[2] | |
• Total | 28,322 |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| ZIP code | 9409 |
| PSGC | |
History
editWhen the Bangsamoro was created in 2019 to supplant the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, 63 barangays in the province of Cotabato were grouped with the newer autonomous region in the second part of the plebiscite held in February 6.[3] The mother municipalities and Cotabato province remained part of Soccsksargen.[4]
By March 2020, these barangays were designated as a Special Geographic Area (SGA) of the Bangsamoro region.[5]
On August 17, 2023, the bills consolidating the SGA barangays into eight municipalities were approved by the Bangsamoro Parliament,[6] The particular bill creating Ligawasan was Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 136.[7]
A plebiscite was held on April 13, 2024, and voters approved all eight bills reconstituting the SGA barangays to eight municipalities including Ligawasan, where 11,788 voted in favor of its creation while none voted against. The Bangsamoro regional government will provide ₱2.5 million in funding for the municipal government until it gets its share of income from the National Tax Allotment.[8] Ligawasan was created from seven barangays of Pikit.[7]
Geography
editDemographics
edit| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 28,322 | — |
| Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[9] | ||
Government
editOfficers-in-charge (OIC) were selected by Bangsamoro Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim to fill positions in the municipal government pending regular elections in 2025. The municipality remains under the jurisdiction of the Special Geographic Area pending the creation of a new province.[10][11]
Ismael Sultan Mama is the mayor of Ligawasan since June 30, 2025. He previously served as OIC at the creation of the municipality.[12]
References
edit
- ↑ Municipality of Ligawasan | (DILG)
- ↑ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ↑ Santos, Tina (February 15, 2019). "63 Cotabato barangays now part of BARMM". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
- ↑ Layug, Margaret Claire (February 8, 2019). "What happens to Cotabato barangays not part of new Bangsamoro region?". GMA News (in English and Tagalog). Retrieved May 22, 2019.
- ↑ Fernandez, Edwin (March 21, 2020). "BARMM records 2 Covid-19 deaths, 2 infected". Retrieved June 30, 2020.
- ↑ "BARMM approves creation of 8 new towns". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
- 1 2 "Bills creating 8 municipalities in SGA-BARMM approved by BTA Parliament". Luwaran. 20 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
- ↑ Bolledo, Jairo (13 April 2024). "BARMM residents approve creation of 8 more towns". Rappler. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ↑ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ↑ "81% voter turnout on BARMM special geographic area plebiscite". Daily Tribune. 14 April 2024. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
- ↑ "BARMM eyes new province for eight newly created towns". Rappler. 16 April 2024. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ↑ "CM Ebrahim names OIC local officials in new eight SGA towns - BARMM Official Website". Bangsamoro Information Office. 9 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.