is both 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 , and the chartered city of
Zamboanga City at the south-eastern tip. The region was previously known as ''Western Mindanao'' before the enactment of Executive Order No. 36 on
September 19 ,
2001 .
After the
United States annexed the
Spanish East Indies in
1898 , Zamboanga became a part of the
Moro Province, which consisted of
Mindanao and the
Sulu Archipelago . The name and status of Moro province soon changed to the
Department Of Mindanao And Sulu on
August 16 ,
1916 , that caused Zamboanga to become a province.
On
June 6 ,
1952 , the province was divided into two provinces,
Zamboanga Del Norte and
Zamboanga Del Sur , while the chartered City of Zamboanga became an independent city.
Together with the
Sulu Archipelago , the provinces that formerly made up Zamboanga province were organized into Region IX by order of Presidential Decree No. 1 as part of the Integrated Reorganization Plan of President
Ferdinand Marcos .
Between
1975 to
1989 the old Region IX (Western Mindanao) was divided into two sub-regions by Presidential Decree No. 773 dated August 21, 1975.
'' consisted of
Basilan ,
Sulu and
Tawi-Tawi with
Jolo, Sulu as the sub-regional center.
'' consisted of the provinces of
Zamboanga Del Norte and
Zamboanga Del Sur , with the chartered city of
Zamboanga City as the sub-regional center.
In
2001 ,
Zamboanga Sibugay , was created from the province of
Zamboanga Del Sur .
During 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 , did not want to join so the city remained a part of this region with the as a result of Executive Order No. 36.
In 2006, Zamboanga City was re-labeled from "City of Flowers" to "Asia's Latin City". The new label is the brainchild of Mayor Celso L. Lobregat believeing that this was a more relevant and significant label given the fact that the people of Zamboanga speak Chavacano, a local dialect composed of Eighty percent (80%) Spanish words and the remaining Twenty percent (20%) a mixture of other local dialects such as Visayan, Ilonggo, Subanon, Yakan and Tausug.
Isabela City is a Component City of Basilan province which is part of the Autonomous Region In Muslim Mindanao , but for national administrative purposes, the city is a part of the Zamboanga Peninsula Region.
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 its lone chartered city of
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
Panquil 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.
Zambaoanga Peninsula has five ,
Dapitan City ,
Isabela City ,
Pagadian City , and the lone chartered and only highly-urbanized city of
Zamboanga . Isabela City is actually part of the island-province of
Basilan to the south of the peninsula, and is that province's capital.
The cities of Zamboanga, Dipolog and Pagadian serve as the centers of trade, commerce and education in the region. Zamboanga City, known for its Fort Pilar, is a tourist destination besides being considered as the busiest city in Western Mindanao.
The city of Dapitan is the place of Jose Rizal's exile. It is also known for the old St. James Parish and the beautiful beach resort of Dakak.
It has the first export-processing zone in Mindanao. Farming and fishing are the main economic activities of the region. It also has rice and corn mills, oil processing, coffee berry processing and processing of latex from rubber. Its home industries include rattan and furniture craft, basket making, weaving and brass work.
