Editing Provinces of the Philippines (section)

== History ==
{{Cleanup list|section|date=August 2013}}
{{context|section|date=August 2013}}

=== Timeline ===
When the United States acquired the Philippines from Spain in 1898, the islands were divided into four ''gobiernos'' (governments), which were further subdivided into provinces and districts. The American administration initially inherited the Spanish divisions and placed them under military government. As insurgencies were pacified, civil government was gradually organized.

;1900–1901
* November 23, 1900 – Civil government of the province of [[Benguet]] established through Act No. 49. Capital moved to [[Baguio]].<ref name="Act-49" />
* February 6, 1901 – Act No. 83, or the Provincial Government Act, enacted by the [[Philippine Commission]].<ref name="Act-83" />
* February 13 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Pampanga]] through Act No. 85.<ref name="Act-85" />
* February 16 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Pangasinan]] through Act No. 86. Towns of [[Balungao]], [[Rosales, Pangasinan|Rosales]], [[San Quintin, Pangasinan|San Quintin]] and [[Umingan]] annexed from [[Nueva Ecija]].<ref name="Act-86" />
* February 18 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Tarlac]] through Act No. 87.<ref name="Act-87" />
* February 27 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Bulacan]] through Act No. 88. Capital moved to [[Malolos]].<ref name="Act-88" />
* March 2 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Bataan]] through Act No. 92.<ref name="Act-92" />
* March 12 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Quezon|Tayabas]] through Act No. 103. Capital moved to [[Lucena, Philippines|Lucena]].<ref name="Act-103" />
* March 16 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Romblon]], elevated from Spanish-era status of District, through Act No. 104.<ref name="Act-104" />
* March 18 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Masbate]], elevated from Spanish-era status of District, through Act No. 105.<ref name="Act-105" />
* April 11 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Iloilo]], formed through the merging of the Spanish-era Province of Iloilo with the [[Comandancia of Concepcion]], through Act No. 113.<ref name="Act-113" />
* April 13 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Antique (province)|Antique]] through Act No. 114.<ref name="Act-114" />
* April 15 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Capiz]] through Act No. 115.<ref name="Act-115" />
* April 18 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Cebu]] through Act No. 116.<ref name="Act-116" />
* April 20 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Bohol]] through Act No. 117.<ref name="Act-117" />
* April 22 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Leyte (province)|Leyte]] through Act No. 121.<ref name="Act-121" />
* April 26 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Albay]] through Act No. 122.<ref name="Act-122" />
* April 27 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Ambos Camarines]] through Act No. 123.<ref name="Act-123" />
* April 30 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Sorsogon]] through Act No. 124.<ref name="Act-124" />
* May 1:
** Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Occidental Negros]] and [[Oriental Negros]] through Acts No. 119<ref name="Act-119" /> and 120,<ref name="Act-120" /> respectively, enacted on April 20, 1901.
** Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to newly created [[Marinduque]] through Act No. 125.<ref name="Act-125" />
* May 2 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Batangas]] through Act No. 126.<ref name="Act-126" />
* May 15:
** Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Surigao (province)|Surigao]], elevated from Spanish-era status of District, through Act No. 127.<ref name="Act-127" />
** Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Misamis (province)|Misamis]] through Act No. 128.<ref name="Act-128" />
* June 11:
** Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to newly created [[Rizal (province)|Rizal]], formed through the merging of the Politico-Military District of Morong with the entire [[Manila (province)|province of Manila]] except the territory of the [[Manila|city of Manila]], through Act No. 137.<ref name="Act-137" />
** Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Cavite]] through Act No. 138. Annexed [[Lubang Island|Lubang]] and adjacent islands to the province. Provincial government provided an option to move capital from the town of [[Cavite City|Cavite]].<ref name="Act-138" />
** Provisions of the Provincial Government Act extended to [[Nueva Ecija]] through Act No. 139.  Provincial government provided an option to move capital from the town of [[San Isidro, Nueva Ecija|San Isidro]].<ref name="Act-139" />
* July 16 – [[Catanduanes]] annexed to [[Albay]] through Act No. 169.<ref name="Act-169" />
* July 17 – [[Batangas]], [[Bohol]] and [[Cebu]] placed under the control of military governors through Act No. 173.<ref name="Act-173" />
* August 15 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to [[La Union]] through Act No. 203.<ref name="Act-203" />
* August 16 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to [[Ilocos Sur]] through Act No. 205.<ref name="Act-205" />
* August 19 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to [[Abra (province)|Abra]], excluding its territory east of the crest of the [[Cordillera Central (Luzon)|Cordillera Central]], through Act No. 206.<ref name="Act-206" />
* August 20 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to [[Ilocos Norte]] through Act No. 207.<ref name="Act-207" />
* August 22 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to [[Cagayan]] through Act No. 209. The [[Babuyan Islands]] and the Spanish-era province of [[Batanes]] annexed to the province.<ref name="Act-209" />
* August 24 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to [[Isabela (province)|Isabela]] through Act No. 210.<ref name="Act-210" />
* August 28 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to [[Zambales]] through Act No. 211.<ref name="Act-211" />

;1902
* January 1 – Civil government of the Province of [[Cebu]] restored through Act No. 322 enacted on December 20, 1901.<ref name="Act-322" />
* January 28 – Civil government of the Province of [[Nueva Vizcaya]] established through Act No. 337.<ref name="Act-337" />
* April 1 – Civil government of the Province of [[Bohol]] restored through Act No. 365 enacted on March 3, 1902.<ref name="Act-365" />
* May 28 – Spanish-era comandancias of Amburayan, [[Mountain Province|Bontoc]] and Lepanto organized into sub-provinces under the new province of [[Lepanto-Bontoc]] through Act No. 410. Areas between [[Abra (province)|Abra]] and [[Cagayan]] not yet placed under the jurisdiction of any province annexed as part of the sub-province of [[Mountain Province|Bontoc]].<ref name="Act-410" />
* June 12 – Spanish-era districts of [[Aurora (province)|El Principe]] and [[Infanta, Quezon|Infanta]], including the [[Polillo Islands]], annexed to [[Quezon|Tayabas]] through Act No. 417.<ref name="Act-417" />
* June 17 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to [[Samar Province (1768-1965)|Samar]] through Act No. 419.<ref name="Act-419" />
* June 23:
** Civil government of the Province of [[Palawan|Paragua]] established through Act No. 422.<ref name="Act-422" />
** [[Mindoro Island|Mindoro]], [[Lubang Island|Lubang]] and surrounding small islands annexed to [[Marinduque]] through Act No. 423.<ref name="Act-423" />
* July 1 – Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to [[Laguna (province)|La Laguna]] through Act No. 424.<ref name="Act-424" />
* November 10:
** [[Marinduque]] annexed to [[Quezon|Tayabas]] through Act No. 499.<ref name="Act-499" />
** Provisions of the Provincial Government Act and its amendments extended to newly created [[Mindoro (province)|Mindoro]], separated from [[Marinduque]] through Act No. 500.<ref name="Act-500" />

;1903
* May 14 – [[Cagayancillo]], [[Balabac]] and the rest of [[Palawan Island]] (south of Tapul and Ulugan rivers) annexed to [[Palawan|Paragua]] through Act No. 747. Provincial government provided the option to choose capital between [[Cuyo, Palawan|Cuyo]] or [[Puerto Princesa]].<ref name="Act-747" />
* May 26 – Spanish-era Comandancia of [[Kayapa]] annexed to [[Benguet]] through Act No. 768.<ref name="Act-768" />
* July 15 – [[Moro Province]] formed, composed of the districts of Cotabato, Davao, Lanao, Sulu, and Zamboanga through Act No. 787 enacted on June 1, 1903.<ref name="Act-787" />

;1905
* April 1 – [[Abra (province)|Abra]] annexed to [[Ilocos Sur]] as sub-province through Act No. 1306 enacted on February 27, 1905.<ref name="Act-1306" />
* April 19 – [[Catanduanes]] established as sub-province of [[Albay]] through Act No. 1331.<ref name="Act-1331" />
* June 28 – Name of Paragua changed to [[Palawan]] through Act No. 1363.<ref name="Act-1363" />

;1906–1907
* January 1, 1906 – [[Masbate]] annexed to [[Sorsogon]] as sub-province through Act No. 1413 enacted on November 23, 1905.<ref name="Act-1413" />
* May 9, 1907 – [[Apayao]] and [[Kalinga (province)|Kalinga]] established as sub-provinces of [[Cagayan]] and [[Lepanto-Bontoc]], respectively, through Act No. 1642.<ref name="Act-1642" />
* July 15 – [[Romblon]] (except the island of [[Concepcion, Romblon|Maestro de Campo]], annexed to [[Mindoro (province)|Mindoro]]) annexed to [[Capiz]] as sub-province through Act No. 1665 enacted on July 2, 1907.<ref name="Act-1665" />
* August 10 – [[Marinduque]] declared a sub-province of [[Quezon|Tayabas]] through Act No. 1649 enacted on May 17, 1907.<ref name="Act-1649" />
* August 20 – Act No. 1693 creates [[Agusan (province)|Agusan]] (composed of the sub-provinces of [[Agusan (province)|Butuan]] and [[Bukidnon]]), and establishes [[Batanes]] as a sub-province of [[Cagayan]].<ref name="Act-1693" />
* October 8 – [[Siquijor]] established as sub-province of [[Negros Oriental]] through Act No. 1753.<ref name="Act-1753" />

;1908–1919
* August 18, 1908 – [[Mountain Province]], with seven sub-provinces, formed by merging territories of the entire province of Lepanto-Bontoc (with [[Amburayan]], Bontoc, [[Kalinga (province)|Kalinga]] and Lepanto sub-provinces); the district in the province of [[Nueva Vizcaya]] that formerly comprised the Spanish-era Comandancia of Quiangan (annexed as [[Ifugao (province)|Ifugao]] sub-province); the entire province of [[Benguet]] except [[Baguio]] (annexed as Benguet sub-province); and [[Apayao (province)|Apayao]] sub-province in [[Cagayan]], through Act No. 1876.<ref name="Act-1876" />
* May 20, 1909 – [[Batanes]] re-established as province, separated from [[Cagayan]] through Act No. 1952.<ref name="Act-1952" />
* December 20, 1913 – Act No. 2309 renames [[Moro Province]] to [[Department of Mindanao and Sulu]] and annexes [[Agusan (province)|Agusan]] (with [[Bukidnon]] sub-province) to the Department. Department of Mindanao and Sulu formally organized on January 1, 1914.<ref name="Act-2309" />
* September 1, 1914 – [[Department of Mindanao and Sulu]] provided with autonomous government through Act No. 2408 enacted on July 23, 1914. [[Bukidnon]] sub-province and the former Moro Province districts of [[Cotabato Province (1914-1973)|Cotabato]], [[Davao Region|Davao]], [[Lanao (province)|Lanao]], [[Sulu]] and [[Zamboanga (province)|Zamboanga]] converted to provinces.<ref name="Act-2408" />
* March 9, 1917 – [[Abra (province)|Abra]] re-established as regular province, separated from [[Ilocos Sur]] through Act No. 2683.<ref name="Act-2683" />
* December 7, 1917 – [[Romblon]] re-established as regular province, separated from [[Capiz]] through Act No. 2724.<ref name="Act-2724" />
* March 3, 1919 – [[Ambos Camarines]] divided into [[Camarines Norte]] and [[Camarines Sur]] through Act No. 2809.<ref name="Act-2809" />

;1920
* February 4
** Act No. 2877 abolishes Amburayan sub-province in [[Mountain Province]] by annexing its municipal entities to [[Ilocos Sur]] and [[La Union (province)|La Union]].<ref name="Act-2877" />
** Lepanto sub-province reduced in size by annexing some of its municipal entities to [[Ilocos Sur]] and [[Benguet]].<ref name="Act-2877" />
* February 22 – [[Marinduque]] re-established as regular province, separated from [[Quezon|Tayabas]] through Act No. 2880.<ref name="Act-2880" />
* December 15 – [[Masbate]] re-established as regular province, separated from [[Sorsogon (province)|Sorsogon]] through Act No. 2934.<ref name="Act-2934" />

;1923–1939
* March 27, 1923 – [[Leyte]] divided into Occidental Leyte and Oriental Leyte through Act No. 3117, but never proclaimed by the governor-general.<ref name="Act-3117" />
* November 28, 1930 – Division of [[Misamis (province)|Misamis]] into [[Misamis Occidental]] and [[Misamis Oriental]] implemented by virtue of Act No. 3777,<ref name="Act-3777" /> the law that amended Act No. 3537 (enacted on November 2, 1929), which first sought the division.<ref name="Act-3537" />
* June 8, 1940 – Provincial government of [[Romblon]] abolished, municipal governments reorganized into four "special municipalities" through Commonwealth Act No. 581.<ref name="CA-581" />

;1942
* January 1 – Executive Order No. 400 issued by [[Manuel L. Quezon]] creates the [[City of Greater Manila]], composed of the chartered cities of [[Manila]] and [[Quezon City]] with the following municipalities from the province of [[Rizal (province)|Rizal]]: [[Caloocan]], [[Makati]], [[Mandaluyong]], [[Parañaque]], [[Pasay]] and [[San Juan, Metro Manila|San Juan]].<ref name="EO-400-s-1942" />
* May 18 – Executive Order No. 42 issued by [[Jorge B. Vargas|Jorge Vargas]] of the [[Japanese occupation of the Philippines|Japanese-era]] [[Philippine Executive Commission]] abolishes sub-provinces, annexing their municipalities to their respective provinces.{{efn|name=WWII|Provisions of this order only apply for the duration of the Japanese occupation; revoked after the restoration of the Commonwealth in 1945.}}{{refn|SEC. 2. ''Subprovinces abolished''.—The subprovinces and their governments are hereby abolished and their territories annexed to the provinces to which they belong."<ref name="OfficialGazetteVol1" />}}
* August 31 – Executive Order No. 84 issued by [[Jorge B. Vargas|Jorge Vargas]] abolishes the province of [[Batanes]] and annexes its municipalities to [[Cagayan]]; annexes the municipalities of [[Baler, Aurora|Baler]] and [[Casiguran, Aurora|Casiguran]] (corresponding to the entire present-day territory of [[Aurora (province)|Aurora]]) from [[Quezon (province)|Tayabas]] to [[Nueva Ecija]]; annexes the municipality of [[Infanta, Quezon|Infanta]] (including the present-day municipalities of [[General Nakar, Quezon|General Nakar]] and [[Real, Quezon|Real]]) from [[Quezon|Tayabas]] to [[Laguna (province)|Laguna]]; abolishes the province of [[Marinduque]] and annexes its municipalities to [[Quezon|Tayabas]]; and abolishes the province of [[Romblon]] and annexes its special municipalities to [[Capiz]].{{efn|name=WWII}}{{refn|"Pursuant to the authority conferred upon me as Head of the Central Administrative Organization by Order No. 1 in connection with Order No. 3 of the Commander in Chief of the Imperial Japanese Forces in the Philippines and upon the recommendation of the Executive Commission it is hereby ordered that—
# The Province of Batanes is abolished and the comprising the same as well as the territory thereof shall be annexed to the Province Cagayan.
# The municipalities of Baler and Casiguran, Province of Tayabas, and the territories thereof are segregated from said province and shall be annexed to the Province of Nueva Ecija.
# The municipality of Infanta, Province of Tayabas, and the territory thereof are segregated from province and shall be annexed to the Province of Laguna.
# The Province of Marinduque is abolished and municipalities comprising the same as well as territory thereof shall be annexed to the Province of Tayabas.
# The Province of Romblon is abolished and the municipalities comprising the same as well the territory thereof shall be annexed to the of Capiz."<ref name="OfficialGazetteVol1" />}}
* November 1 – Executive Order No. 103 issued by [[Jorge B. Vargas|Jorge Vargas]] annexes the [[Polillo Islands]] from [[Quezon|Tayabas]] to [[Laguna (province)|Laguna]].{{efn|name=WWII}}{{refn|"Pursuant to the authority conferred upon me by Order No. 1 in connection with Order No. 3 of the Commander in Chief of the Imperial Japanese Forces in the Philippines and upon the recommendation of the Executive Commission it is hereby ordered that—
# The Polillo islands are segregated from the Province of Tayabas and shall be annexed to the Province of Laguna."<ref name="OfficialGazetteVol1" />}}

;1945–1956
* August 1, 1945 – Executive Order No. 58 issued by [[Sergio Osmeña]] reduces the territory of the City of Greater Manila to only [[Manila]] and [[Quezon City]], restoring [[Caloocan]], [[Makati]], [[Mandaluyong]], [[Parañaque]], [[Pasay]] and [[San Juan, Metro Manila|San Juan]] to [[Rizal (province)|Rizal]]. Republic Act No. 54 of October 10, 1946, later repealed Executive Order No. 400 (series 1942) and Executive Order No. 58 (series 1945), finally abolishing the City of Greater Manila and restoring the pre-war status of the chartered cities of Manila and Quezon City.<ref name="EO-58-s-1945" />
* October 26, 1945 – [[Catanduanes]] established as regular province, separated from [[Albay]] through Commonwealth Act No. 687 enacted on September 26, 1945.<ref name="CA-687" />
* September 7, 1946 – Name of Tayabas changed to [[Quezon]] through Republic Act No. 14.<ref name="RA-14" />
* October 1, 1946 – CA 581 repealed and [[Romblon]]'s provincial and municipal governments restored through Republic Act No. 38.<ref name="RA-38" />
* June 13, 1950 – [[Mindoro (province)|Mindoro]] divided into [[Occidental Mindoro]] and [[Oriental Mindoro]] through Republic Act No. 505.<ref name="RA-505" />
* June 14, 1951 – [[Aurora (province)|Aurora]] established as sub-province of [[Quezon]] through Republic Act No. 648.<ref name="RA-648" />
* June 6, 1952 – [[Zamboanga (province)|Zamboanga]] divided into [[Zamboanga del Norte]] and [[Zamboanga del Sur]] through Republic Act No. 711.<ref name="RA-711" />
* April 25, 1956 – [[Aklan]] separated from [[Capiz]] through Republic Act No. 1414.<ref name="RA-1414" />
* June 22, 1957 – [[Camiguin]] established as sub-province of [[Misamis Oriental]] through Republic Act No. 2021.<ref name="RA-2021" />

;1959
* April 8 – [[Biliran]] established as sub-province of [[Leyte (province)|Leyte]] through Republic Act No. 2141.<ref name="RA-2141" />
* May 22 – [[Lanao (province)|Lanao]] province divided into [[Lanao del Norte]] and [[Lanao del Sur]] through Republic Act No. 2228.<ref name="RA-2228" />
* July 1 – [[Southern Leyte]] separated from [[Leyte (province)|Leyte]] through Republic Act No. 2227 approved on May 22, 1959.<ref name="RA-2227" />

;1960–1969
* June 19, 1960 – [[Surigao (province)|Surigao]] divided into [[Surigao del Norte]] and [[Surigao del Sur]] through Republic Act No. 2786.<ref name="RA-2786" />
* November 9, 1965 – Plebiscite approves the division of [[Samar Province (1768-1965)|Samar]] into [[Eastern Samar]], [[Northern Samar]], and [[Western Samar]] by virtue of Republic Act No. 4221 enacted on June 19, 1965.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Vance |first=Lee W. |title=Tracing Your Philippine Ancestors |publisher=Stevenson's Genealogical Center |year=1980 |location=Provo, Utah |pages=321}}</ref><ref name="RA-4221" />
* June 18, 1966
** [[Guimaras]] established as sub-province of [[Iloilo]] through Republic Act No. 4667.<ref name="RA-4667" />
** [[Camiguin]] established as regular province, separated from [[Misamis Oriental]] through Republic Act No. 4669.<ref name="RA-4669" />
** [[Benguet]] re-established, and [[Ifugao]] and [[Kalinga-Apayao]] created, from [[Mountain Province]] through Republic Act No. 4695.<ref name="RA-4695" />
** [[Quirino]] established as sub-province of [[Nueva Vizcaya]] through Republic Act No. 4734.<ref name="RA-4734" />
** [[South Cotabato]] separated from [[Cotabato Province (1914-1973)|Cotabato]] through Republic Act No. 4849.<ref name="RA-4849" />
* May 8, 1967 – [[Davao Region|Davao]] province divided into [[Davao del Norte]], [[Davao del Sur]], and [[Davao Oriental]] through Republic Act No. 4867.<ref name="RA-4867" />
* November 14, 1967 – Plebiscite approves the division of [[Agusan (province)|Agusan]] into [[Agusan del Norte]] and [[Agusan del Sur]] by virtue of Republic Act No. 4979 enacted on June 17, 1967.<ref name="RA-4979" />
* June 21, 1969 – Name of Western Samar province changed to [[Samar (province)|Samar]] through Republic Act No. 5650.<ref name="RA-5650" />
* August 4, 1969 – [[Samal, Davao del Norte|Samal]] sub-province created from [[Davao del Norte]] through Republic Act No. 5999, but never inaugurated.<ref name="RA-5999" />

;1971–1998
* October 4, 1971 – Maranaw province created from [[Lanao del Sur]] through Republic Act No. 6406, remained unorganized due to the disruption caused by the declaration of [[Martial Law in the Philippines]].
* November 11, 1971 – Plebiscites approve the establishment of [[Quirino]] and [[Siquijor]] as regular provinces by virtue of Republic Act No. 6394 (approved on September 10, 1971) and Republic Act No. 6398 (approved on September 17, 1971), separating them from [[Nueva Vizcaya]] and [[Negros Oriental]], respectively.
* June 17, 1972 – Name of [[Davao del Norte]] changed to Davao through Republic Act No. 6430.
* September 11, 1973 – [[Tawi-Tawi]] separated from [[Sulu]] through Presidential Decree No. 302.
* November 22, 1973 – [[Cotabato Province (1914-1973)|Cotabato]] divided into [[Maguindanao]], [[North Cotabato]], and [[Sultan Kudarat]] through Presidential Decree No. 341.
* December 27, 1973 – [[Basilan]] province created through Presidential Decree No. 356 out of most of the territory of the City of Basilan, which itself was delimited to only the downtown area of what is now [[Isabela, Basilan|Isabela City]], then finally abolished by Presidential Decree No. 840 in 1975.
* November 7, 1975 – [[Metro Manila]] established through Presidential Decree No. 824, composed of the four chartered cities of [[Manila]], [[Caloocan]], [[Pasay]] and [[Quezon City]], and several municipalities of [[Rizal (province)|Rizal]] and [[Bulacan]], all of which effectively became independent from provincial supervision.
* August 13, 1979 – [[Aurora (province)|Aurora]] proclaimed a regular province, separated from [[Quezon]] through Batas Pambansa Blg. 7 enacted on November 21, 1978. Plebiscite held on May 20, 1979, approves provincehood.
* March 7, 1984 – Name of North Cotabato province changed to [[Cotabato]] through Batas Pambansa Blg. 660.<ref>{{Cite act |url= https://lawphil.net/statutes/bataspam/bp1984/bp_660_1984.html |title= An Act Changing the Name of the Province of North Cotabato to Cotabato |date= 7 March 1984 |number= 660 |type= Batas Pambansa }}</ref>
* January 3, 1986 – Plebiscite approves the separation of [[Negros del Norte]] from [[Negros Occidental]] by virtue of Batas Pambansa Blg. 885 enacted on December 3, 1985.
* August 18, 1986 – BP No. 885 found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, [[Negros del Norte]] reverts as part of [[Negros Occidental]].
* May 11, 1992 – Plebiscites affirm the establishment of [[Biliran]] and [[Guimaras]] as regular provinces, separating them from [[Leyte (province)|Leyte]] and [[Iloilo]], respectively, by virtue of Section 462 of Republic Act No. 7160 (Local Government Code of 1991) approved on October 10, 1991.
* November 28, 1992 – Plebiscite approves the separation of [[Sarangani]] from [[South Cotabato]] by virtue of Republic Act No. 7228 approved on March 16, 1992.
* May 8, 1995 – Plebiscite approves the division of [[Kalinga-Apayao]] into [[Apayao]] and [[Kalinga (province)|Kalinga]] by virtue of Republic Act No. 7878 approved on February 14, 1995.
* March 7, 1998 – Plebiscite approves the separation of [[Compostela Valley]] from [[Davao del Norte|Davao]] by virtue of Republic Act No. 8470 approved on January 30, 1998. Name of Davao changed back to Davao del Norte.

;2001–present
* February 22, 2001 – Plebiscite approves the separation of [[Zamboanga Sibugay]] from [[Zamboanga del Sur]] by virtue of Republic Act No. 8973 approved on November 7, 2000.
* October 28, 2006 – [[2006 Shariff Kabunsuan creation plebiscite|Plebiscite]] approves the separation of [[Shariff Kabunsuan]] from [[Maguindanao]] by virtue of Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act No. 201 enacted on August 28, 2006.
* December 2, 2006 – Plebiscite approves the separation of [[Dinagat Islands]] from [[Surigao del Norte]] by virtue of Republic Act No. 9355 approved on October 2, 2006.
* November 18, 2008 – MMA Act No. 201 [[Sema v. COMELEC and Dilangalen|declared void]] by the Supreme Court, [[Shariff Kabunsuan]] reverts as part of [[Maguindanao]].
* February 11, 2010 – RA No. 9355 found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, [[Dinagat Islands]] reverts as part of [[Surigao del Norte]].
* March 30, 2011 – Supreme Court reverses its decision on [[Dinagat Islands]] and became a province once again.
* October 28, 2013 – Plebiscite approves the separation of [[Davao Occidental]] from [[Davao del Sur]] by virtue of Republic Act No. 10360 approved on January 21, 2013.
* December 8, 2019 – Name of Compostela Valley changed to [[Davao de Oro]] through Republic Act 11297 approved on April 17, 2019.
* September 18, 2022 – Plebiscite approves the division of [[Maguindanao]] into [[Maguindanao del Norte]] and [[Maguindanao del Sur]] by virtue of Republic Act No. 11550 approved on May 27, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|date=September 18, 2022|title='Yes' vote wins in Maguindanao plebiscite|url=https://www.rappler.com/nation/mindanao/results-maguindanao-plebiscite-2022/|access-date=September 18, 2022|website=[[Rappler]]|language=en|archive-date=September 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920170324/https://www.rappler.com/nation/mindanao/results-maguindanao-plebiscite-2022/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Gallery===
<gallery widths="200" perrow="3">
File:Administrative Divisions of the Philippines (1880).svg|1880
File:Administrative Divisions of the Philippines (1899).svg|1899
File:Administrative Divisions of the Philippines (1908).svg|1907
File:Administrative Divisions of the Philippines (1918).svg|1918
File:Administrative Divisions of the Philippines (1935).svg|1935
File:Administrative Divisions of the Philippines (1942-1945).svg|1942–1945
File:Administrative Divisions of the Philippines (1986).svg|1986
File:Administrative Divisions of the Philippines (2013).svg|2013–2022
File:Ph administrative map blank 2.svg|2022–
</gallery>