Editing Provinces of the Philippines (section)

=== Currently proposed provinces in the 19th Congress ===
* '''Kutawato''' or '''Moro Province''' (2024): Senate Bill No. 2875 of [[Robin Padilla]] proposes the conversion of the [[Special Geographic Area]] of the [[Bangsamoro]] autonomous region, which is currently under the jurisdiction of the provincial government of [[Soccsksargen]] region's [[Cotabato]] province, into a separate province named 'Kutawato'.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Africa |first1=Raymond |title=Bill proposing new BARMM province filed |url=https://malaya.com.ph/news/national-news/bill-proposing-new-barmm-province-filed/ |access-date=14 November 2024 |work=Malaya Business Insight |date=12 November 2024 |language=en}}</ref> The bill names as capital the municipality of [[Pahamuddin]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 11, 2024 |title=Senate Bill No. 2875: An Act Creating A Special Geographic Area In The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region In Muslim Mindanao To Be Known As The "Kutawato Province"|url=https://web.senate.gov.ph/lisdata/4525741139!.pdf |access-date=April 21, 2025 |website=senate.gov.ph |publisher=Republic of the Philippines – Senate}}</ref> which was created by an act of the [[Bangsamoro Parliament]]. Separately, Bangsamoro regional government has been planning to convert the SGA towns into a new province. The [[Moro Islamic Liberation Front]] which leads the regional government is already informally referring to the SGA as 'Ligawasan Province'.<ref name=barmm>{{cite news |title=BARMM eyes new province for eight newly created towns |url=https://www.rappler.com/nation/mindanao/barmm-eyes-new-province-newly-created-towns-april-2024/ |access-date=16 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240530035152/https://www.rappler.com/philippines/mindanao/barmm-eyes-new-province-newly-created-towns-april-2024/|archive-date=30 May 2024|work=Rappler |date=16 April 2024 }}</ref> The regional government has alternatively proposed that the subdivision be named "Moro Province" to avoid confusion with Cotabato province.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cabrera |first1=Ferdinandh |title=Support snowballs for proposal to create new BARMM province called Kutawato |url=https://www.rappler.com/philippines/mindanao/support-proposal-new-barmm-province-kutawato/ |access-date=5 December 2024 |work=Rappler |date=5 December 2024}}</ref>
* '''Western Leyte''' (2005, 2010, 2024): During the 13th and the 15th Congress, [[Leyte's 5th congressional district|Leyte 5th District]] Rep. Carmen L. Cari and her son and successor Rep. Jose Carlos L. Cari introduced bills seeking to carve the new province of Western Leyte out of the province of [[Leyte (province)|Leyte]]. The Caris' constituency consisted of the [[Baybay|City of Baybay]] and the eight southernmost municipalities of the province. The bills died in the committee level.<ref>{{Cite web |title=House Bill No. 3764 (13th Congress) |url=https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-3764-13th-congress-republic |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231224052911/https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-3764-13th-congress-republic |archive-date=December 24, 2023 |access-date=December 24, 2023 |publisher=[[Senate of the Philippines|Senate of the Philippines Legislative Digital Resources]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=House Bill No. 3648 (15th Congress) |url=https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-3648-15th-congress-republic |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231224052913/https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-3648-15th-congress-republic |archive-date=December 24, 2023 |access-date=December 24, 2023 |publisher=[[Senate of the Philippines|Senate of the Philippines Legislative Digital Resources]]}}</ref> Previously, during the 9th Congress, [[Leyte's 4th congressional district|Leyte 4th District]] Rep. Carmelo J. Locsin filed House Bill No. 6388 also to create the province of Western Leyte; his district consists of the City of [[Ormoc]] and the surrounding western municipalities of [[Albuera, Leyte|Albuera]], [[Isabel, Leyte|Isabel]], [[Kananga, Leyte|Kananga]], [[Matag-ob]], [[Merida, Leyte|Merida]], and [[Palompon]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=House Bill No. 6388 (9th Congress) |url=https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-6388-9th-congress-republic |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113032749/https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-6388-9th-congress-republic |archive-date=January 13, 2024 |access-date=January 13, 2024 |publisher=[[Senate of the Philippines|Senate of the Philippines Legislative Digital Resources]]}}</ref> During the 19th congress, Leyte 4th District Rep. [[Richard Gomez]] revived the idea through House Bill 11077, seeking to establish Western Leyte as a new province. The proposed province would consist of Cebuano-speaking areas, including Ormoc City as its capital, Baybay City, and the municipalities of Leyte, Calubian, San Isidro, Tabango, Villaba, Albuera, Isabel, Kananga, Matag-ob, Merida, Palompon, Bato, Hilongos, Hindang, Inopacan, and Matalom. This would divide Leyte’s third and fourth congressional districts, covering approximately 3,000 square kilometers with a population nearing 1 million. Gomez cited the geographic division caused by the Leyte Central Highland Range and Mt. Pangasugan, which hinders access to essential services concentrated in Tacloban City on the eastern side of the island. He maintained that creating Western Leyte would address these logistical challenges and improve service delivery for the population on the western side.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cruz |first=Moises |date=2024-12-05 |title=Proposed law creating Western Leyte opposed |url=https://www.manilatimes.net/2024/12/05/regions/proposed-law-creating-western-leyte-opposed/2016121 |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=The Manila Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Desacada |first=Miriam |title=Richard Gomez proposes Western Leyte province |url=https://www.philstar.com/nation/2024/11/29/2403719/richard-gomez-proposes-western-leyte-province |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Philstar.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Recuerdo |first=Elmer |date=2024-11-28 |title=Solon eyes Western Leyte creation |url=https://tribune.net.ph/2024/11/27/solon-eyes-western-leyte-creation |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Daily Tribune |language=en}}</ref>
* '''Surigao Oriental''' (1992, 2015, 2022): House Bill No. 2336 seeks to carve a province out of the six southernmost local government units of [[Surigao del Sur]] province. The [[Bislig|City of Bislig]] and the municipalities of [[Barobo, Surigao del Sur|Barobo]], [[Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur|Hinatuan]], [[Lingig, Surigao del Sur|Lingig]], and [[Tagbina, Surigao del Sur|Tagbina]] all comprise the district of the bill's author, Surigao del Sur [[Legislative districts of Surigao del Sur#2nd District|2nd District]] Representative [[Johnny Pimentel|Johnny T. Pimentel]]; the bill also seeks to transfer [[Lianga, Surigao del Sur|Lianga]], currently part of the First District, to the proposed province. Bislig would be the designated capital. The bill is pending with the Committee on Local Government since August 2, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|title=House Bill No. 2336 (19th Congress)|url=https://hrep-website.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/legisdocs/basic_19/HB02336.pdf|access-date=September 18, 2022|publisher=[[Congress of the Philippines]]|archive-date=September 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920170746/https://hrep-website.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/legisdocs/basic_19/HB02336.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> A previous attempt to create the province of Surigao del Oriente, which would have covered the 2nd District municipalities but would have excluded Lianga, died in the committee level during the 16th Congress.<ref>{{Cite web|title=House Bill No. 5881 (16th Congress)|url=https://hrep-website.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/legisdocs/basic_16/HB05881.pdf|access-date=December 24, 2023|publisher=[[Congress of the Philippines]]|archive-date=December 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231224052908/https://hrep-website.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/legisdocs/basic_16/HB05881.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=House Bill No. 5881 (16th Congress)|url=https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-5881-16th-congress-republic|access-date=December 24, 2023|publisher=[[Senate of the Philippines|Senate of the Philippines Legislative Digital Resources]]|archive-date=December 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231224052915/https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-5881-16th-congress-republic|url-status=live}}</ref> The proposal to create a province called Surigao Oriental was raised as early as 1992 by then-2nd District Representative Ernesto T. Estrella.<ref>{{Cite web|title=House Bill No. 594 (9th Congress)|url=https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-594-9th-congress-republic|access-date=January 13, 2024|publisher=[[Senate of the Philippines|Senate of the Philippines Legislative Digital Resources]]|archive-date=January 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113033829/https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-594-9th-congress-republic|url-status=live}}</ref> 
* '''Zamboanga Occidental''' (2002, 2007, 2010, 2017, 2023){{spaced ndash}} On September 25, 2023, [[Legislative districts of Zamboanga del Norte#3rd District|Zamboanga del Norte 3rd District]] Representative Adrian Michael A. Amatong filed House Bill No. 9311 seeking to create a new province out of his constituency. The proposed province would consist of the 12 westernmost municipalities of Zamboanga del Norte—[[Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte|Liloy]] as the proposed capital, together with [[Baliguian, Zamboanga del Norte|Baliguian]], [[Godod, Zamboanga del Norte|Godod]], [[Gutalac, Zamboanga del Norte|Gutalac]], [[Kalawit, Zamboanga del Norte|Kalawit]], [[Leon B. Postigo, Zamboanga del Norte|Leon B. Postigo]], [[Salug, Zamboanga del Norte|Salug]], [[Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte|Sibuco]], [[Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte|Siocon]], [[Sirawai, Zamboanga del Norte|Sirawai]], and [[Tampilisan, Zamboanga del Norte|Tampilisan]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=House Bill No. 9311 (19th Congress)|url=https://hrep-website.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/legisdocs/basic_19/HB09311.pdf|access-date=December 24, 2023|publisher=[[Congress of the Philippines]]|archive-date=June 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240613140945/https://hrep-website.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/legisdocs/basic_19/HB09311.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Previous attempts to turn the district into the province of Zamboanga Occidental, the province of Liloy, or the province of Zamboanga Hermosa—which began with the efforts of then-2nd District Representative Ernesto T. Estrella as early as 1992—failed to hurdle the 12th, the 14th, the 15th and the 17th Congress.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Isagani S. Amatong |date=February 14, 2017 |title=House Bill No. 5040: An Act Creating the Province of Zamboanga Hermosa from the Province of Zamboanga Del Norte |url=http://www.congress.gov.ph/legisdocs/basic_17/HB05040.pdf |access-date=March 10, 2017 |website=www.congress.gov.ph |publisher=Republic of the Philippines – House of Representatives |archive-date=March 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312042832/http://www.congress.gov.ph/legisdocs/basic_17/HB05040.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=February 21, 2017 |title=Seventeenth Congress First Regular Session 2016 – 2017 |url=http://www.congress.gov.ph/legisdocs/journals_17/J73-1RS-20170221.pdf |journal=Journal of the House of Representatives |publisher=Journal Service Plenary Affairs Bureau |volume=73 |access-date=March 10, 2017 |archive-date=March 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312042927/http://www.congress.gov.ph/legisdocs/journals_17/J73-1RS-20170221.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=House Bill No. 4568 (9th Congress)|url=https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-4568-12th-congress-republic|access-date=January 13, 2024|publisher=[[Senate of the Philippines|Senate of the Philippines Legislative Digital Resources]]|archive-date=January 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113033828/https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-4568-12th-congress-republic|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=House Bill No. 1334 (14th Congress)|url=https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-1334-14th-congress-republic|access-date=December 24, 2023|publisher=[[Senate of the Philippines|Senate of the Philippines Legislative Digital Resources]]|archive-date=December 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231224052912/https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-1334-14th-congress-republic|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=House Bill No. 3755 (15th Congress)|url=https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-3755-15th-congress-republic|access-date=December 24, 2023|publisher=[[Senate of the Philippines|Senate of the Philippines Legislative Digital Resources]]|archive-date=December 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231224052910/https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-3755-15th-congress-republic|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=House Bill No. 5040 (17th Congress)|url=https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-5040-17th-congress-republic|access-date=December 24, 2023|publisher=[[Senate of the Philippines|Senate of the Philippines Legislative Digital Resources]]|archive-date=December 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231224052909/https://issuances-library.senate.gov.ph/bills/house-bill-no-5040-17th-congress-republic|url-status=live}}</ref>