Lanao del Sur is a province in the Philippines, located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)[1]. It is part of central Mindanao and shares its territory with the provinces of Maguindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. The capital of Lanao del Sur is Marawi City.
The province covers a land area of 13,494.37 square kilometers (5,210.21 square miles). According to the 2015 Census, Lanao del Sur had a population of 1,045,429, making up 27.65% of the BARMM population, 4.33% of the total population in Mindanao, and 1.04% of the entire Philippines. The population density is 77 people per square kilometer (201 per square mile).
History of Lanao del Sur
Lanao del Sur has a rich and vibrant history. The Maranao people’s[2] famous Darangen Epic recounts stories of their ancestors and the ancient towns during pre-colonial times. Lanao is home to the Maranao Sultanates, which are now known as the “Four Principalities” or Pat a Pagampong sa Ranao. These include Masiu, Unayan, Balo-I, and Bayabao. While each principality governed itself independently, they were still connected to the larger national community and were recognized alongside the Sultanates of Sulu and Maguindanao.
Lanao del Sur takes pride in resisting colonial powers throughout history. The Maranao heroes, alongside their Tausug and Maguindanao brothers, fought fiercely against Spanish colonization during the Moro Wars. The battles of Bayang, Sultan Gumander, Ganassi, and Tugaya are legendary, with Maranao warriors using traditional weapons like the kris, spear, and bow and arrow to face the modern weapons of the Americans. The Japanese occupation also faced resistance, similar to the challenges encountered by the Spanish and Americans.
Lanao del Sur was officially established during the Commonwealth government’s campaign to settle Mindanao. Originally part of a unified Lanao, the province was under the Moro Province by Philippine Commission Act No. 787. On May 27, 1959, Republic Act No. 2228 divided Lanao into two separate provinces: Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte. Lanao del Sur was officially recognized on July 4, 1959.
Throughout the years, Lanao del Sur experienced political changes. After the Tripoli Agreement was negotiated with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) during Martial Law, President Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 742, which included Lanao del Sur in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). In a plebiscite held on February 19, 1989, the people of Lanao del Sur voted to join the ARMM. Initially, Marawi City declined to be part of ARMM but later reconsidered and joined in 2001.
Today, Lanao del Sur is composed of 39 municipalities, Marawi City, and a total of 1,159 barangays. The province is divided into two congressional districts.
People of Lanao del Sur
The Meranao people, also known as the “People of the Lake,” primarily reside in Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte, with their homeland centered around Lake Lanao in the Bukidnon-Lanao Plateau.
Meranao villages consist of multiple families living together in homes without walls separating them. Due to their unique social structure, individuals can belong to more than one village at a time without fear of being considered outsiders, thanks to the strong bilateral relationships in their culture. Some Meranaos also live as transients in other parts of the Philippines.
The Meranaos’ main livelihood is agriculture, which includes dry rice farming in hilly areas, wet rice farming in flood plains, and growing crops like corn, sweet potatoes, coffee, cassava, and peanuts. Fishing also plays an essential role in supplementing their agricultural activities.
