Shariff Aguak, officially the Municipality of Shariff Aguak ( Maguindanaoan: ''Kuta Shariff Aguak''), is a 3rd class

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

of Maguindanao del Sur,

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 33,982 people. It is formerly known as Maganoy. Despite only being the ''de jure'' (by law) seat of Maguindanao's provincial government from 1973 to 1977, the town—being home to several previous governors—has served as the ''de facto'' (by practice) capital during the governorships of Sandiale Sambolawan (1980–1986), Andal Ampatuan, Sr. (2001–2008) and Sajid Ampatuan (2008–2009).

History

Shariff Aguak was founded as Maganoy in September 11, 1963 when President Diosdado Macapagal signed Executive Order No. 47 stipulating the creation of the municipality within the old province of Cotabato. It was created from the southern 28 barangays of

Datu Piang * * * * * 1846 births 1933 deaths Members of the Philippine Legislature Filipino datus, rajas and sultans Filipino Muslims People from Cotabato City {{philippines-bio-stub Filipino politicians of Chinese descent

. The town's name was changed from ''Maganoy'' to ''Shariff Aguak'' by virtue of ''Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act No. 45'' in 1996. On July 30, 2009, upon the ratification of Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Acts No. 225 (as amended by MMAA 252) and MMAA 220, the municipalities of

Shariff Saydona Mustapha Shariff Saydona Mustapha, officially the Municipality of Shariff Saydona Mustapha ( Maguindanaon: ''Inged nu Shariff Saydona Mustapha''; Iranun: ''Inged a Shariff Saydona Mustapha''; tl, Bayan ng Shariff Saydona Mustapha), is a municipality in ...

and Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, respectively, were created from a total of 13 barangays of the 26 Shariff Aguak, in addition to other barangays from

, Datu Saudi-Ampatuan, Datu Unsay and Mamasapano. Shariff Aguak (then Maganoy) was Maguindanao's provincial capital from its creation in 1973 to 1977. In 1977,

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Ferdinand Marcos moved the province's seat of government to the municipality of

Sultan Kudarat Sultan Kudarat, officially the Province of Sultan Kudarat ( hil, Kapuoran sang Sultan Kudarat; Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sultan Kudarat'', Jawi: دايرت نو سلطان كودرت; ceb, Lalawigan sa Sultan Kudarat; tl, Lalawigan ng Sul ...

by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1170. Batas Pambansa Blg. 211, enacted in 1982, aimed to formally restore the status of Maganoy as Maguindanao's seat of provincial government but the plebiscite scheduled for December 18, 1982 was never administered, thereby making the law not legally binding. However, the town has served as the ''de facto'' capital during the tenure of previous governors who hails from the town. By law (''de jure''), Sultan Kudarat was historically recognized as the capital of Maguindanao from 1977 until 2014 when the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Maguindanao approved a resolution formally recognizing Buluan as the new provincial capital. In 2019 incumbent Governor Bai Mariam Mangudadatu expressed plans to move the provincial capitol back to Shariff Aguak. Pending the completion of the new provincial capitol complex at Buluan, the executive branch of provincial government holds offices in that town's Rajah Buayan Silongan Peace Center. On the other hand, the legislative branch of provincial government, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Maguindanao, continues to hold sessions in the rehabilitated buildings of the old provincial capitol in Barangay Simuay Crossing in the town of Sultan Kudarat. The Ampatuan-built former provincial capitol complex in Shariff Aguak, initially planned to be converted for public school use, is set to become the new regional headquarters of ARMM's Bureau of Fire Protection but eventually became an infantry brigade of the Philippine Army.

Geography

Barangays

Shariff Aguak is politically subdivided into 13

barangay A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolita ...

s. *Bagong *Bialong *Kuloy *Labu-labu *Lapok (''Lepok'') *Malingao *Poblacion *Poblacion I *Poblacion II *Satan *Tapikan *Timbangan *Tina

Climate

Demographics

Economy

Government

List of former chief executives

# Datu Akilan Ampatuan # Datu Pinagayaw Ampatuan # Datu Zainudin Ampatuan # Datu Rustom Upam Ampatuan # Datu Andal Salibo Ampatuan Sr.(1988–1998) # Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan (2001–2005) # Datu Anwar Uy Ampatuan (2005–2009) # Datu Monir Ampatuan Asim Jr. (2009–2010) # Bai Zahara Upam Ampatuan (2010–2015) # Datu Marop Baganian Ampatuan (2015–2021) # Akmad Ampatuan (2022–present)

References

External links

Shariff Aguak Profile at the DTI Cities and Municipalities Competitive IndexMMA Act No. 45 : An Act changing the Name of the Municipality of Maganoy in the Province of Maguindanao into Municipality of Shariff Aguak
* Philippine Standard Geographic Codebr>2000 Philippine Census InformationLocal Governance Performance Management System
{{Authority control Municipalities of Maguindanao del Sur Former provincial capitals of the Philippines