Nabalawag

Nabalawag is a newly established municipality in the province of Cotabato, Philippines. Although Cotabato province itself remains part of the Soccsksargen region, Nabalawag is administratively associated with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) through the region's Special Geographic Area (SGA). It was created during the reorganization of the SGA barangays that followed the inclusion of 63 Cotabato barangays in the Bangsamoro framework. The municipality's institutional origins lie in the 2019 Bangsamoro plebiscite. When BARMM replaced the former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, voters in 63 barangays of Cotabato province approved inclusion in the new autonomous region. The mother municipalities and the provincial government remained within Soccsksargen, leaving the participating barangays as geographically separated Bangsamoro-administered communities. By March 2020, these communities had been formally designated as the Special Geographic Area. In August 2023, the Bangsamoro Parliament approved legislation consolidating the SGA barangays into eight municipalities. Nabalawag was created under Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 131. Earlier legislative proposals had used the name Kabalukan, but the municipality was ultimately constituted as Nabalawag. Its territory consists of six barangays formerly administered by Midsayap and one barangay formerly administered by Aleosan, giving the new municipality seven barangays in total. A plebiscite on April 13, 2024, confirmed the municipality's creation. The result was 7,442 votes in favor and 14 against. This vote formed part of the broader process establishing eight municipalities from the SGA communities. Nabalawag therefore represents both a local-government creation and an important stage in the territorial and administrative integration of participating Cotabato communities into BARMM. During its initial administrative period, Nabalawag operated with officers-in-charge appointed by BARMM Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim rather than a regular elected municipal leadership. Anwar Zumbaga Saluwang has served as officer-in-charge mayor since July 9, 2024. Regular elections were expected in 2025, while the municipality remained under the jurisdiction of the SGA pending the creation of a new province. The Bangsamoro regional government committed 2.5 million Philippine pesos in transitional funding for Nabalawag's municipal government. The municipality was expected to receive its regular share of the National Tax Allotment once the relevant administrative and fiscal arrangements were in place. As a local government rather than a commercial enterprise, Nabalawag does not have conventional brand products, corporate ownership, public-market listing, or commercial operating markets.

Nabalawag's history is closely tied to the creation and territorial organization of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. In the February 6, 2019 plebiscite, 63 barangays in Cotabato province voted to join the newly created Bangsamoro region. Their former mother municipalities, together with Cotabato province, stayed in Soccsksargen, while the participating barangays became geographically distinct Bangsamoro-administered communities. By March 2020, the 63 barangays were designated as the Special Geographic Area. The arrangement was transitional and did not initially give the communities a complete conventional municipal structure. The Bangsamoro Parliament subsequently pursued legislation to consolidate the SGA barangays into eight municipalities, allowing local administrative institutions to be organized closer to the communities concerned. The bill establishing Nabalawag was Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 131. The settlement was initially proposed under the name Kabalukan, but the final municipality was named Nabalawag. Its territory was assembled from seven barangays: six formerly associated with Midsayap and one formerly associated with Aleosan. The proposed municipal reorganization was submitted to voters in a plebiscite on April 13, 2024. In Nabalawag, 7,442 voters supported creation of the municipality and 14 voted against it. The favorable result formalized Nabalawag as one of the municipalities created from the former SGA communities. The municipality entered operation under transitional governance. BARMM Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim selected officers-in-charge to fill municipal positions while the area awaited regular local elections, reported as scheduled for 2025. Anwar Zumbaga Saluwang became officer-in-charge mayor on July 9, 2024. Nabalawag continued to fall under SGA jurisdiction during this period, pending the establishment of a new province. To support the new local government, the Bangsamoro regional government committed 2.5 million Philippine pesos in funding until Nabalawag could receive its share of the National Tax Allotment. The available reference material does not provide detailed demographic, economic, geographic, or service-delivery information beyond the municipality's seven-barangay composition. Nabalawag is therefore best understood as a public administrative entity rather than a commercial brand.

• 2024

  Municipal creation approved by plebiscite

  [1]Nabalawagen.wikipedia.org

  Voters approved Nabalawag's creation by 7,442 votes to 14.

• 2024

  Transitional mayor takes office

  [1]Nabalawagen.wikipedia.org

  Anwar Zumbaga Saluwang began serving as officer-in-charge mayor on July 9, 2024.

• 2023

  Nabalawag established by Bangsamoro legislation

  [1]Nabalawagen.wikipedia.org

  Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 131 was approved to create Nabalawag as one of eight municipalities formed from SGA barangays.

• 2020

  Special Geographic Area designation

  [1]Nabalawagen.wikipedia.org

  The participating Cotabato barangays were designated as the Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area.

• 2019

  Cotabato barangays join the Bangsamoro region

  [1]Nabalawagen.wikipedia.org

  A plebiscite approved the inclusion of 63 Cotabato barangays in the newly established Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

A newly constituted local-government municipality serving seven former Special Geographic Area barangays in Cotabato under the Bangsamoro administrative framework.

• 2024

  Adoption of transitional municipal administrationOther

  Background

  The newly created municipality required an interim local government before regular elections.

  Action taken

  BARMM appointed officers-in-charge, including Anwar Zumbaga Saluwang as mayor, and provided transitional funding of 2.5 million Philippine pesos.

  Aftermath

  Nabalawag operated under transitional administration while awaiting regular elections and further provincial arrangements.

  Transitional municipal funding. PHP 2.5 million (Transitional period after municipal creation)

  Source

• 2023

  Creation of Nabalawag as a new municipalityStrategy

  Background

  The Bangsamoro Parliament sought to reorganize Special Geographic Area barangays into functioning municipalities.

  Action taken

  It approved Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 131, creating Nabalawag from six former Midsayap barangays and one former Aleosan barangay.

  Aftermath

  The proposal proceeded to a plebiscite, which approved the municipality's creation in April 2024.

  Source

• 2024

  Plebiscite approves creation of Nabalawag[1]Nabalawagen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Voters approved the creation of Nabalawag on April 13, 2024, with 7,442 votes in favor and 14 opposed.

• 2024

  Nabalawag begins transitional municipal administration[1]Nabalawagen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  Anwar Zumbaga Saluwang became Nabalawag's officer-in-charge mayor on July 9, 2024, during the municipality's transitional period before regular local elections.

• 2023

  Bangsamoro Parliament approves legislation creating Nabalawag[1]Nabalawagen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 131 was approved as part of legislation consolidating Special Geographic Area barangays into eight new municipalities. Nabalawag had previously been proposed under the name Kabalukan.

1. 1Nabalawagen.wikipedia.org