Bongao, Tawi-Tawi

Bongao is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 58,174 people in 10,146 households.

History

Before the armed rebellion of the MNLF in the early 1970s, Bongao is merely a backwater village ruled by the prominent noble Halun family, who used to own about 3/4 of the island. The capital of the province is Bato-Bato in the mainland situated in a cove with deep waters suited for anchors of the Philippine Navy. At the height of the armmed rebellion and fearing that the provincial capitol might be overrun, the government transferred it to Bongao. The white-washed, Taj Mahal-inspired provincial capitol building is located on a hill overlooking the bay and the whole town to the North of the Island against the backdrop of Mount Kabugan and the famous Bud Bongao (Bongao Peak).

The transfer of the seat of government ushered the rapid development of the island as the southernmost center of commerce and trade. Suddenly, the population swelled as individuals (and their families) who are in government service moved to town.

Cultural diversity

Today, Bongao is a minuscule Cosmopolitan that is becoming a model of multicultural society. In downtown Bongao, there are mosques for the majority Muslim population, a Catholic church, a church for Protestant inhabitants, a Chinese temple, a church for the Iglesia ni Cristo, a church of the Seventh-Day Adventist and a Baptist church. There is also a local congregation of Jesus is Lord (JIL) of one-time presidential aspirant Pastor Eddie Villanueva.

Commerce

The main thoroughfare is Datu Halun St. where the Town Hall is situated. Poblacion is the commercial hub. Most of the businesses here are owned by local Chinese. due to its relative peace and order situation, recent migrant Chinese from Zamboanga have also open business.

Banks operating in Bongao include Land Bank of the Philippines, Philippine National Bank and Allied Banking Corporation; Quedancor, a government owned investment company has recently opened business.

Education

Bongao is home to the Mindanao State University - Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography (MSU-TCTO), Tawi-Tawi State Agricultural College (TSAC), Mahardika Institute of Technology (MITI), Abubakar Learning Center Foundation College (ACLC), Tawi-Tawi School of Midwifery (TSF). The first two are government owned state colleges, while the last three are privately-owned.

Barangays

Bongao is politically subdivided into 35 barangays.

External links

* [http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/default.asp Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
* [http://www.t-macs.com/kiso/local/ 2000 Philippine Census Information]