The Villages of Senator Ninoy Aquino

How has the composition of Senator Ninoy Aquino changed? I looked at three sources, each one separated from the previous by at least twenty years. My first source is Executive Order No. 211-E, series of 1965, which created the municipality of Kulaman but was later declared null and void. My second source is Republic Act No. 6712, dated February 17, 1989, which created the municipality of Senator Ninoy Aquino. My third source is the 2010 Sultan Kudarat Profile, released by the Provincial Planning Development Office.

The 1965 executive order states that the municipality of Kulaman shall comprise twenty-one barrios and sitios—nine from the municipality of Kalamansig, ten from the municipality of Isulan, and two from the municipality of Palimbang. The nine barrios and sitios from Kalamansig are Kulaman, Naplico, Upper Tran, Banegan, Batasan, Tinalon, Nati, Talding, and Clopeneting. The ten barrios and sitios from Isulan are Kadi, Malegdeg, Cawa, Gonzal, Sakuling, Sowed (Sewod), Basag, Kapayagan, Kapatagan, and Gapok. From Palimbang are Kumilat and Tacojen (now Barangay Baluan).

Compared to the 2010 report, nine of the twenty-one barrios and sitios in 1965 are now barangays of Senator Ninoy Aquino: Kulaman/Poblacion, Tinalon, Nati, Kadi, Malegdeg, Sowed (Sewod), Basag, Kapatagan, and Gapok.

The 1989 republic act states that the municipality of Senator Ninoy Aquino shall comprise eight barangays—seven from the municipality of Kalamansig and one from the municipality of Bagumbayan. The barangays from Kalamansig are Buenaflores, Bugso, Kiadsam, Kadi, Kulaman/Poblacion, Malegdeg, and Sewod. From Bagumbayan is Langgal.

All eight barangays exist to this day. The areas of some of them have been decreased to give way to the creation of twelve additional barangays: Banali, Basag, Buklod, Gapok, Kapatagan, Kuden, Lagubang, Limuhay, Midtungok, Nati, Tacupis, and Tinalon. I have some idea about which barangays the newer ones were formed from, but I won’t reveal any such info here until I’m one hundred percent sure. I have to get my hands first on the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board) resolutions that created those barangays.