Special Geographic Area
The Special Geographic Area (SGA) is a loose collection of 63 barangays in six municipalities of the province of Cotabato in the Philippines. It is part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, despite the province of Cotabato itself being part of a separate neighboring region, Soccsksargen.
Special Geographic Area | |
|---|---|
A barangay hall in Gli-Gli in Pikit. | |
Territory in Cotabato province under the special geographic area of Bangsamoro | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Bangsamoro |
| Province | Cotabato (geographically only) |
| Municipalities | (geographically only) |
| Area clusters | 8 |
| Barangays | 63 |
| Plebiscite of Cotabato barangays to join Bangsamoro | February 6, 2019 |
| Turnover to Bangsamoro | November 20, 2019 |
| Government | |
| • Body | Special Geographic Area Development Authority |
| • Administrator | Butch Panigel Malang |
| Area | |
| • Total | 824.311 km2 (318.268 sq mi) |
| Population (2020 census) | |
| • Total | 215,433 |
| • Density | 260/km2 (680/sq mi) |
These barangays were partitioned from Soccsksargen following a two-part plebiscite held in January and February 2019 that formed Bangsamoro after residents of said barangays consented to their localities' inclusion in the new autonomous region. The municipalities these barangays are a part of, as well as the barangays themselves, remain part of Cotabato. These barangays could be reorganized into one or more new municipalities or merged with any of the neighboring municipalities in Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, which are part of Bangsamoro.
The Bangsamoro regional government has started effective governance over these barangays since the official turnover of these localities to the region by the Cotabato provincial government on November 20, 2019.
Some of these barangays are exclaves, which means they are entirely surrounded by localities that are not part of Bangsamoro.