Sulu is moving from the Bangsamoro region to the Zamboanga Peninsula, with officials focused on avoiding disruptions to services for about a million residents.
Sulu formally shifts from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to the Zamboanga Peninsula following a 2024 Supreme Court ruling. The province had rejected inclusion in the Bangsamoro Organic Law during a 2019 plebiscite.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the transfer to maintain continuity in government operations. On July 16, Sulu officials met with national government representatives in Malacañang to address logistical, fiscal and administrative aspects.
Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo Jr. presided over the meeting. Sulu Vice Governor Abdusakur Tan said the priority is to make the transition seamless.
A Technical Working Group will oversee the process. Priorities include uninterrupted health services, education and government funding.
