The provinces

Provinces of the Philippines

The Provinces of the Philippines are the primary political and administrative divisions of the Philippines. There are 80 provinces at present, further subdivided into component cities and municipalities. The National Capital Region, as well as independent cities, are autonomous from any provincial...

 of the Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

 are mainly named after geographic features like rivers and islands, after abundant flora and fauna, after ethnic groups or individuals, or bear a name of older local origin.

Directions in Spanish

Some provinces are prefixed/suffixed with a Spanish

Spanish language

Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...

 word denoting one of the four cardinal direction

Cardinal direction

The four cardinal directions or cardinal points are the directions of north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials: N, E, S, W. East and west are at right angles to north and south, with east being in the direction of rotation and west being directly opposite. Intermediate...

s. These are:

• Norte = "north" (del Norte means "of the north")
• Sur = "south" (del Sur means "of the south")
• Oriental = "east"
• Occidental = "west"

Provincial names

Abra

• abra, Spanish
  Spanish language
  Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
  
   for "opening." Originally the area was called El Abra de Vigan ("The Opening of Vigan"), for the narrow valley near the mouth of what is now called the Abra (Tineg) River
  Abra River
  Abra River is the 6th largest river system in the Philippines in terms of watershed size. It has an estimated drainage area of 5,125 square kilometers and a length of 178 kilometers from its source in the vicinity of Mount Data in the Benguet province....
  
   located south of Vigan that served as a natural entrance to the fertile Abra River basin that makes up most of the province.

Agusan (del Norte

Agusan del Norte

Agusan del Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Caraga, a region in Mindanao. Its capital is Cabadbaran City and it borders Surigao del Norte to the north, Surigao del Sur to the east, Agusan del Sur to the south, and Misamis Oriental to the west...

 and del Sur

Agusan del Sur

Agusan del Sur is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Caraga region in Mindanao. Its capital is Prosperidad and borders, from the north clockwise, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Bukidnon, and Misamis...

)

• agusan, Manobo for "where the water flows," referring to the river that now bears this name
  Agusan River
  Agusan River is a river located in the eastern part of Mindanao island in the Philippines, draining majority of the Caraga Region and some parts of Compostela Valley province. It is the third largest river basin of the Philippines with a total drainage area of 10,921 km² and an estimated...
  
  , or the vast land that it drains.

Aklan

Aklan

Aklan is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas. Its capital is Kalibo. It is located at the northwest portion of Panay Island, bordering Antique Province to the southwest, and Capiz Province to the east...

• akean, Aklanon for "where there is boiling/frothing," referring to the Aklan River, which runs through the province.

Albay

Albay

Albay is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Legazpi City and the province borders Camarines Sur to the north and Sorsogon to the south. Also to the northeast is Lagonoy Gulf....

• Shortened form of the phrase al baybay, composed of a Spanish
  Spanish language
  Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
  
   preposition and Bikol
  Bikol language
  Central Bicolano , is one of the individual languages of the Bikol languages. It belongs to Coastal Bikol. It is spoken in Bicol Region of the Philippines .-Bikol-Naga:...
  
   rootword, meaning "by the shore," referring to the coastal settlement of Sawangan, now the port district of Legazpi City
  Legazpi City
  The City of Legazpi is a first class city and capital of the province of Albay, Philippines. With 179,481 inhabitants according to the 2007 census, it is the largest city in the Bicol Region in terms of population, though not in land area...
  
  . In time it was shortened to Albay, and the name was applied to the province over which the town of Albay (now Legazpi City) served as the capital.

Antique

• Hispanicized form of the word hamtik, Kinaray-a
  Kinaray-a language
  Kinaray-a is an Austronesian language spoken mainly in Antique Province in the Philippines. It is also spoken in Iloilo province, the south of Capiz Province, and certain villages in Mindanao that trace their roots to Antique Province or Kinaray-a speaking areas of Iloilo and Capiz Provinces...
  
   for a species of large red ants. The name originally only applied to the town of Hamtic, which served as the first capital of the province. As with many other provinces created during the Spanish colonial era, the name of the capital town was applied to the whole province.

Apayao

Apayao

Apayao is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its administrative capital is Luna and founding capital Kabugao. It borders Cagayan to the north and east, Abra and Ilocos Norte to the west, and Kalinga to the south...

• apayaw, Isneg for "negotiable river," referring to what is now called the Apayao River
  Apayao River
  Apayao River is a river on the island of Luzon in the Apayao Province of the Philippines. It flows from an extensive watershed in the western slopes of the province, flows past the town of Kabugao and runs into the Pacific Ocean at the coastal town of Abulug...
  
   that runs through the mountainous area inhabited by the Isneg. The present spelling is derived from the native word's rendering in accordance with Spanish orthography.

Aurora

• Spanish
  Spanish language
  Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
  
   given name. The province was named in honor of Aurora Quezon
  Aurora Quezon
  Aurora Antonia Aragón de Molina Vd.ª De Quezón , usually known simply as Aurora Quezón, and sometimes as Aurora Aragón-Quezón, was the wife of Philippine President Manuel Luis Quezón and the First Lady of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944...
  
  , wife of president Manuel Quezon, who in turn was born in the town of Baler
  Baler, Aurora
  Baler is a 4th class municipality in the province of Aurora, Philippines. It is the provincial capital of Aurora. According to the latest census, it has a population of 34,492 people and 5.955 members per household....
  
  , now the province's capital. "Aurora" itself is the Latin
  Latin
  Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
  
   word for "dawn."

Basilan

Basilan

The Province of Basilan is an island province of the Philippines within the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao . Basilan is the largest and northernmost of the major islands of the Sulu Archipelago and is located just off the southern coast of Zamboanga Peninsula...

• Contraction of basih balan, Bahasa Sug
  Tausug language
  Tausūg is a language spoken in the province of Sulu in the Philippines, in Malaysia, and in Indonesia by the Tausūg people....
  
   for "magnetic iron," referring to the rich iron ore deposits found in the island that now bears its name, after which the province was named.

Bataan

Bataan

Bataan is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north...

• Evolved form of batan, a word of obscure origin, which was the indigenous name for the land across the bay
  Manila Bay
  Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
  
   from Maragondon
  Maragondon, Cavite
  The Municipality of Maragondon is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. Maragondon is 54 kilometers away from Manila going southeast. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 33,604 people...
  
  , also rendered in early Spanish accounts as Vatan. The current name "Bataán" (spoken with emphasis on the last syllable) was first used upon the establishment of the province in 1754.
• "Batáan" (with emphasis on the second syllable) itself can mean "servant" or "place of suffering" in Tagalog
  Tagalog language
  Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
  
  , from the verb batâ, meaning "to tolerate" or "to suffer."

Batanes

Batanes

The Province of Batanes , also called the Batanes Islands, is a Philippine province comprising ten islands that are located in the Luzon Strait between the islands of Luzon and Taiwan...

• Hispanicized and pluralized form of vatan, the indigenous name for the province's main island
  Batan Island
  Batan island is the main island of the Batanes Province in the Philippines, part of the Batanes Islands group and the Luzon Volcanic Arc. It is home to the provincial capital Basco. The island is known chiefly for Mount Iraya....
  
  , of unknown etymology. The name was applied to the cluster of ten islands of which Batan Island was the political and economic center.

Batangas

Batangas

Batangas is a first class province of the Philippines located on the southwestern part of Luzon in the CALABARZON region. Its capital is Batangas City and it is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and Laguna to the north and Quezon to the east. Across the Verde Island Passages to the south is the...

• Spanish
  Spanish language
  Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
  
   plural form of the Tagalog
  Tagalog language
  Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
  
   word batang, meaning "log," in reference to the trunks of logged trees that used to be floated down the Calumpang River
  Calumpang River
  This article refers to a river. For the Calumpang Peninsula, see Mabini, Batangas.Calumpang River is a perennial body of water with a catchment area of approximately 472 sq. km situated east of the Province of Batangas, Philippines...
  
   which runs through the town (now city) of Batangas
  Batangas City
  - Foreign Rule :The first Spanish missionaries arrived in Batangas City since 1572. Finally on 1581 Spanish authorities governing the Philippines created a pueblo in the area which included the hill where the present Provincial Capitol of Batangas stands after the formal end of the Coumintang...
  
  . Originally the name only referred to the town, but as with many other provinces created during the Spanish colonial era, the name of the capital town was applied to the whole province. Other former names of the province that reflected the location of the administrative capital include Bombon (a settlement on the shores of what is now Taal Lake
  Taal Lake
  Taal Lake is a freshwater lake in the province of Batangas, on the island of Luzon, Philippines. The lake is situated within a caldera formed by very large eruptions between 500,000 and 100,000 years ago. It is the country's third largest lake...
  
  ), Balayan and Comintan (after the settlement of Kumintang, now part of Batangas City).

Benguet

Benguet

Benguet is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is La Trinidad and borders, clockwise from the south, Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and Nueva Vizcaya....

• Hispanicized rendering of bengget, the native term for a "lake where water does not drain," referring to the swampy area of what is now known as the La Trinidad Valley. As with many other territories organized during the Spanish colonial era, the town lent its name to the area of which it served as the capital.
• Hispanicized rendering of benget, Kankanaey word for either "edge," in reference to the capital town of La Trinidad
  La Trinidad, Benguet
  La Trinidad is a 1st class municipality in the province of Benguet, Philippines. It is the capital municipality of Benguet. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 97,810 people in 13,658 households....
  
  's position at the edge of a swampy area, or "smelly," referring to the odor emanating from the swamp.

Biliran

Biliran

In 1945 liberated by the Philippine Commonwealth forces of the 9th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army was landed in Biliran with the local guerrilla forces by the attack of the Japanese troops from the island during the Battle of Biliran during World War II.-Conversion:On April...

• biliran, Waray
  Waray-Waray language
  Wáray-Wáray or Samarnon is a language spoken in the provinces of Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and in some parts of the Leyte and Biliran in the Philippines...
  
   for "place where (edges of) boats are made," referring to the shipbuilding industry in the island before the Spaniards transferred it to Cavite La Punta
  Cavite City
  The City of Cavite is a fourth class city in the province of Cavite, Philippines. The city occupies a hook shaped peninsula jutting out into Manila Bay. Cavite City used to be the capital of the province...
  
  . The rootword bilir means "the corner or edge of a boat".
• biliran, Waray
  Waray-Waray language
  Wáray-Wáray or Samarnon is a language spoken in the provinces of Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and in some parts of the Leyte and Biliran in the Philippines...
  
   for a species of grass used in weaving mats. Originally named Panamao, the island is thought to have been renamed by its inhabitants to confuse evil spirits that brought about the destructive eruption of Mount Panamao around 1669.

Bohol

Bohol

Bohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting of Bohol Island and 75 minor surrounding islands. Its capital is Tagbilaran City. With a land area of and a coastline long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines...

• Hispanicized rendering of bo-ol, the name of the site of the blood compact
  Blood compact
  Blood compact was a ritual in the Philippines where tribes would cut their wrist and pour their blood into a cup filled with liquid and drink each other's blood as part of the tribal tradition to seal a friendship, a pact or treaty, or to validate an agreement...
  
   (sanduguan) between the native king Rajah Sikatuna and the Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legaspi, which in turn may have been derived from the local term for a certain kind of small thorny tree. The island was named after this settlement, now a barangay in Tagbilaran City
  Tagbilaran City
  Tagbilaran City is a 2nd class component city in the island province of Bohol, Philippines and serves as its capital. Tagbilaran lies on the southwestern part of the province, and has a total land area of 32.7 km², with about 13 km of coastline...
  
  , the capital of the province; the province in turn was named after this main island
  Bohol Island
  Bohol Island is the main island of Bohol Province in the Visayas. It lies southeast from Cebu Island across Cebu Strait and southwest from Leyte Island, separated by the Camotes Sea and Canigao Channel...
  
  .

Bukidnon

Bukidnon

Bukidnon is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital is Malaybalay City. The province borders, clockwise starting from the north, Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Sur, Davao del Norte, Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, and Lanao del Norte.Bukidnon is...

• bukidnon, Cebuano
  Cebuano language
  Cebuano, referred to by most of its speakers as Bisaya , is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines by about 20 million people mostly in the Central Visayas. It is the most widely spoken of the languages within the so-named Bisayan subgroup and is closely related to other Filipino...
  
   for "people of the mountain," referring to the indigenous tribes inhabiting the Central Mindanao highlands.

Bulacan

Bulacan

Bulacan , officially called the Province of Bulacan or simply Bulacan Province, is a first class province of the Republic of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon Region in the island of Luzon, north of Manila , and part of the Metro...

• Hispanicized form of the word burakan, Tagalog
  Tagalog language
  Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
  
   or Kapampangan
  Kapampangan language
  The Pampangan language, or Kapampangan , is one of the major languages of the Philippines. It is the language spoken in the province of Pampanga, the southern half of the province of Tarlac and the northern portion of the province of Bataan. Kapampangan is also understood in some barangays of...
  
   for "muddy place," referring to the marshy conditions in what is now the town of Bulacan
  Bulacan, Bulacan
  Bulacan or Bulakan is a 1st class partially urban municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 72,289 people in 13,577 households. It is 35 km north of Manila...
  
  , the former capital of the province that now bears its name.
• Hispanicized rendering of bulakan, Tagalog
  Tagalog language
  Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
  
   for "place with cotton."

Cagayan

Cagayan

Cagayan , the "Land of Smiling Beauty", is a province of the Philippines in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon. Its capital is Tuguegarao City and is located at the northeastern corner of the island of Luzon. Cagayan also includes the Babuyan Islands to the north. The province borders Ilocos Norte...

• Hispanicized corruption of the word katagayan, Ibanag
  Ibanag language
  The Ibanag language is spoken by up to 500,000 speakers in the Philippines, in the northeastern provinces of Isabela and Cagayan, especially in Tuguegarao City, Solana, Cabagan, and Ilagan and with overseas immigrants in countries located in the Middle East, UK and the U.S.A....
  
   for "place abundant with tagay trees," in reference to the tall, abundant hardwoods along what is now called the Cagayan River
  Cagayan River
  The Cagayan River is the longest and largest river in the Philippine Archipelago. It is located in the Cagayan Valley region in northeastern part of Luzon island and traverses the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Isabela and Cagayan.-Topography:...
  
   (formerly Río Ibanag).
• Hispanicized form of the word karayan, Ilokano for "river," referring to the river that runs the length of the province
  Cagayan River
  The Cagayan River is the longest and largest river in the Philippine Archipelago. It is located in the Cagayan Valley region in northeastern part of Luzon island and traverses the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Isabela and Cagayan.-Topography:...
  
  .

Camarines (Norte

Camarines Norte

Camarines Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Daet and the province borders Quezon to the west and Camarines Sur to the south.-Demographics:...

 and Sur

Camarines Sur

Camarines Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Pili and the province borders Camarines Norte and Quezon to the north, and Albay to the south...

)

• Plural form of the Spanish
  Spanish language
  Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
  
   word camarín, the term used by the Spaniards to refer to the boat sheds (kamalig) that were abundant in the fertile and densely-populated Bicol River
  Bicol River
  Bicol River is the eight largest river in the Philippines in terms of drainage basin size with an estimated catchment area of 3,770 km². The river drains the southwestern part of the island of Luzon and passes through Camarines Sur, Albay, and Camarines Norte provinces in the Bicol Region.The...
  
   plain in what is now Naga City
  Naga City
  The City of Naga is a first class independent component city in the Philippines...
  
   and central Camarines Sur
  Camarines Sur
  Camarines Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Pili and the province borders Camarines Norte and Quezon to the north, and Albay to the south...
  
  .

Camiguin

Camiguin

Camiguin is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bohol Sea, about off the northern coast of Misamis Oriental in Mindanao. It is the second-smallest province both in population and land area after Batanes...

• Hispanicized corruption of the word kamanigin, a local word of obscure origin, rendered in early Spanish accounts as Camaniguin, perhaps derived from the Manobo word for "to climb" (and in extension, "high elevation,") referring to the tall mountains of the island. Another possible rootword is manik, a word of Sanskrit
  Sanskrit
  Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
  
   origin that has entered the vocabulary of many Philippine languages, variously meaning as "jewel," "amulet," "ornament" or "bead."

Capiz

Capiz

Capiz is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is Roxas City and is located at the northeastern portion of Panay Island, bordering Aklan and Antique to the west, and Iloilo to the south. Capiz faces the Sibuyan Sea to the north...

• Hispanicized form of kapid, Hiligaynon
  Hiligaynon language
  Hiligaynon, often referred to as Ilonggo, is an Austronesian language spoken in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines.Hiligaynon is concentrated in the provinces of Iloilo, Negros Occidental and Capiz but is also spoken in the other provinces of the Panay Island group, including Antique,...
  
   for the translucent shells that come from bivalve pearl oysters, which were found in abundance in the coastal settlement that formerly bore this name
  Roxas City
  Roxas City is a medium-sized city in the province of Capiz, Philippines. It is the provincial capital and a component city. , the city mayor is former city vice mayor Angel Alan Celino who was elected during the 2010 election....
  
  , which serves as the provincial capital. Dialectal variations within the Spanish language
  Ceceo
  In Spanish dialectology, the terms distinción, seseo and ceceo are used to describe the opposition between dialects that distinguish the phonemes and , and those that exhibit merger of the two sounds into either or .Dialects that distinguish the two sounds, and thus pronounce the words casa...
  
   led to the rendering of the native placename into Capiz, with the z originally pronounced as /θ/, like the th in the English word "this." The term for the pearl shells is now pronounced /kapis/ in modern Filipino as a result of pronouncing the z in "Capiz" as s.

Catanduanes

Catanduanes

Catanduanes is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Virac and the province lies to the east of Camarines Sur across Maqueda Channel. As of 2007, the population of the province is 232,757 people.-Etymology:"Isla de Cobos" was Catanduanes' first...

• Hispanicized and pluralized form of katanduan, Bikol
  Bikol language
  Central Bicolano , is one of the individual languages of the Bikol languages. It belongs to Coastal Bikol. It is spoken in Bicol Region of the Philippines .-Bikol-Naga:...
  
   for "place abundant with tando trees," referring to the abundance of such trees in the island.

Cavite

Cavite

Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...

• Hispanicized form of kawit or corruption of kalawit, Tagalog
  Tagalog language
  Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
  
   words for "hook," in reference to the small hook-shaped peninsula
  Cavite City
  The City of Cavite is a fourth class city in the province of Cavite, Philippines. The city occupies a hook shaped peninsula jutting out into Manila Bay. Cavite City used to be the capital of the province...
  
   jutting into Manila Bay
  Manila Bay
  Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
  
  . The name originally only applied to the peninsula (Cavite La Punta, now Cavite City
  Cavite City
  The City of Cavite is a fourth class city in the province of Cavite, Philippines. The city occupies a hook shaped peninsula jutting out into Manila Bay. Cavite City used to be the capital of the province...
  
  ) and the adjacent lowland coastal area (Cavite Viejo, now Kawit). Cavite City used to serve as the capital of the province until 1954, and as with many other provinces organized during the Spanish colonial era, the name of the capital was applied to the whole province.
• Hispanicized form of kabit, Tagalog
  Tagalog language
  Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
  
   for "joined," "connected," or "attached," referring to the peninsula's topographical relation to the mainland.

Cebu

Cebu

Cebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands...

• Hispanicized corruption of sugbu, Cebuano
  Cebuano language
  Cebuano, referred to by most of its speakers as Bisaya , is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines by about 20 million people mostly in the Central Visayas. It is the most widely spoken of the languages within the so-named Bisayan subgroup and is closely related to other Filipino...
  
   for "to walk on shallow waters," referring to the shallows through which one had to wade in order to reach dry land from the port of the city that now bears its name
  Cebu City
  The City of Cebu is the capital city of Cebu and is the second largest city in the Philippines, the second most significant metropolitan centre in the Philippines and known as the oldest settlement established by the Spaniards in the country.The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu and was...
  
  . Earlier Hispanicized variants of the settlement's name include Zubu and Çubu. As with many other provinces organized during the Spanish colonial era, the name of the capital was applied to the whole province.

Compostela Valley

Compostela Valley

Compostela Valley is a province of the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. The province, called Comval for short, used to be part of Davao del Norte until it was made independent in 1998. It is the third newest province of the Philippines, behind Dinagat Islands and Zamboanga...

• The province was named after its main topographic feature, the valley (also called the Monkayo Valley) on which the town of Compostela
  Compostela, Compostela Valley
  Compostela is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Compostela Valley, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 61,667 people in 12,151 households....
  
  is located. The town's name in turn may have come from the city of Santiago de Compostela
  Santiago de Compostela
  Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
  
   in Spain
  Spain
  Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
  
  , the birthplace of a Spanish
  Spanish people
  The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
  
   friar that came to the valley.

Cotabato

Cotabato

Cotabato , is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao...

 (North and South

South Cotabato

South Cotabato is a province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao. Its capital is Koronadal City, and it borders Sultan Kudarat to the north and west, Sarangani to the south and east, and Davao del Sur to the east...

)

• Hispanicized form of kuta watu, Maguindanaon
  Maguindanao language
  Maguindanaon is an Austronesian language spoken by majority of the population of Maguindanao Province in the Philippines. It is also spoken by sizable minorities in different parts of Mindanao such as the cities of Zamboanga, Davao, and General Santos, and the provinces of North Cotabato, Sultan...
  
   for "stone fort," referring to an actual stone fort that stood on Tantawan Hill in the middle of the city that now bears its name
  Cotabato City
  The City of Cotabato is one of the cities of the Philippines located in Mindanao. Cotabato City is an exclave of the SOCCSKSARGEN region found within the boundaries of Maguindanao province, but is independent of that province...
  
  . The undivided province of Cotabato was named after the city that formerly served as its capital. Subsequent divisions and creation of new provinces have resulted in both North and South Cotabato
  South Cotabato
  South Cotabato is a province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao. Its capital is Koronadal City, and it borders Sultan Kudarat to the north and west, Sarangani to the south and east, and Davao del Sur to the east...
  
   exercising jurisdiction far from its namesake city.

Davao

Davao

Davao refers to several closely related places in Mindanao in the Philippines. The term is used most often to refer to the city.*Davao Region, an administrative region*Davao del Norte province*Davao del Sur province*Davao Oriental province...

 (del Norte

Davao del Norte

Davao del Norte , and once known simply as Davao, is a province of the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is Tagum City. It borders the province of Agusan del Sur to the north, Bukidnon to the west, Compostela Valley to the east, and the city of Davao to the south...

, del Sur

Davao del Sur

Davao del Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is Digos City. The province is bordered by Davao City to the north, and Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, and Sarangani to the west. To the east lies the Davao Gulf...

 and Oriental

Davao Oriental

Davao Oriental is a province of the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is Mati and borders Compostela Valley to the west, and Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur to the north. Davao Oriental is the easternmost province of the country with Pusan Point as the easternmost...

)

• Hispanicized form of dav-oh, Obo for "a place beyond the high grounds." Other sources also claim that this word was used by the Obo to refer to what is now called the Davao River
  Davao River
  The Davao River catchment is the third largest river catchment on the Southern Philippines Island of Mindanao. It drains an area of over 1700 km² with a river length of 160 km. Most of the area is uplands. Average flows within the river near to the mouth are estimated at 70-80 cubic...
  
  , from which the town (later city
  Davao City
  The City of Davao is the largest city in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Its international airport and seaports are among the busiest cargo hubs in the Philippines....
  
  ) and province of Davao took its name.
• Hispanicized form of the words dabu (in Tagabawa Bagobo) or duhwow (in Guianga Bagobo) that refer to the Davao River
  Davao River
  The Davao River catchment is the third largest river catchment on the Southern Philippines Island of Mindanao. It drains an area of over 1700 km² with a river length of 160 km. Most of the area is uplands. Average flows within the river near to the mouth are estimated at 70-80 cubic...
  
   or the settlement at its mouth
  Davao City
  The City of Davao is the largest city in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Its international airport and seaports are among the busiest cargo hubs in the Philippines....
  
   where the hinterland tribes went to barter with their forest products, which later became the capital of the district and later, province of Davao.

Guimaras

Guimaras

Guimaras is an island province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Among the smallest provinces, its capital is Jordan. The island is located in the Panay Gulf, between the islands of Panay and Negros...

• Hispanicized corruption of himal-us, the indigenous name for the province's main island
  Guimaras Island
  Guimaras is an island of the Philippines.It is the main island of Guimaras Province....
  
  , of unknown etymology. Early Spanish accounts render the name of the island in Spanish orthography as Ymaraes or Ymaras.

Ifugao

Ifugao

Ifugao is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Covering a total land area of 262,820 hectares, the province of Ifugao is located in a mountainous region characterized by rugged terrain, river valleys, and massive forests...

• Hispanicized corruption of ipugo, Ifugao
  Ifugao language
  Ifugao or Batad is a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken in the Ifugao Province of the northern valleys Philippines, closely related to Bontok and Kankanai...
  
   for "of the hills" or "of the earth," both referring to the ethnic group and the rice handed to them by the god Matungulan, according to myth. The province was named after the ethnic group, which comprises the majority of its population.

Ilocos

Ilocos

Ilocos collectively refers to two provinces in the Philippines: Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. Inhabitants are called Ilocanos and they speak the language Iloko, also called Ilocano.The Ilocos Region, containing four provinces, is named after Ilocos...

 (Norte

Ilocos Norte

Ilocos Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Its capital is Laoag City and is located at the northwest corner of Luzon Island, bordering Cagayan and Apayao to the east, and Abra and Ilocos Sur to the south...

 and Sur

Ilocos Sur

Ilocos Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Vigan City, located on the mouth of the Mestizo River is the provincial capital...

)

• Hispanicized and pluralized corruption of ilook, Ilokano for "of the coves/bays," referring to the lowland inhabitants of the northwest coast of Luzon, which is dotted with numerous bays and coves. Yloco was the early Hispanic rendering of this term, and in time the plural form Ylocos, later spelled as Ilocos, became prevalent.

Iloilo

Iloilo

Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of Panay Island and is bordered by Antique Province to the west and Capiz Province and the Jintotolo Channel to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is Guimaras Province,...

• Hispanicized corruption of irong-irong, Hiligaynon
  Hiligaynon language
  Hiligaynon, often referred to as Ilonggo, is an Austronesian language spoken in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines.Hiligaynon is concentrated in the provinces of Iloilo, Negros Occidental and Capiz but is also spoken in the other provinces of the Panay Island group, including Antique,...
  
   for "nose-like," referring to the shape of the delta formed by what are now called the Iloilo
  Iloilo River
  The Iloilo River located in the Province of Iloilo, Philippines is actually an arm of the sea for having water source from the sea. Its river mouth opens to Iloilo Strait then traverses across Iloilo City Proper, Lapuz, Lapaz, Mandurriao, Molo and Arevalo Districts...
  
   and Salog Rivers on which the settlement of the same name thrived. The name originally only applied to the town (now city) of Iloilo
  Iloilo City
  The City of Iloilo is a highly urbanized city in the Philippines and the capital city of Iloilo province. It is the regional center of the Western Visayas, as well as the center of the Iloilo-Guimaras Metropolitan Area...
  
   (rendered in Spanish orthography as Yloylo or Yloilo), which serves as the capital of the province. As with many other provinces organized during the Spanish colonial era, the name of the capital was applied to the whole province.

Isabela

• Spanish
  Spanish language
  Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
  
   given name. The province was named after Isabella II, the reigning queen of Spain
  Spain
  Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
  
   at the time of the province's creation in 1856. "Isabela" by itself is the Spanish
  Spanish language
  Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
  
   form of the feminine name ultimately derived from the Hebrew Elisheva, which variously means "God of plenty," or "my God is bountiful," "Oath of God," "God is satisfaction," or "God is perfection."

Kalinga

Kalinga

Kalinga is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is Tabuk and borders Mountain Province to the south, Abra to the west, Isabela to the east, Cagayan to the northeast, and Apayao to the north...

• kalingga, Gaddang
  Gaddang Language
  The Gaddang language is spoken by up to 30,000 speakers in the Philippines, in the northeastern provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Isabela and by overseas immigrants in countries located Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, in the Middle East, UK and the U.S.A.. Most of the speakers can also speak...
  
   or Ibanag
  Ibanag language
  The Ibanag language is spoken by up to 500,000 speakers in the Philippines, in the northeastern provinces of Isabela and Cagayan, especially in Tuguegarao City, Solana, Cabagan, and Ilagan and with overseas immigrants in countries located in the Middle East, UK and the U.S.A....
  
   for "headhunter," referring to the once-prevalent practice of the people that inhabited the mountains along what is now called the Chico River
  Chico River
  -References:*...
  
  , or a term used by neighboring tribes for "enemy," pertaining to this ethnic group. The appellation is an exonym, a name given to the ethnic group by outsiders. The province was named after this ethnic group, which comprises the majority of its population. The present spelling is derived from the native word's rendering in accordance with Spanish orthography.

La Union

La Unión

La Union or La Unión may refer to:-Colombia:*La Unión, Antioquia*La Unión, Nariño*La Unión, Sucre*La Unión, Valle del Cauca-Peru:*La Unión Province, Peru...

• la unión, Spanish
  Spanish language
  Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
  
   for "the union," referring to the merging of towns from southern Ilocos Sur
  Ilocos Sur
  Ilocos Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Vigan City, located on the mouth of the Mestizo River is the provincial capital...
  
   and northern Pangasinan
  Pangasinan
  Pangasinan is a province of the Republic of the Philippines. The provincial capital is Lingayen. Pangasinan is located on the west central and peripheral area of the island of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf, with the total land area being 5,368.82 square kilometers . According to the latest census,...
  
   that resulted in the creation of the province in 1854.

Laguna

• laguna, Spanish
  Spanish language
  Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
  
   for "lake," or "lagoon," referring to the large body of freshwater (Laguna de Bay
  Laguna de Bay
  Laguna de Bay is the largest lake in the Philippines and the third largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia after Tonle Sap in Cambodia and Lake Toba in Sumatra, Indonesia. It is on the island of Luzon between the provinces of Laguna to the south and Rizal to the north...
  
  , Spanish for "Lake of Bay") that was named after the province's first capital, the town of Bay
  Bay, Laguna
  Bay is a 3rd class also considered as 2nd class municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 60,756 inhabitants in 15,194 households...
  
  . Twenty of the province's 30 towns and cities border the lake.

Lanao

Lanao (province)

Lanao Province was one of the former provinces of the Philippines from 1914 to 1959. Today the province comprises of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur.-History:...

 (del Norte

Lanao del Norte

Lanao del Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital is Tubod. The province borders Lanao del Sur to the southeast, Zamboanga del Sur to the west, Illana Bay to the southwest, Iligan Bay to the north, Iligan City to the northeast, and is separated...

 and del Sur

Lanao del Sur

Lanao del Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao . Its capital is Marawi City and borders Lanao del Norte to the north, Bukidnon to the east, and Maguindanao and Cotabato to the south. To the southwest lies Illana Bay, an arm of the Moro Gulf...

)

• Hispanicized form of ranaw, Maranao
  Maranao language
  Maranao is an Austronesian language spoken by the Maranao people in the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur in the Philippines.-External links:*, Maranao Dictionary...
  
   for "lake," referring to the lake
  Lake Lanao
  Lake Lanao is a large lake in the Philippines, located in Lanao del Sur province in the country's southern island of Mindanao. With a surface area of 340 km²...
  
   which lies in the center of the plateau that comprised most of the territory of the old province of Lanao.

Leyte

Leyte

Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Tacloban City and occupies the northern three-quarters of the Leyte Island. Leyte is located west of Samar Island, north of Southern Leyte and south of Biliran...

 (and Southern Leyte

Southern Leyte

Southern Leyte is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Maasin City is the capital of the province. Southern Leyte was once a sub-province of Leyte before it was divided from the latter...

)

• Hispanicized corruption of the phrase ila Ete (in Cebuano
  Cebuano language
  Cebuano, referred to by most of its speakers as Bisaya , is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines by about 20 million people mostly in the Central Visayas. It is the most widely spoken of the languages within the so-named Bisayan subgroup and is closely related to other Filipino...
  
  ) or ira Ete (in Waray
  Waray-Waray language
  Wáray-Wáray or Samarnon is a language spoken in the provinces of Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and in some parts of the Leyte and Biliran in the Philippines...
  
  ), meaning "belonging to Ete," in reference to the town that presently bears this name
  Leyte, Leyte
  Leyte is a 5th class municipality in the province of Leyte, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 35,241 people in 6,889 households.-Barangays:Leyte is politically subdivided into 30 barangays.* Bachao* Baco* Bagaba-o...
  
   or the island of the same name
  Leyte Island
  Leyte is an island in the Visayas group of the Philippines.The island measures about 180 km north-south and about 65 km at its widest point. In the north it nearly joins Samar, separated by the San Juanico Strait, which becomes as narrow as 2 km in some places...
  
  . Ete (Iti in the local vernacular, a nickname meaning "good boy") is theorized to be the birthname of Bankaw, who led an unsuccessful revolt in the town of Carigara in 1621.

Maguindanao

Maguindanao

Maguindanao is a province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao . Its capital is Shariff Aguak. It borders Lanao del Sur to the north, Cotabato to the east, and Sultan Kudarat to the south....

• Hispanicized rendering of magindanaw, Maguindanaon
  Maguindanao language
  Maguindanaon is an Austronesian language spoken by majority of the population of Maguindanao Province in the Philippines. It is also spoken by sizable minorities in different parts of Mindanao such as the cities of Zamboanga, Davao, and General Santos, and the provinces of North Cotabato, Sultan...
  
   for "that which has suffered inundation," referring to the flood plains of central Mindanao that are seasonally inundated by the Mindanao River
  Mindanao River
  The Mindanao River, also known as the Rio Grande de Mindanao, is the second largest river system in the Philippines, after the Cagayan River of Luzon. It is also the largest river on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao having a drainage area of 23,169 square kilometers, draining majority of...
  
  , where much of the province's territory is located.

Marinduque

Marinduque

In 1945, combined American and Philippine Commonwealth troops attacked from the Japanese Troops liberated to the Battle of Marinduque in the Second World War.-Archaeology:...

• Hispanicized corruption of malindig or malindug, Tagalog
  Tagalog language
  Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
  
   for "tall and elegant," referring to the tallest peak in the island
  Mount Malindig
  Mount Malindig is a large potentially active stratovolcano on the island of Marinduque in the Philippines. The name Marinduque itself may have been derived from "Marindik" or "Malindik". The tale told by the people of Buenavista, the town that sits at the foot of Malindig, is that during the...
  
  . Other Hispanicized variants of the name include Malindic, Malinduc and Marinduc.

Masbate

Masbate

Masbate is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region. Its capital is Masbate City and consists of three major islands: Masbate, Ticao and Burias.-History:...

• Hispanicized corruption of masabat, Bikol
  Bikol language
  Central Bicolano , is one of the individual languages of the Bikol languages. It belongs to Coastal Bikol. It is spoken in Bicol Region of the Philippines .-Bikol-Naga:...
  
   for "to meet along the way," referring to the strategic position of the town (now city)
  Masbate City
  The City of Masbate is a 4th class city in the province of Masbate, Philippines. It is the capital city of Masbate province...
  
   that bears the name, as well as the island
  Masbate Island
  Masbate is one of the three major islands of Masbate Province in the Philippines. The other two major Islands are Ticao Island and Burias Island. It is the world's 155th largest island according to area and the world's 59th largest island according to population.Masbate Related Website...
  
   named after it, within Philippine maritime trade routes. As with many other provinces, the name of the capital or main island was applied to the whole province. Some early accounts record the name of the island as Masbat.

Mindoro

Mindoro

Mindoro is the seventh-largest island in the Philippines. It is located off the coast of Luzon, and northeast of Palawan. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea.-History:...

 (Occidental

Occidental Mindoro

Occidental Mindoro is a province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region in Luzon. "Home of the Indigenous Mangyans". Its capital is Mamburao and occupies the western half of the island of Mindoro, on the west by Apo East Pass, and on the south by the Mindoro Strait; Oriental Mindoro is...

 and Oriental

Oriental Mindoro

Oriental Mindoro is a province of the Philippines located in the island of Mindoro under MIMAROPA region in Luzon, about 140 km southwest of Manila...

)

• Hispanicized form of minolo or mintolo, local words of now-unrecognizable meaning, referring to the name of Mindoro Island's principal trading town at the time of Spanish contact, located on the northern coast facing Luzon, presently a sitio in the municipality of Puerto Galera, a former capital of the Mindoro Province. Documents written in Tagalog
  Tagalog language
  Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
  
   as late as the 18th century still referred to the island as Minolo. One popular (but erroneous) origin of the name, mina de oro (Spanish
  Spanish language
  Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
  
   for "gold mine"), was the result of the Spaniards giving meaning to a phrase that they could recognize, despite the fact that no major gold-mining industry existed or exists in the island.

Misamis

Misamis

Misamis is the name of two provinces in the Philippines:* Misamis Occidental* Misamis Oriental"Misamis" is sometimes used to refer to both provinces....

 (Occidental

Misamis Occidental

Misamis Occidental is a province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital is Oroquieta City...

 and Oriental

Misamis Oriental

Misamis Oriental is a province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital and provincial center is Cagayan de Oro City...

)

• The undivided province of Misamis was named after its former capital, the town of Misamis (now Ozamiz City
  Ozamiz City
  Ozamiz is a 2nd class city in the province of Misamis Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 123,137.- History :...
  
  ). The name is thought to be the contraction of misa-misa, a phrase that the natives used in the early days of Christianization of the northern coast of Mindanao to welcome priests that visited the area to celebrate mass.
• Hispanicized corruption of kuyamis, Subanon for a variety of sweet coconut that used to be the food staple of the natives.

Mountain Province

Mountain Province

Mountain Province is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is Bontoc and borders, clockwise from the south, Ifugao, Benguet, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Kalinga, and Isabela.Mountain Province is sometimes incorrectly named Mountain in some...

• From the English
  English language
  English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
  
   word mountain. The name "Mountain Province" was first used in the American period to refer to the large province in the Cordillera Mountains that also included the present-day provinces of Apayao
  Apayao
  Apayao is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its administrative capital is Luna and founding capital Kabugao. It borders Cagayan to the north and east, Abra and Ilocos Norte to the west, and Kalinga to the south...
  
  , Benguet
  Benguet
  Benguet is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is La Trinidad and borders, clockwise from the south, Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and Nueva Vizcaya....
  
  , Ifugao
  Ifugao
  Ifugao is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Covering a total land area of 262,820 hectares, the province of Ifugao is located in a mountainous region characterized by rugged terrain, river valleys, and massive forests...
  
   and Kalinga
  Kalinga
  Kalinga is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is Tabuk and borders Mountain Province to the south, Abra to the west, Isabela to the east, Cagayan to the northeast, and Apayao to the north...
  
  . The sub-province of Bontoc (which also means "mountain" in the Bontoc language
  Bontoc language
  Bontoc is the native language of the indigenous Bontok people of the Mountain Province, in the northern part of the Philippines....
  
  ) retained the name "Mountain Province" after it became an independent province in 1966.

Negros (Occidental

Negros Occidental

Negros Occidental is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is Bacolod City and it occupies the northwestern half of Negros Island; Negros Oriental is at the southeastern half...

 and Oriental

Negros Oriental

Negros Oriental is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. It occupies the south-eastern half of the island of Negros, with Negros Occidental comprising the north-western half. It also includes Apo Island — a popular dive site for both local and foreign tourists...

)

• negros, Spanish
  Spanish language
  Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
  
   for "blacks," referring to the dark-skinned Negrito
  Negrito
  The Negrito are a class of several ethnic groups who inhabit isolated parts of Southeast Asia.Their current populations include 12 Andamanese peoples of the Andaman Islands, six Semang peoples of Malaysia, the Mani of Thailand, and the Aeta, Agta, Ati, and 30 other peoples of the Philippines....
  
  s that inhabited the island which was then known as Buglas.

Nueva Ecija

Nueva Ecija

Nueva Ecija is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is Palayan City...

• nueva Écija, Spanish
  Spanish language
  Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
  
   for "new Écija
  Écija
  Écija is a city belonging to the province of Seville, Spain. It is located in the Andalusian countryside, 85 km east of the city of Seville. According to the 2008 census, Écija has a total population of 40,100 inhabitants, ranking as the fifth most populous city in the province...
  
  ", in honor of the hometown of province's first Spanish governor (Gov. Acuyar) in Andalusia
  Andalusia
  Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
  
  , Spain
  Spain
  Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
  
  . The current pronunciation of the province's name in both English and Filipino is different from the Spanish original, in that the emphasis is placed on the second syllable ("e-SI-ha") and not on the first ("E-si-ha").

Nueva Vizcaya

Nueva Vizcaya

Nueva Vizcaya is a province of the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon. Its capital is Bayombong. It is bordered by, clockwise from the north, Ifugao, Isabela, Quirino, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, and Benguet.-History, people and culture:The name was derived from the...

• nueva Vizcaya, Spanish
  Spanish language
  Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
  
   for "new Biscay
  Biscay
  Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
  
  ", in honor of the province in the Basque Country
  Basque Country (autonomous community)
  The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
  
   of Spain
  Spain
  Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
  
  .

Palawan

Palawan

Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region or Region 4. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the...

• Palawano
  Palawano language
  The Palawano languages are spoken on the island of Palawan in the province of Palawan in the Philippines.There are actually three related, but not mutually intelligible, languages, each with a number of dialects, which called themselves "Palawano" .The three Palawano languages share the island with...
  
   form of perawan, Malay
  Malay language
  Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
  
   for "virgin land," in reference to the largely untouched resources of the island that now bears its name
  Palawan Island
  Palawan Island is the largest island of the Palawan Province, Philippines. The northern coast of the island is along the South China Sea, while the southern coast forms part of the northern limit of the Sulu Sea. This island is very undeveloped and traditional...
  
  . In the Spanish colonial era the name of the island and the province was rendered in Spanish orthography as Paragua which has been erroneously etymologized as meaning "umbrella" or "sweet water" in Spanish
  Spanish language
  Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
  
  .

Pampanga

Pampanga

Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Pampanga is bordered by the provinces of Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to the north, and Bulacan to the southeast...

• Hispanicized form of pampang or pangpang, Kapampangan
  Kapampangan language
  The Pampangan language, or Kapampangan , is one of the major languages of the Philippines. It is the language spoken in the province of Pampanga, the southern half of the province of Tarlac and the northern portion of the province of Bataan. Kapampangan is also understood in some barangays of...
  
   for "river bank," referring to the densely-populated area on the northern shores of Manila Bay
  Manila Bay
  Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
  
  , the settlements of which stood on the banks of the delta of what is now called the Pampanga River
  Pampanga River
  Pampanga River is the second largest river in the island of Luzon, next to Cagayan River and the third largest river in the Philippines...
  
  .

Pangasinan

Pangasinan

Pangasinan is a province of the Republic of the Philippines. The provincial capital is Lingayen. Pangasinan is located on the west central and peripheral area of the island of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf, with the total land area being 5,368.82 square kilometers . According to the latest census,...

• Hispanicized form of pang-asinan, Pangasinan
  Pangasinan language
  The Pangasinan language or Pangasinense is one of the twelve major languages in the Philippines....
  
   for "place where salt is made," referring to the coastal region of the Agno River
  Agno River
  Agno River is a river in the Philippine island of Luzon, in the province of Pangasinan. It is the fifth largest river system in the country with drainage area of 5,952 km². It originates in the Cordillera Mountains and empties into the South China Sea via the Cordillera Mountains...
  
   plain which had an extensive thriving salt-making industry, even in pre-colonial times.

Quezon

• Spanish
  Spanish language
  Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
  
   surname. The province, formerly known as Tayabas (after its old capital town
  Tayabas, Quezon
  The City of Tayabas is a city located in Quezon. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 87,252 people...
  
  ), was renamed in 1949 in honor of Manuel Quezon, former president (1935-1944), who was born in the town of Baler
  Baler, Aurora
  Baler is a 4th class municipality in the province of Aurora, Philippines. It is the provincial capital of Aurora. According to the latest census, it has a population of 34,492 people and 5.955 members per household....
  
  , which was a part of the province until 1979. The town is the capital of the province of Aurora, formerly a sub-province of Quezon. The pronunciation of both the former president's and the province's name in Spanish, English and Filipino places the emphasis on the first syllable ("KE-son") and not on the last ("ke-SON"), which the erroneous Spanish spelling variant Quezón suggests.

Quirino

• Spanish
  Spanish language
  Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
  
   surname. The province was named after Elpidio Quirino
  Elpidio Quirino
  Elpidio Rivera Quirino was a Filipino politician, and the sixth President of the Philippines.A lawyer by profession, Quirino entered politics when he became a representative of Ilocos Sur from 1919 to 1925. He was then elected as senator from 1925–1931...
  
  , former president (1948-1953). The name "Quirino" itself was ultimately derived from the Latin Quirinus, meaning "armed with a lance."

Rizal

• Spanish
  Spanish language
  Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
  
   surname. The province was named after José Rizal
  José Rizal
  José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda , was a Filipino polymath, patriot and the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is regarded as the foremost Filipino patriot and is listed as one of the national heroes of the Philippines by...
  
  , inspirational figure of the Philippine Revolution
  Philippine Revolution
  The Philippine Revolution , called the "Tagalog War" by the Spanish, was an armed military conflict between the people of the Philippines and the Spanish colonial authorities which resulted in the secession of the Philippine Islands from the Spanish Empire.The Philippine Revolution began in August...
  
   and national hero. "Rizal" in turn, is a modified form of the Spanish word ricial, literally meaning "able to grow back when cut" and was added to the family name by Rizal's father upon moving from Biñan to Calamba.

Romblon

Romblon

Romblon is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region. It lies south of Marinduque and Quezon, east of Mindoro, north of Aklan and Capiz, and west of Masbate. Its capital is also named Romblon....

• Early Spanish accounts indicate that the name of the island was rendered in Spanish orthography as Donblon, which is probably based on the native word lomlom, a term with cognates across many Philippine languages meaning "dark," or "shady," perhaps in reference to the once-thick forests of the island that now bears the name
  Romblon Island
  Romblon is one of the three major islands of the Romblon Province in the Philippines; the other two are Sibuyan Island and Tablas Island. The island is part of the seat of government for the Romblon province, also named Romblon municipality....
  
  , which in turn, is home to the capital town
  Romblon, Romblon
  Romblon is a 3rd class municipality which is capital of the Romblon province, Philippines. , it had a population of 37,544.-Barangays:Romblon is politically subdivided into 31 barangays.* Agbaluto* Agpanabat* Agbudia* Agnaga* Agnay* Agnipa...
  
   after which the province was named. The present form of the name is the Hispanicized corruption of this word.

Samar

Samar

Samar, formerly and also known as Western Samar, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Catbalogan City and covers the western portion of Samar as well as several islands in the Samar Sea located to the west of the mainland...

 (Eastern

Eastern Samar

Eastern Samar is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is the city of Borongan.-Location:...

, Northern

Northern Samar

Northern Samar is a province of the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital is Catarman and is located at the northern portion of the island of Samar. Bordering the province to the south are the provinces of Samar and Eastern Samar...

 and Western)

• Hispanicized form of samad,) an indigenous term for "wound". The name was named as such because of the rough terrains and mountainous valleys resembling a would in the island. Samar is known to be one of the most fertile and abundant spots in the country.

Sarangani

Sarangani

In 1945, Filipino troops of the 6th, 10th, 101st and 102nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and 10th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary entered and liberated in Southern Cotabato In 1945, Filipino troops of the 6th, 10th, 101st and 102nd Infantry Division of the...

• Hispanicized corruption of the Malay
  Malay language
  Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
  
   expression sarang(an) ini, meaning "this is our home," or literally, "this is our nest," referring to Sarangani Island. The name originally only applied to that island (which lends its name to the municipality of Sarangani, Davao del Sur
  Sarangani, Davao del Sur
  Sarangani is a 5th class municipality in the province of Davao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 20,394 people in 3,546 households.-Barangays:Sarangani is politically subdivided into 12 barangays.* Batuganding...
  
  ), and was eventually applied to the bay protruding into southern Mindanao
  Mindanao
  Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
  
   which lies just to the northwest. The province itself is named after this bay
  Sarangani Bay
  Sarangani Bay is a bay located on the southern tip of Mindanao in the Philippines. It opens up to the Celebes Sea on the Pacific Ocean. General Santos City, one of the Philippines most important cities and ports, is located on the bay, making the bay one of the busiest and often the sight of...
  
   that it almost surrounds. Early Spanish accounts give the name of the island as Sarangã.

(Zamboanga) Sibugay

Zamboanga Sibugay

Zamboanga Sibugay is a province of the Philippines located in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in Mindanao. Its capital is Ipil and it borders Zamboanga del Norte to the north, Zamboanga del Sur to the east and Zamboanga City to the southwest. To the south lies Sibuguey Bay in the Moro Gulf...

• sibug-ay, Cebuano
  Cebuano language
  Cebuano, referred to by most of its speakers as Bisaya , is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines by about 20 million people mostly in the Central Visayas. It is the most widely spoken of the languages within the so-named Bisayan subgroup and is closely related to other Filipino...
  
   for "to walk backwards or withdraw in numbers," from the rootword sibug with the suffix -ay denoting reciprocity or action by many, perhaps in reference to the tidal movement in the bay
  Sibuguey Bay
  Sibuguey Bay is a large bay in the southwestern part of Mindanao island, Philippines, at ....
  
   or river that now bear the name. The province takes part of its name from these two geographical features.

Siquijor

Siquijor

Siquijor is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is the municipality also named Siquijor. To the northwest of Siquijor are Cebu and Negros, to the northeast is Bohol and to the south, across the Bohol Sea, is Mindanao.Siquijor is the third...

• Hispanicized form of the phrase si Kihod, Cebuano
  Cebuano language
  Cebuano, referred to by most of its speakers as Bisaya , is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines by about 20 million people mostly in the Central Visayas. It is the most widely spoken of the languages within the so-named Bisayan subgroup and is closely related to other Filipino...
  
   for "it's Kihod," referring to a former ruler of the island. "Kihod", in turn, means "low tide" in Cebuano.

Sorsogon

Sorsogon

Sorsogon is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region; it is the southernmost province in Luzon and is subdivided into fourteen municipalities and one city. Its capital is Sorsogon City and borders the province of Albay to the north...

• Hispanicized form of sogsogon, Bikol
  Bikol language
  Central Bicolano , is one of the individual languages of the Bikol languages. It belongs to Coastal Bikol. It is spoken in Bicol Region of the Philippines .-Bikol-Naga:...
  
   verb meaning "to continuously follow a course, such as a trail or a river." This may be interpreted as referring to the action that one needs to take in order to reach the settlement that now bears this name
  Sorsogon City
  Sorsogon City is a 2nd class city in Sorsogon, Philippines. It is the capital city of the province of Sorsogon The city is located at southernmost tip province of Luzon. This city was formed by merging the Bacon and Sorsogon towns. The city serves a trans-shipment point from the Visayas and...
  
  , located at the head of what is now called Sorsogon Bay
  Sorsogon Bay
  Sorsogon Bay is a large bay in the southern part of Luzon island, Philippines, at . It costs cover Pilar, Casiguran, Sorsogon City, Castilla and Magallanes....
  
  , if one starts off from Ticao Pass. Alternatively, it can also be interpreted as pertaining to the direction needed to be taken in order to reach the old town center of the provincial capital
  Sorsogon City
  Sorsogon City is a 2nd class city in Sorsogon, Philippines. It is the capital city of the province of Sorsogon The city is located at southernmost tip province of Luzon. This city was formed by merging the Bacon and Sorsogon towns. The city serves a trans-shipment point from the Visayas and...
  
  , located between what are now barangays Capuy and Bulabog (formerly Domanaog), by following what is now called the Sorsogon River. A different meaning of the verb defines it as "to avoid a river, lake or sea," in reference to the route one needs to take in order to reach what is now the town that bore the name
  Sorsogon City
  Sorsogon City is a 2nd class city in Sorsogon, Philippines. It is the capital city of the province of Sorsogon The city is located at southernmost tip province of Luzon. This city was formed by merging the Bacon and Sorsogon towns. The city serves a trans-shipment point from the Visayas and...
  
   from Albay — by avoiding the swift-flowing Cawayan River and the steep slopes around it and taking the path on the opposite side of the river.

Sultan Kudarat

• Arabic
  Arabic language
  Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
  
   title with regnant name. The province was named after Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat, a former sultan of Maguindanao. "Kudarat" in turn, is ultimately derived from the Arabic word qudrat, meaning "power" or "might." The present spelling is derived from the rendering of the name in accordance with Filipino orthography.

Sulu

• Contraction of sulug or suluk, Bahasa Sug
  Tausug language
  Tausūg is a language spoken in the province of Sulu in the Philippines, in Malaysia, and in Indonesia by the Tausūg people....
  
   for "ocean current," a general name applied to the home island
  Jolo Island
  Jolo is a volcanic island in the southwest Philippines. It is located in the Sulu Archipelago, between Borneo and Mindanao, and has a population of approximately 300,000 people....
  
   and the historical and cultural center
  Jolo, Sulu
  Jolo is a municipality on the island of Jolo, and the capital and largest town of the province of Sulu. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 87,998 people in 12,814 households. Part of its population is of Chinese descent, mainly from Singapore...
  
   of the Tau Sug ("people of the current"). The Hispanicized form Jolo (now pronounced ˈxolo) is approximate to sulu if the old pronunciation of the letter 'j' in Spanish orthography, ˈʃolo, is taken into account. This occurs in other Spanish loanwords: jabón ("soap") entered the Filipino vocabulary as sabon and reloj ("watch") as relos. The term Sulu has also been applied to the historical sultanate
  Sulu Sultanate
  The Sultanate of Sulu Dar al-IslamSometimes known as the Royal Sultanate of Sulu or Sultanate of Sulu Darul Islam. was an Islamic Tausūgstate that ruled over many of the islands of the Sulu Sea, in the southern Philippines and several places in northern Borneo. The sultanate was founded in 1457...
  
   that was centered in the province, as well as the archipelago
  Sulu Archipelago
  The Sulu Archipelago is a chain of islands in the southwestern Philippines. This archipelago is considered to be part of the Moroland by the local rebel independence movement. This island group forms the northern limit of the Celebes Sea....
  
   and the sea
  Sulu Sea
  The Sulu Sea is a body of water in the southwestern area of the Philippines, separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipelago. Borneo is found to the southwest and Visayas to the northeast.Sulu Sea contains a number of...
  
   over which the sultanate formerly held sway.

Surigao (del Norte

Surigao del Norte

Surigao del Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Caraga region in Mindanao. Its capital is Surigao City. The province consists of two major islands—Siargao Island and Bucas Grande Island—in the Philippine Sea, and a small region at the northernmost tip of the island of...

 and del Sur

Surigao del Sur

' is a province of the Philippines located in the CARAGA region in Mindanao. Its capital is Tandag City and borders Surigao del Norte to the north, Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur to the west, and Davao Oriental to the south...

)

• Early historical accounts record the name of the river that empties on the northern tip of Mindanao Island as Zurigan, which may have been derived from suligan, native word for "where there is sulig," a species of fish that may have been abundant in the river that now bears the name or the adjacent sea. Just like the practice in naming many other provinces, the undivided province of Surigao was named after its capital, the town that lies at the mouth of the river
  Surigao City
  The City of Surigao The City of Surigao The City of Surigao (Filipino Pronunciation: (sů-rēh-GAŮ) ( Filipino: Lungsod ng Surigao; Surigaonon: Siyudad nan Surigao) located at the northeasternmost tip of Mindanao Island in the Philippines and the capital of the province of Surigao del Norte,...
  
  .
• Hispanicized form of surugu, Manobo for "paradise for the pure and righteous," ultimately derived from the Malay
  Malay language
  Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
  
  -Sanskrit
  Sanskrit
  Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
  
   concept of heaven (surga
  Svarga
  In Hinduism, Svarga is a set of heavenly worlds located on and above Mt. Meru. It is a heaven where the righteous live in a paradise before their next reincarnation...
  
  ).

Tarlac

Tarlac

Tarlac is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Luzon Island. Its capital is Tarlac City. Tarlac borders Pampanga to the south, Nueva Ecija to the east, Pangasinan to the north, and Zambales to the west...

• Hispanicized rendering of tarlak, Aeta
  Aeta
  The Aeta , Agta or Ayta are an indigenous people who live in scattered, isolated mountainous parts of Luzon, Philippines. They are considered to be Negritos, who are dark to very dark brown-skinned and tend to have features such as a small stature, small frame, curly to kinky afro-like textured...
  
   term for a certain grass related to talahib (cogon) and tanglar (Zambal for lemongrass). The area around the current capital city
  Tarlac City
  The City of Tarlac is a 1st class city in the province of Tarlac, Philippines. Tarlac provincial capitol building is shown on the back of the Philippines 500 peso note that features former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr...
  
   (after which the province was named) was described as matarlak, an adjective meaning "abundant with tarlak grass."

Tawi-Tawi

Tawi-Tawi

Tawi-Tawi is an island province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao . The capital of Tawi-Tawi is Bongao. The province is the southernmost of the country sharing sea borders with the Malaysian State of Sabah and the Indonesian East Kalimantan province. To the...

• Sinama
  Sama-Bajaw languages
  The Sama–Bajaw languages are a well established group of languages spoken by the Bajau and Sama peoples of the Philippines and Malaysia, on Borneo and the Sulu Archipelago between Borneo and Mindanao.-Languages:*Abaknon/Inabaknon...
  
   form of jawi-jawi, old Malay
  Malay language
  Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
  
   for "very far," in reference to the island's or the island group's position in relation to other pre-colonial Malay polities.
• Corruption of tawid-tawid, Sinama
  Sama-Bajaw languages
  The Sama–Bajaw languages are a well established group of languages spoken by the Bajau and Sama peoples of the Philippines and Malaysia, on Borneo and the Sulu Archipelago between Borneo and Mindanao.-Languages:*Abaknon/Inabaknon...
  
   for "to criss-cross (the sea)," in reference to the necessary way of traveling between the numerous inhabited islands of the island group.

Zambales

Zambales

Zambales is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is Iba. Zambales borders Pangasinan to the north, Tarlac and Pampanga to the east, and Bataan to the south. The province lies between the South China Sea and the Zambales Mountains. With a land area of...

• Hispanicized plural form of sambal or sambali, the Kapampangan
  Kapampangan language
  The Pampangan language, or Kapampangan , is one of the major languages of the Philippines. It is the language spoken in the province of Pampanga, the southern half of the province of Tarlac and the northern portion of the province of Bataan. Kapampangan is also understood in some barangays of...
  
   name for the people who used to form the dominant ethnic group in the west-central coast of Luzon, or the land they occupy. The terms themselves may have been derived from the rootword samba, meaning "to worship."

Zamboanga

Zamboanga (province)

Zamboanga is a former province of the Philippines located in the western region of the southern Philippine island of Mindanao.-Creation:During the time of the United States' purchase of the Philippines of 1898, the Republic of Zamboanga had its own independence and jurisdiction on what is now...

 (del Norte

Zamboanga del Norte

Zamboanga del Norte or simply known as ZANORTE is a province of the Philippines located in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in Mindanao. Its capital is Dipolog City and the province borders Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay to the south and Misamis Occidental to the east...

, del Sur

Zamboanga del Sur

Zamboanga del Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in Mindanao. Pagadian City is the capital...

 and Sibugay

Zamboanga Sibugay

Zamboanga Sibugay is a province of the Philippines located in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in Mindanao. Its capital is Ipil and it borders Zamboanga del Norte to the north, Zamboanga del Sur to the east and Zamboanga City to the southwest. To the south lies Sibuguey Bay in the Moro Gulf...

)

• Hispanicized form of samboangan, Sinama
  Sama-Bajaw languages
  The Sama–Bajaw languages are a well established group of languages spoken by the Bajau and Sama peoples of the Philippines and Malaysia, on Borneo and the Sulu Archipelago between Borneo and Mindanao.-Languages:*Abaknon/Inabaknon...
  
   for "anchorage," or literally, "place of mooring poles," referring to the settlement and port town at the southern tip of Mindanao's western peninsula
  Zamboanga Peninsula
  Zamboanga Peninsula / Western Mindanao is a peninsula and an administrative region in the Philippines. Designated as Region IX, the region consists of three provinces, namely, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay, its component cities of Dipolog, Dapitan, Pagadian, and...
  
  , which has lent its name to the chartered city
  Zamboanga City
  The City of Zamboanga : is a highly urbanized, independent and a chartered city located in Mindanao, Philippines....
  
   that used to serve as the undivided province's capital. Some persisting erroneous folk etymologies for the name of Zamboanga include jambangan (Malay
  Malay language
  Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
  
  for "place of flowers") or sampaga (for "flower"), both of which cannot be linked linguistically to the current form of the name. It is clear that early historical accounts give the name of the settlement as Samboangan, with samboang ("mooring pole") as the obvious root, and not jambang.