Kapalawan

Kapalawan, officially the Municipality of Kapalawan (Maguindanaon: Inged nu Kapalawan, Jawi:  ; Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Kapalawan; Cebuano: Lungsod sa Kapalawan; Tagalog: Bayan ng Kapalawan), is a municipality in the province of Cotabato, Philippines. The municipality is part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao despite Cotabato being part of Soccsksargen.

Kapalawan
Municipality
Municipality of Kapalawan
Map of Cotabato with Kapalawan highlighted
Country	Philippines
Region	Bangsamoro (Special Geographic Area)
Province	Cotabato
Founded	April 13, 2024
Government
• Mayor	Norman Cadi Inalang (OIC)
• Vice Mayor	Toto Dading Laguialaot (OIC)
Area
• Total	180.62 km2 (69.74 sq mi)
Population  (2020)
• Total	28,463
• Density	160/km2 (410/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)

History

When the Bangsamoro was created in 2019 to supplant the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, 63 barangays in the province of Cotabato were grouped with the newer autonomous region in the second part of the plebiscite held in February 6.^[1] The mother municipalities and Cotabato province remained part of Soccsksargen.^[2]

By March 2020, these barangays were designated as a Special Geographic Area (SGA) of the Bangsamoro region.^[3]

On August 17, 2023, the bills consolidating the SGA barangays into eight municipalities were approved by the Bangsamoro Parliament,^[4] The particular bill creating Kapalawan was Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 133.^[5]

A plebiscite was held on April 13, 2024, and voters approved all eight bills reconstituting the SGA barangays to eight municipalities including Kapalawan, where 10,495 voted in favor of its creation while two voted against. The Bangsamoro regional government will provide P2.5 million in funding for the municipal government until it gets its share of income from the National Tax Allotment.^[6] Kapalawan was created from seven barangays of Carmen.^[5]

Geography

Barangays

Kapalawan is politically subdivided into seven barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

• Kib-Ayao
• Kitulaan
• Langogan
• Manarapan
• Nasapian
• Pebpoloan
• Tupig

Demographics

Population census of Kapalawan

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2020	28,463	—

Government

Officers-in-charge (OIC) was selected by BARMM Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim to fill positions in the municipal government pending regular elections in 2025. The municipality remains under the jurisdiction of the Special Geographic Area pending the creation of a new province.^[7][8]

Norman Cadi Inalang is the OIC mayor of Kapalawan since July 9, 2024,^[9]