Maguindanao del Norte

Maguindanao del Norte, officially the Province of Maguindanao del Norte, is a province in the Philippines located in the Bangsamoro region in Mindanao. Its capital is the municipality of Datu Odin Sinsuat. It borders Cotabato province to the east, Lanao del Sur to the north, Maguindanao del Sur to the south-east, and Sultan Kudarat to the south. The province's largest city, Cotabato City, is administratively independent from the province but is grouped for congressional representation.

HISTORY

Maguindanao del Norte was formed when Maguindanao province was split into two provinces; the other province being Maguindanao del Sur. The division occurred following a plebiscite on September 17, 2022, which ratified Republic Act 11550 wherein it proposed the partitioning of the province. Former Maguindanao Vice Governor Ainee Sinsuat was expected to become the acting governor of the newly formed Maguindanao del Norte province. However, an issue arose since the determination of the first set of officials of the province presumes that the plebiscite was held prior to the 2022 national and local elections. However, the plebiscite was postponed to a date after the elections. This led to the Commission on Elections to come up with a legal opinion. The position was issued on September 28, 2022, where the election body conclude that only the Department of the Interior and Local Government could appoint the first officials of the province.

QUICK FACTS
Population Census (2024)	1,666,353
Land Area	3,988.82 km²
No. of households	1,124,000
Average Household Size	6.0
Registered Voters	530,526
Major Landmarks	Aliwagwag Falls (Cateel)
Coastal Access	Yes
estimated elevation above sea level	309 m

Map

Maguindanao del Norte is a province located in the central part of Mindanao within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). It is bounded by Maguindanao del Sur on the south, Lanao del Sur on the northwest, and Cotabato City at its center, while its eastern side is bordered by Bukidnon and Cotabato provinces. The province is characterized by vast plains of the Pulangi River basin, interspersed with marshlands from the Ligawasan Marsh, and surrounded by rolling hills and mountains.

MUNICIPALITIES POPULATION DATA

Maguindanao del Norte has 12 municipalities and 1 independent component city. The total number of barangays in the province is 299.

name	type	barangay_count	population_2020	population_2024
Barira	Municipality	14	27597	36143
Buldon	Municipality	15	35282	39684
Datu Blah T. Sinsuat	Municipality	13	26356	28243
Datu Odin Sinsuat	Municipality	34	99600	116768
Kabuntalan	Municipality	17	23483	25439
Matanog	Municipality	8	36034	36034
Northern Kabuntalan	Municipality	11	25439	26277
Parang	Municipality	25	89075	102914
Sultan Kudarat	Municipality	39	95201	105121
Sultan Mastura	Municipality	13	24728	25331
Upi	Municipality	23	56400	59004
Talitay	Municipality	9	16625	17463
Cotabato City	Independent Component City	61	325079	383383

DEMOGRAPHICS

Population by Age Group

Based on the 2020 Census, the largest age group in Maguindanao del Norte is 0-4 years, with an estimated population of 93,000 individuals, followed closely by those aged 5-9 years, totaling approximately 89,000 individuals. In contrast, the 80 years and over group has the fewest residents, with only around 16,000 individuals.

age	population_2020
0-4 years	93000
5-9 years	89000
10-14 years	85000
15-19 years	81000
20-24 years	76000
25-29 years	71000
30-34 years	66000
35-39 years	61000
40-49 years	51000
50-59 years	87000
60-69 years	67000
70-79 years	65000
80+ years	56000

Population by Gender

In 2020, the population of Maguindanao del Norte was composed of approximately 50.70% males and 49.30% females, indicating a slightly higher number of males compared to females.

ECONOMY

Crop Production in Maguindanao del Norte

From 2015 to 2024, crop production in Maguindanao del Norte experienced significant fluctuations. Palay (rice) remained the province's dominant crop, with rainfed palay generally producing the larger share compared to irrigated palay. Total palay output peaked in 2021 at 622,850 MT, supported by strong rainfed harvests, before gradually declining to 360,402 MT in 2024. This downturn highlights increasing variability in rice production, particularly due to reductions in both irrigated and rainfed areas. Corn production (white and yellow combined) showed a more stable performance compared to palay, ranging from 350,133 MT in 2016 to a high of 700,163 MT in 2020. Yellow corn consistently accounted for the larger share, while white corn contributed a smaller but steady portion. Despite year-to-year shifts, overall corn output displayed less volatility than palay.

title	2023	2024
Irrigated Palay	186856.6	107573.1
Rainfed Palay	434739.29	252828.62
White Corn	203123.75	93081.48
Yellow Corn	513328.67	308817.96

BARANGAY