Wao officially the Municipality of Wao ( Maranao/ Iranun: ''Inged a Wao''; ceb, Lungsod sa Wao; tl, Bayan ng Wao), is a 2nd class

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...

in the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions out ...

Lanao del Sur Lanao del Sur ( tl, Timog Lanao; Maranao language, Maranao and ilp, Pagabagatan Ranao), officially the Province of Lanao del Sur, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Bangsamoro, Bangsamoro Autonomous Re ...

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 50,366 people. Wao is the only municipality in

where

Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

is the dominant religion (80% of the population. Wao is the only municipality in the Philippines that starts with "W".

History

The LASEDECO resettlement program of then-President

Ramon Magsaysay Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay Sr. (August 31, 1907 – March 17, 1957) was a Filipino statesman who served as the seventh president of the Philippines, from December 30, 1953, until his death in an aircraft disaster on March 17, 1957. An automo ...

made possible the foundation of Wao as a municipality in Lanao del Sur province on February 22, 1961. The first settlers in the area were sixty (60) families of various ethnicity from the then-undivided

Cotabato Cotabato or North Cotabato ( hil, Aminhan Cotabato; ceb, Amihanang Cotabato; Maguindanaon: ''Pangutaran Kutawatu'', Jawi: ڤڠوترن كوتاواتو; fil, Hilagang Cotabato), officially the Province of Cotabato, is a landlocked province in ...

province. Only one person (Elvino B. Balicao, Sr) among the 1st batch of settlers became one of the Municipal Mayors of Wao. Mr Balicao, along with members of the 1st batch of 60 settlers that included the late couple Aludio & Sofia Emborgo, were welcomed by the native Muslim inhabitants of Wao led by Sultan Mamaco Saripada (the municipality's first appointed and elected mayor), Datu Tao Pagul and Datu Maki Saripada. They were treated to a sit-down meal in the house of Sultan Mamaco Saripada.Tales of Sofia Emborgo's early life in Wao by Evelyn E. Mills (aka Bebing of Wao)

Geography

Wao is also surrounded by

Amai Manabilang Amai Manabilang, officially the Municipality of Amai Manabilang (Maranao: ''Inged a Amai Manabilang''; tl, Bayan ng Amai Manabilang), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Lanao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has ...

in the north and west,

Bukidnon Bukidnon(), officially the Province of Bukidnon ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Bukidnon; fil, Lalawigan ng Bukidnon; hil, Kapuroan sang Bukidnon; Binukid and Higaonon: ''Probinsya ta Bukidnon''), is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the ...

in the east, and

in the south.

Barangays

Wao is politically subdivided into 26

barangay A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolita ...

s. * Amoyong * Balatin * Banga * Buntongan * Bo-ot * Cebuano Group * Christian Village * Eastern Wao (

Poblacion ''Poblacion'' (literally "town" or "settlement" in Spanish; ) is the common term used for the administrative center, central, downtown, old town or central business district area of a Philippine city or municipality, which may take up th ...

) * Extension (

) * Gata (Pizawaoan) * Kabatangan * Kadingilan * Katutungan * Kilikili East * Kilikili West * Malaigang * Manila Group (

) * Milaya * Mimbuaya * Muslim Village * Pagalongan * Panang * Park Area * Pilintangan * Serran Village * Western Wao (

)

Climate

Demographics

Economy

Sister cities

Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...

, since April 1990

References

External links

Wao Profile at the DTI Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index
*

Philippine Standard Geographic Code The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

Local Governance Performance Management System

Philippine Census Information
Municipalities of Lanao del Sur {{ARMM-geo-stub