Mapun

Cagayan de Sulu was among the islands in the Sulu Archipelago being occupied by the Samal people in the late 18th and early 19th century. The island likewise had a smaller Tausog population than Palawan.{{cite book |last=Warren |first=James Francis |date=2007 |title=The Sulu Zone, 1768–1898 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Sulu_Zone_1768_1898/VUZq93ydrrwC?hl=en |location=Singapore |publisher=NUS Press, National University of Singapore |page= |isbn=978-9971-69-386-2 |access-date=June 2, 2025 |via=Google Books}}

In 1783, an East India Company ship, the Antelope, spent a month trading among Cagayan de Sulu and the Tapian Tana islands.

Cagayan de Sulu was among the traditional sources of rice and sago. In the 1790s, rice was extensively cultivated for export. The products once supplied the Tausogs in Sulu.

In 1872, as Spanish authorities began conquering Jolo, they issued a regulation aiming to destroy all Tausog shipping, in a move to reduce their trading activities to a mere submission. Despite this, a usual number of prahus (trading boats) from southern Palawan and Cagayan de Sulu continued to go to the British settlement.

Haji Mansur, a powerful aristocrat, was one of the leading traders bringing precious cargoes to Labuan. He was later attacked by the Spanish. He had returned to Labuan from a pilgrimage in Mecca in July 1875, and left for Cagayan de Sulu. While their prahus were on its way from southern Palawan to Zamboanga, they had an encounter with Spanish vessel Santa Lucia; after which, he was the only one at least (or amomg the few) in his family who survived.

The Tausogs in Sulu were affected by the blockade which severed their access to Cagayan de Sulu, resulting in their insufficient rice supply, despite reports that peace was later maintained in the Sulu Archipelago and people turned to labor and agriculture.

Following the 1898 Treaty of Paris, the first treaty between the United States and Spain, the former later adjusted the borders of the Philippine territory. Later, it was reportedly discovered that some islands were outside the defined boundary. The second treaty on November 7, 1900, included the outlying islands of Cagayan de Sulu and Sibutu and their dependencies, in the territory,{{cite web |last=Caruana |first=Alec |date=April 10, 2023 |title=The Maritime Bedrock of the U.S.-Philippines Alliance |url=https://chinaus-icas.org/research/the-maritime-bedrock-of-the-u-s-philippines-alliance/ |website=chinaus-icas.org |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=Institute for China-America Studies |access-date=June 1, 2025}} situated in the southwest, both of the archipelago{{cite news |date=February 28, 2024 |title=Fact Check — Mindanao and Sulu included in the 1898 Treaty of Paris and in the Philippine Declaration of Independence of June 12, 1898 |url=https://mindanews.com/top-stories/2024/02/fact-check-mindanao-and-sulu-included-in-the-1898-treaty-of-paris-and-in-the-philippine-declaration-of-independence-of-june-12-1898/ |work=MindaNews |location= |publisher= |access-date=June 1, 2025}} and of the Sulu Sea.

American documents stated that what was then called the Cagayan Sulu group was a dependency of the Sultan of Sulu and included the island of Cagayan Sulu, the two Muligi islands to the south, and seven others to the north. Cagayan Sulu, the largest, is bounded by a coral reef except at the steep northwest and southeast parts. There are ranges of hills on the east side. It was then only inhabited and thinly populated. While the soil and climate are favorable to vegetation and the cultivation of tobacco, hemp palm, and various crops, fruits, and vegetables; the natives depended mainly for the abundance of fishes and rice imported from Palawan, being exchanged with coconuts and its oil. Meanwhile, the smaller ones were for turtle catching and other temporary uses.{{cite book |author=Mr. Lodge |date=January 22, 1901 |title=Islands of Cagayan Sulu and Sibutu |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/SERIALSET-04033_00_00-061-0103-0000/pdf/SERIALSET-04033_00_00-061-0103-0000.pdf |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=United States Government Publishing Office |page= |isbn= |access-date=June 3, 2025 |via=GovInfo}}

Throughout American-rule in the Philippines, Cagayan de Sulu was never organized as a regular municipality of the Moro Province's Sulu District despite having authorization by the legislative council, thus it once had its own tribal ward government. At the time, it had the villages of Jurata and Imus.{{cite book |date=January 2, 1907 |title=Official Gazette (vol. 5, no. 1) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QP4efRkpSLEC&pg=PA152&dq=cagayan+de+sulu&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&ovdme=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi0kpyd1dKNAxVM1DgGHRXxKakQ6AF6BAgMEAM#v=onepage&q=cagayan%20de%20sulu&f=false |location=Manila |publisher=Philippine Commission |page=151 |isbn= |access-date=June 2, 2025}}

The first American resident governor of Cagayan de Sulu was Guy Stratton, a former American army officer from Kansas. He lived on the island for nearly two decades, during which he brought the three districts and allied villages under a single municipal authority. He later established an administrative center at the present-day poblacion, Lupa Pula, at a new anchorage. With a new municipal administrative structure, Datu Amilhanja was appointed mayor (1911–1914), directly under a resident deputy governor.

During the Japanese period, Salip Hatari of Awang was the de facto ruler (1943–1945) of the island with the help of the Japanese from Borneo, as part of revenge against Stratton, who had been subduing the salip in the early phase of the American pacification.

By virtue of Executive Order No. 355, signed by President Carlos P. Garcia on August 26, 1959, Cagayan de Sulu was among the twenty of 21 remaining municipal districts of then-undivided Sulu which were converted into municipalities effective July 1, 1958.{{cite PH act |title=Converting into Municipalities all the Municipal Districts in the Province of Sulu, Except Marungas |chamber=EO |number=355 |date=August 26, 1959 |url=https://lawphil.net/executive/execord/eo1959/eo_355_1959.html |access-date=May 31, 2025}} The first election was held in 1959 where Lim Eng, a part-Chinese commoner, won as mayor. First appointed in 1954, he served until 1967.{{cite journal |last=Casiño |first=Eric |date=February 20, 1973 |title=Politics, Religion, and Social Stratification: the Case of Cagayan de Sulu |url=https://pssc.org.ph/wp-content/pssc-archives/Philippine%20Sociological%20Review/1973/Num%203-4/13_Politics_Religion%20and%20Social%20Stratification_%20The%20Case%20of%20Cagayan%20de%20Sulu.pdf |journal=Philippine Sociological Review |volume= |issue= |location=Quezon City |publisher=Philippine Sociological Society, Inc. |pages=261-271 |doi= |access-date=June 3, 2025 |via=Philippine Social Science Council}}

At that time, Cagayan de Sulu, being called Tana Mapun in the Pelun Mapun language, had been inhabited by Jama Mapun (literally, "People of Mapun") which are Muslim Filipinos like the Tausugs and Samals. It was in June 1963 when lunsay, their popular pre-Islamic traditional community dance, was documented following a performance in Barrio Duhul Batu.{{cite journal |last=Casiño |first=Eric |date=1966 |title=Lunsay: Song-dance of the Jama Mapun of Sulu |url=https://asj.upd.edu.ph/mediabox/archive/ASJ-04-02-1966/casio-lunsay-song-dance-jama-mapun-sulu.pdf |journal=Asian Studies: Journal on Critical Perspectives on Asia |volume=4 |issue=2 |location=Quezon City |publisher=Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman |pages=316–323 |doi= |access-date=June 3, 2025 |via=upd.edu.ph}}

After the municipality became part of Tawi-Tawi, its name was further changed twice; from Cagayan de Sulu to Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi through Batas Pambansa Blg. 647 on March 7, 1984;{{cite PH act |title=Changing the name of the municipality, Cagayan de Sulu to Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi (Tawi-Tawi) |chamber=BP |number=647 |date=March 7, 1984 |url=https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocs/2/33462 |access-date=June 1, 2025}} and eventually to its present name, Mapun, through Republic Act No. 6672 on September 5, 1988.{{cite PH act |title=Changing the name of the municipality, Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi to Mapun (Tawi-Tawi) |chamber=RA |number=6672 |date=September 5, 1988 |url=http://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocs/2/6407 |access-date=}}

Mapun, along with the Turtle Islands –both now among the three main island groups in the province– serve as places of interest for traders bound for northern Borneo, particularly Sabah, and Labuan.{{cite book |date=October 2019 |title=Trade in the Sulu Archipelago: Informal Economies Amidst Maritime Security Challenges |url=https://asiafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Trade-in-the-Sulu-Archipelago-Informal-Economies-Amidst-Maritime-Security-Challenges.pdf |location=San Francisco, California |publisher=The Asia Foundation |page= |isbn= |access-date=June 3, 2025 |via=asiafoundation.org}}

Mapun Tawi-Tawi is surrounded by several islets such as:

• Manda
• Boan
• Kinapusan
• Pamilikan
• Lapun-Lapun
• Bintuut
• Muligi

Most of these are located at Barangay Umus Mataha.

Mapun is politically subdivided into 15 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

• Boki
• Duhul Batu
• Guppah
• Iruk-Iruk
• Kompang
• Liyubud (Poblacion)
• Lubbak Parang
• Lupa Pula
• Mahalu
• Pawan
• Sapah
• Sikub
• Tabulian
• Tanduan
• Umus Mataha

{{Weather box

| location = Mapun, Tawi-Tawi

| width = auto

| metric first = Yes

| single line = Yes

| Jan high C = 28

| Jan low C = 24

| Feb high C = 28

| Feb low C = 23

| Mar high C = 29

| Mar low C = 23

| Apr high C = 31

| Apr low C = 24

| May high C = 31

| May low C = 24

| Jun high C = 31

| Jun low C = 25

| Jul high C = 30

| Jul low C = 24

| Aug high C = 31

| Aug low C = 25

| Sep high C = 30

| Sep low C = 24

| Oct high C = 30

| Oct low C = 24

| Nov high C = 29

| Nov low C = 24

| Dec high C = 28

| Dec low C = 24

| Jan precipitation mm = 123

| Feb precipitation mm = 81

| Mar precipitation mm = 79

| Apr precipitation mm = 48

| May precipitation mm = 65

| Jun precipitation mm = 65

| Jul precipitation mm = 68

| Aug precipitation mm = 64

| Sep precipitation mm = 66

| Oct precipitation mm = 100

| Nov precipitation mm = 101

| Dec precipitation mm = 134

| Jan rain days = 17.7

| Feb rain days = 14.5

| Mar rain days = 16.1

| Apr rain days = 14.9

| May rain days = 22.7

| Jun rain days = 24.3

| Jul rain days = 25.7

| Aug rain days = 25.4

| Sep rain days = 23.8

| Oct rain days = 25.7

| Nov rain days = 22.9

| Dec rain days = 20.8

| source 1 = Meteoblue

{{cite web

| url = https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/forecast/modelclimate/mapun-island_philippines_1721071

| title = Mapun, Tawi-Tawi : Average Temperatures and Rainfall

| publisher = Meteoblue

| access-date = 30 January 2019 }}

| date = 30 January 2019

}}

{{clear left}}

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| footnote= Source: Philippine Statistics Authority{{PH census|2015}}{{PH census|2010}}{{PH census|2007}}{{LWUA population data}}

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File:BigdipISS.jpg

;Elementary

{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|

• Lupa Pula Pilot School (formerly Lupa Pula Central School) - elementary pupils are primarily from Lupa Pula, Liyubud, and Mahalu.
• Mahalu Elementary School
• Duhul Batu Elementary School
• Sikub Elementary School
• Surong Baiddin Memorial Elementary School
• Sapah Elementary School
• Boki Elementary School
• Kompang Elementary School
• Tanduan Elementary School
• Pawan Elementary School
• Guppah Elementary School
• Iruk-Iruk Elementary School
• Umus Mataha Elementary School
• Lubbak Parang Elementary School
• Imam Saat Elementary School

}}

;Secondary

• Notre Dame of Cagayan (NDC) - a private school located in the border of Barangay Lupa Pula and Barangay Mahalu.
• Mindanao State University (MSU) - a public school located in Mahalu
• Tawi-Tawi Academy (TTA) - a private school located in Barangay Guppah
• Mapun SHS

;Tertiary

Mindanao State University Extension - a public school and the only college institution in Mapun. MSU-Extension offers two-year courses.

Majority of those who graduate from high school pursue their studies in other places, most notably Zamboanga City, Palawan, and Bongao.

On the other hand, most of the graduates from elementary and high school are forced to stop their studies due to poverty lack of scholarships from the government.

Most of them have found a job in neighboring country like Malaysia. Tend to work as a construction workers and fisherman.

Mapun Foundation Day is celebrated by the Jama Mapun every September 5. This week-long celebration starts on September 1, with a parade and then a short program held in Lupa Pula Central School.

Various competitions are held during Mapun Day, which includes singing competitions (in English, Tausug, and Pullun Mapun), dance showdowns (modern dance, folk dance, pangalay, which is a native dance, and lunsay, which is a dance performed during weddings), Azaan competition, Tarasul iban Daman (Mapun's version of declamation and oration), and Leleng, to name a few.

Each Barangay has their own representatives in the various events. However, the most popular is the "Budjang Mapun", which is a beauty contest. Each barangay has its own contestant in this event. The winner of the search for "Budjang Mapun" is usually sent to Bongao as Mapun's representative in Budjang Tawi-Tawi, a similar beauty search held in Bongao every Province Day. Every municipality in Tawi-Tawi has its own contestant.

Poverty Incidence of {{wikidata|label}}

}}

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority{{cite web

| url = https://psa.gov.ph/content/poverty-incidence-pi

| title = Poverty incidence (PI)

| publisher = Philippine Statistics Authority

| accessdate = December 28, 2020}}{{#if:{{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|P8843|P585=2000}}|{{safesubst:#invoke:wd|reference|raw|P8843|P585=2000}}|}}{{#if:{{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|P8843|P585=2003}}|{{safesubst:#invoke:wd|reference|raw|P8843|P585=2003}}|}}{{#if:{{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|P8843|P585=2006}}|{{safesubst:#invoke:wd|reference|raw|P8843|P585=2006}}|}}{{#if:{{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|P8843|P585=2012}}|{{safesubst:#invoke:wd|reference|raw|P8843|P585=2012}}|}}{{#if:{{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|P8843|P585=2015}}|{{safesubst:#invoke:wd|reference|raw|P8843|P585=2015}}|}}{{#if:{{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|P8843|P585=2018}}|{{safesubst:#invoke:wd|reference|raw|P8843|P585=2018}}|}}{{#if:{{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|P8843|P585=2021}}|{{safesubst:#invoke:wd|reference|raw|P8843|P585=2021}}|}}

|}

Main source of income from this province are farming and fishing.

In a bid to advance competitiveness of Tawi-Tawi in farming industry, this province supplies large companies when it comes on coconut plantation mainly "COPRA". 80% of the land consist of coconut trees, quarterly harvested and to be traded and refined in other places, like Palawan and Zamboanga City.

Rice fields are not known in this area due to lack of water irrigation projects, rice is imported locally from Palawan and Zamboanga City and mostly from Malaysia. Most of the locals use cassava as base on their daily meal.

• List of renamed cities and municipalities in the Philippines

{{reflist}}

• [{{NSCB detail}} Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20131004104825/http://census.gov.ph/ Philippine Census Information]
• [https://cmci.dti.gov.ph/lgu-profile.php?lgu=Mapun Mapun Profile at the DTI Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index]

{{Tawi-Tawi}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Islands of Tawi-Tawi

Category:Landforms of the Sulu Sea

Category:Municipalities of Tawi-Tawi

Category:Island municipalities in the Philippines