The essence of the ancient Islamic faith and culture remains in good health and well-being in the province of Maguindanao, home of the Muslim Maguindanaos, traditionally a peace-loving, inland-dwelling people.

The old province of Cotabato was subsequently divided first into Cotabato and South Cotabato in 1966. In November 22, 1973, Cotabato was further divided into 3 more provinces namely Maguindanao, North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.

Maguindanao is the only predominantly Muslim province of the four that were created out of the former province of Cotabato. Today it holds the seat of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).1/ 

In the third quarter of 2006, a municipality and seven (7) barangays were created in the province of Maguindanao, while two (2) barangays were created in the province of Compostela Valley. They are as follows:           

A. The municipality of DATU BLAH T. SINSUAT, with 12 barangays coming from the municipality of Upi, pursuant to Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act (MMAA) No. 198 and ratified through plebiscite conducted by the COMELEC on September 16, 2006;

B. The creation of the following barangays:

1. In the province of Maguindanao:

Municipality of Barira:

1. Panggao     - MMAA No. 176, Sept. 16, 2006
2. Korosoyan  - MMAA No. 177, Sept. 16, 2006
3. Lamin      - MMAA No. 178, Sept. 16, 2006

Municipality of Paglat: 

1. Campo       - MMAA No.179, Sept. 16, 2006
2. Tual       - MMAA No. 180, Sept. 16, 2006
3. Salam       - MMAA No. 181, Sept. 16, 2006
4. Kakal       - MMAA No. 182, Sept. 16, 2006

2. And in the province of Compostela Valley, in the municipality of New Bataan:

1. Manurigao      - SP Ord. No. 02, July 15, 2006
2. Tandawan       - SP Ord. No. 02, July 15, 2006

Number of of Regions and Local Government Units (LGUs), by Island Group
(As of September 30, 2006 and June 30, 2006)

With these changes, the Philippines has a total of 17 regions, 79 provinces, 117 cities, 1,506 municipalities and 41,993 barangays as of September 30, 2006. These updates in the Philippine Standard Geographic Code (PSGC) were approved and prescribed for adoption by the NSCB Executive Board thru a referendum conducted in October 2006, in line with NSCB Resolution No. 3, s. 2003 “Approving and Adopting the Latest PSGC Updates and Revisions”.

As the largest island in the country, Luzon now has 8 regions, 37 provinces, 57 cities, 690 municipalities and 20,057 barangays.  Visayas has 3 regions, 17 provinces, 33 cities, 399 municipalities and 11,875 barangays while Mindanao has 6 regions, 25 provinces, 27 cities, 417 municipalities and 10,061 barangays.

1/ http://www.wowphilippines.com.ph/explore_phil/place_details.asp?content=description&province=116
  http://www.answers.com/topic/maguindanao