Sulu returns to Region 9 as President Marcos signs Executive Order 91

DAVAO CITY (July 3)  — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has officially signed Executive Order (EO) No. 91, transferring the Province of Sulu from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to Region IX or the Zamboanga Peninsula, in compliance with a Supreme Court decision that upholds the results of a 2001 plebiscite.

The EO, signed on July 31, 2025, enforces the high court’s ruling that Sulu, which voted against joining the then-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) more than two decades ago, should no longer be under the jurisdiction of BARMM — ARMM’s successor following the 2019 ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

“In order to uphold the voice of the people of Sulu and ensure uninterrupted delivery of public services, there is an urgent need to effectively implement and address the effects of the Supreme Court Decision and Resolution,” President Marcos said in the executive order.

The directive mandates the immediate inclusion of Sulu and all its local government units (LGUs) into Region IX operations, affecting all executive departments, national government agencies (NGAs), and government instrumentalities based in the province. The aim is to ensure that the transition does not disrupt essential government services.

To facilitate a “gradual and orderly” transition, the EO creates a technical working group (TWG) headed by the Executive Secretary and co-chaired by the Secretaries of Budget and Management, Interior and Local Government, and National Defense. The TWG is given 15 days from the EO’s effectivity to convene and recommend a roadmap for implementation.

The decision has far-reaching implications not only for Sulu’s administrative alignment but also for the BARMM government, which now officially relinquishes one of its historically contentious territories.

Despite Sulu’s prior integration into BARMM in 2019 under the transition framework, its 2001 rejection of ARMM was the basis of legal arguments brought before the Supreme Court. The high court’s recent decision validates that vote and affirms Sulu’s preference to be part of Region IX.

The executive order takes effect immediately upon its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.

The development is being closely watched by political leaders, development actors, and security officials in both BARMM and Region IX, given its implications on governance, peacebuilding, and regional integration efforts in Mindanao.

Sulu, a predominantly Tausug province, voted against joining ARMM in the 2001 plebiscite. However, it was later included in BARMM following the 2019 ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law. This inclusion was challenged in court, culminating in the Supreme Court’s recent decision that led to the issuance of EO 91.