Tandubas is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 24,900 people in 3,935 households
Brief history
The word Tandubas coined from two Bahasa Melayu words Tanjung Bas. Tanjung means “place”, while the word “Bas” means “Landing”. Therefore, Tandubas means a place of landing. Prior to the advent of industrial revolution people in this part of South East Asia travelled from one island to the other by means of vinta (Beggong in Samadialect) equipped with sail and paddle (Dayung). Once upon a time in a bid to look for greener pasture, a group of Malaysian traders boarded a vinta sailing across many islands and accidentally landed in an island what is now Tandubas Island. Seeing that the place was so peaceful and there is an abundance of resources to sustain their living, this group of Malaysian traders finally decided to settle in that island and named it as Tanjung Bas.
For so many years, the island had been named as Tanjung Bas. The Malaysian word Tanjung has its equivalent in Sama dialect which is Tandu. The name Tanjungbas has been changed by the natives to Tandubas, a name that was used from generation to generation.
Tandubas had been a part of the Sultanate of Sulu prior to the creation of Sulu as a province under the Republic of the Philippines. When the province of Sulu was created about a century ago, Tandubas was one of the Districts , an administrative sub-division of the then Department of Education under the Division of Sulu. By virtue of Executive Order No. 355, dated July 1, 1958, Tandubas was converted to a Municipality under the Province of Sulu, covering areas now under the municipality of Sapa-Sapa , the municipality of Languyan, an area in the mainland of Tawi-Tawi. When the Province of Tawi-Tawi was created by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 302, dated September 27, 1973. the Municipality of Tandubas became one of the Municipalities in the Province of Tawi-Tawi. Having created in 1958, Tandubas is one of the oldest municipality in the province of Tawi-Tawi.. It is even older than that of the Province of Tawi-Tawi. By 2008, the municipality will be celebrating its Golden Anniversary. In a bid to create more local government units that comprise the Province of Tawi-Tawi, the Municipality of Sapa-Sapa was created entirely from Tandubas Municipality. Also the Municipality of Languyan was created partly out of the territorial jurisdiction of the Municipality of Tandubas, thus tremendously reducing the land area of the mother municipality. This was made possible by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1086.
Geographical Background
The Municipality of Tandubas is exactly situated within, Longitude 120 degrees 06 minutes to 120 degrees 22 minutes, and Latitude 05 degree 05 minute to 05 degrees 20 minutes. With respect to the province of Tawi-Tawi, Tandubas located relatively in the northeastern part. It is bounded in the North by Languyan Municipality and Sulu Sea; South by Celebes Sea; East by Municipality of South Ubian: and West by Municipality of Sapa-Sapa.
The Municipality is approximately sixty-three (63) kilometers away from the Municipality of Bongao, the capital town of Tawi-Tawi. From Bongao it is accessible by water transportation. Travel time from the port of Bongao to the Municipality of Tandubas would take about five (5) hours using a motor launch with an average speed. For a speedboat or a fast craft it will only take about an hour.
Tandubas is composed of twenty (20) barangays. Twelve (12) of them are located in the island of Tandubas. They are, Tongbangkaw, Tapian, Ballak, Kakoong, Tangngah, Silantup, Butun, Kepeng, Sallangan, Tapian Sokah, Sibakloon and Sapa. Two (2) barangays are located in Tingungun Island. They are Kalang-kalang and Salamat. One (1) barangay is located at Naungan Island that is barangay Naungan. Two (2) banaragays are located at Tandubato island, they are, barangays Lahay-Lahay and Tandubato, Two (2) barangays are located in the mainland of Tawi-Tawi, they are barangays, Himba and Baliongan. One barangay located at Taruk Island that is Barangay Taruk.
Barangays
Tandubas is politically subdivided into 20 barangays.
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