About Tawi-Tawi

HISTORICALLY, Tawi-Tawi was previously part of the province of Sulu. On September 11, 1973, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 302, the new province of Tawi-Tawi was officially created, separating from Sulu. The seat of the provincial government was established in Bongao, the capital Municipality of the Province.



Tawi-Tawi occupies the Southernmost frontier of the Philippines bounded on the northwest part by Sulu Sea, and on the south is the eastern part of Celebes Sea.  Tawi-Tawi is peopled by 4 Cultural Communities: Tausug, Sama, Bajau and Jama Mapun. The Capital town is Bongao (pronounced Bung-gao).  The name of Tawi-Tawi is a projection of the Malay word "jauh" meaning "far." Prehistoric travelers from the Asian mainland would repeat the word as "jaui-jaui" to mean "far away" because of the distance of the islands from the continent of Asia. The word "Tawi-Tawi" was picked up to later become the official name of the province.