Piagapo, officially the Municipality of Piagapo (Maranao: Inged a Piagapo; ), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Lanao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 30,132 people.
History
The municipality was named Piagapo as the word relates closely to several royal houses of the Pat A Pangampong a Ranao. It is believed that during the ancient time, Piagapo was territorial land originally ruled by a queen ruler “Dayang Labi", a direct descendant of Sharief Kabungsuan, the first Muslim missionary who landed in Maguindanao to spread the religion Islam. Being queen ruler of the land, she was popularly enthroned and widely known as the “Bai sa Radapan”. Furthermore, to retain her name and legacy in the history of Piagapo, one of the Barangays was named after her title as the Bai sa radapan. It was called Radapan. This is the place where most of her descendants reside. Moreover, claimants of the sultanate leadership in the different areas of Piagapo usually trace up their genealogical origin from the progenitor, the Bai sa Radapan. Only her progeny can claim a royal title. The Municipality of Piagapo was once a component of the Municipality of Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur. On March 17, 1957, the president signed Executive Order No. 431 creating Piagapo into a municipal district which took effect effectively. The name Piagapo was proposed by a group of leaders from Sendigan led by Sultan a Diamla and presented by Mangompia S. Gunting. The name Piagapo was unanimously adopted as the name of the municipal district. Piagapo was then converted into a regular municipality on July 1, 1965, by virtue of Executive Order No. 166 signed on August 27, 1965. Piagapo also divided into three districts: Sundigan A Piagapo, Pat a Panoroganan, Bubonga Marantao and composed of 37 barangay.
Martial Law
Piagapo is one of the municipalities suffered and receiving evacuees from municipality of Munai and municipality of Tangcal during Martial Law in 1972. Almost Evacuees living in Munai at the time were abandoned their home, livestock, land, etc. and they moved to boundary somewhere in Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte. Most of the people stay meanwhile to Barangay Lininding of Munai, a boundary of Municipality of Piagapo, Lanao del Sur. The only remaining people that time of evacuation process were the Moro (Male and Female including Children) Fighter and one of their Leader Commander was Commander Tagoranao "AKA James Bond" Macapaar bin Sabbar, a MNLF Top Commander for Lanao del Norte. Late Commander James Bond is the sibling of MILF Top Commander Abdullah Macapaar "Commander Bravo". Moro Rebels from Munai had a fight side by side with the Moro Rebels from neighboring Tangkal against Philippines Constabulary (PC) Army.
After peaceful was process in the middle of 1980s, the team of MILF Commander Sultan Saifudin Romandiar Tomawis and MILF Commander Sultan Tagoranao Goldiano Macapaar bin Sabbar along with the MILF Commander Sansarona from Maguindanao had stay and made a temporary "MILF Camp Bansayan" in Bansayan, a barangay of Piagapo until end of EDSA Revolution on 1986. During the stay, there were enormous battle between MILF forces and Government Forces. Both MILF Commanders had gone to Afghanistan to join the war against Russian on 1984. The said Camp was abandoned by MILF Soldiers when civilian had given the map and provide with guide the Government Forces when that MILF Camp on early EDSA Revolution. On the Attack of Government Forces, they come secretly at night in barangay bansayan and they stay at the near of the MILF Camp Bansayan for almost 10hrs until 3:00AM and strike the Camp. The one of the Field Commander who stay long and withdraw later to fight is Commander Abiden Dimacuta Umpar because he handle .30 Machine Gun.
Geography
It is located in the first district of the province of Lanao del Sur, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and has total land area of 340.09 square kilometers distributed over the 37 barangays that are predominantly populated by Maranao people.
Barangays
Piagapo is politically subdivided into 37 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios. These barangays are further grouped into 3 districts. Bubonga Marantao Aposong Bubo Bualan Bubonga Ilian Bubonga Mamaanun Bubonga Tawaan Ilian Proper Ilian Poblacion Lumbaca Mamaanun Mamaanun Mentring Palao Paling Paridi Pindolonan Rantian Sapingit