The Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur is now independent and separate provinces after the majority of citizens had voted to divide the Maguindanao province, the Commission on Election (Comelec) announced on Sunday, Sept. 18.

In a press statement, Comelec Acting Spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said 99.27 percent equivalent to 706,558 voters voted in favor, and only 0.73 percent or 5,209 voters voted against the ratification of the province's split into two.

The Commissioner said the Maguindanao split was the second highest voter turn-out in province-wide plebiscite based on percentage in the record, following the plebiscite for the creation of the Compostela Valley province from Davao del Norte on March 7, 1998.

But the Maguindanao plebiscite was the highest in terms of voters who actually voted. Laudiangco said out of the 818,790 registered voters, about 711,767 had voted.

"Resoundingly, the creation of the 2 provinces of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur had long been hoped by the Maguindanaoans and their elected leaders. This dream has now become a reality with the success of the plebiscite and the ratification of RA No. 11550," Laudiangco said.

In 2021, former president Rodrigo Duterte signed RA No. 11550 or "Act of dividing the province of Maguindanao into distinct and independent two provinces, namely Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur".