Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi

In the Treaty of Paris of 1898, Spain ceded to the United States of America "the archipelago known as the Philippine Islands".^[8] The terms of that treaty were supplemented by the Treaty of Washington of 1900. On the basis of this cession, the United States claimed sovereignty over the Philippine Turtle Islands and the Mangsee Islands, all of which were administered by the British North Borneo Company.^[9] Responding to the claim, the United Kingdom government said there was "no intention...to question the title of the United States" to the islands. However, the United Kingdom asked "whether the United States Government would be willing to forgo their right to these islands, out of consideration for the fact that the North Borneo Company had during many years carried on the administration of [the islands] under the apparent belief the islands formed part of the company's territory, and as the company attached importance to being permitted to retain control over them".^[10][9] Under a treaty concluded by exchange of notes dated 3 and 10 July 1907,^[11] the two countries agreed that the administration of the islands would continue to be carried on by the British North Borneo Company, with that arrangement to end should an international boundary treaty end it or should either government give the other government one year's notice.^[11]

By a further international treaty concluded in 1930 between the United States (in respect of its then-overseas territory of the Philippine Islands) and the United Kingdom (in respect of its then protectorate of the State of North Borneo), the two powers agreed the international boundaries between those respective dependencies.^[12] In that treaty the United Kingdom unambiguously accepted that Sibuang, Boaan, Lihiman, Langaan, Great Bakkungaan, Taganak and Banguan together called in that treaty the “Turtle Islands”, as well as the Mangsee Islands, were part of the Philippine archipelago and therefore under U.S. sovereignty.^[9] However, by a supplemental international treaty concluded at the same time, the two powers agreed that those islands, although part of the Philippine archipelago, would remain under the administration of the State of North Borneo's British North Borneo Company.^[12] The supplemental treaty provided that the British North Borneo Company would continue to administer those islands unless and until the United States government gave notice to the United Kingdom calling for administration of the islands to be transferred to the U.S. The U.S. never gave such a notice. On 4 July 1946, the Republic of the Philippines was declared, and became the legal successor to the U.S. under the treaties of 1930. On 15 July 1946 the United Kingdom annexed the State North Borneo and, in the view of the United Kingdom, became the sovereign power with respect to what had been the State of North Borneo.^[13]

On 19 September 1946, the Republic of the Philippines notified the United Kingdom that it wished to take over administration of the Turtle Islands and the Mangsee Islands. The British government responded by asking the Philippine government to reconsider "because these islands are so far from the nearest Philippine administrative base that...it would be in the best interests of both the Philippines and North Borneo for the latter to remain responsible for the administration of the islands."^[14] The British agreed to the Philippine request to establish a joint committee to examine the administration of the islands. The joint committee inspected the islands but ultimately on 24 September 1947, the Philippines made known its decision to proceed with assuming control of the islands. Pursuant to a supplemental international agreement, the transfer of administration became effective on 16 October 1947.^[15][16]

Municipality status

The Turtle Islands were constituted as a 'special municipal district' under the jurisdiction of the province of Sulu under Executive Order 95 signed by President Manuel Roxas on 13 October 1947.^[20] The same executive order proclaimed "the assumption of jurisdiction and administration by the Republic of the Philippines over the Turtle and Mangsee Islands which form part of Philippine territory".^[20] Under the executive order, a district officer was put in charge of administering the new special municipality.^[20]

The following year, Executive Order 130 was signed by President Elpidio Quirino providing for regular and more usual local government structures.^[21] The Turtle Islands were constituted as the "municipal district of Turtle Islands" to be governed by article VI, chapter 64, of the Revised Administrative Code. It was provided that the provincial board of Sulu shall act as council for the municipal district of Turtle Islands.^[21] The "district officer of Turtle Islands" was given the new title of "municipal district mayor of the Turtle Islands" and the same powers and duties which pertain to such official in other municipal districts organized under the provisions of article VI, chapter 64, of the Revised Administrative Code, in addition to those prescribed under Executive Order No. 95 in 1947.^[21]

The islands are located within the Sulu Sea^[23] at the south-western tip of the country, at the edge of the international treaty limits separating the Philippines and Malaysia.^[6] The seven islands from largest to smallest are:^[24][25]

• Taganak is of volcanic origin and the largest island of the group with an area of about 116 hectares (290 acres) with the highest point at 148 metres (486 ft).
• Boaan, also known as Boan, is the second largest island of the group with an area of 76 hectares (190 acres) with the highest elevation at 59 metres (194 ft).
• Great Bakkungaan also known as Great Bakkungan is the third largest at 51 hectares (130 acres) with the highest elevation at 58 metres (190 ft).
• Baguan is the easternmost of the islands and is also volcanic in origin. The bell-shaped island has an area of 29.1 hectares (72 acres) with the maximum elevation of 40 metres (130 ft).
• Lihiman is a mud and coralline island of about 29 hectares (72 acres). The island is noted for its explosive mud volcanoes extrusions (see below).
• Langaan is a flat coral island of about 7 hectares (17 acres) and a perimeter of 458 metres (1,503 ft).
• Sibaung is the westernmost island and is a small coral reef lying 4.5 miles (7.2 km) westward of the north part of Boaan Island. The island has an area of 0.1 hectares (0.25 acres) only. There are a few bushes 35 feet (11 metres) high on this reef.

Fresh water is reported available from shallow groundwater on all the islands except the smallest, Sibaung.^[26] Perhaps owing to its tiny size and the fact it does not have a fresh water source, Sibaung is sometimes omitted from the list of Philippine Turtle Islands. For example, Presidential Proclamation 171 establishing the Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary refers to six islands rather than seven islands despite covering all of the municipality.^[27]

Taganak, Boaan, Great Bakkungaan, Lihiman and Langaan are inhabited. Baguan, an island protected for turtle nesting and the smallest island, Sibaung, are uninhabited.^[34] According to the 2010 census, the population of the five permanently inhabited islands is 5,683 people. With a land area of only 3.08 square kilometres (1.19 square miles), the islands have a population density of 1,845.1/km². On the five inhabited islands the land cover in large areas is dominated by houses.^[35] Typical of other rural areas in the Philippines, human settlements are mixed with agriculture.^[35] The relative dominance of the settlements is mainly due to the limited land area and the resulting high population density level, which is more than four times the national average.^[35]

Poverty Incidence of Turtle Islands

Natural land cover types in the islands are classified as wooded, mangrove, brush, grass and bare.^[35] Most of the areas on the five inhabited islands used for agriculture are planted with coconut.^[35] There is a seaweed and seagrass industry on the islands. Almost all species have some known economic value.^[35] Only those food species, when developed, are likely to be of immediate economic benefit to the local populations.^[35]