Why It's Called That
MIMAROPA: the region that spells its islands
MIMAROPA is an acronym of its islands. In 2005 one order moved Palawan to Western Visayas and another froze it; a 2016 law named the region the Southwestern Tagalog Region.
1:00 · MIMAROPA · October 9, 2026
The story
This region's name is a spelling lesson. MI for the two Mindoros. MA for Marinduque. RO for Romblon. PA for Palawan. Until 2002, all five belonged to one big Region Four.
That May, an executive order split it in two and named the island half MIMAROPA. Then came the twist. In May 2005, a new order moved Palawan and Puerto Princesa to Western Visayas.
Less than three months later, another order put that move on hold. In 2007, Calapan City became the regional center. In 2016, a law made it official, with a formal name few people use: the Southwestern Tagalog Region.
Palawan was still in it. An island that was called Paragua until 1905. Which letters are home for you? MI, MA, RO or PA? Tell us in the comments.
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