Tukuran, officially the Municipality of Tukuran (; Subanen: Benwa Tukuran; Iranun and Maranao: Inged a Tukudan; Chavacano: Municipalidad de Tukuran; ), is a municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 42,683 people.

Kargado, a movie starring Gardo Versoza, was shot in Tukuran at Tabak E Beach Resort (now E and D beach) in 1998 (circa).

History

Tukuran is derived from the word tukod meaning 'to build' or 'to construct'. Its original inhabitants were Subanons, Maranaons, Maguindanaons, and Iranuns.

Historically, Tukuran was a passing point of many merchants because of its location on the trade route. Merchants of different tribes regularly passed by the area, carrying with them their wares. These merchants usually came from the nearby provinces, most specifically, Zamboanga City and Southern Mindanao, as well as the places of Lanao and the Misamis region (Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental). When the Spaniards came, they tried to control the trade route, building the famous Fort Militar that overlooks Tukuran and the northern part of Illana Bay, as well as the so-called Spanish Trocha which then connected Tukuran directly to the regions of Lanao and Misamis. It came to be known as the Trocha de Tukuran <small>(Trocha that means in Meranau Afta or Apazan)</small>.

Close to the end of the century,in 1899, the Muslims, under the leadership of Sultan Amay Untad Panduma, founded a settlement in Tukuran. They claimed to have come from the Iranon tribe. Since their number was large, they decided to divide themselves and settle in the neighboring sitios. Sultan Paduma's descendants succeeded him in ruling the group.

The first wave of Christian settlers followed a few years later, led by Feliz Ocampo, the grandfather of Felix Ocampo Sr. They hailed from far up north, in Manila. They chose to settle in the shores of Tukuran. They were later followed by the settlers from Pangasinan together with their families and farming equipment.

Before Tukuran became a municipality, it was a part of the municipality of Labangan, until November 29, 1958, when President Carlos P. Garcia, under the recommendation of the Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Board headed by Governor Bienvenido Ebarle, signed Executive Order No. 323 making Tukuran a municipality. The first municipal mayor appointed to head the municipality was Mayor Filomeno C. Villamero (who was then elected vice mayor of Labangan), with Sultan Mamadra Panduma as the vice mayor.

Vega won for the second time in the 1992 National Elections. The issue on the CPP-NPA struggle was eventually resolved due to the implementation of various projects which focused on both socio-economic and socio-cultural aspects. In the 1995 National Elections, Vega was set to run but then decided not to, for health reasons. Instead, he endorsed Isaias Barrido under the banner of Lakas-NUCD.

| date = 6 March 2021

Barangays

Tukuran is politically subdivided into 25 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

  • Alindahaw
  • Baclay
  • Balimbingan
  • Buenasuerte
  • Camanga
  • Curvada
  • Laperian
  • Libertad
  • Lower Bayao
  • Luy-a
  • Manilan
  • Manlayag
  • Militar
  • Navalan
  • Panduma Senior (formerly Lambayong)
  • Sambulawan
  • San Antonio
  • San Carlos (Poblacion)
  • Santo Niño (Poblacion)
  • Santo Rosario
  • Sugod
  • Tabuan
  • Tagulo
  • Tinotungan
  • Upper Bayao

Demographics

Economy

<!-- Deleted image removed: thumb|Beach -->

The town is primarily agricultural with rice as its main crop. It also has a thriving fishport. The town's long stretch of fine black sand is a popular weekend destination for people from Pagadian and neighboring towns.

One of the most important industries is fishery. Tukuran and Pagadian City and many of the western towns have rich fishing grounds and the fish caught in Tukuran and Pagadian City are transported to Ozamiz City, Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro. The fish caught in the western towns, due to costly transportation, are either salted or dried and sold to neighboring provinces. Life in Tukuran is relatively abundant.

Culture

Tingson's Pangisda Festival Competition – Tribal dance competition every January organized by the owner of TS Fishing for yearly fiesta of Sr. Santo Niño of Cebu. On January 13, 2011, the second year competition was held with a grand prize of . This competition will hopefully be held annually in coordination with the barangay (Santo Niño) and Municipal LGUs.

Mutya ng Tukuran – An annual beauty competition highlighting the Araw ng Tukuran Celebration every April 1 of the calendar year. The pageant is regularly held every March 31.

Sakayan Festival – An annual exhibition/parade of floats and the conduct of relevant activities sharing the same "sakayan" concept on the occasion of the "Araw ng Tukuran".

Fluvial Parade – being conducted on the day before the town fiesta or during the vesperas.

Municipal Fiesta – A yearly celebration of the Our Lady of Star of the Sea under the Diocese of Pagadian City. This happens every last Saturday of October. However, when the last Saturday is too close to November 1, the fiesta is being celebrated on the Saturday preceding the last.

Transportation

  • Payong-Payong – A tricycle transportation derived from using payong, a Filipino term of UMBRELLA that protects the passengers against heat and rain and operates its route from town to beach resorts and to the various barangays of the Municipality.
  • Habal-Habal – A mode of transport by single motorcycles to the Municipality of Sultan Naga Dimaporo or Also known as Karomatan, and to far-flung barangays which are not reachable by other modes of transportations.
  • Rural Transit – Starts its operation in March 2010 from Tukuran to Ozamiz City via Aurora and Aurora To Pagadian City via Tukuran.
  • Sikad-Sikad – Around the town, a gas-less way of transportation by using pedals to run.

Government

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Tukuran LGU Officers (from 2019 to 2022)

|-

! Title !! Name

|-

| Mayor || Macario V. Tingson

|-

| Vice Mayor || Delfina S. Cortina

|-

| SB Member || Rolly S. Cortina

|-

| SB Member || Elinore V. Chua

|-

| SB Member || Jocyl Faith C. Vega

|-

| SB Member || Macario B. Tutor, Jr.

|-

| SB Member || Benjamin A. de Jesus

|-

| SB Member || Bobby H. Mamentong

|-

| SB Member || Sukarno M. Mamasalagat

|-

| SB Member || Victoria G. Pintac

|-

| LnB President || Romulo R. Gorpido

|-

| SK Fed. Pres. || Dante M. Sabal

|}

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Municipal Mayors and Vice Mayors

|-

! Year !! Mayor !! Vice Mayor !! Reference

|- Caesar C. Rota ||

|-

| 2019-2022 || Macario V. Tingson|| Delfina S. Cortina||

|-

| 2018-2019 || Maychel O. Velayo-Rota, MAGD (Interim)|| Atty. Kenneth O. Alivio, CPA, MAGD (Interim)||

|-

| 2016–2018 || Atty. Francisvic S. Villamero || Maychel O. Velayo-Rota ||

|-

| 2013–2016 || Atty. Francisvic S. Villamero || Maychel O. Velayo-Rota ||

|-

| 2010–2013 || Atty. Francisvic S. Villamero || Caesar C. Rota ||