The Moro Province, as at present constituted, corresponds to the former districts of Basilan, Cotabato, Dapitan, Davao, Joló, Siasi, Tawi Tawi and Zamboanga, so that a direct comparison between the census estimate and the present estimate is possible. The figures given were recently furnished me by the secretary of the province. They are admittedly inaccurate, but are believed to be approximately correct.
Nueva Ecija. This province has lost its Ilongot population to Nueva Vizcaya.
Nueva Vizcaya. Nueva Vizcaya has lost its Ifugao population to the Mountain Province, but has gained those Ilongots formerly credited to Isabela, Tayabas, Nueva Ecija and Pangasinán, the net result being a heavy loss in non-Christian population.
Palawan. The province of Palawan corresponds closely to the territory included in Paragua Norte and Paragua Sur at the time of the census enumeration so that a direct comparison is possible. There was no real attempt to enumerate the non-Christian inhabitants of this province for the census. Of Moros alone there are some five thousand. There are said to be approximately ten thousand Tagbanuas in the country tributary to the region along the banks of the Iwahig River, which empties into Coral Bay. It is further claimed that there are some five thousand more back of Bonabóna Point. This does not take into account the Tagbanua population on the west coast, nor that of the other Iwahig valley near Puerto Princesa; nor does it include the Tagbanuas inhabiting the islands of Dumaran, Dinapahan, Bulalacao, Peñon de Coron, Culion and Busuanga. I here place the non-Christian population of the province at twenty thousand, but believe this figure rather low.
Romblon. There are some fifty non-Christians in this sub-province, survivors of a much larger number who formerly lived in Tablas and Sibuyan.
Samar. The figures here given are those of a recent estimate by the lieutenant-governor of the hill people of that island. Most of the hill people are rated as Filipinos.
Surigao. Surigao has lost most of its non-Christian population to the sub-province of Butuan, but still has a considerable number of Manobos and Negritos and the figures given are far too low.
[1] I am indebted to the Honourable Gregorio Araneta, secretary of finance and justice, for a summary statement of the judicial reforms effected since the American occupation, on which this statement is largely based.—D. C. W.
[2] The engineer officer of the province.