Payao, officially the Municipality of Payao (Chavacano: Municipalidad de Payao; ), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 34,952 people.

History

The municipality was established on November 11, 1977, by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1238 signed by President Ferdinand Marcos, constituting thirteen barangays separated from Siay, which was then part of Zamboanga del Sur, with Payao as the seat of government.

Territorial dispute (Guintolan)

Issues concerning territorial jurisdiction over Barangay Guintolan led to two judicial proceedings between Payao and Imelda (also created, same day). Guintolan was situated between the municipalities, both are geographically adjacent. Residents later petitioned the transfer of the barangay from the jurisdiction of Payao to that of Imelda. In 1987, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Zamboanga del Sur issued resolutions, unanimously approving and, with the approval of the involved municipal mayors, proclaiming that Guintolan would be under the territorial jurisdiction of Imelda. Payao filed a petition for nullification of the transfer before Pagadian Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 19, questioning the provincial board's authority to do so, which was granted on November 18, 1987. Imelda, seeking to regain Guintolan, later twice filed Petitions for Mandamus against Payao. The first, with provincial officials of Zamboanga del Sur as co-respondents, was dismissed by the Pagadian RTC Branch 21 in 2001; the second was granted by the Ipil RTC Branch 24 in 2015. The provincial government of Zamboanga Sibugay had assessed the matter as a boundary dispute. Payao lost in their appeals before the Court of Appeals in 2018, and eventually, the Supreme Court on June 28, 2021.

Geography

Barangays

Payao is politically subdivided into 28 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

Climate

Demographics

Economy