Thirteen Philippine Provincial Seats in Order of Founding, from Romblon to Alabel

Settled as an encomienda in 1571 and made a pueblo in 1631, Romblon is the oldest place on this trail. It is only the titular capital of its province, spread over Romblon Island and the smaller islands of Alad, Cobrador and Logbon, and it keeps two Spanish era forts and a cathedral declared a national cultural treasure.

Founded in 1611 by Augustinian Recollect priests as the village of Paynauen, Iba became the provincial capital in place of Masinloc because of its central location. It had 59,580 people at the 2024 census and is the birthplace of President Ramon Magsaysay.

Founded on August 16, 1754 and chartered as a city on February 4, 2001, San Fernando had 377,534 people at the 2024 census. It is known as the Christmas Capital of the Philippines for its Giant Lantern Festival and is one of two provincial capitals with this name.

Settlers from Bacolor, Pampanga founded Tarlac in 1788, and it became the capital when the province was created in 1872. Converted to a component city in 1998, it counted 401,892 residents in 2024, the most populous settlement in its province, and lies 124 kilometers north of Manila.

Spanish priests reached Siquijor by 1780, and the town was organized as a municipality in 1794, the year its parish was established. It is the titular capital of the island province, with 30,215 residents in 2024 and an economy of farming, fishing, woodcraft and basket weaving.

Named in 1879, made a municipality in 1882 and chartered as a city in 1961, Lucena sits on Tayabas Bay about 130 kilometers south of Manila. It is geographically the capital of Quezon province but administratively independent of it, a commercial, education and government center for the area.

Founded in 1880 as Layawan and renamed in 1884 after a Basque town in Navarra, Oroquieta became a city on January 1, 1970. The Franciscan friar Tomas Casado helped establish its abaca industry, and it now calls itself the City of Good Life with 71,373 people in 2024.

Koronadal began in 1939 as the Marbel Settlement District, became a municipality in 1947 and a component city in 2000. It was named the regional center of Soccsksargen in 2004 and had 201,844 residents in 2024, roughly 95 percent of whom speak Hiligaynon.

Established on August 8, 1947 under Executive Order No. 82, Buluan was designated capital of Maguindanao del Sur under Republic Act No. 11550. The provincial council recognized it as capital in 2014, ending a long absence of a permanent capitol; it had 60,931 residents in 2024.

Organized as the municipality of Dinaig on August 18, 1947, it was renamed Datu Odin Sinsuat in 1994 under Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act No. 29. It is the capital of Maguindanao del Norte and hosts Awang Domestic Airport, which serves the province and nearby Cotabato City.

Ipil was renamed from Sanito when it became a town under Executive Order No. 249 in 1949, taking the name of the local ipil trees. It had 96,363 residents in 2024 and hosts the only airport in Zamboanga Sibugay, which makes it the province major commercial center.

Created under Executive Order No. 266 on August 30, 1957, with its municipal government starting operations that September 12, Isulan is the capital of Sultan Kudarat. It is called the Oil Palm Capital of the Philippines and had 101,455 residents in 2024.

Separated from Dadiangas, now General Santos, in 1956 and established as its own municipality under Republic Act 6393 in 1971, Alabel is the youngest place on this trail. It is the capital of Sarangani, with 90,120 residents in 2024 across 14 barangays.