dinagat islands had been a part of the first district of surigao del norte until becoming a province on its own on december 2, 2006, with the approval of "republic act no. 9355", the charter of the province of dinagat islands, in a plebiscite. between february 2010 and march 2011, the islands were part again of surigao del norte after declaring "ra 9355" unconstitutional by the supreme court, then were reinstated as a separate province.