Tangcal, officially the Municipality of Tangcal (Maranao: Inged a Tangcal; Cebuano: Lungsod sa Tangcal; Tagalog: Bayan ng Tangcal), is a municipality in the province of Lanao del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 16,075 people.

It is also pronounced as Tangkal.

It is located about 51 kilometers in the southwest of Iligan City, the commercial center of Lanao del Norte. Geographically, Tangcal is bounded by the municipalities of Tubod, Magsaysay and Maigo on the north, Munai on the east, Nunungan on the south, and Magsaysay on the west.

Tangcal is politically subdivided into 18 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

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In 1956, the barangays of Tangcal, Berowar, Pangao, Tawinian, Lumbac, Lawigadato, Somyorang, Bayabao, Pilingkingan, Ramain, Bagigicon, Lamaosa, Meladoc Big, Meladoc Small and Rarab, then part of Kolambugan, were constituted into the municipal district of Tangcal. Later on, some barangays of the municipality of Munai were also consolidated.

The Batingolo and Mutia families, the prominent political families in Tangcal are from Munai. A land portion of Tangcal is elevated. Coconut and corn were the main agricultural products of the town.

• Sultan of Bayabao is the highest traditional position in municipality of Munai and municipality of Tangcal. Sultan of Bayabao term was originally and honorary given by the Sultan of Bayabao in Ramain, Lanao del Sur to the old-old Datus before as sign of friendship according to the folk story. The name barangay Bayabao is in the municipality. Ramain was one of the original governors using Sultan traditional government.
• Sultan of Kapatagan is the key figure and state man being the traditional historian of all the families living in Munai and Tangcal
• Sultan of Adel a Maamor
• Sultan of Linao
• Sultan of Punud
• Sultan of Tangcal Proper
• Sultan of Beruar

Datu Mayoma was one of the Moro tribe who held and fight the American soldiers at the time of American invasion. His remain is in Barangay Linao where he holds and fight with American troops. During the American escalation the lanao del Norte, Datu Mayoma had learned that the American troops were going direction to Tangcal, then he goes to the middle of mountain they called it now Barangay Linao to deck for his small Camp. Few days later, American troops are now reached barangay Linao where small Camp Datu Mayoma located and he is there alone and waiting them. According to the old elders story, Datu Mayoma made a traditional ceremonial first (Sagayan in maranao term) before he start to fight against American troops, however and on other hand, easy to the American troops to kill him since ceremonial takes almost an hour, for that when he starts to strike using his sword aiming to the American soldiers, on process they just fire at him because they are ready and watching.

Tangcal before was one of the very peaceful municipality in Lanao del Norte. Muslim (Maranao Tribe) and Non-Muslim (Christian) they live together as one Community. Most of the Muslim Male married with Christian Female, and their children are peacefully live together. There is Traders Market where Muslims from interior areas and Christians from urvan areas particular in Kolambugan exchange their goods and traditional items.

There was a Christian church build in Barangay Small Banisilon but it was destroyed during Martial Law. There was a schedule of Disco Club gatherings "Baylehan in bisaya term" where all young ladies and young gentlemen including their parents were they meet together just for exchange of cultural and social life. There was also a Contest Competition Program for Mister and Miss of Municipality of Tangcal, which one of the contestant that time who won for Miss Tangcal is Sittie Fatima Mangansan Mutia-Tomawis a Municipal Mayor of Tangcal.

However and suddenly, all the practices has been totally stopped when Late Aleem Ansari Mangansan Mutia an Elder Brother of Mayor Sittie Fatima Mangansan Mutia-Tomawis who came from abroad for Islamic Study. Aleem Anshari had advised his Sisters and Brothers and announced in the Public Mosque that those practices (Disco and Mister and Miss Tangcal) are "Sin" to Islam.

Majority people living in Tangcal were happy because of the simple living because they do not have any worry at all just can eat any food every day, but, they have panic when the land have taxes.

When then President Diosdao Macapagal signed the Land Reform Law to have tax from the Land. In Tangcal there are so many Land Lords but just few Land Lords could provide tax for their lands. On the first process of collecting taxes, sometimes the land lords give the livestock, food, crops just to pay their obligation, however and later soon, the landlords has divided their land to children's, close relatives do not have enough lands and even helpers and workers just to accommodate the paying of much land taxes.

Originally and before Spain Invasion and later American Invasion, the tradition of the Maranao Tribe Leaders is to have workers “personal helpers” or BISAYA in maranao term (no salary but only shelter and protection). They usually cross the beach of municipality of Kolambugan to beach of Ozamis City by boat to catch food or a people living in other side land and make them as workers “personal helpers” or BISAYA.

There is a claim story from old maranao tribe leaders that there are Seven (7) Son of Tribe Leader name Datu Mutia living in the interior area in Lanao del Norte. They go out and cross the sea between Kolambugan and Ozamis City to search and catch human in order to become their own workers' “personal helpers” or BISAYA, however, after long time of searching six (6) of them have return but one of them did not and stay.

On other hand, there was a claim story that Mutia Families in Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental has originally blood from the people living in Interior area in Lanao del Norte, and even now the claim is still existing because of their great-great-great grandfather of great-great grandfather of Mutia Families in Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental has lifted a one small piece of book hanging in the center of the big house and told to his children the book is forbidden and do not touch it or even to it, however and long for many years when somebody open “because of their confusion why the book is forbidden” they saw writing inside the book but not familiar language or letters (Spanish language, English language), and some say that the drawings or the direction of letters are near to Arabic letters.

Population census of Tangcal

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1960	5,338	—
1970	6,309	+1.68%
1975	12,140	+14.03%
1980	3,928	−20.20%
1990	4,439	+1.23%
1995	4,904	+1.88%
2000	6,117	+4.85%
2007	9,351	+6.03%
2010	12,588	+11.42%
2015	15,181	+3.63%
2020	16,075	+1.13%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Majority of people living in Tangcal are all Maranao tribe and they are supporters of MILF and MNLF. All the social life and justices are always refer to MILF and MNLF rules "Sharia Law"

Poverty incidence of Tangcal

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 2006 50.50 2009 67.36 2012 79.32 2015 65.90 2018 44.07 2021 56.33 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

List of local products

• Corn
• Coconut
• Lumber
• Livestock
• Falcata
• Banana

Elected officials 2022–present:

• Municipal Mayor: Sittie Aisah Mutia Tomawis - Adiong
• Vice Mayor: Fatima Mangansan Mutia - Tomawis
• Sangguniang Bayan:
  • Saidali Diragon
  • Salamat Mauyag
  • Jonaid Liawao
  • Elias Tondia
  • Norania Gagaso
  • Aminollah Mostari
  • Moda Dital
  • Soud Batingolo
• ABC President: Abalos Mapandi Macondara
• SB Secretary: Mr. Camilo Batingulo

Mayors after People Power Revolution 1986:

Vice Mayors after People Power Revolution 1986:

• Kendis River
• Piyamunitan River
• Titunod River
• Linao River
• Banisilon River
• Lindongan River

• Banisilon Elementary School
• Beruar Integrated School
• Big Banisilon Integrated School
• Pelingkingan Integrated School
• Somiorang Elementary School
• Tangkal Proper Elementary School
• Tangcal National High School
• Sultan Mimbisa Primary School
• Bayabao Primary School
• Sultan Lindongan Primary School
• Lingco-an Primary School
• Lamausa Primary School

• Tangcal Profile at the DTI Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index
• Official site of Tangcal
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System