REGION XII SOCCKARGEN

REGION XII

SOCCSKSARGEN

 

• Regional center: Koronadal City, South Cotabato
  
• Area: Total 22,466 km² (8,674.2 sq mi)
  
• Population (2007) : Total3,829,081
  
• Cities: 5 –Kidapawan City, Koronadal City, Cotabato City, General Santos City, Tacurong City
  
• Languages: English, Tagalog, Cebuano, Tboli, Cotabato Manobo
  

  
   

NORTH COTABATO (Land of the Mightiest Mountain)

 

• Kidapawan City (a spring in the highland)
  
• Area: 9,008.90 km² (3,478.4 sq mi)
  
• Population : 1,121,974
  
  • N    - Lanao del Sur and Bukidnon,
    
  • E    - Davao City and Davao del Norte,
    
  • S & W    - Maguindanao
    
  • SE    - Sultan Kudarat and Davao del Sur.
    
• Cotabato province is strategically linked to the major "Arterial Road System" traversing andconnecting the province to Davao City- SOCSKARGEN- Cotabato Coridor and the Cotabato Via Kabacan- Maramag_ Kibawe, Bukidnon (Cagayan de Oro/ Iligan City Corrigidor) Sayre Highway.
  
  
• Cotabato derives its name from the Maguindanao kuta wato, meaning "stone fort" served as the seat of the great sultan kudarat
  
• North Cotabato is considered as Mindanao's food basket.One of the Philippines most vibrant economies from being a basket case. It is a major producer of cereals, tropical fruits, vegetables, sugarcane, coconut, coffee, freshwater and fish and livestock.Rubber has been among the leading high-value products of the province. North Cotabato has more or less 25,000 hectares planted to coconut.
  

TRANSPORTATION

• By air. As a landlocked province, the provincial government realized that the only option left to Cotabenos in shipping out perishable products.
  
• buses, jeepneys and motorcycles as the main transportation vehicles that is available in the whole Province
  

TOURIST SPOT

• Lake Venado-(Tent City of The Mountain) A lake hidden in the mountain vastness approximately 8,000 ft (2438 m) above sea level. It features a crystal clear and ice cold expanse of fresh water that mirrors the majestic twin peaks of Mt.Apo.
  
• North Cotabato Rural Airport – a 64 hecyare airport project a Tawan tawan, M'lang, whichis the mostimportant infrastructure project implemented in the province.
  
• Mt. Apo Natural Park – major naturala assets are Mt. Apo,the country's highest peak at 10,311 ft above sea level.(Mindanao 1 Geothermal Power Plant at the foot of Mt.Apo in Illomavis, Kidapawan City which produces 97megawatts ofelectricity).
  

  
   

SHARIFF KABUNSUAN

• Capital: Cotabato City
  
• Area: 176.00 km² (68 sq mi)
  
• Population: 259,153
  

     FESTIVAL

• Shariff Kabunsuan Festival- Held every 15 to 19 of December. The grandest festival commemorating the arrival of Shariff Kabunsuan, an Arb Malay missionary from Johore, Malay Peninsula to bring Islam in Mainland Mindanao.
  

• Araw ng Kutabato ( June 12 – 24 )- it celebrates the creation of Cotabato as charter city.
  
  • Immaculate Conception Fiesta ( December 08 )- the biggest religious activity, this celebration combines the merry atmosphere of chistmas and the traditional "PISTAHAN" into a holiday for both the spirit and the body. Highights are Maria Procession.
    
  • HOLY MONTH OF RAMADHAN(based on the lunar calendar) – it commemorate the start of Islam's holiest month. Ramadan call outs to its faithful for few weeks of prayer and fasting.
    

TOURIST DESTINATION

• Cotabato City Hall- a century old structure which houses almost all the city government offices. It showcases a unique and antique architectural design depicting the Muslim Art.
  
• Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto- A replica of Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto in France. The compound is equipped with ideal retreat house for recollection and seminars, a mini zoo and a children's park.
  
• Tamontaka Church-Built in 1872 of Spanish architecture and design. It is the oldest church in the city, a relic of the living past.
  
• Kutang Bato Caves -
  "KUTA" means FORT and "WATO" means STONE. The only cave in the country that is right in the heart of the city. It has four major entrances offering various attraction like rock formations, salt water ponds, underground river,
  
• Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) –Houses the Office of ARMM Regional Governor. The buildings in the copmpund showcase unique blend of modern and Muslim architecture.
  
•  Masla Pulangi (Rio Grande De Mindanao)- the longest river in the country, it is estimated to be 182 kilometers long and96 meters wide
  
•  TambakWeavers- "Weavers of dreams as they say are commonly referred to for they weave not only "inaul malongs" of exquisite design and colorful but also offers them on an unbelievable bargain.
  
  

SOUTH COTABATO (Conference Capital of Mindanao)

 

• Capital : Koronadal City
  
• AREA: 3,936.0 km² (1,519.7 sq mi)
  
• Population: 767,255
  
• Location:
  
  • N & W --- Sultan Kudarat
    
  • E & S --- General Santos city and Sarangani.   
    
• Languages:  Hiligaynon, Cebuano, Tagalog and English
  
• General Santos City
  

TOURIST SPOT

• Lake Sebu- it is natural lake located in the municipality of Lake Sebu, South Cobato and within the Alah Valley region. It is the country'smost important watershed.
  
• Mt. Matutum- oneofthe active volcano in the Philippines. All are part of the Pacific ring of fire.
  

 

SARANGGANI (Archeologist's Paradise)

 

• Capital :  Alabel 
  
• Are: 3,601.3 km² (1,390.5 sq mi)
  
• Population: 475,514
  
• Location:
  
  • N ----- South Cotabato,
    
  • S ----- Sarangani Bay and Celebes Sea,
    
  • E ---- DAvao del Sur
    
  • W----- Sultan Kudarat. 
    
  • E & W ----- General Santos City. 
    
• Languages: Cebuano
  

Historical Background

• The early inhabitants who first inhabited Sarangani were the indigenous natives, called "MunaTo," a native term for "first people."
  
• Sarangani Province, composed of one landlocked and six coastal towns, is found in the southern tip of Mindanao.  It was named Sarangani being a primarily coastal area and close to Sarangani Bay.
  
• The name itself is a legend, about the life of Saranganing, and adventurous son of a Sangil family from the coast of Celebes of Indonesia.  His sailing often brought him to the Sultanate of Buayan (now General Santos City), a stronghold of Maguindanaos.  His outstanding character impressed the people
  
• The economy of Sarangani has a high count of wheat, corn and interrelated energy.
  

  
   

SULTAN KUDARAT (Tuna Country of Mindanao)

• Capital:    Isulan
  
• Area:    5,135.30 sq km
  
• Population:    586,505
  
• Location:
  
  • N ----- Maguindanao and Cotabato City
    
  • S ----- South Cotabato and Sarangani,
    
  • E ----- Davao del Sur
    
  • W ----- Celebes Sea
    
• Languages: Hiligaynon,  Ilokano ,Cebuano,  Maguindanao
  
• Pitot Cave
  
• Bamban Falls-Hot and Cold Spring
  
• Datalblao Cave
  
• Kipulao Falls
  
• Paradise Cave
  

Baras Bird Sanctuary