NORTH COTABATO

Population

958,643 Area 6,565.9 km sq

Languages

Hiligaynon, Cebuano, Maguindanao, Chavacano and others

General Information

North Cotabato, formerly Cotabato, is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao.

Cotabato derives its name from the maguindanao kuta wato, meaning "stone fort", referring to the stone fort which served as the seat of the great Sultan Kudarat in what is now Cotabato City.

Islam was introduced in this part of the country in the later part of 15th century by Shariff Kabunsuan, a legendary Muslim missionary.

Christianity was introduced in 1596, but the Spaniards were unable to penetrate into the region until the second half of the 19th century. The district of Cotabato was formed in 1860. What is presently Cotabato remained outside the area of Spanish activities.

The coming of the Americans ushered in the creation of the Moro Province on July 15, 1903 through Act No. 787 of the Philippine Commission. Cotabato, covering what are presently the provinces of Cotabato, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato and Sarangani, became a district of the huge province (Moro Province). During the American period, large companies were established in Cotabato to exploit the vast timber resources of the region. By the 1930s settlers from Luzon and Visayas established homesteads in Cotabato. During the Japanese Occupation, Cotabato was the occupied by the Japanese Imperial forces on 1942.

In 1945, the liberation of Cotabato was beginning the recaptured from the combined Filipino and American troops together with the recognized Moro guerrilla units was fought the Japanese Imperial forces, the guerrillas was used the traditional Moro Kampilan, Barong and Kris swords. Eventually, the Japanese troops were defeated until the end of World War II. The pace of settlement accelerated in the 1950s and 1960s.

The former province of Cotabato was once the largest in the Philippines. In 1966, South Cotabato was created as a separate province. On November 22, 1973, by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 341, what remained of the old Cotabato was further divided into the provinces of North Cotabato, Maguindanao, and Sultan Kudarat. North Cotabato was later renamed Cotabato through Batas Pambansa Blg. 660 approved on December 19, 1983.

Cotabato is presently composed of the component capital city of Kidapawan, 17 municipalities, and 544 barangays. The province has two congressional districts.

Major Industries

Cotabato Industry Cotabato derives its name from the Maguindanao kuta wato, meaning "stone fort", referring to the stone fort which served as the seat of the great Sultan Kudarat in what is now Cotabato City. The term Mindanao or Maguindanao was originally given to the town of Cotabato and the adjacent territory. "Mindanao", which means inundated or that which has been inundated, is derived from the word danao, meaning inundation of a river, lake or sea.

Geography

The predominant geological complex is the Cotabato Basin which empties into Illana Bay via Rio Grande de Mindanao into which flows most of its principal tributaries, namely: the Malasila and the Kabacan Rivers. The tributaries have carried silt for centuries from the mountain ranges of Bukidnon and the province, depositing these in the lowlands which resulted in the agricultural lands in the province.

Economy/Resources

Cotabato City has and agri-based sorrounding .Agriculture is the main livelihood of most cotabotatos. The major natural assets are Mt. Apo, Pulangi River which is a major contributor to Mindanao's irrigation system and hydro-electric energy.

Culture

Cotabato genesis is a melting pot of people. The first Visayan settlers reached the town of Pikit in 1913, and since then, Christian migrants have moved and lived in Cotabato, cohabitating the province with the local indigenous groups. 71% of Cotabato's population are migrants from Luzon and the Visayas, while the remaining 18% belong to the indigenous communities Manobo, T'boli, and Maguindanao. The major dialects spoken are Hiligaynon or Ilonggo (43%), Cebuano (31%), Maguindanao (16%), and Ilocano (10%). The main religions are Roman Catholicism and Islam.Based on the National Statistics Office, Cotabato has an overall population of 918,992 (2000 Official Census). The average population growth rate is 1.36%, which is under the national average of 2.12%.

Climate

Cotabato climate has a slightly pronounced cycle of dry and rainy seasons. Rains may fall anytime during the year but normally from May to October. The rest of the year is a relatively dry season.

Transportation

Plane has a direct flight daily from Manila going to Cotabato City. The buses of Philtranco services the Manila-Davao route. By sea, sails the port of Polloc in Maguindanao.