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South Cotabato ( hil, Bagatnan Cotabato; ceb, Habagatang Cotabato; Maguindanaon: ''Pagabagatan Kutawatu'', Jawi: ڤاڬابڬتن كوتاواتو; tl, Timog Cotabato), officially the Province of South Cotabato, is a
province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions out ...
in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
located in the
Soccsksargen Soccsksargen (officially stylized in all caps; ), formerly known as Central Mindanao, is an administrative region of the Philippines, designated as Region XII. Located in south-central Mindanao, its name is an acronym that stands for the regi ...
region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...
in
Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
. Its capital is
Koronadal Koronadal, officially the City of Koronadal ( hil, Dakbanwa sang Koronadal; ceb, Dakbayan sa Koronadal; Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Koronadal'', Jawi Alphabet, Jawi: كوتا نو كورونادال; fil, Lungsod ng Koronadal) ...
, and it borders
Sultan Kudarat Sultan Kudarat, officially the Province of Sultan Kudarat ( hil, Kapuoran sang Sultan Kudarat; Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sultan Kudarat'', Jawi: دايرت نو سلطان كودرت; ceb, Lalawigan sa Sultan Kudarat; tl, Lalawigan ng Sul ...
to the north and west,
Sarangani Sarangani, officially the Province of Sarangani ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sarangani; hil, Kapuoran sang Sarangani; Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sarangani'', Jawi: دايرت نو سارڠني; fil, Lalawigan ng Sarangani), is a province in the Philip ...
to the south and northeast, and
Davao del Sur Davao del Sur ( ceb, Habagatang Dabaw; ), officially the Province of Davao del Sur, is a province in the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is Digos City. Davao City is the largest city in terms of area and populat ...
to the far northeast. To the southeast lies Sarangani Bay.
General Santos General Santos, officially the City of General Santos,; hil, Dakbanwa sang Heneral Santos; Maguindanao: ''Ingud nu Heneral Santos''; Blaan: ''Banwe Dadiangas''; Tboli: ''Benwu Dadiangas''; Filipino: ''Lungsod ng Heneral Santos'' and abbre ...
, located on the shores of Sarangani Bay, is the most populous city in both the province and the region, but is governed independently from the province. The province of Sarangani used to be part of South Cotabato until it was made an independent province in 1992.


History

Centuries ago, the area that would be the South Cotabato was sparsely inhabited by Maguindanaon pioneers and Lumads which are under
Sultanate of Maguindanao The Sultanate of Maguindanao ( Maguindanaon: ''Kasultanan nu Magindanaw''; Old Maguindanaon: كاسولتانن نو ماڬينداناو; Jawi: کسلطانن ماڬيندناو; Iranun: ''Kesultanan a Magindanao''; ms, Kesultanan Magindan ...
's influence. The
Spaniards Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance ethnic group native to Spain. Within Spain, there are a number of national and regional ethnic identities that reflect the country's complex history, including a number of different languages, both ...
launched expeditions to subdue the area throughout the colonial era but they never gained control of the region until the middle of the 19th century after the Spaniards established a military post at what is now Barangay Tamontaka, one of the earliest Christian settlements founded south of the Philippines, in present-day
Cotabato City Cotabato City, officially the City of Cotabato ( Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Kutawatu'', Jawi: كوتا نو كوتاواتو; Iranun: ''Bandar a Kotawato'', بندر ا كوتاواتو; fil, Lungsod ng Cotabato), is a third class independent c ...
. Spaniards already took with them
Chavacano Chavacano or Chabacano is a group of Spanish-based creole language varieties spoken in the Philippines. The variety spoken in Zamboanga City, located in the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao, has the highest concentration of speaker ...
-speaking Christians and Muslims from Zamboanga and Basilan, as well as the
Visayans Visayans ( Visayan: ''mga Bisaya''; ) or Visayan people are a Philippine ethnolinguistic group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, the southernmost islands of Luzon and a significant portion of Mindanao. When taken as a single ethnic group ...
, especially the Hiligaynons and
Cebuanos The Cebuano people ( ceb, Mga Sugbuanon) are the largest subgroup of the larger Ethnic groups in the Philippines, ethnolingustic group Visayans, who constitute the largest Ethnic groups in the Philippines, Filipino ethnolinguistic group in the ...
. The area of what is now South Cotabato and
Sarangani Sarangani, officially the Province of Sarangani ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sarangani; hil, Kapuoran sang Sarangani; Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sarangani'', Jawi: دايرت نو سارڠني; fil, Lalawigan ng Sarangani), is a province in the Philip ...
provinces used to be part of
Davao province Davao, officially the Province of Davao ( es, Provincia de Dávao; ceb, Lalawigan sa Dabaw), was a province in the Philippines on the island of Mindanao. The old province is coterminous with the present-day Davao Region or Region XI. It was ...
until 1914, when the reorganization of the districts in Mindanao took place, thus it became part of the then-undivided Cotabato province. Settlers, who would lay the foundation of what would become a progressive province, started trooping down 1914. The significant thrust occurred during the term of President
Quezon Quezon, officially the Province of Quezon ( tl, Lalawigan ng Quezon), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Kalilayan was the first known name of the province. It was later renamed Tayabas. In honor of the ...
in late 1930s. General
Paulino Santos Paulino Torres Santos Sr. (June 22, 1890 – August 29, 1945) was a military officer who became the Commanding General of the Philippine Army from May 6 to December 31, 1936. Upon his retirement, he served as a civilian administrator under Pre ...
led the first of wave of settlers that time. After
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, the final exodus of settlers from
Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
and
Visayas The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands ( Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; tl, Kabisayaan ), are one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao. Located in the central part of the archipelago, ...
poured into the area's virgin land. In the early 1960s as population, trade and industries grew in southern part of Cotabato, a clamor of local self-governance arose. Thus, on July 18, 1966, South Cotabato was separated from
Cotabato Cotabato or North Cotabato ( hil, Aminhan Cotabato; ceb, Amihanang Cotabato; Maguindanaon: ''Pangutaran Kutawatu'', Jawi: ڤڠوترن كوتاواتو; fil, Hilagang Cotabato), officially the Province of Cotabato, is a landlocked province in ...
as an independent province. At that time, the province consisted of 11 municipalities, namely:
Banga, South Cotabato Banga, officially the Municipality of Banga ( hil, Banwa sang Banga; ceb, Lungsod sa Banga; tl, Bayan ng Banga; mdh, Inged nu Banga, Jawi: ايڠايد نو باڠ), is a 1st class municipality in the province of South Cotabato, Philippines. A ...
,
General Santos General Santos, officially the City of General Santos,; hil, Dakbanwa sang Heneral Santos; Maguindanao: ''Ingud nu Heneral Santos''; Blaan: ''Banwe Dadiangas''; Tboli: ''Benwu Dadiangas''; Filipino: ''Lungsod ng Heneral Santos'' and abbre ...
(now a city), Glan, Kiamba,
Koronadal Koronadal, officially the City of Koronadal ( hil, Dakbanwa sang Koronadal; ceb, Dakbayan sa Koronadal; Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Koronadal'', Jawi Alphabet, Jawi: كوتا نو كورونادال; fil, Lungsod ng Koronadal) ...
,
Maitum Maitum, officially the Municipality of Maitum ( ceb, Lungsod sa Maitum; tl, Bayan ng Maitum; mdh, Inged nu Maitum, Jawi: ايڠايد نو ماءيتوم), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Sarangani, Philippines. According to ...
, Norala, Polomolok,
Surallah Surallah, officially the Municipality of Surallah ( Hiligaynon: ''Banwa sang Surallah''; mdh, Inged nu Surallah, Jawi: ايڠايد نو سور الله), is a 1st class municipality in the province of South Cotabato, Philippines. According to t ...
,
Tantangan Tantangan, officially the Municipality of Tantangan ( hil, Banwa sang Tantangan; ceb, Lungsod sa Tantangan; tl, Bayan ng Tantangan; mdh, Inged nu Tantangan, Jawi: ايڠايد نو تنتاڠن), is a 3rd class municipality in the province o ...
, and Tupi. These municipalities were established long before the creation of the province. Other component municipalities were formed after it fully functioned as a province. With the creation of
regions In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
under Pres.
Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
, South Cotabato was grouped with Region XI, also known as ''Southern Mindanao'', in 1975. In 1992, the province of
Sarangani Sarangani, officially the Province of Sarangani ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sarangani; hil, Kapuoran sang Sarangani; Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sarangani'', Jawi: دايرت نو سارڠني; fil, Lalawigan ng Sarangani), is a province in the Philip ...
was formed out of South Cotabato. Seven towns in southern and coastal section of the province ( Malungon,
Alabel Alabel, officially the Municipality of Alabel ( Cebuano: Lungsod sa Alabel; Filipino: Bayan ng Alabel; Maguindanao: Inged nu Alabil), is a 1st class municipality and capital of the province of Sarangani, Philippines. According to the 2020 census ...
,
Malapatan Malapatan, officially the Municipality of Malapatan ( ceb, Lungsod sa Malapatan; tl, Bayan ng Malapatan; mdh, Inged nu Malapatan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Sarangani, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a p ...
, Glan,
Maasim Maasim, officially the Municipality of Maasim ( ceb, Lungsod sa Maasim; tl, Bayan ng Maasim; mdh, Inged nu Maasim, Jawi: ايڠايد نو معسيم), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Sarangani, Philippines. According to 2020 cen ...
, Kiamba and Maitum) became part of the new province, leaving South Cotabato with 11 remaining municipalities. Regional offices were relocated to South Cotabato in accordance with ''EO 429'' dated October 12, 1990, issued by President
Corazon C. Aquino Maria Corazon "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino (; ; January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was a Filipina politician who served as the 11th president of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992. She was the most prominent figure of the 1986 People ...
during the expansion of the newly created
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ( tl, Rehiyong Awtonomo ng Muslim Mindanao; ar, الحكم الذاتي الاقليمي لمسلمي مندناو ''Al-ḥukm adh-dhātī al-'iqlīmī li-muslimī Mindanāu''; abbreviated as ARMM) was ...
, and ''EO No. 36'' dated September 19, 2001, issued by President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...
which says South Cotabato is to be transferred from
Southern Mindanao Davao Region, formerly called Southern Mindanao ( ceb, Rehiyon sa Davao; fil, Rehiyon ng Davao), is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region XI. It is situated at the southeastern portion of Mindanao and comprises fiv ...
region to Region XII and having the city of
Koronadal Koronadal, officially the City of Koronadal ( hil, Dakbanwa sang Koronadal; ceb, Dakbayan sa Koronadal; Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Koronadal'', Jawi Alphabet, Jawi: كوتا نو كورونادال; fil, Lungsod ng Koronadal) ...
as the regional center of Region XII. On August 16, 2000, ''
Republic Act This article contains a partial list of Philippine laws. Sources of Philippine laws ;Notes : *Customs may be considered as supplementary source of law, however, customs which are contrary to law, public order or public policy shall not be ...
No. 8803'' was approved, that converted the municipality of Koronadal into a component city of South Cotabato. In 2015, the ''National Competitiveness Council'' declared the province as the 4th most competitive province in the country.


Geography

South Cotabato covers a total land area of . When General Santos City is included for geographical purposes, the province's land area is . The province is situated on the southern section of central
Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
, bounded by the provinces of
Sultan Kudarat Sultan Kudarat, officially the Province of Sultan Kudarat ( hil, Kapuoran sang Sultan Kudarat; Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sultan Kudarat'', Jawi: دايرت نو سلطان كودرت; ceb, Lalawigan sa Sultan Kudarat; tl, Lalawigan ng Sul ...
to the north and west,
Sarangani Sarangani, officially the Province of Sarangani ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sarangani; hil, Kapuoran sang Sarangani; Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sarangani'', Jawi: دايرت نو سارڠني; fil, Lalawigan ng Sarangani), is a province in the Philip ...
to the south and northeast,
Davao del Sur Davao del Sur ( ceb, Habagatang Dabaw; ), officially the Province of Davao del Sur, is a province in the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is Digos City. Davao City is the largest city in terms of area and populat ...
to the far northeast, and the Sarangani Bay to the southeast. The province is generally flat dotted with some hills and mountains.


Climate

South Cotabato belongs to the fourth type of climate, that is rainfall is more or less evenly distributed throughout the year. The average number of rainy days for the year 2004 is recorded between 122 and 180 days with the months of May, June, July, August and October having the most occurrence. Air humidity generally follows closely the rainfall pattern. Humidity is highest during the period of June to October with 88% being recorded at the Tupi seed farm. The months of February and April have the lowest air humidity recorded at about 72%. Maximum daytime temperature throughout the province is in the range of , falling to during the night depending on the elevation. The hottest period is January to April while July to December being the coolest. South Cotabato enjoys a mild, pleasant climate with no pronounced dry or wet season, and is practically typhoon-free.


Administrative divisions

South Cotabato comprises 10
municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...
and 1
component city A city ( fil, lungsod/siyudad) is one of the units of local government in the Philippines. All Philippine cities are chartered cities ( fil, nakakartang lungsod), whose existence as corporate and administrative entities is governed by their own ...
. The highly urbanized city of
General Santos General Santos, officially the City of General Santos,; hil, Dakbanwa sang Heneral Santos; Maguindanao: ''Ingud nu Heneral Santos''; Blaan: ''Banwe Dadiangas''; Tboli: ''Benwu Dadiangas''; Filipino: ''Lungsod ng Heneral Santos'' and abbre ...
is traditionally grouped with, but administered independently from the province.


Demographics

The population of South Cotabato (excluding
General Santos General Santos, officially the City of General Santos,; hil, Dakbanwa sang Heneral Santos; Maguindanao: ''Ingud nu Heneral Santos''; Blaan: ''Banwe Dadiangas''; Tboli: ''Benwu Dadiangas''; Filipino: ''Lungsod ng Heneral Santos'' and abbre ...
) was 975,476 in the 2020 census, making it one of the country's most populous province. The population density is . When General Santos is included for geographical purposes, the province's population is 1,509,735 people, with a density of .


Inhabitants

The people of South Cotabato have diverse heritages. Ethnic Hiligaynons, descendants of migrants from
Panay Panay is the sixth-largest and fourth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of and has a total population of 4,542,926 as of 2020 census. Panay comprises 4.4 percent of the entire population of the country. The City o ...
and
Negros Negros is the fourth largest and third most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of . Negros is one of the many islands of the Visayas, in the central part of the country. The predominant inhabitants of the island region a ...
in the Visayas who settled in the municipalities/towns of Norala, Banga, Surallah, Santo Niño and the province's capital city, Koronadal, are the majority in the province. The province's major media of communication are Hiligaynon,
Tagalog Tagalog may refer to: Language * Tagalog language, a language spoken in the Philippines ** Old Tagalog, an archaic form of the language ** Batangas Tagalog, a dialect of the language * Tagalog script, the writing system historically used for Taga ...
, and
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...
. On the other hand, Ilocano-speaking peoples of
Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
settled in Tampakan, Tantangan and Tupi, and the Ilocano language may still be heard in these towns. The Cebuanos are the main ethnic group of the municipality of Polomolok, and are one of the main ethnic groups of Tupi (along with the Hiligaynons and Kapampangans). Both towns are near to General Santos, which speaks both Hiligaynon and Cebuano.
Chavacano Chavacano or Chabacano is a group of Spanish-based creole language varieties spoken in the Philippines. The variety spoken in Zamboanga City, located in the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao, has the highest concentration of speaker ...
speakers are even found scattered in some areas of the province, as well as Maguindanaons because of the province's history of being part of
Sultanate of Maguindanao The Sultanate of Maguindanao ( Maguindanaon: ''Kasultanan nu Magindanaw''; Old Maguindanaon: كاسولتانن نو ماڬينداناو; Jawi: کسلطانن ماڬيندناو; Iranun: ''Kesultanan a Magindanao''; ms, Kesultanan Magindan ...
. Tbolis mainly reside around the Lake Sebu area, while Blaans reside within General Santos and its outskirts.


Religion

Roman Catholics The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
predominate the province with 65% adherence, while
Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...
is a minority religion which is 6% of the population. Other minorities are various
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...
Churches such as Prostestants which form about 22% and consist of mostly evangelicals of the province's population which can be mostly found in some urban parts of the province. Iglesia ni Cristo forms about 3-4% population. The remainder are divided among Buddhist and animism. The Maguindanao tribe is the major
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
Filipino tribe in the province. Other indigenous Filipino tribes are the
T'boli The Tboli people () are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Philippines, indigenous peoples of South Cotabato in southern Mindanao. In the body of ethnographic and linguistic literature on Mindanao, their name is variously spelt Tboli, T'boli, ...
and
B'laan The Blaan people, are one of the indigenous peoples of Southern Mindanao in the Philippines. Their name could have derived from "bla" meaning "opponent" and the suffix "an" meaning "people". According to a 2021 genetic study, the Blaan people als ...
tribes in Lake Sebu and T'boli municipalities, famous for their brassworks, beadwork and t'nalak weave. The people of these tribes wear colorful embroidered native costumes and beadwork accessories. The women of these tribes, particularly, wear heavy brass belts with brass 'tassels' ending in tiny brass bells that herald their approach even when they are a long way off. The people of South Cotabato retain many of the practices and traditions of their particular tribal heritages, although infused with a flavor that is distinctly Mindanaoan and the product of cultural interaction between the immigrants and the indigenous peoples of the area. One vivid example of this is the predominant use of the native ''malong'', the colorful, tubelike garment used as a skirt by the indigenous tribes, in place of a blanket or sleeping bag.


Language

Hiligaynon is the most widely spoken language in the province. It is the main language in the capital city of Koronadal and the municipalities of the Upper Valley region, namely, Surallah, Banga, Norala, Sto. Niño and Tantangan, followed by Cebuano, which is the majority language of General Santosand the main language in the Municipalities of Polomolok, Tampakan and Tupi.
Tagalog Tagalog may refer to: Language * Tagalog language, a language spoken in the Philippines ** Old Tagalog, an archaic form of the language ** Batangas Tagalog, a dialect of the language * Tagalog script, the writing system historically used for Taga ...
and
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...
are widely understood and often used for administrative functions by the local government and in education, with the former serving as dominant language in local media and of everyday communication of speakers of different languages. Other languages spoken in the province are Tboli, Blaan, Maguindanaon, and Ilocano.


Economy


Government

Executive Branch: *Governor: Reynaldo S. Tamayo Jr. * Vice Governor: Vicente R. De Jesus Legislative Branch: Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board Members) *First District: # SP Glycel D. Mariano-Trabado #SP Eamon Gabriel V. Matti #SP Noel J. Escobillo *Second District: # SP Ester Marin-Catorce #SP Dardanilo N. Dar #SP Ellen Grace Subere-Albios #SP Jinky P. Avance #SP Hilario G. De Pedro IV #SP Antonio B. Fungan #SP Henry L. Ladot Ex-Officio Members: # SP Allysa L. Marie Fale, SK President # SP Rose Grace J. Achurra, PCL President # SP Edgar G. Sambog, IPMR # SP Rolando D. Malabuyoc, LnB President


Provincial capital

The Local Provincial Government holds its official functions in the City of Koronadal. The Provincial Capitol, Provincial Hospital, and all related offices are found in the city.


Legislative districts

* 1st District Representative: Shirlyn Bañas-Nograles * 2nd District Representative: Ferdinand L. Hernandez * Lone District of General Santos: (To be elected on 2022 Presidential Elections) House Bill No. 4678, filed on December 13, 2016, by First District Rep. Pedro B. Acharon, Jr., seeks to segregate the highly urbanized city of
General Santos General Santos, officially the City of General Santos,; hil, Dakbanwa sang Heneral Santos; Maguindanao: ''Ingud nu Heneral Santos''; Blaan: ''Banwe Dadiangas''; Tboli: ''Benwu Dadiangas''; Filipino: ''Lungsod ng Heneral Santos'' and abbre ...
from the said district to form its own congressional district, separate from the representation of South Cotabato. This bill was signed by the president last March 11, 2019.


List of governors of South Cotabato since 1967

*1967 - 1986: Dr. Sergio B. Morales (First Governor of South Cotabato) *1986 - 1992:
Ismael Sueno Ismael "Mike" Dres Sueno (born July 1947 or 1948) is the former Secretary of the Philippine Department of the Interior and Local Government. He was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to replace Mel Senen Sarmiento starting June 30, 2016. A ...
(Former Koronadal Mayor) *1992 - 2001: Hilario De Pedro III (Former Koronadal Mayor and Congressman) *2001 - 2010: Daisy P. Avance - Fuentes (Former Congresswoman) *2010 - 2013: Arthur Y. Pingoy, MD (Former Congressman) *2013 - 2019: Daisy P. Avance - Fuentes (Former Congresswoman and Governor) *2019–Present: Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. (Former Tupi Mayor)


Musical heritage

The native Maguindanaon of South Cotabato have a culture that revolves around
kulintang Kulintang ( id, kolintang, ms, kulintangan) is a modern term for an ancient instrumental form of music composed on a row of small, horizontally laid gongs that function melodically, accompanied by larger, suspended gongs and drums. As part of ...
music, a specific type of gong music, found among both Muslim and non-Muslim groups of the Southern Philippines.


Festivals of South Cotabato

Province wide: *T'nalak Festival - July 9–18 (South Cotabato Foundation Anniversary) City/Municipalities' festivals: *Koronadal City - Hinugyaw Festival (January 10), Cityhood Anniversary (October 8) *Banga - Pasundayag Festival (March 1 Week) *Lake Sebu - Helobung Festival (November 9–11) *Norala - Kamayadan Festival (March 10) *Polomolok - FlomLok Festival (September 10), Pinyahan Festival (Brgy. Cannery Site, Polomolok) *Sto. Nino - Hinublag Festival (2nd Week of December) *Surallah - SurbeTube Festival (2nd Week of June ) *T'boli - Seslong Festival (2nd Week of March) *Tampakan - Tamfaken Lum Alay Festival (June 25) *Tantangan - Kulitangtang Festival (January 27) *Tupi - Agfen Tufi Festival (September 1)


Education

There are numerous Higher Educational Institutions in South Cotabato, mostly located Koronadal City. *
Notre Dame of Marbel University Notre Dame of Marbel University also known by its acronym NDMU) is a private Catholic educational institution run by the Marist Brothers in Koronadal, South Cotabato, Philippines. It was founded in 1945 and offers pre-school, elementary, high sc ...
, Koronadal *
University of the Philippines Manila The University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) is a state-funded medical and research university located in Ermita, Manila, Philippines. It is known for being the country's center of excellence in the health sciences, including health profess ...
School of Health Sciences, Koronadal campus * South Cotabato State College, Surallah, South Cotabato *St. Alexis College, Koronadal City *Ramon Magsaysay Memorial College, Koronadal City *Green Valley College Foundation, Koronadal City *STI College Koronadal, Koronadal City *King's College of Marbel, Inc., Koronadal City *Notre Dame — Siena College of Polomolok, Polomolok *Regency Polytechnic College, Koronadal City *Goldenstate College Marbel, Koronadal City *Marvelous College of Technology, Inc., Koronadal City *ACLC College of Marbel, Koronadal City *South East Asian Institute of Technology, Municipality of Tupi *


Notable people, Koronadal

*
Kenneth Duremdes Kenneth Celera Duremdes (born January 31, 1974) is a Filipino retired professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association and the current commissioner of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). Nicknamed as "Captain ...
, professional basketball player *
Manny Pacquiao Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao Sr. (; born December17, 1978) is a Filipino politician and former professional boxer. Nicknamed "PacMan", he is regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. He served as a Senator of the Phil ...
, professional boxer and senator *
Gerald Anderson Gerald Randolph Opsima Anderson Jr. (born March 7, 1989) is a Filipino-American actor. He is managed and under contract to Star Magic, ABS-CBN's home based talent agency. Recognized as the "Action-Drama Prince" of Philippine industry, He is o ...
, actor, triathlete and Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition 3rd Teen Placer * Melai Cantiveros-Francisco, comedian, actress, host, Pinoy Big Brother Double Up Big Winner and Your Face Sounds Familiar Grand Winner *
Orlando Quevedo Orlando Beltran Quevedo (born 11 March 1939) is a Filipino prelate of the Catholic Church. A cardinal since 2014, he was Archbishop of Cotabato from 1998 to 2018. He became a bishop in 1980. Early life Orlando Beltran Quevedo was born on 1 ...
, cardinal and archbishop of Cotabato *
Shamcey Supsup Shamcey Gurrea Supsup-Lee (; born May 16, 1986) is a Filipino architect, beauty pageant titleholder and pageant director. She was crowned as Binibining Pilipinas Universe 2011. She represented her country at the Miss Universe 2011 pageant in ...
, actress, architect and Miss Universe 2011 3rd Runner Up *
Eduardo Buenavista Eduardo Buenavista (born 13 October 1978 in Santo Niño, South Cotabato)Ismael Sueno Ismael "Mike" Dres Sueno (born July 1947 or 1948) is the former Secretary of the Philippine Department of the Interior and Local Government. He was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to replace Mel Senen Sarmiento starting June 30, 2016. A ...
, Former Secretary of
DILG The Department of the Interior and Local Government ( fil, Kagawaran ng Interyor at Pamahalaang Lokal), abbreviated as DILG, is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for promoting peace and order, ensuring public saf ...
during Incumbent President
Duterte Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperso ...
Administration (2016-2017) * Cesar "Saro" Bañares, Jr., member of folk rock band
Asin Asin Thottumkal (born 26 October 1985), known mononymously as Asin, is a former Indian actress who appeared predominantly in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu films. She is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer. She has received three Filmfare Awards. She ...


Sister province

*
Cebu Province Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas Regions of the P ...


References


External links

* * {{Authority control Provinces of the Philippines States and territories established in 1966 1966 establishments in the Philippines