Brief Overview of South Cotabato
South Cotabato is a very young province. In almost three decades, it has attained phenomenal progress. Its progress can be attributed to the ingenuity of the development schemes planned for this province that are translated into tangible realities. But South Cotabato has a long history of pioneering immigrants who faced undauntedly the challenges of nature and the vagaries of politics. They were the men who laid the foundation of what was to become a progressive province. Before the turn of the 20th century, the area to which South Cotabato would be carved was sparsely inhabited. The inhabitants were Muslims, B'laans, Manobos, Tagabilis and other ethnic groups who migrated to this part of Mindanao perhaps even before the birth of Christ. They were believed to have come from the same Malayan stock owing to the similarity of their physical structure and language. These Malayan pioneers led a peaceful existence and were isolated from other developing civilizations of the world after their migration. They remained isolated until the 15th century when Sariph Kabungsuan of Arabia arrived in Cotabato with his religious teachers to introduce the Mohammedan religion. He converted most of the Malayan settlers who occupied the lower and upper Cotabato valley along both side of the Maguindanao river. Aside from introducing the Mohammedan religion, Sariph Kabungsuan established himself as Sultan of Mindanao until the coming of the Americans in the early part of the 20th century. One of important result of Sariph Kabungsuan's and his descendants rule later on was the emergence of the system of government popularly known as "Datuism". This system of government developed the Muslin culture and kept the Muslims united in their wars with foreigners. The coming of the Americans in the early part of the 20th century and their subsequent rule neither affected the south significantly. But one thing the American did that left a great impact later on in South Cotabato was their policy of attraction. This policy was aimed at attracting both the Muslims to the American rule and the Christians from over-populated provinces of Luzon and Visayas to resettle here in the vast plains of Cotabato. Its other aims were to restore peace and order, instill political advancement and spark social awakening. So that the time between 1914 and 1937 was a period of preparation, assimilation transition and initial progress under the American Rule. It was during this period that immigrants from Luzon and the Visayas began to open the vast and fertile lands of South Cotabato, then comprising the municipalities of Koronadal, Buayan, Glan, Kiamba and Libak. Immigration of noticeable proportion started in 1914 and from then on a steadily increasing flow of immigrants was being felt all over the southern part of Cotabato province, reaching its peak in the later part of the 1930's when it suddenly stopped at the outbreak of World War II and only to rise again in tremendous proportion in the 1950's. The first batch of Christian settlers came to the province in 1914 and started clearing the area of what is now Glan right along the Sarangani Bay. They were hardy settlers comprising mostly of Cebuanos and were led by the late Tranquilino Ruiz, Sr. The municipality of Glan where they first settled and which begun as Colony No. 9 of the colonization project of the government in October 1914 is a living monument to the labor and hardship suffered by these settlers. On the political side, as the population swelled in the southern part of the province, a louder voice arose in the management of local government. As a result, more municipalities were created and people began to have more say in the running of the provincial government, which until then, had always been under the control of those living in the northern part of the mother province. Because they felt they were not adequately represented in the local government, the people of South Cotabato, then part of Cotabato province, made countless appeals and petitions to the government to separate from the mother province and to enable themselves to run their own affairs in their own territory. Republic Act No. 4849, passed and approved on July 18, 1966, separated South Cotabato from its mother province. But it was not until the regular election on November 1967 did South Cotabato elect its first set of officials and not until the beginning of the year 1968 did it function as a regular province. It had only 11 municipalities then with Koronadal as the capital town. Since then, the province progressed tremendously. Under the able leadership of Governor Sergio B. Morales, the first elected governor who had served the province for nearly 20 years, South Cotabato was transformed into a new bustling province. It started as a first class province but with practically nothing in terms of basic facilities, such as buildings to house the national and provincial offices and equipments and vehicles to facilitate governmental functions. Within a span of four years however, the province was able to provide facilities to provincial and national offices, build a capitol building, a provincial hospital, and equipped its motor pool with heavy equipments and vehicles. The province was also able to undertake massive infrastructure programs particularly on roads, buildings, water systems and electrification. In only three decades since its provincehood, South Cotabato has already surpassed dozens of provinces established half a century ahead in almost every aspect of development. In a short span, it became one of the leading provinces in Mindanao. What it got to show today are vivid results of human synergy and the richness of its resources. Lately, South Cotabato became the favorite venue for conventions and big events of national significance/ In 1994, the province hosted the National Secondary Schools press Conference. 1996 was another remarkable year for South Cotabato having been selected as host of the Palarong Pambansa. It also played host to the 9th Mindanao Business Conference, which was successfully participated by local and international business communities.
South Cotabato is located in the southern part of the island of Mindanao. It is bounded by the province of Sultan Kudarat in the north and west, in the east and south by the city of General Santos and province of Sarangani. It lies at a latitude of about 6°15' north and about 125° longitude. Itsmain access to the sea is through the Sarangani Bay where the modern port of General Santos City is located.
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 is recorded between 142 to 156 days with the months of May, July, August and October having the most occurrences. The province has an average rainfall range of 2,500 to 3,000 mm per year recorded at OPAG rain gauge based in all municipalities. Air humidity generally follows closely the rainfall pattern. Humidity is highest during the period of June to October with 92% 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 og 36-38 degrees Celsius, falling to 23-32 degrees Celsius during the night depending on the elevation. The hottest period is usually April to May while August to December being the coolest. Click here
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Historical
Background