Sarangani

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Sarangani (Cebuano: Lalawigan sa Sarangani; Hiligaynon: Kapuoran sang Sarangani; Ilocano: Probinsia ti Sarangani; Filipino: Lalawigan ng Sarangani) is a province in the Philippines located in the Soccsksargen region. Its capital is Alabel. With a 230-kilometre (140 mi) coastline along the Sarangani Bay and Celebes Sea, the province is at the southernmost tip of Mindanao island, and borders South Cotabato and Davao del Sur to the north, Davao Occidental to the east, and the Celebes Sea to the south.

Sarangani is part of the South Cotabato-Cotabato-Sultan Kudarat-Sarangani-General Santos (Soccsksargen) development cluster, and is linked by paved roads to the international airport and harbor of General Santos.

The province is divided into two sections, separated by the Sarangani Bay and city of General Santos, and it used to be part of South Cotabato until it was made an independent province in 1992.[1]

History

The earliest civilization in the province can be found in Maitum, Sarangani, where the Maitum Anthropomorphic Pottery or Maitum Jars were found. The jars have been dated to approximately 5 BC to 370 AD, one of the oldest in the entire Southeast Asian region and the Philippines. The discovery testified to the long history of cultural exchanges in Sarangani and its people.

The island of Sarangani (now part of Davao Occidental) was named by Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos in 1543 as Antonia, in honor of Antonio de Mendoza y Pacheco who commissioned the Villalobos expedition to the Philippines. The early inhabitants who first inhabited Sarangani were the indigenous natives, called MunaTo, a native term for "first people."[2]

An old map showing the present territories of Sarangani as part of the Province of Cotabato in 1918

In 1942, the Japanese troops occupied Southern Cotabato.Template:Elucidate In 1945, Filipino troops of the 6th, 10th, 101st and 102nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and 10th Constabulary Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary entered in and liberated Southern Cotabato and fought against the Japanese Imperial Army forces during the Battle of Cotabato at the end of World War II under the Japanese Occupation.Template:Citation needed

Before its inception in 1992, Sarangani was part of South Cotabato as the Third District of South Cotabato. The province was created by Republic Act No. 7228 on March 16, 1992,[1] penned by Congressman James L. Chiongbian. His wife, Priscilla L. Chiongbian, was the first Governor of Sarangani.

Geography

Sarangani covers a total area of 3,601.25 square kilometres (1,390.45 sq mi) occupying the southern tip of the Soccsksargen in central Mindanao. The province is bordered on the central-north by South Cotabato, northeast by Davao del Sur, east by Davao Occidental, south by the Sarangani Bay and Celebes Sea, and northwest by Sultan Kudarat.

Western coast of the province at Maitum

Sarangani is divided into two (eastern and western) sections, separated by the Sarangani Bay and General Santos in the middle. The western portion comprises the towns of Maitum, Kiamba, and Maasim, and is bounded on the north by South Cotabato and on the northwest by Sultan Kudarat. The eastern section consists of Alabel, Glan, Malapatan, and Malungon.

Administrative divisions

Sarangani comprises seven municipalities. A single legislative district encompasses all towns.

Template:Center
Municipality Area Density Barangays
km2 sq mi /km2 sq mi
Alabel † 510.98 197.29 160 410 13
Glan 610.30 235.64 190 490 31
Kiamba 328.68 126.90 190 490 19
Maasim 500.43 193.22 120 310 16
Maitum 290.66 112.22 150 390 19
Malapatan 609.28 235.24 130 340 12
Malungon 750.92 289.93 140 360 31
Total 3,601.25 1,390.45 150 390 141

Demographics

The population of Sarangani in the 2015 census was 544,261 people,  with a density of 150 inhabitants per square kilometre or 390 inhabitants per square mile.

Religion

Christianity is the majority religion in the province with a total of 79% (48% Roman Catholicism [3] and 31% evangelicals).[4] Other religious minorities are Islam (9%)[5] and Iglesia ni Cristo (2%).[6] The remainder is usually divided among other Christian churches.

Economy

Coconut, corn, rice, banana, mango, durian, rubber, and sugarcane are major crops now being planted by the inhabitants. The province has plantations (mango, banana, pineapple, asparagus), cattle ranches, and commercial fishponds that have been operating in the area, some of which having existed as far back as 40 years.

Electricity comes from the National Power Corporation, and augmented by a 50 MW power plant in Alabel, the province's capital. Water is provided for by sustainable spring development projects.

Government

Template:Center

Elected Officials

  • Rep. Rogelio D. Pacquiao
  • Gov. Steve Chiongbian Solon
  • Vice Gov. Elmer T. de Peralta

Elected Officials

Elected Officials

Elected Officials

  • Rep. Erwin Chiongbian
  • Gov. Miguel Angelo Dominguez
  • Vice Gov. Steve Chiongbian Solon

Elected Officials

  • Rep. Erwin Chiongbian
  • Gov. Miguel Angelo Dominguez
  • Vice Gov. Bridget Chiongbian-Huang

Tourism

Sarangani celebrates its foundation anniversary every November, named as MunaTo Festival.[7]

Sarangani has ancient burial jars, discovered by archaeologists from the National Museum in Ayub Cave in Maitum, in 1991 and in 2008, and at Sagel Cave in Maitum (now declared by National Historical Institute as a national historical site). Amid Mindanao's armed conflicts, artifacts found thereat prove settlements of pre-historic civilization in Maitum.[7][8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 An Act Creating the Province of Sarangani (16 March 1992).
  2. ↑ balita.ph/2008, Man-made island resort now a Sarangani landmark
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named rappler_map_catholicism
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Philippine Church National Summary
  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named rappler_map_islam
  6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named rappler_map_iglesia
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "‘MunaTo’ festival", Manila Bulletin, 29 November 2013. “The provincial government started their celebration of its 21st foundation anniversary on Thursday and officially opened its 11th “MunaTo Festival” starting November 27 and will run up to December 6, this year.” 
  8. ↑ "Island resort now Sarangani landmark", Philippine Information Agency, 10 November 2008. “Despite armed conflicts occurring in Mindanao, artifacts found by archaeologists from the National Museum in Ayub Cave in 1991 and Sagel Cave this year prove settlements of pre-historic civilization in Maitum.” 
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