Sultan Kudarat
Sultan Kudarat is a
province of the
Philippines located in the
SOCCSKSARGEN region in
Mindanao. Its capital is
Isulan and borders
Maguindanao and
Cotabato to the north,
Davao del Sur to the east, and
South Cotabato to the south. To the southwest lies the
Celebes Sea.
As of the 2000 census, Sultan Kudarat has a total population of 586,505. The province formerly had a
Muslim majority, but
Christian migrants now outnumber Muslims and highlanders.
Maguindanaons live in the coastal towns of the province. Tribal groups with settlements in the province include the
Iranons,
Tirurays and
Manobo.
The census showed that 84 dialects are spoken in the province. The most dominant language is
Hiligaynon (Ilonggo), though
Ilocano and
Cebuano are spoken in some municipalities.
Maguindanao is the local language of the Muslim population.
The economy of Sultan Kudarat is predominantly agricultural. With vast agricultural potential, the output consists of practically all types of crops grown in the country, including rice, corn, beef, coffee, and vegetables. The province is self-sufficient in poultry, swine, and root crops. The province is one of the few producers of
Irish potatoes in the Philippines. The southern Philippines Grain Complex in Tacurong is the largest grains-processing complex in the country. There are more than 200 ricemills in the province.
Fishing is a fast growing industry. Tuna caught along the coasts along the
Celebes Sea are of high quality, and are exported to
Japan and
Europe.
Another significant economic activities include the
cottage industry, which includes crafts made of
rattan and other types of wood.
Political
Sultan Kudarat is subdivided into 11
municipalities and 1
city. Three of the municipalities (
Kalamansig,
Lebak, and
Palimbang) are coastal towns, while the rest of the province are located inland.
Tacurong City is the smallest unit in the province in terms of land area, but it is the most urbanized, and is considered to be the province's commercial center. Other growth centers are
Lebak and
Isulan, the latter being the provincial capital.
Bagumbayan is the largest town in terms of land area.
The 11 municipalities and Tacurong City are further subdivided into 249
barangays.
City
*
Tacurong CityMunicipalities
Physical
Sultan Kudarat is located on the southwestern part of the island of
Mindanao. It is bounded on the north by the provinces of
Maguindanao and
Cotabato; on the south by
South Cotabato; on the east by
Davao del Sur; and on the west by the
Celebes Sea. The province's total land area is 4783.1898 square kilometres.
The three coastal towns on the province's western side are lined with mountain ranges that wall the central part of the province from the sea. There are also mountains on the eastern side, leaving flat land in between.
The climate is characterized by a short
dry season lasting from one to three months. Unlike most other provinces in the country, Sultan Kudarat is generally free from
typhoons and rainfall is more evenly distributed throughout the year.
The native Maguindanaon have a fascinating culture that revolves around
kulintang music, a specific type of gong music, found among both Muslim and non-Muslim groups of the Southern Philippines.
The territory that is now the province of Sultan Kudarat was originally part of
Cotabato province, which was one of the largest and richest provinces in the country. During the Spanish colonial era, the land was heavily forested and left largely underdeveloped.
Because of the enormity of the province, there was a need to divide it into smaller units to ease the magnitude of responsibility on the local government. Additionally, conflicting political, social, and economic interests limited the province's progress. Cotabato was split into what is now
Maguindanao,
Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat.
Sultan Kudarat was named after the
Muslim leader Sultan
Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat, who reigned from 1623 to 1671. It became a separate province on
November 22,
1973.
*
Official website of the provincial government of Sultan Kudarat*
WOW Philippines - Sultan Kudarat*
Sultan Kudarat province info*
Traditional Music of the Southern Philippines - An online textbook about Southern Pilipino Kulintang Music. Has chapters devoted to kulintang instrumentation, styles and uses by the Maguindanaon and other Southern Pilipino Groups.
