Mindanao

Mindanao (/mɪndəˈnaʊ/ min-də-NOW) (Tagalog: Kamindanawan) is the second largest island in the Philippines at 104,630 square kilometers and the southernmost major island. It is the eighth most populous island in the world, larger than 125 countries worldwide, including the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Ireland. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country (the other two being Luzon and the Visayas), consisting of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. Davao City is the largest city in Mindanao. The island’s population is 25,375,527 (according to the 2010 census).

The island group of Mindanao is an arbitrary grouping of islands in the Southern Philippines which encompasses six administrative regions. These regions are further subdivided into 26 provinces, of which only four are not on Mindanao island itself. Some of the areas are semi-autonomous Muslim areas. The island group includes the Sulu Archipelago to the southwest, which consists of the major islands of Basilan, Jolo, and Tawi-Tawi, plus outlying islands in other areas such as Camiguin, Dinagat, Siargao and Samal.

The island is mountainous, and is home to Mount Apo, the highest mountain in the country. Mindanao is surrounded by 4 seas: the Sulu Sea to the west, the Philippine Sea to the east, the Celebes Sea to the south, and the Mindanao Sea to the north. Of all the islands of the Philippines, Mindanao shows the greatest variety of physiographic development. High, rugged, faulted mountains; almost isolated volcanic peaks; high rolling plateaus; and broad, level, swampy plains are found there.

Mindanao is considered the agricultural basin of the Philippines. Eight of the top 10 agri-commodities exported from the Philippines come from here. It is a very rich island in terms of natural resources. 60% to almost 100% of the major crops (rubber, cacao, pineapple, banana, cassava, coffee, corn and coconut) produced in the Philippines come from Mindanao. Mindanao has 16 major river systems producing thousands of tons of fish daily andIt is home to the country’s mineral resources. More than half of the estimated mineral wealth of the Philippines is found in Mindanao. It has the country’s largest reserves of the following minerals: Copper – 5 billion tons, Gold – 3.4 billion tons, Aluminum – 292 million tons, and Iron – 411 million tons.
Mindanao has been the seat of two great Sultanates, namely the Sultanate of Sulu and the Sultanate of Maguindanao along with the most hispanized city in Asia, strategic Zamboanga City. Mindanao is named after the Maguindanaons who constituted the largest Sultanate historically, and evidence from maps made during the 17th and 18th centuries suggests that the name was used to refer to the island by the powerful natives at the time.

Mindanao is the most culturally diverse island in the Philippines where people of different languages, tribes and races meet. Parts of south-western Mindanao, particularly Maguindanao Province, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi provinces (part of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)), are home to a sizeable Muslim population, making the island the only area of the Philippines with significant Muslim presence. The region is home to most of the country’s Muslim or Moro populations, composed of many ethnic groups such as the Maranao,the Tausug, and the Banguingui, as well as the collective group of indigenous tribes known as the Lumad. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Moro and Lumads controlled an area which now covers 17 Mindanao provinces, but by the 1980 census, they constituted less than 6% of the population of Mindanao and Sulu. Heavy migration to Mindanao of Luzon and Visayans, spurred by government-sponsored resettlement programmes, turned the indigenous Lumads and Moros into minorities.Settlers now form the majority, with 63% of the population; Moro are 32% of the population; 5% are Lumads and most of them intermarried with the Settlers. The native Maguindanaon and other native Moro or Lumad groups of Mindanao have a culture that is different from the main culture of the Philippines.

Islam first spread to the region during the 13th century through Arab traders from present-day Malaysia and Indonesia. Prior to this contact, the inhabitants of the area were primarily animists living in small autonomous communities. Most of the indigenous peoples were quickly converted into Islam except the elusive Subanon, Talaandig, Higaonon and some other small tribes who resisted and avoided contact with the Arabian Islamic missionaries.The first mosque in the Philippines was built in the mid 14th century in the town of Simunul.

The Philippine sultanates of Sulu and Maguindanao were formed subsequently in the 15th and 16th centuries, respectively. In the late 16th to early 17th centuries, the first contact with Spain occurred. By this time, Islam was well established in Mindanao and had started influencing groups on big islands of Visayas like Cebu and as far north as Bohol and present-day Manila on the island of Luzon.Upon the Spaniards’ arrival to the Philippines, they were dismayed to find such a strong Muslim presence on the island, having just expelled the Moors from Spain after centuries of fighting under the Reconquista. In fact, the name Moros (the Spanish word for “Moors”) was given to the Muslim inhabitants by the Spanish.

Due to the continuous resettlement programs by the Central Government in Manila, the majority of people in Mindanao speaks Cebuano. Cebuano is generally the first language in most regions, except for the Bangsamoro areas on the west coast and among the Lumads. Tagalog is also widely spoken among the people. Hiligaynon or Ilonggo is widely spoken in South Cotabato and a large part of Cotabato Province. English is also widely spoken. The Spanish-based creole, Zamboangueño Chavacano is the main language spoken in Zamboanga City and Basilan, scatteredly spoken around Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, parts of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

References:
Wikipedia
Calderon, Justin (22 April 2013). “Unearthed gem”. Inside Investor. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
Subanon Territories “The History of Subanon since the Neolithic Era or Stone Age”. Retrieved 2013-11-08.
Koerner, Brendan I. (28 January 2005). “How Islam got to the Philippines”. Slate. Retrieved 4 October 2009.
“Islam and the Politics of Identity”. University of Hawaii – Center for Philippine Studies. C.Michael Hogan. 2011. Sulu Sea. Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. P. Saundry & C.J.Cleveland. Washington DC.
ISSUU – Land Tenure Stories in Central Mindanao by Local Governance Support Program in ARMM.
“Mindanao Comprised About 24 Percent of the Philippines’ Total Population”. Philippine Statistics Authority. 8 June 2005.

Cagayan de Oro City: the Melting Pot of Mindanao

Cagayan de Oro is the highly urbanized and capital city of the province of Misamis Oriental in Mindanao, the second largest group of islands located in the southern part of the Philippines. The City of Cagayan de Oro is located along the central coast of northern Mindanao island facing the Macajalar Bay and is bordered by the municipalities of Opol to the west; Tagoloan to the east, and the provinces of Bukidnon and Lanao del Norteto the south of the city. According to the 2010 Census of Population in the Philippines, the city has an estimated population of 602,088 making it the 10th most populous city in the Philippines. CDO is the melting pot of Mindanao because of its accessibility, business growth, attractions and its warm and hospitable people. It is also the regional center and business hub of Northern Mindanao region, and is considered as one of the most progressive and competitive cities in the Philippines. The city’s economy is largely based on industry, commerce, trade, service and tourism. Investment in Cagayan de Oro City for the first six months of 2012 has reached 7.4 billion pesos outpacing the local government’s expectation of to nearly 100 percent. Investments in the city are dominated by malls, high-rise hotels and condominiums and convention centers. The net income for 2012 was pegged at 2,041,036,807.89 billion pesos. It is fifth in rank among the most peaceful cities and places in the Philippines. It is also one of the most progressive and most promising. It is a top destination for investors, both individuals and corporations, as they now see its value in terms of the availability of space, beautiful surroundings with its own natural and manmade tourist attractions, its proximity to places where there is abundance of natural resources, the happy and relaxing blend of progress and idyllic rural life, and a warm, friendly and welcoming population. It is a center of education as well as a promising site for future industrialization. A plus point for Cagayan De Oro is the local government’s insistence on a pro-people and environment-friendly approach to development.

Cagayan de Oro is one city where men and women of varied professions and skills, religions, educational attainments and genders live harmoniously. Here, tribal peoples and other ethnic Filipinos like the Tagalogs, Ilocanos, Cebuanos and Ilonggos easily mix, socialize and live together in communities. Cagayan de Oro City is the entry point for Northern Mindanao, one hour by plane from Manila. It is a popular jump off point for tourists who want to see the many wonders of Mindanao, including the nearby Maria Cristina Falls. Whitewater rafting on the Cagayan de Oro River has become very popular, while Camiguin Island and the Muslim City of Marawi, on the shores of Lake Lanao, are within easy reach. Lake Lanao is one of the 15 “ancient lakes” of the world. It is the largest lake in Mindanao and the deepest in the Philippines. The lake has been home to the Muslim Maranao since AD 1300, and it offers a unique cultural legacy set in one of the most scenic landscapes in the Philippines. Camiguin Island is truly a wonderland of natural beauty, its steep volcanoes, lush jungle and white beaches attracting nature lovers from all over the world. The Philippine Daily Inquirer recently reported that Cagayan de Oro City has been handpicked by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), which spearheaded the world’s premiere conference on cities, as among the nine global intermediate cities. According to Andrew Rudd, urban environment officer of UN-Habitat, the cities were chosen based on their size, fast growth, significance as part of an urban cluster linked to cross-border exchange and geographical variety. “In short,” he said, “these are the emerging cities of tomorrow.

Sources: The City Government of Cagayan de Oro; Wikipedia; Department of Tourism of the Republic of the Philippines; MyCamAsia- The Asia Webcam Travel Guide; and the Philippine Daily Inquirer.