Soccsksargen

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Soccsksargen (officially stylized in all caps;<ref name="GovPH-EO36" /> {{#invoke:IPA|main}}), 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 region's four provinces and one highly urbanized city (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos). The regional center is in Koronadal, located in the province of South Cotabato, and the center of commerce and industry is General Santos, which is the most populous city in the region.

Geography

The region is bounded on the north by the province of Bukidnon in Northern Mindanao, on the east by the Davao Region, on the northwest and west by the Bangsamoro region, and on the southwest by the Celebes Sea. The region also shares a maritime border with Gorontalo and North Sulawesi provinces of Indonesia.

The region has extensive coastlines, valleys and mountain ranges. Known for its river system, the region is the drainage basin of Mindanao, particularly at the Cotabato Basin, a large depression surrounded by mountain ranges on three sides.<ref name=ThePhilippineIslandWorld /><ref name=HumanHelminthiases /> Within the basin runs the Rio Grande de Mindanao, the longest river in Mindanao and the second longest in the Philippines. The river empties into Illana Bay of the larger Moro Gulf to the west of Cotabato City.

At the south of the basin lie the Tiruray Highlands, a moderately high mountain range blocking the basin from the southern coastline.<ref name=ThePhilippineIslandWorld /> Southeast of the mountains lies Sarangani Bay.

Administrative divisions

File:Socsksargen.png

Map of Region XII

Provinces

Soccsksargen comprises 4 provinces, 1 highly urbanized city, 3 component cities, 45 municipalities and 1,195 barangays.

Province Template:Font		Capital	Population Template:SmallTemplate:PH census		Area<ref name="NSCBProvince" /><ref name="NSCBCity" />		Density		Cities	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr
					km2	sq mi	/km2	/sq mi
Template:Flag		Kidapawan City	Template:Percent and number	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	1	17	480 <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Sarangani		Alabel	Template:Percent and number	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	0	7	141
Template:Flag		Koronadal City	Template:Percent and number	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	1	10	199
Template:Flag		Isulan	Template:Percent and number	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	1	11	249
Template:Flag	†	—	Template:Percent and number	Template:Convert	Template:Convert	—	—	26
Total				4,360,964	22,786.08	Template:Convert	Template:Sigfig	Template:Convert	5	45	1,095 <ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Template:Unbulleted listFigures exclude the 63 barangays under the Special Geographic Area, which are geographically situated in Cotabato but under the administration of Bangsamoro.

Governors and vice governors

Province	Image	Governor	Political Party		Vice Governor
check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} Cotabato {{safesubst:#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	File:Gov Mendoza.png	Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza	Template:Party name with colour	Efren Piñol
File:Province of Sarangani - Official Seal.png {{safesubst:#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} Sarangani {{safesubst:#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	File:Gov Pacquiao.png	Rogelio Pacquiao	Template:Party name with colour	Elmer de Peralta
File:Ph seal south cotabato.png {{safesubst:#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} South Cotabato {{safesubst:#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	File:Gov Tamayo.png	Reynaldo Tamayo Jr.	Template:Party name with colour	Arthur Yusay Pingoy
check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} Sultan Kudarat {{safesubst:#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}	File:Gov Mangudadatu.png	Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu	Template:Party name with colour	Raden Camlian Sakaluran

Cities

Component cities

• Kidapawan — the only city of Cotabato province
• † Koronadal — the political regional center of Soccsksargen
• Tacurong — only city of Sultan Kudarat

Highly urbanized city

• General Santos — a highly urbanized city, it serves as the center of the Metropolitan and Regional Center for trade and industry of Soccsksargen.

Rank	City	Area (km2)	Population as of 2020	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	IRA as of 2015	Income class
1.	General Santos	492.86	697,315	P1.175 billion	Php 1,086.25 million	1st
2.	† Koronadal	277.00	195,398	P917 million (including South Cotabato)	Php 504.77 million	3rd
3.	Kidapawan	358.47	160,791	P554 million (including Cotabato Province)	Php 509.68 million	3rd
4.	Tacurong	153.40	109,319	P555 million (including Sultan Kudarat Province)	Php 350.57 million	4th

History

The oldest civilization in the region is located in Maitum, Sarangani, where the Maitum Anthropomorphic Pottery were found. The jars have been declared as National Cultural Treasures, and are subject to the high protections ensured by Philippine and international laws.

From around 14th century until the early 20th century, the Muslim sultanates of Maguindanao and Buayan dominated the large parts of Soccsksargen region, influencing the local datus in the area as well as having General Santos City under their direct control as a port.

Central Mindanao

The region used to be named Central Mindanao. Prior to the creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), it comprised the following provinces:

• Maguindanao
• North Cotabato
• Sultan Kudarat
• Lanao del Norte
• Lanao del Sur

With the creation of ARMM, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao (excluding Cotabato City), and Sultan Kudarat were removed from the region, leaving Lanao del Norte and Cotabato, and Iligan, Marawi and Cotabato City as constituent provinces and cities.<ref name="PSA-CentralMindanao2000Census" /> Lanao del Norte and Iligan were later transferred to Northern Mindanao, while Marawi became part of the ARMM.

On December 18, 1998, Sultan Kudarat was transferred back to Central Mindanao through Republic Act No. 8744.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Soccsksargen

In September 2001, Executive Order No. 36 was signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo transferring South Cotabato, Sarangani, General Santos (also known as the SocSarGen District), from Southern Mindanao to Region XII, and renaming the region, from Central Mindanao, to Soccsksargen.<ref name="GovPH-EO36" /><ref name="NSCB-SouthernMindanao-Davao" />

Koronadal as new regional center

By virtue of Executive Order No. 304 signed by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Koronadal was named as the regional political and socio-economic center of Soccsksargen on March 30, 2004. Regional departments, bureaus and offices were ordered to move from Cotabato City, the former regional center of the region.

Special Cotabato barangays and Cotabato City exit

Traditionally resisting efforts for inclusion to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao despite serving as the government center of the ARMM, the January 21, 2019 Bangsamoro Autonomous Region creation plebiscite resulted in the surprise ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law in Cotabato City. This means the city may now formally serve as the capital of the region and the offices of the former ARMM will be retained for use by the Bangsamoro Regional Government and now formally no longer constitutes part of the Soccsksargen Region.

In addition to Cotabato City, 63 barangays in Cotabato province opted to join Bangsamoro, thus exiting the region as well.

Demographics

Soccsksargen is home to diverse ethnolingustic and cultural backgrounds, both native and non-native residents, making it a melting pot of cultures. The first inhabitants of the region were the indigenous B'laans, T'bolis, Manobos, Tedurays and the Muslim Iranuns and Maguindanaons – large parts of the region itself historically were part of the Maguindanao and Buayan sultanates. Christian migrants from Luzon and Visayas (and their native-born descendants) also settled in the area by the early 20th century seeking better opportunities, mainly from agriculture. Most of these non-native settlers mainly came from Ilocandia, Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor who call Soccsksargen and Mindanao as a whole their new home and are responsible for spreading Christianity throughout the region over the years. Today, Hiligaynons make up the majority of the region's non-native Christian population; while the Cebuanos dominantly inhabit the entirety of Sarangani, General Santos and its neighboring municipalities of South Cotabato and the areas in the region that border Bukidnon and Davao Region; and Ilocanos who form the majority in Kabacan (North Cotabato), Tampakan, Tantangan (both in South Cotabato), Lambayong, Senator Ninoy Aquino, President Quirino, Columbio (all in Sultan Kudarat) and Kiamba (Sarangani, though most of the municipality's inhabitants now spoke Cebuano instead of Ilocano). Moreover, intermarriage between ethnolinguistic groups is relatively not uncommon in Soccsksargen. Template:Citation needed

Economy

File:Veranza Mall 2-storey bridge - panoramio.jpg

2 storey olingustic KCC mall of Gensan and VerSoccsksargenll

The region contributes to the national GDP with 2.6% with 5% growth compared to 2016. 18.3% of Mindanao Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Template:Clear left

In the most recent contest during the 2024 Philippine Coffee Quality Competition, it showcased Region 12's development as a dominant force in coffee quality. Renowned for its superb beans, the region wowed both enthusiasts and experts with its distinct flavors, superior farming techniques, and commitment to quality. The event demonstrated Region 12's ability to produce coffee that stands out in both national and international markets, establishing its position as a premier producer of high-quality coffee. This newfound reputation promises to raise the region's prominence in the coffee industry, attracting more buyers and lovers from around the world.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Musical heritage

File:Cotabato City Hall Museum Exhibit 5.jpg

Maguindanaon Kulintang exhibited in Old Cotabato City Hall Museum

Template:Further The artistic cultural heritage of the native Maguindanao people, among other regional groups—both Muslims and Catholics—revolves around kulintang music, a specific type of gong music. Unique to the Soccsksargen, elements of kulintang may be loosely compared to Indonesia’s gamelan music, and other related traditional performance arts.

Government

• Cotabato – Gov. Nancy A. Catamco (PDP-Laban)
• South Cotabato – Gov. Reynaldo S. Tamayo Jr. (Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP)
• Sultan Kudarat – Gov. Datu Suharto "Teng" T. Mangudadatu (NUP)
• Sarangani – Gov. Ruel D. Pacquiao (PCM)
• General Santos (HUC) – Mayor Lorelie "Lor" Pacquiao

Notable people

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}

External links

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