SOCCSKARGEN REGION XII

By
Kheyna Capuyan & Krizia Jacoba

A. HISTORY
Region XII was previously called Central Mindanao and originally included the provinces of Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Maguindanao. The creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in 1990 left Central Mindanao with only Lanao del Norte, Sultan Kudarat, and Cotabato. Then, on September 19, 2001, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Executive Order No. 36 reorganized the regions and provinces in Mindanao. This moved changed Region XII into the present SOC C SK SAR GEN . South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City

B. FACTS AND FIGURES

The region is composed of 4 provinces: Cotabato South Cotabato Sarangani Province Sultan Kudarat and 5 Cities Koronadal City Tacurong City General Santos City Kidapawan City Cotabato City

 Cotabato and General Santos serve as the regions major financial, business, institutional, education and service centers. Major Exports-Fresh/Canned/Frozen tuna, Other fish products, Fresh/Canned pineapples, Abaca pulp, Garments, Aquaculture products, Gifts and house ware products. The port of General Santos City is the biggest seaport of the region. It also accommodates international vessels from Singapore, Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia. Is home to multinational agri-based companies like Dole Philippines Inc., the countrys second biggest producer of pineapple. Malay expression sarang(an) ini, meaning "this is our home," or literally, "this is our nest," referring to Sarangani Island.

Regional center: Koronadal City, South Cotabato Languages: Tboli, Blaan, Cotabato Manobo, Tagabanwa, Hiligaynon, Cebuano, Chavocano , Bisaya/Visayan / Binisay Population: 3,829,081 Density: 170.4/km2 (441.4/sq mi) Area: 19,196.57 sq. km. Divisions Provinces: 4 Cities: 5 Municipalities: 45 Barangays: 1,194

Cotabato City - is the regional center of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao but the city is actually part of the SOCCSKSARGEN. General Santos City - dubbed as the "Tuna Capital of the Philippines" ~Yellow fin Tuna in Sarangani Bay. Highly-Urbanized City it serves as the center of the Metropolitan and the center of trade and industry of SOCCSKARGEN. Kidapawan City - found at the bottom of the majestic Mt. Apo, the countrys tallest mountain making it a great spot and first-rate tourist attraction. Koronadal City - a.k.a. Marbel is dubbed as the "Sports Mecca of the South" because of hosting 2 Palarong Pambansa, National Secondary Press Conference and the Mindanao Business Conference. Tacurong City - is the only city of Sultan Kudarat and it is famous of its Bird Sanctuary

C. HOW TO GET THERE

Via PLANE One of the most convenient ways to get there is to travel to General Santos International airport. It is the Philippines second largest airport and has daily flights to and from Cebu and Manila. Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Air Philippines; you may choose a flight according to schedule or according to fare price as some airlines offer cheaper rates than others. or; MNL to CBO-nonstop 1h40m for 2,288 php 1h35m for 3,107 php Cebu Pacific Year-round Fares for 2011 to 2012

Cebu Pacific Airbus A320 Plane

Manila to Cotabato, General Santos- P1,799

C. HOW TO GET THERE

Via BOAT

The Makar Wharf of GenSan is one of the busiest in the Philippines and is also considered by many as one of the best wharfs in the country. This seaport has boat trips scheduled to and from Iloilo City, Manila, and Cebu City. The routes in and out of the city are served by at least four ferry companies. Negros Navigation, Sulpicio Lines, and Super Ferry serve passengers to various domestic destinations. Indonesian Shipping Lines serve routes to and from Indonesia. It could also be access via the General Santos City seaport via the Super Ferry, Negros Navigation and Lorenzo Shipping.

II. (Major) TOURIST DESTINATIONS

A.
MT. APO LAKE SEBU GUMASA BEACH BARAS BIRD SANCTUARY FISH PORT COMPLEX TAKUMI BUTAI MEMORIAL SHRINE RIO GRANDE DE MINDANAO NOPOL HILLS KALAJA CAVE / MALAKONG

ORGANIZED TRIP EXPENSES

Registration Fee: PhP 500.00 Exit Fee (At Kapatagan) : PhP 200.00 Tour Guide Fee : PhP 500 per Day (With Free Meals) Porters Fee: PhP 300 per Day (With Free Meals)

is a natural lake located in the municipality of Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. The Philippine government has recognized it as one of the most important watersheds. Lake Sebu is one of the many bodies of water supplying important irrigation to the provinces of Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato. It is one of the prime eco-tourism destinations in the Region.

Php 50.00 entrance Fee

Entrance Fee : P 10.00

Had it not been for its strategic geographical location and existence of other amenities needed by the fishing industry, General Santos City could not have become South Cotabatos heart of commerce and trade. Boosted with the signs of prosperity sprouting everywhere, business has never been better,. With the advent of the operation of General Santos City Fish Port Complex, post-harvest technology equipment needed to prolong the shelf-life of tuna and other species of fish, are made available, thus playing a vital role for trading and other post harvest activities.

Located in Barangay Poblacion I, Cotabato City. A monument in honor of Takumi Butai and Japanese soldiers who died here during the Second world War. Takumi was the Provincial Commander of the Japanese forces assigned in Cotabato City. Before he died, he requested that some of his ashes be buried in Cotabato City. This shrine was put up by the Lion's Club of Kyoto, Japan in cooperation with the City Government of Cotabato.

The second largest river in the Philippines and the longest in Mindanao crisscrossing with its tributary the city's vast area. Estimated to be 182 kilometers long and 96 meters wide. Water Sports and boat racing are the popular attractions of the river, usually held to coincide with the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival and the Feast of Peafrancia.

It towers 550m ASL, making it the highest camping ground in GenSan, which in turn, offers a wide view of the surrounding provinces and Sarangani Bay. Activities inside the hills can be a visit at Bull Mountain Ranch and witness real cowboys undertaking their everyday task, or a camping trip at the summit of the hills.

is one of the remaining evidence of destruction of natural environment due to treasure hunting. History said that Japanese Forces use this cave as their source of water which in turn produce fabricated stories and myth of left behind treasures. The cave was resurgence in nature which means a volume of water is coming out from the cave mouth.

Wishful Thinking and scuba diving at Lemlunay Dive Resort in Maasim, Sarangani.

Entrance Fee: P300.00

C
Pasundayag festival Talakudong festival Shariff Kabunsuan festival Lubi-lubi festival Bangsi festival Tuna festival Kalilangan festival

Pasundayag Festival September 15, Sultan Kudarat

Pasundayag Festival is a thanksgiving and celebration of good harvest. It is a farmers festival in honor of the towns patroness, Nuestra Seora de Guadalupe featuring street dancing competition, arena festival dance showdown and merry making.

SEPTEMBER 18, TACURONG CITY

The Talakudong Festival is a cultural show done through street dancing. "Talakudong" is a Maguindanaon term for the Philippine traditional hat, otherwise called "salakot" by other ethnicities in the country. Participants during the festival perform different renditions of the Salakot Dance while dressed in colorful native costumes. The dances are accompanied by tribal percussions.

TALAKUDONG FESTIVAL

Third week of December, Cotabato City

Shariff Kabunsuan Festival

Shariff Kabunsuan Festival is a very significant event in Cotabato City people look forward to every third week of December to commemorate the arrival of an Arab-Malay missionary from Malaysia who spread Islam civilization in Mindanao.

Lubi-Lubi Festival
October 8-11, Sarangani Province

A festival celebrating the Coconut Tree as the main agricultural crop in the town of Glan, Sarangani in the Southern Philippines. Celebrated yearly as a street dancing tilt, it jives with the town's founding anniversary every 8th of October and is best described as a riot of colors and tribal dances seething with electricity.

January, Sarangani Province The Bangsi Festival celebrates Maitum's prosperous fishing industry, particularly on bangsi (flying fish). Dance themes portray marine life and the dancers wear colorful costumes symbolizing life in the sea.

Bangsi Festival

September 3-5, General Santos City

Tuna Festival

the Tuna Festival is a tribute to the greatest produce that has played an important role in the economy and life of General Santos City. The famous Tuna Festival sprang from a culinary event organized by the city to spur the tourism industry. Featuring the different dishes that can be put together from their sashimi grade tuna catch, the event was such a rousing success that it developed into a tourist attraction and a yearly festival.

Kalilangan Festival
February 27, General Santos City

Kalilangan is a celebration of the citys identity and cultural heritage as it is primarily a pageantry of the citys ethnic tradition. Being a festival celebrated to commemorate the founding of General Santos City, most of the presentations in the festival are devoted to re-enacting the arrival of the citys pioneering settlers on the shores of what is to be established as General Santos City.

 The T'nalak, the T'boliThe T'boli culture is richly connected with and inspired by nature, their dances are a mimick from the action of animals such as monkeys and birds. The T'boli believe that everything has a spirit which must be respected for good fortune. Bad spirits can cause illness and misfortune. sacred cloth, made from abaca is the best known T'boli craft and is one of the tribes traditional textile, this cloth is exchanged during marriages and used as a cover during births.

Teduray and the Lambangian tribe Cotabato Province Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat , Kidapawan City

Farmers will only start to farm if the planting star is visible (December to January ). The first rice field to be planted is in a village occupied by a group of people composed of 10 to 30 families under a chieftain leader. The spiritual leader performs the ritual planting prayers assisted by four honored women at the enclosed area at the center of the farm. After the rituals, the palay seeds are distributed to the women planters with a spokesman giving the signal to start planting.

In the courtship and marriage among the family, the parental wish is obeyed. The mother of the man leads the search for the young virgin lady. With a careful study of the woman's background, the man's party then sends out a spokesman to meet with the former's parents and relatives and duly offers the tising (the

token gift given to the parents as exchange price in the courtship), a contract for marriage. If the woman's parents accepts the tising, within a week, they will then
send their own spokesman over to the future groom's house. The go-between will then state the amount of flasa (dowries) for the marriage of the woman.

Tudon/sumbaken -- (baptismal) -- this is officiated by the Tribal Chieftain as assisted by two pairs of spokesmen for both grandparents. If the child is a boy, the maternal grandparents prepare the food. The paternal grandparents give a pair of spears and P100.00 pesos with other assorted valuable items to the officiating chieftain through the spokesman for the child to sit on. If the child is a girl, the paternal grandparents give a pair of kemagi, gold necklace, dress, sutra muot, P100.00 place on a sinuratan (big rice bowl) and sukob ulew (big soup bowl) plates.

Burial -- (Temlogon) -- The Tedurays (family) observe the seven days of prayers and offering before and until the internment. On the burial day before the cadaver is finally brought to the cemetery, the wife/husband and children pay the last respect to the dead by going around the coffin seven times. Then the wife/husband sits on one end of the coffin with the children gathered around it. The chieftain spokesman gives the fituwa (the final parting word of advise to the family and relatives of the departed loved one ) and Tegodon ( the final parting words to the good work and soul of the departed loved one, asking him not to interfere with the work and life of the family and relatives ) as part of the final parting ceremony for the dead.

III. REGION XII SWOT ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS
AGRICULTURE Known as the Catch Basin of Mindanao due to a river structurea very good source of potable water for food and agricultural necessities and energy supply. North Cotabato, the Food Basket of Mindanao is famous for the abundant supply of fruits. ENVIRONMENT Sarangani Province is ideal for eco-tourism. It is famous for its diving sites, natural falls, caves and white sand beaches that are comparable to Boracays. The main tourist attraction is the famous Mt. Apo with its towering peak that is the favorite summer respite of local and foreign travelers. Other popular tourist destinations include Blue Lake Venado also known as the highest lake in the Philippines. CULTURAL HERITAGE SOCCSKSARGEN is home to many cultural groups. Among them are the Cebuanos, Hiligaynons, Ilocanos, Tagalogs, Manobos, Tirurays, Maguindanaos, and Maranaos.

WEAKNESSES
WEAK SECURITY FOR LOCALS AND VISITORS The weak legal and security system impedes financial market development. The decades-long insurgency on Mindanao has impaired economic development, despite the islands abundant natural resource wealth, creating a vicious cycle that intensifies the economic disparities and further legitimizes the insurgency. INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITATIONS The communications wave and infrastructure development is slow in hitting the rural areas. This leaves most in the region behind the curve in competing for jobs and buildings for other industries. TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE Inadequate port infrastructure is one of several serious infrastructure problems. Tourist destinations are located within lush forests and local areas where roads are unsafe to travel making the journey cumbersome.

OPPORTUNITIES
NICHE MARKETS From alternative energy production to organic farming, the opportunities to develop very specialized products for very specialized consumers are evident. These niche market opportunities need to be explored and made into reality. Region 12 is home to multimillion fishing and tuna as the chief export product. Investment areas include production of cardava banana, moringa or malunggay, fresh water shrimp or ulang, barako coffee and hotel development. TOURISM Sultan Kudarat is also ideal for industrial and eco tourism. It is host to the Southern Philippines Grain Complex, one of the largest grain processing facilities in Southeast Asia. ECONOMIC Region supports modern infrastructure development. It is endowed with rich natural resources and has the potential of becoming one of the fastest growing regional economies in the country. A growing number of traders are becoming more interested in the citys business potentials as well as the rich natural resources that are oly waiting to be tapped..

OPPORTUNITIES
(Continued)

RECREATIONAL FACILITIES Expanding or building various recreational facilities in each community was seen as a needed amenity for locals and tourists alike. VALUE-ADDED AGRICULTURE Specialized crops, organic farming, cooperatives, dude ranches where guests can participate in the work, and roping and horse facilities, are a few of the projects which could offer opportunities. INTERNET MARKETING More efforts could go towards marketing local products and tourist spots on the Internet. Coupled with this idea would be to form region wide marketing endeavors. IMPROVED HEALTH CARE Developing a seamless, centralized healthcare system is an opportunity that could utilize existing facilities and entities in some type of collaboration.

THREATS
ISOLATION Large distances between the cities and the outlying areas, often produce a lack of communication and a perceived threat to progress and keeping up on things. OTHER THREATS TO AGRICULTURE In addition to drought and water loss, other threats to agriculture include: low commodity Prices due to the much cheaper import products from abroad; speculative real estate buyers. FRAGMENTED POLITICAL AND SECURITY INSTITUTIONS This leads to smuggling of firearms and contraband, illegal migration and the occasional movement of foreign terrorists through the porous borders of the region.

THREATS
(Continued)

HIGH THREAT FROM TERRORISM Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. Such places could include, but are not limited to, airports, shopping malls, places of worship etc.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Nov. 4 Police personnel in Region 12 or Southwestern Mindanao have been placed on heightened alert in the wake of the latest security advisories regarding possible terror attacks in the area.

THANKS FOR LENDING YOUR EARS!

END OF THE LINE NOW ...STRANGERS AGAIN