Isulan, officially the Municipality of Isulan ( hil, Banwa sang Isulan; tl, Bayan ng Isulan; mdh, Inged nu Isulan,
Jawi: ايڠايد نو ايسولن), is a 1st class
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
and capital of the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of
Sultan Kudarat
Sultan Kudarat, officially the Province of Sultan Kudarat ( hil, Kapuoran sang Sultan Kudarat; Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sultan Kudarat'', Jawi: دايرت نو سلطان كودرت; ceb, Lalawigan sa Sultan Kudarat; tl, Lalawigan ng Sul ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 97,490 people.
Etymology
The Christian settlers would have preferred to decide the name of their new town by referendum. However, Captain Gunting, both revered and feared, had decided it by himself.
Datu Kudanding had reacted to the history of local battles way back in the early. Until 19th century when a sultanate in the adjacent town of Maganoy under
Sultan Utto
Datu Utto (reigned: 1875–1888) was also known as Sultan Anwarud-din Utto or Sultan Utto Anwaruddin, was the 18th Sultan of Buayan, one of the minor sultanates of Mindanao. As a military leader he distinguished himself in many battles against t ...
with a vast army decided to attack a small municipality located in the area now encompassed by the new entity under the leadership of Sultan Kudarat Mopak. Outnumbered with the ratio of 20:1, Sultan Kudarat Mopak on a white horse decided to do battle with his men notwithstanding the odds.
The battle cry of Sultan Kudarat was the uttering of the word, "Isu-silan" which means "They are there, advance". This intrepid, although suicidal show of force and determination, so impressed by Utto, that in order to save lives on both sides, he decided to resolve the issue by negotiation, thus placing Kudarat and his principality under his protectorate of Utto, Isulan municipality derived its name from "Isu-silan" which means "Progress".
History
The present territories of Isulan formerly belonged to the municipalities of
Koronadal
Koronadal, officially the City of Koronadal ( hil, Dakbanwa sang Koronadal; ceb, Dakbayan sa Koronadal; Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Koronadal'', Jawi: كوتا نو كورونادال; fil, Lungsod ng Koronadal), also known as Marbel, is a 3rd cl ...
and
Dulawan. The municipality of Koronadal was created under E.O. No. 82 dated August 8, 1947 by Pres. Manuel L. Roxas.
On March 10, 1953, the municipality of
Norala
Norala, officially the Municipality of Norala ( hil, Banwa sang Norala; krj, Banwa kang Norala; ceb, Lungsod sa Norala; tl, Bayan ng Norala; mdh, Inged nu Nurala), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of South Cotabato, Philippines. Ac ...
was created by virtue of E.O.NO.572, whose territorial jurisdiction was taken from the municipality of
Koronadal
Koronadal, officially the City of Koronadal ( hil, Dakbanwa sang Koronadal; ceb, Dakbayan sa Koronadal; Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Koronadal'', Jawi: كوتا نو كورونادال; fil, Lungsod ng Koronadal), also known as Marbel, is a 3rd cl ...
.
Datu Kudanding Camsa in the latter part of 1956 initiated the creation of another municipality to be taken from the Municipality of Norala.
On March 20, 1957, Engr. Jose M. Ancheta of the Bureau of Public Highways of Cotabato made its first endorsement to the provincial board and laid down the proposed boundaries of the new municipality.
Acting on this report, the provincial board of Cotabato thru Resolution No. 316 series of 1957, petitioned the President of the Philippines to create the proposed municipality.
Executive Order No. 266, pursuant to section 68 of the Administrative Code, issued and signed by the then President
Carlos P. Garcia
Carlos Polestico Garcia (November 4, 1896 – June 14, 1971) was a Filipino teacher, poet, orator, lawyer, public official, political economist, guerrilla and Commonwealth military leader who was the eighth president of the Philippines. A l ...
on August 30, 1957, creating the municipality of Isulan, whose territorial jurisdiction was taken from the municipality of
Norala, South Cotabato
Norala, officially the Municipality of Norala ( hil, Banwa sang Norala; krj, Banwa kang Norala; ceb, Lungsod sa Norala; tl, Bayan ng Norala; mdh, Inged nu Nurala), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of South Cotabato, Philippines. Ac ...
, and Dulawan, Cotabato.
With the creation of the municipality of Isulan, Kalawag became the seat of its government. The municipal government officially functioned on September 12, 1957, with the appointment of its municipal mayor Datu Suma Ampatuan who served until 1967.
The Kalawag Settlement
In 1951, the Board of Directors of the Land Settlement and Development Cooperation (LASEDECO) started the opening of a settlement in an area formerly under the jurisdiction of the National Land Settlement Association (NLSA) as a reservation.
The LASEDECO had surveyed and parceled out home and farm lots and constructed municipal and barrio roads and installed electrical light generators. It had brought-in hundreds of farm tractors which uprooted big trees, cleared obstruction, planned, cleaned and harrowed the wide stretches of the area. What was once a marshy and wild expanse inhabited by snakes, crocodiles, wild cattle, swine, and deer had welcomed the first sprout of seedlings of corn and rice, thus blanketed the horizon in endless green.
When a group of 72 World War II Veterans, led by Venancio Magbanua, Post Commander of Norala had come and settled in the area, on September 7, 1950, a Kalawag root crop used as food coloring was found out abundantly growing.
Then, the early settlers decided to call and register the settlement as "Kalawag Settlement District of LASEDECO". The area comprising the town site covers approximately 400 hectares.
Immigrants from Visayas and Luzon had now come in shiploads. The most numerous batch was the "PACSA" group headed by Pedro Gabriel and Bienvenido Pamintuan otherwise known as the "Presidential Assistance Commission on Social Amelioration of the President
Ramon Magsaysay
Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay Sr. (August 31, 1907 – March 17, 1957) was a Filipino statesman who served as the seventh president of the Philippines, from December 30, 1953, until his death in an aircraft disaster on March 17, 1957. An automo ...
. His group consisted of the erstwhile and rebellious surrenderees belonging to HUKBALAHAPs from
Pampanga
Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga ( pam, Lalawigan ning Pampanga; tl, Lalawigan ng Pampanga ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac ...
.
On June 21, 1969, President Marcos, signed R.A. No. 5960, creating the municipality of
Bagumbayan which cost Isulan more than 85% of its original land area. But of the original land area of 336,000 hectares, only 49,551 hectares were left and the 48 barrios were reduced to 17.
Upon the passage of H.B. No. 5020 dividing the province of Cotabato, the Municipal Council of Isulan passed Resolution No. 17 dated May 31, 1972, requesting Congressman Salipada K. Pendatun and Gov. Carlos B. Cajelo that Isulan be made a capital town.
On November 22, 1973, P.D. No. 341 was issued dividing Cotabato provinces, namely;
Sultan Kudarat
Sultan Kudarat, officially the Province of Sultan Kudarat ( hil, Kapuoran sang Sultan Kudarat; Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sultan Kudarat'', Jawi: دايرت نو سلطان كودرت; ceb, Lalawigan sa Sultan Kudarat; tl, Lalawigan ng Sul ...
,
Maguindanao
Maguindanao (, Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Prubinsya nu Magindanaw''; Iranun language, Iranun'': Perobinsia a Magindanao''; tl, Lalawigan ng Maguindanao) was a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines located in the ...
, and
North Cotabato
Cotabato or North Cotabato ( hil, Aminhan Cotabato; ceb, Amihanang Cotabato; Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Pangutaran Kutawatu'', Jawi alphabet, Jawi: ڤڠوترن كوتاواتو; fil, Hilagang Cotabato), officially the Province of Co ...
. At the same time, Isulan, which is in the center of the new province, was made its capital.
Security incidences
On August 28, 2018, at 8:34 pm, there were three casualties and 36 hurt during the Hamungaya Festival when an
improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached to a detonating mechan ...
went off in Barangay Kalawag 3, in front of J and H marketing, National Highway. Five days later, on September 2, at 11:35 pm, another bomb exploded in an
Internet cafe
The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...
leaving one casualty and 15 hurt, four of them in critical condition. Authorities blamed both incidences on
Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters
The Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), also known as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement, is an Islamist militant organization based in Mindanao, the Philippines. It is a smaller player in the overall Moro insurgency in the Phili ...
.
On April 3, 2019, 18 people, including children, were injured when an improvised explosive device exploded at Carlitos Chicken House, possibly motivated by extortion.
[
On September 7, 2019, at 7 am, an improvised explosive device went off in front of the public market, leaving seven people injured.
]
Geography
Isulan is centrally located and is accessible to all neighboring towns not only within the province of Sultan Kudarat but also in some municipalities of the province of Maguindanao
Maguindanao (, Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Prubinsya nu Magindanaw''; Iranun language, Iranun'': Perobinsia a Magindanao''; tl, Lalawigan ng Maguindanao) was a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines located in the ...
, South Cotabato
South Cotabato ( hil, Bagatnan Cotabato; ceb, Habagatang Cotabato; Maguindanaon: ''Pagabagatan Kutawatu'', Jawi: ڤاڬابڬتن كوتاواتو; tl, Timog Cotabato), officially the Province of South Cotabato, is a province in the Philippine ...
and even that of Davao del Sur. It is bounded on the north by the municipality of Esperanza, north-east by the municipality of Lambayong; on the east by Tacurong
Tacurong, officially the City of Tacurong ( hil, Dakbanwa sang Tacurong; fil, Lungsod ng Tacurong; Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Takurung'', Jawi: كوتا نو تاكوروڠ), is a 4th class component city in the province of Sultan Kudarat, Phil ...
; on the south by the municipalities of Bagumbayan and .,; on the southeast by the municipality of Norala, South Cotabato
Norala, officially the Municipality of Norala ( hil, Banwa sang Norala; krj, Banwa kang Norala; ceb, Lungsod sa Norala; tl, Bayan ng Norala; mdh, Inged nu Nurala), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of South Cotabato, Philippines. Ac ...
, and Santo Niño, South Cotabato
Santo Niño, officially the Municipality of Santo Niño ( hil, Banwa sang Santo Niño; ceb, Lungsod sa Santo Niño; tl, Bayan ng Santo Niño; mdh, Inged nu Santu Ninyu, Jawi: ايڠايد نو سنتو نيڽو), is a 3rd class municipality i ...
; and on the west by the Municipalities of Lebak
Lebak, officially the Municipality of Lebak ( hil, Banwa sang Lebak; tl, Bayan ng Lebak; mdh, Inged nu Libak, Jawi Alphabet, Jawi: ايڠايد نو ليبق), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Pr ...
and Kalamansig
Kalamansig, officially the Municipality of Kalamansig ( mdh, Inged nu Kalamansig, Jawi: ايڠايد نو كلامانسيڬ), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Sultan Kudarat, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a pop ...
. It has a total land area of .
Barangays
Isulan is politically subdivided into 17 barangay
A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolitan ...
s.
Climate
Demographics
Languages
Hiligaynon is the predominantly spoken language in the municipality, with the bulk of Isulan's population predominantly consisting of descendants of settlers who came from the Hiligaynon-speaking parts of the Visayas, namely the islands of Negros and Panay. The Maguindanao
Maguindanao (, Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Prubinsya nu Magindanaw''; Iranun language, Iranun'': Perobinsia a Magindanao''; tl, Lalawigan ng Maguindanao) was a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines located in the ...
-speaking minority was formed by migrations from neighboring Maguindanao-speaking towns and provinces. Other languages spoken in the city are Cebuano, Ilocano, and Karay-a.
Economy
Isulan has various department stores and a mall, the list below contains the current malls and the future shopping centers in Isulan.
*CityMall
CityMall Commercial Centers, Inc. is a subsidiary of DoubleDragon Properties
DoubleDragon Corporation (formerly, Injap Land Corporation and DoubleDragon Properties Corporation) is a Philippine real estate development company based in Makati, ...
Isulan - owned by Double Dragon Properties and SM investment, opened on December 18, 2018.
*MGM Shopping Plaza - one of the biggest shopping centers operating in Isulan.
*Isulan Central Plaza - first department store and one of the oldest in Isulan. Opened in the late 1990s.
*Novo Shirts and Jeans - acquired the old Licon Cinema Building
*New Valencia Dry Good Store and Gen. Mdse. - offers ready-to-wear
Ready-to-wear (or ''prêt-à-porter''; abbreviated RTW; "off-the-rack" or "off-the-peg" in casual use) is the term for ready-made garments, sold in finished condition in standardized sizes, as distinct from made-to-measure or bespoke clothing ...
and grocery.
*Mopac Department store isulan.
*Mopak group Company Advance & Progressive Paper industry isulan.
Transportation
The municipality has an integrated terminal with buses, vans and jeepney
Jeepneys (), sometimes called jeeps (), are minibus-like public utility vehicles, serving as the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They are known for their crowded seating and kitsch decorations, which have become ...
s going to various areas of Soccsksargen
Soccsksargen (officially stylized in all caps; ), 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 ...
, Maguindanao
Maguindanao (, Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Prubinsya nu Magindanaw''; Iranun language, Iranun'': Perobinsia a Magindanao''; tl, Lalawigan ng Maguindanao) was a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines located in the ...
and Davao Region
Davao Region, formerly called Southern Mindanao ( ceb, Rehiyon sa Davao; fil, Rehiyon ng Davao), is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region XI. It is situated at the southeastern portion of Mindanao and comprises fi ...
.
Bus companies include:
*Yellow Bus Line, Inc.
Yellow Bus Line, Incorporated (YBLI) is a large bus company in Mindanao. It operates bus transport services in the Central and Southern Mindanao with its headquarters in General Santos. Its company-owned terminals and offices are located in Gene ...
General Santos City
General Santos, officially the City of General Santos,; hil, Dakbanwa sang Heneral Santos; Maguindanao: ''Ingud nu Heneral Santos''; Blaan: ''Banwe Dadiangas''; Tboli: ''Benwu Dadiangas''; Filipino: ''Lungsod ng Heneral Santos'' and abbrev ...
and Koronadal City
Koronadal, officially the City of Koronadal ( hil, Dakbanwa sang Koronadal; ceb, Dakbayan sa Koronadal; Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Koronadal'', Jawi: كوتا نو كورونادال; fil, Lungsod ng Koronadal), also known as Marbel, is a 3rd cl ...
*Husky Tours
Husky is a general term for a dog used in the polar regions, primarily and specifically for work as sled dogs. It refers to a traditional northern type, notable for its cold-weather tolerance and overall hardiness. Modern racing huskies that ma ...
Cotabato City
Cotabato City, officially the City of Cotabato ( Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Kutawatu'', Jawi:
كوتا نو كوتاواتو; Iranun: ''Bandar a Kotawato'', بندر ا كوتاواتو; fil, Lungsod ng Cotabato), is a third class independent co ...
, Koronadal City
Koronadal, officially the City of Koronadal ( hil, Dakbanwa sang Koronadal; ceb, Dakbayan sa Koronadal; Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Koronadal'', Jawi: كوتا نو كورونادال; fil, Lungsod ng Koronadal), also known as Marbel, is a 3rd cl ...
*Mindanao Star
Mindanao Star Bus Transport, Incorporated ''(formerly Weena Express, People's Transport Corporation)'' is a bus line under the umbrella of Yanson Group of Bus Companies (YGBC). It operates bus transport services from Davao City, to Soccsksargen R ...
Cotabato City
Cotabato City, officially the City of Cotabato ( Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Kutawatu'', Jawi:
كوتا نو كوتاواتو; Iranun: ''Bandar a Kotawato'', بندر ا كوتاواتو; fil, Lungsod ng Cotabato), is a third class independent co ...
and Davao City
Davao City, officially the City of Davao ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Dabaw; ), is a first class highly urbanized city in the Davao Region, Philippines. The city has a total land area of , making it the largest city in the Philippines in terms of lan ...
Culture
Festival
Every month of August 30, the municipality of Isulan conducts the Hamungaya Festival to celebrate its foundation. Isulanons believe that the wealth of arts and culture is expressed in many forms and in so many kinds. The festival showcases skills and talents in literary, musical and cultural aspects of the constituents both young and old.
The Hamungaya also depicts the thanksgiving festival of its residents who are mostly engaged in agriculture. This includes rice and corn farming, vegetables and crops production including the famous African palm which has contributed a lot to the utilization of its by-products as construction materials – the uniquely woven "kalakat" known all over Mindanao.
The festival is divided into two parts: the first part shows the different activities being done in the farm. After which a thanksgiving is performed for their good harvest. The second part shows the merrymaking in the form of dance using different properties and materials that make it very festive.
As a whole, the Hamungaya Festival actually expresses life itself or deep-seated emotion communicated by the emotions of the human body blending with the music. The flow of body movements, the sound of the music and the grace with which the dance is executed all build up the story or emotions being communicated.
No doubt, this is a unique form of art, and along with other activities or talent being displayed during festivities, it is a contribution to the dreams of establishing solidarity among the peoples in the province of Sultan Kudarat.
Tourism
*Lagandang Hot Spring
A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by circ ...
/Sulphur
Sulfur (or sulphur in British English) is a chemical element with the symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with a chemical formula ...
Spring
Spring(s) may refer to:
Common uses
* Spring (season), a season of the year
* Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy
* Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water
* Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a ...
*Kamanga Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...
and Falls
*Baton Falls
*Daguma Mountain range
*LandMark of the Royalty
*Narra Park
Healthcare
*Isulan Doctor's Specialist Center
*Holy Nazarene Clinic and Hospital
*Galinto Family Hospital
*Matias Hospital
*Retirado Clinic and Hospital
*Sultan Kudarat Provincial Hospital
*St. Dominic Savio General Hospital Inc.
Education
;Privately run academic schools
*Green Valley College Foundation, Inc. (Isulan Campus)
*Montessori Learning Center (Isulan Campus)
*The Notre Dame of Isulan, Inc.
*Isulan Community School.
*Precious Ones Learning Center
*King's College of Isulan
;Government-run schools
''East Isulan District elementary school''
*Kalawag Central Elementary School
*Kalawag III Elementary School
''Central Isulan District elementary schools''
*Isulan Central Elementary School
*Don Juan P. Garcia Memorial Elementary School
*Dansuli Elementary School
*Impao Elementary School
*Datu Talipasan Memorial Elementary School
*Mapantig Elementary School
''South Isulan District elementary schools''
*Bambad Central School
*Kolambog Elementary School
*Kudanding Elementary School
''West Isulan District elementary schools''
*Laguilayan Central School
*Kamanga Elementary School
*New Egana Elementary School
*D. Lotilla Elementary School
*Tayugo Elementary School
*New Pangasinan Elementary School
*Bual Elementary School
*Lagandang Elementary School
*Mantisao Elementary School
''Public secondary schools''
*Isulan National High School
*Bambad National High School
*Laguilayan National High School
*New Pangasinan High School
;Government-owned tertiary institution
*Sultan Kudarat State University
Sultan Kudarat State University (SKSU; fil, Pamantasang Pampamahalaan ng Sultan Kudarat ) is a state university in the province of Sultan Kudarat, Mindanao, Philippines. Formerly Sultan Kudarat Polytechnic State College, it became a university ...
(Isulan Campus)
References
External links
Isulan Profile at PhilAtlas.com
Isulan Profile at the DTI Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index
* Philippine Standard Geographic Code
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
Philippine Census Information
Local Governance Performance Management System
{{Authority control
Municipalities of Sultan Kudarat
Provincial capitals of the Philippines