Region XII

Soccsksargen

SOCCSKSARGEN[1] (pronounced [sokˈsardʒɛn]) is a region of the Philippines,

located in central Mindanao, and is officially designated as Region XII. The name
is an acronym that stands for the region's four provinces and one of its cities: South
Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City. The
regional center is Koronadal City located in the province of South Cotabato.[2]
Cotabato City, though geographically within the boundaries of the province of
Maguindanao, itself is part of SOCCSKSARGEN, and is independent of that
province. Maguindanao province is a part of another special region called the
ARMM which has its seat in Cotabato City. SOCCSKSARGEN and the province
of Maguindanao were once part of the original Cotabato province.
Geography
The region has extensive coastlines, valleys and mountain ranges. Known for its
river system, the region is the catch basin of Mindanao. The system is a rich source
of food, potable water and energy production. Cotabato contains the Rio Grande de
Mindanao, which is the longest river in Mindanao and the second longest in the
Philippines.

The region used to be named Central Mindanao. Prior to the creation of the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, these provinces comprised the region:

 Maguindanao
 North Cotabato
 Sultan Kudarat

With the creation of ARMM, Lanao del Sur (excluding Marawi City) and
Maguindanao (excluding Cotabato City) were removed from the region, leaving
Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat, and Marawi City and
Cotabato City as constituent provinces and cities. Lanao del Norte was later
transferred to Northern Mindanao, while Marawi City became part of the ARMM.

With the addition of South Cotabato and Sarangani, transferred from Southern
Mindanao, the region was renamed as SOCCSKSARGEN. The "Central
Mindanao" name lives on as a description to the provinces populated by Muslim
Filipinos.
 Region XII
SoCCSKSarGen
—  Region  —

Map of the Philippines showing the location of Region XII

Province/City Capital Population Area Pop. density

(2000) (km²) (per km²)

Cotabato Kidapawan 958,643 6,565.9 146.0

City
Sarangani Alabel 410,622 2,980.0 137.8
South Cotabato Koronadal 690,728 3,996.1 172.9
City
Sultan Kudarat Isulan 586,505 4,714.8 124.4
Cotabato City1 — 163,849 175.99 931.0

General Santos — 411,822 492.86 835.6

City2
^1 Cotabato City is independent of Maguindanao province, which is part of the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The seat of the ARMM regional
government is also in Cotabato City.

^2 General Santos City is a highly urbanized city; figures are excluded from South
Cotabato.

Component Cities
 Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat
 Kidapawan City, Cotabato
 Koronadal City, South Cotabato

Independent Component City

 Cotabato City

Highly Urbanized City

 General Santos City

Musical Heritage
Main articles: Music of the Philippines and Kulintang

The native Maguindanaon and other native Muslim/non-Muslim groups have a

fascinating culture that revolves around kulintang music, a specific type of gong
music, found in the SoCCSKSarGen.
Country: Philippines
Island group: Mindanao
Regional center Koronadal City, South Cotabato
Area
 - Total 22,466 km2 (8,674.2 sq mi)
Population (2007)  
- Total 3,829,081
- Density 170.4/km2 (441.4/sq mi)
Time zone PST (UTC+8)
Provinces 4
Cities 5
Municipalities 45
Barangays 1,194
Cong. districts 6
Languages English, Tagalog, Cebuano,
Tboli, Blaan, Cotabato Manobo,
Tagabanwa, others

Agriculture and Fishery

Crop Production
The region's economy is largely agriculture-based, being a major producer of rice, corn and high
value crops. In 2002, total rice production was 1,037,854 metric tons while corn production
stood at 1,034,142 metric tons.

In addition to rice and corn, the region also produced the following crops: coconut at
498,690,585 metric tons; pineapple, 283,716,372 metric tons; banana, 266,522,539 metric tons;
sugarcane, 65,697,964 metric tons; mango, 30,258,021 metric tons; rubber, 9,383,086 metric
tons and asparagus, 6,596,655 metric tons.
Fishery Production
Three types of fishery production areas can be found in Region XII, namely: commercial,
municipal and aquaculture. In 2002, South Cotabato with the inclusion of General Santos City
recorded the highest total fishery production at 146,144 metric tons followed by Sarangani with
24,214 metric tons and Sultan Kudarat with 19,427 metric tons. Cotabato being a landlocked
province recorded the least fishery production at 808 metric tons.

 Land and Physical Resources

Land Area
Region XII has a total land area of 22,612.01 sq. kms. representing 22 percent of Mindanao’s
total land area. Among the four provinces in the region, Cotabato has the biggest land area at
8,650.43 sq. kms., which is about 38 percent of the region’s land resources. South Cotabato
province has the smallest area among the provinces, with a land area of 3,658.95 sq. kms.

Location
Region XII is situated in the central and southwestern parts of Mindanao, bounded on the north
by the provinces of Lanao del Sur and Bukidnon; on the northwest, by Maguindanao; on the
southwest, by Mindanao Sea; and on the east, by Davao del Sur and Davao City. It lies 6o 32’ to
7 o 33’ of the north latitude and 124 o 01’ to 125 o 17’ of the east longitude.

Topography
Region XII has many distinct physiographic features, varying from flat, fertile plains to irregular
landscape to wide valleys, scattered hills and intensive mountain ranges. About half of the
region’s land resources fall within the 0-500m in elevation. The region has an extensive and long
coastline which stretches to 320 kilometers.
Climate
Region XII falls under the 4th Climatic Type having an evenly distributed rainfall throughout the
year with no pronounced rain periods. The region experiences high annual rainfall which ranges
from 1,871mm/year to 2,876mm/year (considered moist). Rainfall patterns of the region
contribute to the high production levels in agriculture.

Tourism

Natural Tourist Attractions

Region XII is endowed with rich natural beauty that beckons to foreign and domestic tourists
alike. In the province of Cotabato alone, there are eleven (11) natural attractions that include four
beautiful falls; two caves; two lakes; one natural spring; one wild park and the towering Mt. Apo.

Mt. Apo, being the highest mountain in the country with its towering peak at 10,311 ft. high,
attracts tourists worldwide and draws them into Kidapawan City. Tourists are pouring into the
place during the summer or the Holy Week for the celebration of the Mt. Apo Summer Festival.

The rest of the region offers pristine beaches, spring resorts, caves and waterfalls, among others.

Tourist Facilities
The region has a vast array of tourist facilities to offer comfort and luxury to visitors which
include hotels, resorts, pension houses, inns and others. Augmenting these facilities are
designated home-stays or homes that are equally equipped and capable of providing comfortable
accommodations for visitors in their areas. Other facilities include restaurants and souvenir
shops.

 
Festivals
About 30 festivals are celebrated annually in the different parts of the region. These festivals
typify the life and culture of the people of Region XII, their religious beliefs and aspirations in
life. Some of these festivals are political in nature, (i.e., foundation anniversary of a city or
province), some are religious in nature (e.g., feast in honor of a Saint or religious personage) or a
festival for good harvest (thanksgiving ritual). These festivals usually draw people from other
places and the celebration of such are spearheaded by the local government units and the private
sector, especially the religious festivals. The Department of Tourism promotes and provides
coordinative assistance in the conduct of the festivities. Among the festivals celebrated in the
region are the following; Shariff Kabunsuan Festival, Tinalak Festival, Kalibongan Festival,
Kalilang Festival, Kalilangan Festival, Halad, and Tuna Festival.

Tourist Arrivals
Region XII recorded a total of 331,225 domestic and 3,946 foreign visitors in the first three
quarters of 2002. General Santos City and South Cotabato Province registered the highest
number of visitor arrivals, both foreign and domestic.

 
Ethnic Group

Negrito
The term Negrito refers to several ethnic groups in isolated parts of Southeast Asia.

Their current populations include 12 Andamanese tribes of the Andaman Islands, six Semang
tribes of Malaysia, the Mani of Thailand, and the Aeta, Agta, Ayta, Pygmies, Ita, Baluga, Ati,
Dumagat and at least 25 other tribes of the Philippines.

Negritos share some common physical features with African pygmy populations, including short
stature, natural afro-hair texture, and dark skin; however, their origin and the route of their
migration to Asia is still a matter of great speculation. They are the most genetically distant
human population from Africans at most loci studied thus far (except for MC1R, which codes for
dark skin).

They have also been shown to have separated early from Asians, suggesting that they are either
surviving descendants of settlers from an early migration out of Africa, or that they are
descendants of one of the founder populations of modern humans.

Etymology
The term "Negrito" is the Spanish diminutive of negro, i.e. "little black person", referring to their
small stature, and was coined by early European explorers who assumed that the Negritos were
recent arrivals from Africa.

Occasionally, some Negritos are referred to as pygmies, bundling them with peoples of similar
physical stature in Central Africa, and likewise, the term Negrito was previously occasionally
used to refer to African Pygmies.

Sometimes the term "Negroid" will be used when referring to these groups, especially to their
superficial physical features, such as their hair texture and skin color.
Origins
Being among the least-known of all living human groups, the origins of the Negrito people is a
much debated topic. The Malay term for them is orang asli, or original people.

They are likely descendants of the indigenous populations of the Sunda landmass and New
Guinea, predating the Mongoloid peoples who later entered Southeast Asia.[5]

Alternatively, some scientists claim they are merely a group of Australo-Melanesians who have
undergone island dwarfing over thousands of years, reducing their food intake in order to cope
with limited resources and adapt to a tropical rainforest environment.
 Submitted to:
Miss Donna Michelle Y. Delgado
Teacher
Submitted by:
Anna Cindy S. Castañito
Student

Thank You for This Earth

O God,
We thank you for this earth, our home; for the wide sky and the
blessed sun,
for the ocean and streams, for the towering hills and the whispering
wind,
for the trees and green grass.

We thank you for our senses by which we hear the songs of birds,
and
see the splendor of fields of golden wheat, and taste autumn's fruit,
rejoice
in the feel of snow, and smell the breath of spring flowers.

Grant us a heart opened wide to all this beauty; and save us from
being
so blind that we pass unseeing when even the common thorn bush
is aflame with your glory.

For each new dawn is filled with infinite possibilities for new
beginnings
and new discoveries. Life is constantly changing and renewing itself.

In this new day of new beginnings with God, all things are possible.
We are restored and renewed in a joyous awakening to the wonder
that our lives are and, yet, can be.

Amen.