The Mother of Kulaman III

(This is the last of a three-part series.)

Are you still hanging on? Unless you badly need the info for a project in your history class, you most likely have not gone over my previous posts. No matter. I’m writing this for local history buffs and for myself. So without much ado (or without as much ado as my first and second posts had), here’s the you-can’t-miss breathtaking spine-tingling hair-raising finale:


1951 April 12
Executive Order No. 432

The seat of government of the Municipality of Lebak, Province of Cotabato, was transferred from its location at the time at Kalamansig to the barrio of Salaman of the same municipality.

The significance of this law to the history of the Municipality of Senator Ninoy Aquino is that ten years later, in 1961, the Municipality of Kalamansig would be created, and in 1965, parts of the Municipality of Kalamansig would form the western part of the Municipality of Kulaman.


1954 June 12
Republic Act No. 1035

The name of the Municipality of Dulawan in the Province of Cotabato was changed to Datu Piang. The southeast half of the present-day Municipality of Senator Ninoy Aquino was still part of the Municipality of Dulawan during this time.


1957 August 30
Executive Order No. 266

The Municipality of Isulan was created. The new territory comprised forty barrios and sitios from the Municipality of Datu Piang and eight barrios and sitios from the Municipality of Norala. One of the barrios from the Municipality of Norala was Kalawag, which was assigned as the seat of government of the new municipality.

At this time apparently, the Philippine government had stopped subdividing territories into municipal districts. The Municipal District of Daguma no longer existed, but Barrio Daguma was listed as one of the barrios from the Municipality of Datu Piang that were included in the new municipality. Likewise, the Municipal District of Isulan no longer existed, but its name was used for the new municipality.

Compare the list of barrios that composed the Municipality of Dulawan (the old name of the Municipality of Datu Piang) in 1936 and the list of barrios and sitios that composed the Municipality of Isulan in 1957. From the two lists, you can infer that the Municipal Districts of Isulan and Daguma in the Municipality of Dulawan had roughly the same territory as the Municipality of Isulan. The barrios that the two territories shared were Dukay, Laguilayan, Daguma, Kapaya, Bual, Natubak, Tuka, and Sipaka. Furthermore, the following barrios might be the same but had been changed due to typographical error or natural evolution: from West Maliñgao to Malingawon, from Maluan to Malugan, and from Tuka Mapayag to Mapayag.

In 1957 also, the southeast half of the present-day Municipality of Senator Ninoy Aquino was still part of the Municipality of Datu Piang. That portion of Kulaman Plateau, however, did not yet have any politically significant settlement. Among the listed barrios and sitios from the Municipality of Datu Piang, the nearest to the present-day Municipality of Senator Ninoy Aquino was Masiag, now a barangay of the Municipality of Bagumbayan, Province of Sultan Kudarat.

Prior to the issuance of Executive Order No. 266, series of 1957, the Municipality of Norala had been created by virtue of Executive Order No. 572, series of 1953, from a portion of the Municipality of Koronadal. Earlier still, the Municipality of Koronadal was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 82, series of 1947, along with the Municipality of Kiamba and nine others.


1959 August 14
Executive Order No. 350

The Municipality of Palimbang was created. The new territory comprised forty-six barrios from the Municipality of Lebak and the Municipality of Kiamba (forty-seven barrios if Ripulon Langali was two barrios and a comma was inadvertently omitted when the law was written). The barrio of Palimbang was made the seat of government.


1961 December 29
Executive Order No. 459

The Municipality of Kalamansig was created. The new territory comprised twenty barrios and sitios from the Municipality of Lebak and eight barrios and sitios from the Municipality of Palimbang. The barrio of Kalamansig was made the seat of government.


1965 October 24
Executive Order No. 187

The Municipality of Bagumbayan was created. The new territory comprised thirty-two barrios and sitios from the Municipality of Isulan. The barrio of Bagumbayan was made the seat of government.

This law was later made void by a Supreme Court ruling, and the Municipality of Bagumbayan was recreated on June 21, 1969, by virtue of Republic Act No. 5960.


1965 November 29
Executive Order No. 211-E

The Municipality of Kulaman was created. The new territory comprised twenty-one barrios and sitios—nine from the Municipality of Kalamansig, ten from the Municipality of Isulan, and two from the Municipality of Palimbang. The barrio of Kulaman was made the seat of government.

This law was later made void by a Supreme Court ruling, but the territory was recreated later as the Municipality of Senator Ninoy Aquino, on February 17, 1989, by virtue of Republic Act No. 6712.


1969 June 21
Republic Act No. 5960

The Municipality of Bagumbayan was recreated. The new territory comprised thirty-two barrios and sitios that were separated from the Municipality of Isulan: Bagumbayan, Bai Sirafinang, Biwang, Busok, Chrismor, Damaslot, Dawing, Kambad, Kanakan, Kapaya, Keposo, Kibongkog, Kinayao, Ladasino, Lanao, Languan, Lawa, Malalas, Malingaon, Malay, Mamison, Mapayag, Marbel, Masiag, Muno, Natubak, Payaguntong, Pangolan, Salatan, Sipaka, Siop and Tuka. The barrio of Bagumbayan was made the seat of government.


1973 November 22
Presidential Decree No. 341

The Province of Cotabato was divided into three provinces: North Cotabato, Maguindanao, and Sultan Kudarat. The province of Sultan Kudarat comprised the municipalities of Tacurong, Isulan, Lutayan, Bagumbayan, Kalamansing, Lebak, Columbio, Palimbang and the new municipalities of President Quirino, Mariano Marcos, and Esperanza. The Municipality of Isulan became the capital of the Province of Sultan Kudarat.


1989 February 17
Republic Act No. 6712

The Municipality of Senator Ninoy Aquino was created. The new territory comprised seven barangays from the Municipality of Kalamansig and one barangay from the Municipality of Bagumbayan. The baragays from Kalamansig were Kulaman, Buenaflores, Bugso, Kiadsam, Kadi, Kulaman, Malegdeg, and Sewod, and the barangay from Bagumbayan was Langgal. Kulaman was made the seat of government.

The Mother of Kulaman II

(This is the second of a three-part series.)

As promised the previous Monday, I’m posting here today the laws that created Cotabato Province and its subdivisions. The focus, of course, remains to be the municipality of Senator Ninoy Aquino. Imagine a map of Mindanao with a tiny dot at the south central part, east of Celebes Sea. As the leaves of the calendar flit up, the colors around this dot change. At some point, the dot lies between a narrow green swath on the left and a large yellow patch on the right. Later on, the dot is surrounded by an orange vertical rectangle that is lumpy on the right side. That dot is the village of Kulaman, and the color-shifting shapes around it are its mother municipalities throughout the decades of the 1900s.

In some of the laws below, the villages of some municipalities are enumerated. The villages in Kulaman Plateau, however, are not all listed. That’s because I’m planning to create separate posts about the villages of Senator Ninoy Aquino, Kalamansig, Lebak, Palimbang, and Bagumbayan. I want to compare the past and present compositions of those municipalities. But I’m getting ahead of myself. For now, peruse the laws and their salient details. I’m not sure if you’ll enjoy going over them. I enjoyed researching about them and chopping the convoluted sentences into simpler and clearer ones. I believe I was able to sharpen my writing skills, and of course, I learned so much from the text. I now feel that the past of my homeland has become more tangible. It’s no longer a monochromatic map framed behind a hazy glass.


1903 June 1
Act No. 787 of the Philippine Commission

This law provided for the organization and government of the Moro Province, comprising five districts, namely, Sulu, Zamboanga, Lanao, Cotabato, and Davao. Zamboanga was made capital of the province.

The Cotabato District included “all that part of the Island of Mindanao lying east of the Lanao District, south of the eighth parallel of north latitude, and west of a line running south from the eighth parallel of north latitude along the crest of the Apo range of mountains to the southernmost peak of Mount Apo, thence along the watershed that divides the waters that flow into Davao Bay from those that flow into the Rio Grande and Sarangani Bay to Sarangani Point.”


1914 September 1
Act No. 2408 of the Philippine Commission

This law provided for a temporary form of government for the territory known as the Department of Mindanao and Sulu. The department comprised seven provinces. Five of these provinces had been districts: Cotabato, Davao, Lanao, Sulu, and Zamboanga. The two other provinces were Agusan, which was already a province at the time, and Bukidnon, which used to be a subprovince of Agusan. Zamboanga was made capital of the department. The “town of Cotabato” was made capital of Cotabato District.


1916 December 31
Act No. 2657 of the Philippine Commission

This is the original Administrative Code. Section 45 states “the general location of the provinces of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu and the principal subdivisions contained in them.” According to this law, the Province of Cotabato contained the municipalities of Cotabato and Parang.


1917 March 10
Act No. 2711 of the Philippine Commission

This is the revised Administrative Code. Section 40 states “the general location of the provinces of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu and the principal subdivisions contained in them.” According to this law, the Province of Cotabato contained the municipalities of Cotabato (the capital of the province), Dulawan, and Midsayap. The province also contained 37 municipal districts, namely, Awang, Balatikan, Balut, Banisilan, Barira, Buayan, Bugasan, Buldun, Buluan, Carmen,[Daguma], Dinaig,[Dulawan], Gambar, Glan,[Isulan], Kabakan, Kalanganan, Kiamba, Kidapawan, Kitubud, Kling, Koronadal, Lebak,[Libuangan], Liguasan,[Maganui], Nuling, Parang, Pikit-Pagalungan,[Reina Regente], Salaman, Sebu, Silik, Subpangan,[Talayan], and Tumbau. (Insertions in brackets are in the source, not mine.)


1936 November 25
Executive Order No. 66

The Municipalities of Dulawan and Midsayap were formed. The Municipality of Dulawan comprised (1) the Municipal District of Daguma, (2) the Municipal District of Isulan, (3) the Municipal District of Maganuy, (4) the Municipal District of Reina Regente, (5) the Municipal District of Talayan, and (6) the southern portion of the Municipal District of Dulawan. The Municipality of Midsayap comprised (1) the Municipal District of Libuñgan and (2) the northern portion of the Municipal District of Dulawan.

The law states that by “organizing” the municipal districts “into independent municipalities under the names of Dulawan and Midsayap,” “the one municipality of the Province of Cotabato is hereby increased to three.” There must be a gap in my research or the provincial board and the president failed to review the existing pertinent laws at the time. As early as 1917, as stated in Act No. 2711 of the Philippine Commission, the Province of Cotabato already contained three municipalities, namely, Cotabato, Dulawan, and Midsayap.

Kulaman Plateau at this time was inhabited purely by Dulangan Manobos, and no settlement there was large enough or had regular contact with the provincial government to become a municipal district or even just a barrio. Among the 104 barrios that composed the Municipality of Dulawan, the nearest to the present-day Municipality of Senator Ninoy Aquino was Barrio Daguma, probably the seat of government of the Municipal District of Daguma and now a barangay of the Municipality of Bagumbayan, Province of Sultan Kudarat.

Based on this law, it can be surmised that, in 1936, the southeast half of the present-day Municipality of Senator Ninoy Aquino was part of the Municipal District of Daguma in the Municipality of Dulawan. The northeast half is not covered by this law.


1947 August 18
Executive Order No. 82

Ten municipalities were created, increasing the number of municipalities in the Province of Cotabato from three to thirteen. Added to Cotabato, Dulawan, and Midsayap were (1) Pagalungan, (2) Parang, (3) Nuling, (4) Kiamba, (5) Buluan, (6) Kidapawan, (7) Kabakan, (8) Koronadal, (9) Buayan, and (10) Dinaig. The ten municipalities were formed from all, except three, municipal districts in the Province of Cotabato. The three municipal districts that did not become part of the new municipalities were annexed to the Municipality of Cotabato.

The Municipality of Kiamba was created from the Municipal Districts of Kiamba, Kling, and Lebak. Some parts of the Municipal District of Lebak eventually composed the northwest half of the present-day Municipality of Senator Ninoy Aquino.


1948 December 31
Executive Order No. 195

The Municipality of Lebak was created, with the seat of government at the sitio of Kalamansig. The new municipality comprised the Municipal District of Lebak in the Municipality of Kiamba and the Municipal District of Salaman in the Municipality of Dinaig.

The previous year, both Kiamba and Dinaig had been made municipalities by virtue of Executive Order No. 82. The Municipality of Kiamba at the time comprised the Municipal Districts of Kiamba, Kling, and Lebak, while the Municipality of Dinaig comprised the Municipal Districts of Dinaig, Awang, and Salaman.

(Come back next Monday for the continuation of these laws and the last part of the series.)

The Twenty Caves of Sultan Kudarat

Based on official records, the province of Sultan Kudarat boasts of twenty caves that tourists can explore. Ten, or half of those caves, are found of course in the municipality of Senator Ninoy Aquino, often promoted as “the town with a hundred caves.” Three of the twenty caves are in the municipality of Bagumbayan, one in Kalamansig, two in Lebak, one in Isulan, and three in Columbio. Only the four caves in Isulan and Columbio are not located in or very near Kulaman Plateau.

The twenty caves are not all that the province has. They are simply the ones that are accessible to or frequented by tourists. There cannot be twenty caves only in the whole province because Senator Ninoy Aquino alone has dozens. The municipality can possibly live up to its seemingly hyperbolic epithet if all its natural tunnels are examined and listed. It’s also impossible that there are only one cave in Kalamansig and two caves in Lebak. Most of the land area of the two “coastal towns” has the same topography as Senator Ninoy Aquino. The area probably has dozens of caves too. The caves have not been discovered yet because the area is sparsely populated and controlled by a private logging company.

For now, tourists who want to go spelunking in Kalamansig only have the Pangaun Caves to visit. Note, though, that the name is in plural form. The caves, located in Barangay Sabanal, may have several mouths and have chambers that branch off in several directions, not just a single straight tunnel. (I haven’t been there, and I’m sorry that I’m not sure of my information.) In Lebak, tourists may explore a cave in Salangsang and a cave in Kalamongog that are named after the villages where they are located. Salangsang is where the burial jars that are now in Silliman University were excavated, so the cave there is historic aside from attractive.

The ten caves in Senator Ninoy Aquino are the following: Midpanga Cave in Nati, Tinalon Cave in Tinalon, Bugso Cave and Tudog Cave in Bugso, Saklay Cave in Malegdeg, and Kiabuan Cave, Lagbasan Cave, Bitogon (also called Casi) Cave, Batasan Cave, and Kalupingon Cave in Kuden. Lagbasan Cave is what I call White Cave in this blog, and the burial jars that are now at the University of San Carlos were taken from a cave in Kuden, though the sacred cave is probably not one of the touristy caves in the list.

Bagumbayan has Pitot Cave in Sto. Niño, Guano Cave in Masiag, and Maetas Cave in Titulok. I’ve explored Guano Cave last summer. Isulan has Kamanga Cave in Laguilayan. Though I heard that the hamlet of Kamanga is in the mountainous part of Isulan, it is populated by Maguindanawons and not by Dulangan Manobos, so I’m not counting the area as part of Kulaman Plateau.

The only part of Kulaman Plateau that has no cave for tourists is Palimbang. Again, this is not an indication that there is no cave at all in the municipality. Palimbang, in fact, may have as many caves as Senator Ninoy Aquino has. It’s just that its mountainous part is barely accessible. Most of the villages of Palimbang, a small fraction of the total land area, are located at the coast.

As mentioned earlier, most of the twenty caves in the list are in or very near Kulaman Plateau. Only the three caves in Columbio are quite far: Datalblao Cave in Datalblao, Panes Cave in Lasak, and Bombed Cave in Lasak and Eday. The existence of caves there, however, is not surprising if you’re aware that Columbio is “the other” mountain town of Sultan Kudarat, the one being Senator Ninoy Aquino.

I wish to explore all the caves above that are in Kulaman Plateau and share the trip with you in this blog—in words and photos. It’s a shame that I’ve only been to two out of the sixteen caves. If I get a few thousand bucks to spare in the future, I will go cave hopping—and burial jar hunting. From the experience, surely, I’ll be able to create more than a hundred posts.

(Photo: A stitched image of the mouth of Guano Cave, in Masiag village, Bagumbayan town)

Festivals of Isulan, Esperanza, and Bagumbayan

Municipality of Isulan

(Update: Isulan has moved its foundation anniversary celebration to August, and the festival has been renamed Hamungaya. I agree with moving the event to the accurate date, but I can’t see why the name should be changed.)

Every September, Isulan holds the Pasundayag Festival to celebrate its foundation anniversary. Pasundayag is a Hiligaynon term that means “show”; thus, the festival showcases the literary, musical, and cultural talents of the people of Isulan, both young and old.

Pasundayag is also a thanksgiving festival of its residents, who are mostly engaged in agriculture. The products of Isulan are rice, corn, vegetables, and African palm, one by-product of which is the kalakat, a weaving that is used as a wall.

The festival is divided into two parts. First, the different activities done in the farm are shown. Next is merrymaking in the form of dance using different materials as props.

Municipality of Esperanza

Hinabyog Festival portrays the diverse tradition and culture and the history of Esperanza from a humble sitio to a progressive municipality despite tribal conflicts.

Agriculture is the primary source of income in Esperanza, and as the population grew, the people began to engage in simple cottage industries to sustain their way of life. Weaving is an important activity. Weavers use anahaw, buri, pandan, tikog, nito, wild bamboo, and rattan, which thrive in the area. From these materials, mats, bags, baskets, kaing, kalalaw, and duyan are made.

The duyan (hammock) is significant to the name of Esperanza’s festival. The duyan does not only give the populace pleasure and rest. It was also used to transport individuals who needed medical attention since motorized vehicles were rare in the old days and animals or animal-driven carts were not always comfortable for people in sensitive or serious condition.

Taking inspiration from the swing or habyog of the duyan, Hinabyog Festival was created. Through arts and culture, the festival aims to keep alive the memories of the pioneers and their successful struggles and to swing the present generation to continue dreaming for a better and more beautiful Esperanza.

Municipality of Bagumbayan

When the Christian settlers in Bagumbayan had established their farms and begun reaping the fruits of their labor, foremost that came into their minds was the offering of thanks to the Almighty. They did this in the form of a harvest festival, which would start with religious prayers and highlighted by merrymaking festivities. The festivity evolved and was enhanced throughout the years as the Christian settlers learned more about the beliefs and traditions of their Muslim and indigenous neighbors.

Thus, the Bansadayaw Festival came into existence. Although the term is a combination of the Hiligaynon words bansa (in full view) and dayaw (praise), the other, non-Ilonggo inhabitants of Bagumbayan are deemed integral part of the revelry.

Bansadayaw also signifies that somebody in full view is lording and above humanity. He is the Heavenly Creator who wants his creation to act according to his will. Therefore, aside from merrymaking, the festival is a means to implore the divine guidance of the Almighty.

The Bansadayaw Festival is a result of the unified efforts of all the tribes in Bagumbayan—Maguindanon, T’boli, B’laan, Dulangan Manobo, Ilonggo, Cebuano, Ilocano, Pampanggeño, and Tagalog.

(Blogger’s note: This post is a part of “The Other Towns” series. See my October 5 post for the overview.)

Brief Histories of Isulan and Esperanza

Municipality of Isulan

The present territories of Isulan formerly belonged to the municipalities of Koronadal (now capital and component city of South Cotabato) and Dulawan (now Datu Piang, Maguindanao).

The municipality of Koronadal, Cotabato, was created under Executive Order No. 82, dated August 8, 1947, by Pres. Manuel L. Roxas. On March 10, 1953, a portion of Koronadal became the municipality of Norala, Cotabato, by virtue of Executive Order No. 572.

On August 30, 1957, a portion of Norala was joined with a portion of Dulawan, Cotabato, to compose the municipality of Isulan. Executive Order No. 266 of Carlos P. Garcia made it possible. Kalawag became the seat of government, and Datu Suma Ampatuan was appointed as the first mayor on September 12, 1957. The name Isulan came from the Maguindanaon term isu-silan, which means “advance.” It is said to be the battle cry of a local chieftain against the invading forces of a sultan.

On June 21, 1969, President Marcos signed Republic Act. No. 5960, creating the municipality of Bagumbayan. The law cost Isulan more than 85 percent of its original land area—from 336,000 hectares to 49,551 and from 48 barrios to 17.

On November 22, 1973, Presidential Decree No. 341 was issued, dividing the province of Cotabato into Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, and North Cotabato. Isulan was made capital town of Sultan Kudarat.

Municipality of Esperanza

By virtue of Presidential Decree No. 339, dated November 22, 1973, the Municipality of Esperanza was created from 27 of the 34 barangays of Ampatuan, Cotabato. However, due to a petition submitted by prominent leaders, Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos issued PD 596 on December 3, 1974, reducing the area to the present 19 barangays.

Esperanza is a Spanish term that means “hope.” It is said that when Christian migrants from the Visayas settled in the area, the first baby born of them was a girl. She was baptized “Esperanza,” and the people adapted the name for the settlement, for it signified peace, unity, and progress.

Sometime in 1952, a group of Christian settlers established the sitio of Esperanza in Villamor, a barrio of Dulawan, Cotabato (now Datu Piang, Maguindanao). In 1956, sitio leader Silverio Africa requested for a government survey to turn the settlement into a barrio. The request was granted and Esperanza became a barrio, independent of Villamor. Africa became the first barrio lieutenant, or delegado.

In 1956, Datu Into Saliao, a prominent Maguindanaon chieftain, distributed land to the people by lease, share system, and even donation to those who were close to him. Esperanza and the neighboring barrios flourished, and the residents wrote a petition to the government to turn the area into a municipality, independent of Dulawan. By virtue of Republic Act No. 2509, which was enacted and approved into law without executive approval on June 21, 1959, the municipality of Ampatuan was created.

Ampatuan was inaugurated on August 8, 1959, with Datu Abdullah Sangki as the first municipal mayor. The Christian and Muslim inhabitants co-existed harmoniously for almost two decades, until 1971, when tribal conflicts erupted.

In the November 1971 election, no Maguindanaon filed candidacy, so the elected municipal officials of Ampatuan were all Christians. They held office in Barrio Esperanza.

On November 22, 1973, then-President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 339, creating the municipality of Esperanza. The incumbent officials of Ampatuan were appointed as first officials of Esperanza. Villamor, which used to have jurisdiction over Esperanza when Esperanza was still a sitio, became one of the barangays of the new municipality.

(Blogger’s note: This post is a part of “The Other Towns” series. See my October 5 post for the overview.)

Isulan and Esperanza: Maps and Facts in Brief

I’m creating just one post for the towns of Isulan and Esperanza because their poblaciones are located in the plains, in Allah Valley, at least fifty kilometers away from Kulaman Plateau. Though a significant area of these two towns is in the mountainous part of Sultan Kudarat Province, the area is mostly a forest and sparsely inhabited. The only settlement that is large and concentrated enough to be a barangay is Salumping of Esperanza. The Dulangan Manobos in Isulan and Esperanza barely have any interaction with the municipal halls, which should not be the case, I believe.


Municipality of Isulan
Land area: 43,864 hectares
Population: 83,817 (projected for 2012, based on 2007 census)
Number of barangays: 17

Creation: August 30, 1957, Executive Order No. 266, from Datu Piang in Maguindanao and Norala in South Cotabato

Literacy rate: 87.76 % (household population 10 years old and above, 2000)
Population density: 191 persons per sq. km. (projected for 2012, based on 2007 census)
No. of households: 18,462 (projected for 2013, based on 2007 census)
Major industry: farming
Major crops: rice, African palm oil

Scenic spots: hot spring in Lagandang, Kamanga Cave and Falls in Laguilayan, Isla Adelina Resort in Kalawag I

Income: 152.65 (2010)
Registered voters: 47,218 (2010)

Municipality of Esperanza
Land area: 35,600 hectares
Population: 56,611 (projected for 2012, based on 2007 census)
Number of barangays: 20

Creation: November 22, 1973, Presidential Decree No. 339 amended by Presidential Decree No. 596, from Ampatuan, Maguindanao

Literacy rate: 91 % (household population 10 years old and above, 2000)
Population density: 159 persons per sq. km. (projected for 2012, based on 2007 census)
No. of households: 12,695 (projected for 2013, based on 2007 census)
Major industry: farming
Major crops: rice, corn, calamansi, coconut, mango, durian

Scenic spots: Mambucal Hot and Cold Spring in Marguez, Victory Majestic Resort in Dukay, AraRosa Resort in New Panay

Income: 90.03 million (2010)
Registered voters: 28,969 (2010)

(Blogger’s note: This post is a part of “The Other Towns” series. See my October 5 post for the overview.)

The Other Towns

For the past several weeks, I’ve been posting data about the municipality of Senator Ninoy Aquino that were culled from the “2010 Socio-Economic Profile of Sultan Kudarat Province,” compiled by the Provincial Planning Development Office. I’ll be doing the same for several weeks more, until the end of the year. My future posts, though, will be about the neighboring towns of Senator Ninoy Aquino that have Dulangan Manobos in them. Here’s the schedule:

October 12 – Kalamansig: Map and Facts in Brief
October 19 – Lebak: Map and Facts in Brief
October 26 – Isulan and Esperanza: Maps and Facts in Brief
November 2 – Bagumbayan: Map and Facts in Brief
November 9 – Palimbang: Map and Facts in Brief
November 16 – Brief Histories of Lebak and Kalamansig
November 23 – Brief Histories of Isulan and Esperanza
November 30 – Brief Histories of Bagumbayan and Palimbang
December 7 – Festivals of Lebak, Kalamansig, and Palimbang
December 14 – Festivals of Esperanza, Isulan, and Bagumbayan

Many people in the plains of Sultan Kudarat, especially those who are from Isulan and Esperanza, will be surprised to find out that there are Dulangan Manobos living in their areas. Know more starting next week. The posts in this “The Other Towns” series will appear every Monday, as listed above. In case I’m able to write other articles about Kulaman Plateau, I’ll post them on other days of the week.