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.