Kabacan officially the Municipality of Kabacan (Maguindanaon: Inged nu Kabakan, Jawi: ايڠد نو كباكن; Ilocano: Ili ti Kabacan; Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Kabacan; Cebuano: Lungsod sa Kabacan; Tagalog: Bayan ng Kabacan), is a municipality in the province of Cotabato, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 77,164 people.[3]

Kabacan
Municipality of Kabacan
Kabacan bus terminal
Kabacan bus terminal
Flag of Kabacan
Official seal of Kabacan
Nicknames: 
  • Heart of Cotabato
  • Crossroads of Mindanao
Map of Cotabato with Kabacan highlighted
Map of Cotabato with Kabacan highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Map
Kabacan is located in Philippines
Kabacan
Kabacan
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 7°07′N 124°49′E / 7.12°N 124.82°E / 7.12; 124.82
CountryPhilippines
RegionSoccsksargen
ProvinceCotabato
District 3rd district
FoundedAugust 18, 1947
Barangays24 (see Barangays)
Government
[1]
 • TypeSangguniang Bayan
 • MayorEvangeline Pascua-Guzman
 • Vice MayorHerlo P. Guzman, Jr
 • RepresentativeJose I. Tejada
 • Electorate49,303 voters (2022)
Area
 • Total
330.92 km2 (127.77 sq mi)
Elevation
21 m (69 ft)
Highest elevation
47 m (154 ft)
Lowest elevation
8 m (26 ft)
Population
 (2020 census)[3]
 • Total
77,164
 • Density230/km2 (600/sq mi)
 • 
17,891
DemonymKabaqueño/a
Economy
 • Income class1st municipal income class
 • Poverty incidence
29.19
% (2021)[4]
 • Revenue₱ 343.2 million (2020)
 • Assets₱ 592.1 million (2020)
 • Expenditure₱ 300.7 million (2020)
 • Liabilities₱ 124.7 million (2020)
Service provider
 • ElectricityCotabato Electric Cooperative (COTELCO)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
9407
PSGC
IDD:area code+63 (0)64
Native languagesHiligaynon
Cebuano
Maguindanao
Ilianen
Tagalog
Websitekabacan.gov.ph

The town is predominantly composed of rice farms made possible by the influx of Ilocano-speaking people from northern Philippines. The University of Southern Mindanao is in Kabacan. It is strategically located between the cities of Cotabato and Davao from west to east and the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan from the north and General Santos from the south.

History

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Kabacan got its name from the word "ka-abacan" which means the source of abundance.[5] People from far-flung barangays used to come to this place and, upon returning home, they brought with them many commodities of their livelihood.

The municipality of Kabacan was a barrio of the municipal district of Pikit before its creation as a district political body. It was created as a regular municipality by virtue of Executive Order No. 82 dated August 18, 1947, issued by President Manuel Roxas of the Republic of the Philippines.[5]

Growth was gradual under the domain of Datu Mantawil; that influx of settlers from Luzon and Visayas arrived in the 1930s. This was made so when the McLareen family sold its hacienda to Jose Yulo Alano, Rafael Alunan and party who organize a company under the cooperate name of Rio Grande Estate. The company became the people's place of business and social center. Recognizing his immense power and leadership over the area, the provincial governor of Cotabato organizes the Kabacan into a Municipal District with Esteban Somera Abellera Sr. its first mayor in 1935.

World War II

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After the Japanese landing on Davao, the Miura Detachment then proceeded to advance towards Kabacan but had to struggle fighting the remaining Filipino-American resistance. Soon, they succeed in capturing Kabacan on May 3, 1942.

The Rio Grande Rubber Estate was sold by the Filipino Incorporators to the Japanese Imperial Government. It became the site for the provisional municipal government with Cenon Doctolero as the appointed mayor. The Japanese garrison was attacked October 25, 1942, by guerrilla forces under U.S. Lieut. Col. Wendell Fertig. During a fourteen-day siege sixty-eight of the seventy-six Japanese garrison were killed. Only the arrival of reinforcements saved the garrison and caused the guerrillas to withdraw.[6]

Currently, Kabacan is known as an Ilocano-speaking area since 65% of its population Ilocano immigrants and their native born descendants.[citation needed]

Partial inclusion to the Bangsamoro

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In 2019, seven barangays were among the 63 in the province which became part of the Special Geographic Area of the newly created Bangsamoro,[7] after having the affirmative vote won to join the autonomous region in a plebiscite held on February 6.[8][9] Nanga-an, Simbuhay, and Sanggadong were among the 39 in the province that unsuccessfully voted for the inclusion in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in 2001, while the other four[10] were proposed to be part of the Bangsamoro, which replaced ARMM by virtue of Republic Act No. 11054.[11]

In 2023, the Bangsamoro Parliament approved the creation of eight new municipalities in the area.[12] Those barangays were organized into Old Kaabakan (Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 44)[13][14] following ratification in a plebiscite on April 13, 2024.[15]

Geography

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Kabacan is centrally located in Cotabato province, bounded on the north by Pres. Roxas, on the east by Matalam, on the south by M'lang, and on the west by Carmen, Cotabato and Datu Montawal. It is approximately 94 kilometres (58 mi) from Cotabato airport, 194 kilometres (121 mi) to Davao airport and 188 kilometres (117 mi) to General Santos International Airport.

The landscape is characterized by almost regular landscape of flat terrain. The high mountains and rolling hills leaping close to the river plus the narrow plains have varied topographical features. Other features are moderately sloping and strongly sloping.

Bodies of Water

The Kabacan River is a tributary of the Pulangi River, discharging at Kayaga Kabacan, Cotabato.

Barangays

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Kabacan is politically subdivided into 17 barangays.[16] Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

  • Aringay
  • Bangilan
  • Bannawag, formerly known as Banawa[17]
  • Cuyapon
  • Dagupan
  • Katidtuan
  • Kayaga
  • Kilagasan
  • Magatos
  • Malamote
  • Malanduague
  • Osias
  • Paatan Lower
  • Paatan Upper
  • Pisan
  • Poblacion
  • Salapungan

Climate

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Climate data for Kabacan, Cotabato
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 31
(88)
32
(90)
33
(91)
33
(91)
32
(90)
31
(88)
30
(86)
31
(88)
31
(88)
31
(88)
31
(88)
31
(88)
31
(89)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 21
(70)
21
(70)
21
(70)
22
(72)
23
(73)
23
(73)
23
(73)
23
(73)
23
(73)
23
(73)
23
(73)
22
(72)
22
(72)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 19
(0.7)
14
(0.6)
15
(0.6)
18
(0.7)
33
(1.3)
42
(1.7)
44
(1.7)
42
(1.7)
30
(1.2)
31
(1.2)
28
(1.1)
17
(0.7)
333
(13.2)
Average rainy days 6.9 5.6 6.9 8.1 15.1 17.5 17.8 18.5 14.9 14.9 12.4 8.0 146.6
Source: Meteoblue[18]

Type B climate prevails in the municipality. It is characterized by dry season for one to three months with less than 76 millimeters or more rainfall per month throughout the year. The wettest month has more than three times the rainfall of the driest month. This type of climate is conducive to intensive rice cultivation and plantings of bananas and other fruit trees.

Demographics

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Population census of Kabacan
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 78—    
1918 5,394+32.63%
1939 8,659+2.28%
1948 13,119+4.72%
1960 21,043+4.02%
1970 22,769+0.79%
1975 39,378+11.61%
1980 43,443+1.98%
1990 50,601+1.54%
1995 61,481+3.72%
2000 61,998+0.18%
2007 73,991+2.47%
2010 81,282+3.48%
2015 89,161+1.78%
2020 77,164−2.80%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[19][20][21][22]
2020 Census count was revised as per PSA Board Resolution
No. 13 Series of 2021 adopted on November 9, 2021.[23][24]

In the 2020 census, the population of Kabacan, Cotabato, was 77,164 people,[3] with a density of 170 inhabitants per square kilometre or 440 inhabitants per square mile.

Economy

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Poverty incidence of Kabacan

10
20
30
40
2006
30.60
2009
35.02
2012
38.00
2015
36.87
2018
24.20
2021
29.19

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32]

Commercial activities are in the Public Market and along the National Highway and USM Avenue. Kabacan serve as a business and trading center for the adjacent municipalities of Carmen, Pagagawan, Pikit and Matalam. The majority of the commercial establishments are engaged in general merchandising, sari-sari and dry goods. One big shopping center and drug store owned by a big company are along the National Highway. There are four banks and three gasoline stations.

Other small-scale industries are electronics and repair shop, car/motor vehicle body builder/repair shop, vulcanizing and machine shop, shoe and appliance repair shops hollow blocks/culvert making basket/mat weaving, dressmaking/tailoring, balut making, bakery and Mascovado factory in Barangay Malanduage.

Natural resources

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Primarily agricultural crops include corn, rice, soybeans, peanut, mongo, cassava and other field crops. This town is popularly known as the "Rice Production Center", the "Rice Granary of the Province of Cotabato". Its populace has devoted most of its fertile domain to rice production. Corn is the secondary crop of this town.

Education

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University of Southern Mindanao
Colleges and universities
High school
Elementary

Tourism

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  • Pisan Cave at Pisan, Kabacan.
  • Waterfalls and spring at Tamped, Kabacan
  • Nangaan Cliff at Nangaan, Kabacan
  • Nangaan Caves and Waterfalls
  • Kabuling Waterfalls at Simbuhay, Kabacan
  • Simbuhay Waterfalls at Simbuhay, Kabacan
  • Matibuhaw Cave at Simbuhay, Kabacan
  • Kalasan Waterfalls at Pedtad, Kabacan
  • Crocodile Farm at Cuyapon, Kabacan
  • Garagan Spring Resort at Katidtuan, Kabacan
  • University of Southern Mindanao located at Kabacan town proper. A State University with research and training centers, open amphitheaters, sports facilities and pilot agricultural projects.
  • Waterland Resort at Osias, Kabacan

References

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  1. ^ Municipality of Kabacan | (DILG)
  2. ^ "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Census of Population (2020). "Region XII (Soccsksargen)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  4. ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "About". Local Government Unit of Kabacan. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  6. ^ Kent Holmes, Wendell Fertig and His Guerilla Forces in the Philippines: Fighting the Japanese Occupation, 1942-1945 (Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., 2015), p. 112.
  7. ^ Cabrera, Ferdinandh (November 21, 2019). "NorthCot turns over 63 barangays to Bangsamoro region". MindaNews. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  8. ^ Fonbuena, Carmela (February 8, 2019). "63 out of 67 barangays in Cotabato to join Bangsamoro region". Rappler. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  9. ^ "Proclamation No. 656, s. 2019". Legislative Digital Resources. Senate of the Philippines. January 21, 2019. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  10. ^ Arguillas, Carolyn (January 14, 2019). "67 villages in 7 North Cot towns will vote in Feb. 6 Bangsamoro plebiscite". MindaNews. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  11. ^ "Republic Act No. 11054". Legislative Digital Resources. Senate of the Philippines. July 27, 2018. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  12. ^ Fernandez, Edwin (August 18, 2023). "BARMM approves creation of 8 new towns". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  13. ^ Patinio, Ferdinand (March 4, 2024). "Nearly 90K voters to join plebiscite on creation of 8 Cotabato towns". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  14. ^ Medenilla, Samuel (April 10, 2024). "Plebiscite for SGA in BARMM set April 13". BusinessMirror. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  15. ^ Bolledo, Jairo (April 13, 2024). "BARMM residents approve creation of 8 more towns". Rappler. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  16. ^ "Province: North Cotabato". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  17. ^ "An Act Changing the Name of Barrio of Banawa, in the Municipality of Kabagan, Province of Cotabato, to Banawag". LawPH.com. Retrieved April 11, 2011.
  18. ^ "Kabacan: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  19. ^ Census of Population (2015). "Region XII (Soccsksargen)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  20. ^ Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region XII (Soccsksargen)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  21. ^ Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region XII (Soccsksargen)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
  22. ^ "Province of North Cotabato". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  23. ^ Total Population, Household Population, Number of Households, and Average Household Size by Region, Province, and City/Municipality: Philippines, 2020. PSA. March 23, 2022.
  24. ^ "PSA Board Resolution No. 13, Series of 2021: Approving and Adopting the Third Quarter 2021 Philippine Standard Geographic Code Updates to Include the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) and Correct the Names of 37 Barangays" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  25. ^ "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  26. ^ "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. November 29, 2005.
  27. ^ "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. March 23, 2009.
  28. ^ "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. August 3, 2012.
  29. ^ "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. May 31, 2016.
  30. ^ "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. July 10, 2019.
  31. ^ "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. December 15, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  32. ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
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