Rediscovering stunning South Cotabato
South Cotabato: Wonder at a series of relatively high mountains, upland lakes, and inactive volcanoes in the Daguma Range that extends from the provinces of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat.
I have been to various parts of South Cotabato several times, but it was only during a recent visit that I found its stunning beauty.?
The fruitful province is located in the southern part of Mindanao.? It is enclosed on the north and west portion by the province of Sultan Kudarat, on the south by Sarangani and Sarangani Bay, and on the eastern side by Davao del Sur.???
If there is a province that has many distinct physiographic features, then South Cotabato is it.? Wonder at a series, of relatively high mountains, upland lakes, and inactive volcanoes in the Daguma Range that extends from the provinces of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat, all the way to the southern extreme of the land that forms the boundary between the province and Sarangani.
South Cotabato is part of Region 12, with Koronadal as its capital.? General Santos City is also a member of the province, along with 10 towns: Banga, Lake Sebu, Norala, Polomok, Santo Niño, Surallah, Tampakan, Tantangan, T’boli, and Tupi.
The province is considered a melting pot of various religious and cultures.? Panay inhabitants mainly populate the land.? Its native tongue is composed of both Hiligaynon and Cebuano.?
Around Lake Sebu, you will meet the T’bolis, who are known for their beaded personal ornaments, embroidered dresses, bangles, bracelets, chokers, and brass mail belts.? They are also noted for their?t’nalak, a sacred cloth made from abaca which is exchanged during marriages and used as a cover during births.?
“The T’boli t’nalak is distinctive for its overall tie-dyed design patterns laid on the entire surface of the cloth,” hailed by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCAA).? “The highly stylized repetitive patterns depicting amphibious forms and plant elements pulsate in rhythmic cadence in definite hues of rust red, deep brown, and satin black against the light sepia hue of the abaca fiber.”
Aside from T’bolis, Lake Sebu is also the home of the Tasadays, the cave-dwelling and primitive, stone-age tribe that lived in isolation in high caves of the primary rain forest area.? The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has recognized the claim of both tribes that the lake and its surroundings are under their ancestral domain.
South Cotabato is an agricultural haven.? The rich and fertile lands of Koronadal and Allah contain fields that produce rice and corn.? An immense plantation of pineapples and bananas located in the town of Polomolok are one of their main sources of income.? The vast water that surrounds the island particularly, Sarangani Bay catered to a massive fishing industry.
Not only that.? The province is blessed with a majestic and exotic wilderness which added to its one-of-a-kind cultural heritage that boosts the local tourism industry.? Several mountain ranges, natural caves, mountain lakes, forests and springs abound in the land.
One of the province’s main tourist attractions is the town of Lake Sebu, which is touted to be the summer capital of South Cotabato.??As one foreigner, who visited the place, puts it: “Lake Sebu is a beautiful inland sea on the island of Mindanao and is nested into the southern highlands at an altitude of almost 300 meters (984 feet). Lake Sebu is surrounded by rolling hills and forested mountains.”
Lake Sebu is also famous for its seven waterfalls, a series of river drops along the lush mountain forests.? The second waterfall, a plunge type, is truly majestic with a height of more than 100 feet.? Even from a distance, the fall is magnificent!? The very small tributary is almost inconspicuous but the rapids and the falling water from heights is just too astounding. Its location is also mind boggling. It looks like it was actually etched like a crater in a mountain side with different layers of rock representing geological times clearly lined up in the overhang.
Speaking of waterfalls, Koronadal also has several of them, namely: Lumakot Waterfalls, Matamos Falls, Lambusong Falls, Narcon/Lucirene Falls, and San Jose and Badtasan Falls. Only five kilometers of good road from the heart of Koronadal is Mambucal Hot Spring, where hot sulfuric water flows aplenty from the spring.
In the town of T’boli, you get a glimpse of another dazzling water body – Lake Maughan.? It is the source of five big rivers, including the famous Allah River.? Actually, the lake is a part of approximately 50,000-hectare area proposed to be the provincial park and wildlife sanctuary. After all, the lake abounds with wild fauna and flora endemic to the province. The rare specie of butterfly?Graphium decolor tigris?is found in Mogocayo and Lem-el-law.?
T’boli is also home to two famous mountains: Mount Parker and Mount Matutum.? Among the two, the latter is a unique challenge to mountaineers. A cone-shaped mountain, it looms over the province at 2,286 meters high. It is perhaps the province’s most imposing landmark. Natural hot and cold springs abound at its foot. Around its base is a 12,000-hectare pineapple plantation.
Opposite Mount Matutum on the southeast is Mount Magalo. Native B’laans unspoiled in their native fineries hold barter and trade with lowlanders. The full view of Mount Matutum is best enjoyed at this peak situated in the town of Tampakan.
When passing Polomolok, don’t miss going to Durian Garden, Atbp. in barangay Awas Sulit.? It is a three-hectare farm planted with durian intercropped with other fruits like lanzones.?Colorful ornamentals are grown along the sides.? During fruiting season, you can select durian fruits to be eaten taken from trees.? Don’t forget to eat the?tinolang manok?and native chicken barbecues it offers.
General Santos City is considered the tuna capital of the country.? About 300 to 400 tons of tuna are unloaded each day at its fish port complex.? The city is known for the powerful swimmer yellow fin tuna, which rarely ventures into dirty and murky water, making it one of the safest fishes to eat.? This species has a bright red flesh with meaty flavor.? It is so versatile that you can grill, bake, broil, or sauté it.??
But there’s more to Gensan than just tuna.? Beaches and swimming areas abound.? In??barangay?Tambler, for instance, there are four beach resorts you can select form: Dupalco, Family, Rajah, and Maharlika. While in?barangay?Baluan, you can swim at the Cebbans Garden Resort.? When in?barangay?Apopong, you can choose any of these spring resorts: Lagare and Olaer.
At the heart of the city is an ancestral home that was built from the remnants of the house in Batangas.? As Warren Manilay and his family are now living in Gensan, they decided to rebuild the house of their forefathers.? Sort of a museum, priceless collections abound inside the house: typewriters, telephone, radio, bottles, cabinets, paintings, necklaces, and various memorabilia, among others.
For people who are adventurous and who are in search of exciting outdoor activities, they ?can always visit the Kalaja Karsts Land (derived from the word kalaha, which means “a frying pot”), located at the northeast part of?barangay Conel. The place is surrounded by a karsts formation that was carved million of years ago, which now produces caves and waterfalls.?
South Cotabato has three famous festivals: the Tuna Festival in General Santos City, the T’nalak Festival of Koronadal, and Lem-Lunay Festival in Lake Sebu.? Each of these festivities is thanksgiving in nature.
There are two ways to arrive in South Cotabato.? One is a direct flight to Davao City and travel by land to General Santos and various parts of the province.? Second, another direct flight to General Santos City; and then traveling to the areas you want to go by bus or jeepneys. – Article courtesy of Manila Bulletin
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