SOCCSKSARGEN Region XII, Soccsksargen (pronounced, soksardʒɛn), known as Cotabato or Kota Bato. An administrative region of the Philippines in the south-central part of Mindanao. Designated as zone XII. Those name an acronym for the four provinces and one city in the region. (Cotabato del Sur, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos). It was once known as the Central Mindanao Island. The regional center is in Koronadal, in the province of Cotabato del Sur. A commercial and industrial center is General Santos, the most populous city in the region.
Geography
The northern part of the region is Mindanao del Norte. Its eastern part is the Davao section, and the southwest is the Celebes Sea. The zone has maritime borders with Gorontalo and Sulawesi in northern Indonesia. It bases the province of Maguindanao in Cotabato, between the provinces of Cotabato del Norte and Sultan Kudarat.
It has vast coastlines, valleys, and mountains. Recognized for its river scheme and the watershed of Mindanao, in the Cotabato Basin, a comprehensive depression on three sides. The Rio Grande River, the longest river in Mindanao, extended in the basin, the second-longest river in the Philippines. The river flow Illana Bay in Morro Bay, west of Cotabato.
In the southern part of the basin is the Tiruray Heights. A medium-altitude mountain range that blocks the basins on the southern coast. In the southeastern part of the Sarangani Bay.
READ: The Mindanao Philippines
HISTORY
The oldest civilization in the territory in Maitum, Sarangani, where anthropomorphic pottery discovered. These jars have declared a national cultural treasure and protected by the laws of the Philippines and international law.
Central Mindanao
The city is once known as the Central Mindanao Island. Before setting up the Mindanao Muslim (ARMM) Autonomous Region, it included the following provinces:
SOCCSKSARGEN Region XII
ALSO READ: The Philippines Regions
With the setup ARMM, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao (excluding Cotabato) removed from the city. This leaves Lanao del Norte, Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat, Iligan, Cotabato, and Marawi as provinces and constituent municipalities. Iligan and Lanao del Norte assigned to Northern Mindanao, while Marawi converted part of ARMM.
SOCCSKSARGEN Region XII
September 2001, President Arroyo signed Executive Order No. 36 to South Cotabato, Sarangani, General Santos (known as SocSarGen District). The Regional Section moved from South Mindanao to Zone XII and renamed the region from Central Mindanao to SOCCSKSARGEN Region XII.
Koronadal City, New Regional Center
According to Executive Order No. 304, signed by then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The city of Koronadal appointed as the regional political and socio-economic center SOCCSKSARGEN Region XII on March 30, 2004. The Zero-Day Regional Office instructed working with the office that will move from Cotabato. City, the former regional center of the city.
Departure from Cotabato City
Boycotts included in the efforts of the Muslim Autonomous Region of Mindanao. Although as the government center of ARMM, the referendum created the autonomous region of Bangsamoro. On January 21, 2019, caused a legal surprise to approve the organic Bangsamoro. This means that the city of Cotabato, now becoming the capital of the region. The current ARMM institutions should keep by the regional government of Bangsamoro and now send to the SOCCSKSARGEN region XII.
Administrative Division
Soccsksargen comprises 4 provinces, 1 urbanized city, 3 constituent cities, 45 municipalities, and 1,195 towns.
Cities
Part Cities
- Kidapawan – The only city in Cotabato
- Koronadal – Regional Political Center of Soccsksargen region xii
- Tacurong – the only city in Sultan Kudarat
Very Urbanized City
General Santos – an urbanized city that is the center of the SOCCSKSARGEN region xii metropolitan and regional trade and industrial center.
| Dolores Farm Resort, Polomolok | Eva’s Hotel, Kidapawan |
| Eighty Eight Hotel, Koronadal | Avior Hotel, General Santos |
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