GOVPH

Midsayap, officially the Municipality of Midsayap (Maguindanaon: Inged nu Midsayap, Jawi: ايڠد نو ميدسايڤ; Iranun: Inged a Midsayap, ايڠد نو ميدسايۏ; Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Midsayap; Cebuano: Lungsod sa Midsayap; Tagalog: Bayan ng Midsayap), is a municipality in the Province of Cotabato, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 117,365 people.

Midsayap was derived from a Maguindanaon term which means (Mid) Center and (Sayap) Straw Hat. Midsayap means a straw hat at the center – just like a hill centrally located at the Municipality which slopes through the plains in a shape of a hat. Other version relates that Midsayap came from a Maguindanaon term which means "person wore a straw hat". From 1912 to 1926, Midsayap was then a district of Dulawan and Pikit. Originally, Midsayap was inhabited by Muslims from the descendants of Sultan Ali Bayao from the lineage of Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat I. The seat of their sultanate was established at Libungan Torreta (now part of Pigcawayan).

In 1927, a Philippine Constabulary (PC) Commander assigned in the area, Ist Lt. Catalino Javier, initiated the development of some portions of the municipality. Seeing the natural bounty of the area, he invited settlers from Luzon and Visayas to migrate in the area. The first wave of settlers who dared develop the wilderness was the late Antonio Labasan from Zambales. Among his companions were 23 interrelated families, the Rosete, Almazan, Dumlaos, Flautas, Fernandezes, Quiñoneses, Fermils, Fantones and Documos who settled at Sitio Salunayan and Bual. Visayan settlers from Pikit also came to settle at Bual - the place of Datu Guiambangan Dilangalen. The Visayan migrants were headed by Gregorio Bingil, Julio Anito and Tomas Cantoy. The idea of making Midsayap as a separate political district from the mother municipalities of Dulawan and Pikit was envisioned in 1930 by a group of Christian PC enlisted men who were assigned at Camp Ward. Their efforts, through the support of the deputy governor and military governor was realized in 1936.

Pursuant to Executive Order No. 66 dated November 25, 1936, Midsayap was created as a separate municipality. On January 1, 1937, it was inaugurated with Lorenzo Gonzales as its first appointed municipal mayor. In 1939, Juan Jaranilla became the first elected mayor of the municipality and served in that position until 1941.

Midsayap started with 71 barangays. Later, it was trimmed down to 42 when Libungan was separated from Midsayap in 1936. At present, Midsayap has 57 barangays. Population settlements were concentrated on the barangays of Sinawingan, Salunayan, Bual, Kapayawi, Barongis, Kimagango, Kiwanan, Katingawan, Ulamian, Baguer, Kapinpilan, Olandang, San Mateo, and Baliki. The following years showed the growth of the newly formed town. Gradually, new towns has been created. These are Pigcawayan (Pigkawayan), Libungan, Alamada, and lastly in 1982, Aleosan.

Before the creation of the Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area in 2019, Midsayap was the most populous settlement in the province of North Cotabato. With the creation of the aforementioned area, several of its barangays were carved out from the municipality and were thus duly turned over to the Bangsamoro government, creating special governance clusters in their place, thus its area of jurisdiction as well as its population and number of barangays was reduced to its current status. While still a large town despite the reduction, it is one of the oldest settlements of migrants from Luzon and the Visayas, thereby giving its reputation as the highly heterogeneous society in this once Muslim-dominated place of Mindanaon.

In 1927, a Philippine Constabulary (PC) Commander assigned in the area, Ist Lt. Catalino Javier, initiated the development of some portions of the municipality. Seeing the natural bounty of the area, he invited settlers from Luzon and Visayas to migrate in the area. The first wave of settlers who dared develop the wilderness was the late Antonio Labasan from Zambales. Among his companions were 23 interrelated families, the Rosete, Almazan, Dumlaos, Flautas, Fernandezes, Quiñoneses, Fermils, Fantones and Documos who settled at Sitio Salunayan and Bual. Visayan settlers from Pikit also came to settle at Bual - the place of Datu Guiambangan Dilangalen. The Visayan migrants were headed by Gregorio Bingil, Julio Anito and Tomas Cantoy. The idea of making Midsayap as a separate political district from the mother municipalities of Dulawan and Pikit was envisioned in 1930 by a group of Christian PC enlisted men who were assigned at Camp Ward. Their efforts, through the support of the deputy governor and military governor was realized in 1936.

Partial inclusion to the Bangsamoro

In 2019, thirteen 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] Twelve of them were among the 39 in the province that unsuccessfully voted for the inclusion in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in 2001, while Tumbras[10] was proposed to be part of the Bangsamoro, which replaced ARMM by virtue of Republic Act No. 11054.

In 2023, the Bangsamoro Parliament approved the creation of eight new municipalities in the area.[12] Seven of those barangays were organized into Kadayangan (Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 42); the rest, along with Dunguan in Aleosan, became part of Nabalawag (BAA No. 43);[13][14] following ratification in a plebiscite on April 13, 2024.

Geography

Midsayap is geographically located at the Southwestern portion of North Cotabato Province. It is bounded on the north by the Municipality of Libungan; on the south by the Rio Grande de Mindanao; on the east by the municipalities of Aleosan and Pikit; and on the west by the Municipality of Kabuntalan.

Midsayap is approximately 47 kilometres (29 mi) away from Cotabato City and some 174 kilometres (108 mi) from Davao City, two of the major urban centers in Mindanao. It is about 64 kilometres (40 mi) away from Kidapawan City, the seat of the Provincial Government.

Midsayap has a total land area of 29,042 hectares comprising 57 barangays which is 5.03% of the total land area of Cotabato province. Some of the barangays (Southern and Western part) are along the big bodies of water, thus making it accessible by water transportation. However, due to the construction of a concrete bridge at Dulawan towards the province of Sultan Kudarat and some municipalities of Maguindanao Province, land transportation is now feasible. The town is traversed by the Davao-Cotabato and the Midsayap-Makar national highways (General Santos).

In the 2020 census, the population of Midsayap, Cotabato, was 117,365 people, with a density of 400 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,000 inhabitants per square mile.

The 2010 Census of Population and Housing of the Philippine Statistics Authority recorded the population of Midsayap at 134,170. It is the most populous among the municipalities of the province.

Growing at the pace of 1.92 percent for the past five years, the town is expected to double its population within 36 years.

Languages

Cebuano and Tagalog are the widely spoken languages. They are also common for people speaking different languages such as Maguindanaon, Iranun, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Manobo, Waray, among others.