Polomolok, South Cotabato
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| Municipality of Polomolok | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII) |
| Province | South Cotabato |
| Districts | 1st District of South Cotabato |
| Barangays | 23 |
| Incorporated (town) | 1948 |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Isidro D. Lumayag (KAMPI) (2007-2010) |
| - Vice Mayor | Ligaya R. Orbesido (KAMPI) (2007-2010) |
| Population (2007) | |
| - Total | 131,436 |
| - Density | 637/km2 (1,649.8/sq mi) |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+8) |
| Website | Official Website of Polomolok |
Polomolok is a 1st class municipality of South Cotabato, Philippines. Situated betweenGeneral Santos City and Tupi, it has a population as of 2007 census of 131,436 people in 22,492 households. Polomolok is home to Dole Philippines, the biggest pineapple plantation in the world. The town of Polomolok has a potential to become a city.
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[edit]History
[edit]Naming
In the early years, the place where the Poblacion is presently situated was known for its abundance of wild life. The name Polomolok was derived from the B’laan term “FLOMLOK’ which means hunting grounds.[1]
There were no roads and the lowlanders befriended the B’laan highlanders and utilized them as guides. Aside from a rich hunting ground, Polomolok had so many creeks with free flowing cool and clear water coming from the hillsides.
[edit]Settlement
The place encouraged foreigners to settle in this place. One of them was a Japanese trader Zenjiro Takahashi and his B’laan wife. They began clearing the area and planted agricultural crops. Not long after, some of the Christians came to settle and started to clear the area.
On November 2, 1940, Polomolok was officially opened for settlement and known as POLOMOLOK SETTLEMENT DISTRICT. Atty. Ernesto Jimenez was appointed as its first overseer. He was responsible for the allocation of farm lots. On August 21, 1957, the Municipality of Polomolok was created by virtue of a Presidential Executive Order No. 264 signed by His Excellency, President Carlos P. Garcia.
On September 10, 1957, It started functioning as a regular and independent municipality as a 6th class municipality. The local officials were appointed by the President. Its first appointed Mayor was Datu Badong Nilong.
[edit]Development
From 1957 to 1963, the progress of this town was still very slow. Fields have always been green, harvest bountiful but farm products had low market value and circulation of cash was rather slow. Then came a breakthrough, when the largest pineapple company, the Dole Philippines, Inc. was planted and inaugurated on December 7, 1963. Since then Dolefil has been the big goose that lay golden eggs for this town.
In the year 1964, Atty. Tomas Bayan was elected mayor together with Vice Mayor Conrado Delfin and eight councilors.Following him was the late Barney L. French who was then elected Mayor in 1968 with Vice Mayor Lilia Matullano. His mayorship lasted for 13 years and during that time Polomolok was move to second class municipality.
In the year 1980,substantial developments had been introduced in the municipality in terms of agricultural, infrastructure and industrial endeavors. This was the time that Polomolok became the 1st class municipality.
Today, under the new administration of Mayor Engr. Isidro D. Lumayag and Vice Mayor Ligaya R. Orbesido together with their 8 kagawads gear up to lead their people out of poverty and get them firmly in the road to progress.
[edit]Barangay
Polomolok is politically subdivided into 23 barangays.
| Polomolok Census as of Aug. 1, 2007[2] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Barangay | Urban/Rural | Population |
| Bentung | Rural | 1166 |
| Crossing Palkan | Rural | 1719 |
| Glamang | Rural | 5788 |
| Kinilis | Rural | 1351 |
| Klinan 6 | Rural | 3129 |
| Koronadal Proper | Rural | 3862 |
| Lam-Caliaf | Rural | 1049 |
| Landan | Rural | 5400 |
| Lumakil | Rural | 2839 |
| Maligo | Rural | 3144 |
| Palkan | Rural | 3067 |
| Poblacion | Urban | 41239 |
| Polo | Rural | 2647 |
| Magsaysay | Rural | 9904 |
| Rubber | Rural | 2406 |
| Silway 7 | Rural | 1450 |
| Silway 8 | Rural | 7105 |
| Sulit | Rural | 4346 |
| Sumbakil | Rural | 1639 |
| Upper Klinan | Rural | 3315 |
| Lapu | Rural | 1859 |
| Cannery Site | Urban | 20321 |
| Pagalungan | Rural | 2691 |
[edit]Major Products
[edit]Pineapple Production
- Dole Philippines Incorporated is the largest industrial firm involved in growing, processing and exporting of fresh and canned pineapple. As of 2004, the area planted to pineapple is 15,507.872 hectares with an average production volume of 31.94 metric tons per hectare. This industry, which is situated at Barangay Cannery Site, generates about 6,000 jobs at present. It is considered as the biggest taxpayer in the municipality.
[edit]Corn Production
- Corn is the second most grown crop in the municipality. Data from the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist revealed that for the year 2003 there are 3,931 hectares or 13.46% of the total cultivated land agricultural lands were devoted to corn. About 1,236 hectares of which are planted to traditional corn seeds at average production of 3.20 MT/hectare and 2,695 hectares are planted to hybrid corn at average production of 4.0 MT/ hectare. The major producers are Barangay Klinan 6, Glamang, Landan, Silway 8 and Upper Klinan. About 30% of populace adopt corn as their staple food. Table 16 shows the Area Planted and Production of Corn by Barangay.
[edit]Rice Production
- Rice is also one of the major crops in the municipality. 70% of the total population has rice as their staple food. Office of the Municipal Agriculturist reported that for the year 2006, 445 hectares were utilized for rice production, of which only 300 hectares are irrigated, 45 are lowland, and 100 are upland. Irrigated areas are planted 2.5 time a year while rainfed and upland are planted only once. “Gintoang Masaganang Ani Program” Program targets for the average production of rice at about 4.5 MT, for irrigated, 3 MT for lowland and 1.5 MT for upland. This target was met by the farmers this year because of rice diseases and pest infestation.
- Rice production of rice are not enough to supply the demand of the rice eating populace. Rice supply in the municipality depends on other rice producing areas in the region .
[edit]Asparagus Production
- The record of the Department of Agriculture shows that as of 2006, the total area planted with asparagus is 1,435.52 hectares. Plantations of this crop are in Barangay Sulit, Sumbakil, Crossing Palkan, Bentung, Lapu, Pagalungan, Lumakil, Rubber and Magsaysay. Farmer growers have access to the export market due to contract agreement with Marsman-Drysdale Agri-Ventures and Tropifresh. The surplus are sold in the local market and diversifically used as supplements for cattle fattening.
[edit]Vegetable Production
- Vegetables grow well in Barangay Palkan, Kinilis, Maligo, Sumbakil and Koronadal Proper where the climate is cool and the soil is fertile. However, the farmers cannot really produce in large volume due to financial constraints and unstable prevailing market prices of vegetables.
[edit]Livestock and Poultry Production
- Livestock and poultry production has increased tremendously in the past years. This is partly due to the municipality’s climate and terrain which is ideal for livestock and poultry production. The land area devoted for agri-livestock production is 80 hectares or 0.27 percent of the total agricultural land.
- For the year 2006, the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist reported that there are 322,628 heads of livestocks and poultry raised in the municipality. Poultry has the most number of heads at 271,420 where 3,639 are layers, 17,852 are backyard, and 249,929 are commercial under contract growers scheme with different Agri-business firms such as RFM, Vitarich, and Swift followed by swine with 23,719 heads which 10,970 are backyard and a total of 15,113 are raised commercially, and cattle with 24,491 heads where 2,065 are backyard and a total of 22,426 heads fattened in the cattle farms of Montery and DEALCO.
- Supply of livestock in the municipality is insufficient due to shipment of livestock which are raised commercially to other parts of the country leaving the backyard raisers to support the local market. The municipality still depend on supplies coming from other areas in the province.
[edit]Education
[edit]Mt. Matutum Christian School(MMCS)
Located at Cannery Housing, Cannery Site, it offers Nursery to Primary Education.
[edit]San Lorenzo Ruiz Academy of Polomolok(SLRAP)
Located at Valencia Site,An Academy founded by the Marist Brothers (Managing the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University and Notre Dame of Marbel University) was established in 1968 and was turned over in Mahintana Educational Foundation Services Inc. The Academy offers secondary education.It is to be said the "Home of the Champions" and "The Makers of Intelligent Students". During the 2007 National Career Assessment Examinations one of their students garnered the most high score in South Cotabato and was able to join the "ELITE CLUB of 99+" of the Department of Education. The school is the top 2 best performing school in the province during the NCAE 2008. In Present, their Principal is Ms. Medy G. Lamboso.
[edit]Matutum View Baptist Academy (MVBA)
Located at Octavio Village, Cannery Site, it offers Primary to Secondary education. In present, their Principal is Ms. Pilar A. Onggao.
[edit]Notre Dame-Siena College of Polomolok(ND-SCP)
Located at Brgy. Poblacion, is a College Institution managed by the Dominican OP-Siena Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena. The college offers a complete Pre-School, Grade School and High School education and a selected College education programs as follows:
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSCS)
- Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED) major in Content Areas
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) major in Business Management; Human Resource Development Management; Marketing Management
- Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship (BSE)
- Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSED).
- Bachelor of Arts major in English (AB ENGLISH)
[edit]Other Known Schools
- Poblacion Polomolok National High School(PPNHS)
- Pablo Valencia National High School
- Schola de San Jose(SdSJ)
- Polomolok National High School(PNHS)
- Christian School of Polomolok(CSP)
- Polomolok Central Elementary School(PCES)
- Silway-8 National High School(S-8NHS)
- Silway-8 Elementary School(S-8ES)
- General Santos Academy(GSA)
- Upper Klinan National High School(UKHS)
- Upper Klinan Central Elementary School(UKCES)
- Sulit National High School(SNHS)
- Dole Cannery Central Elementary School(DCCES)
- Dole Philippines School(DPS)
- Southern Baptist School of Polomolok (SBSP)
- Better Educational System and Training School (BEST School)
[edit]Tourism
[edit]Mount Matutum
The municipality’s most imposing landmark and is one of the favorite climb destination in SOCKSARGEN area.
Mt Matutum is a steep mountain located within Barangays Kinilis, Landan, Maligo and Palkan of the Municipality of Polomolok in South Cotabato Province. A recent forest cover survey reported that the forest stands on Mt Matutum are found at 1,290 to 2,270 m, and are therefore all montane in type. Mt Matutum has a forest reserve of 14,000 ha, of which c.3,000 ha. is reported to still be primary forest.[3]
Mt. Matutum Forest and Natural Park will soon be the habitat of captive-bred Philippine eagle after the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) considered the suitability of Matutum for the experimental release of the world renowned Philippine national bird.
[edit]Salkak Cave
- A place where nature lovers will experience the adventure of caving from stalactites and stalagmites to the cool springs and the fresh mountain breeze outside.
- The cool spring of Natures Bounty and Spring Hill Resort manifest beauty and comfort in the coolness of its water during summer. These 2 medium resort is frequented by people from the Upper Valley and Sarangani Province.
[edit]Dole Cannery
- For tourists, Dole Cannery the vast pineapple and asparagus plantation is a scenario worth reminiscing.
[edit]Dole Kalsangi Club House
- For the food gourmet, Dole Kalsangi Club House offers Western and Asian cuisine and drinks “ a la garde”.
[edit]Kalsangi Golf Course
- Golf course at Kalsangi offers the aficionados a drive to conquer the 18th hole without miss or “puree”.
[edit]Trappistine Monastery
- The Trappistine Sisters Monastery in Landan is also a place of worship and spiritual renewals. It is visited by pilgrims and benefactors within the country and abroad.
[edit]Esguerra Farm
- The development of the vast Esguerra Farm in Kawit, Maligo as an eco-tourism area is another attraction. It is in this area where the flora and fauna could be easily revived through the active participation of NGO’s, PO’s and the full support from the municipal government.
The municipality of Polomolok celebrates the two festivals:
- Pinyahan Festival at Brgy. Cannery, Polomolok
- FlomLok Festival whole Polomolok
[edit]References
- ^ "Polomolok::Brief History". Official Website of Polomolok.
- ^ "Polomolok Census of 2007". National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 2007-08-01.
- ^ "Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape". UNESCO World Heritage Centre v3.0. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
[edit]External links
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