Arakan, Cotabato

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title: "Arakan, Cotabato" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["municipalities-of-cotabato"] description: "Municipality in Cotabato, Philippines" topic_path: "general/municipalities-of-cotabato" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arakan,_Cotabato" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Municipality in Cotabato, Philippines ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

Field	Value
name
image_flag	Flag_of_Arakan,_Cotabato.png
flag_size	120x80px
image_seal	Arakan.jpg
seal_size	100x80px
image_map
map_caption
mapframe	yes
pushpin_map	Philippines
pushpin_label_position	left
pushpin_map_caption	Location within the
coordinates
settlement_type
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name	Philippines
subdivision_type1	Region
subdivision_name1
subdivision_type2	Province
subdivision_name2
official_name
etymology
named_for
subdivision_type3	District
subdivision_name3
established_title	Founded
established_date	August 30, 1991
parts_type	Barangays
parts_style	para
p1	(see Barangays)
leader_title	Mayor
leader_name	Jeam "Nonoy" Villasor
leader_title1	Vice Mayor
leader_name1	Mary "Inday" Gerlie TUBLE Montales
leader_title2	Representative
leader_name2	Rudy S. Caoagdan
leader_title3	Councilor
leader_title4	Electorate
leader_name4	voters ([electorate_point_in_time}}
government_type
government_footnotes
elevation_m
elevation_max_m	600
elevation_min_m	106
elevation_footnotes
area_footnotes
area_total_km2
population_footnotes
population_total
population_as_of
population_density_km2	auto
population_blank1_title	Households
population_blank1
timezone	PST
utc_offset	+8
postal_code_type	ZIP code
postal_code
postal2_code_type
postal2_code
area_code_type
area_code
website
demographics_type1	Economy
demographics1_title1
demographics1_info1
demographics1_title2	Poverty incidence
demographics1_info2	% ()
demographics1_title3	Revenue
demographics1_info3
demographics1_title4	Revenue rank
demographics1_title5	Assets
demographics1_info5
demographics1_title6	Assets rank
demographics1_title7	IRA
demographics1_title8	IRA rank
demographics1_title9	Expenditure
demographics1_info9
demographics1_title10	Liabilities
demographics1_info10
demographics_type2	Service provider
demographics2_title1	Electricity
demographics2_info1
demographics2_title2	Water
demographics2_title3	Telecommunications
demographics2_title4	Cable TV
blank_name_sec1
blank_info_sec1
blank1_name_sec1	Native languages
blank1_info_sec1
Maguindanaon
blank2_name_sec1	Crime index
blank1_name_sec2	Major religions
blank2_name_sec2	Feast date
blank3_name_sec2	Catholic diocese
blank4_name_sec2	Patron saint
::

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| demographics1_title4 = Revenue rank | demographics1_info4 = | demographics1_title5 = Assets | demographics1_info5 =
| demographics1_title6 = Assets rank | demographics1_info6 = | demographics1_title7 = IRA | demographics1_info7 = | demographics1_title8 = IRA rank | demographics1_info8 = | demographics1_title9 = Expenditure | demographics1_info9 =
| demographics1_title10 = Liabilities | demographics1_info10 =
| demographics_type2 = Service provider | demographics2_title1 = Electricity | demographics2_info1 = | demographics2_title2 = Water | demographics2_info2 = | demographics2_title3 = Telecommunications | demographics2_info3 = | demographics2_title4 = Cable TV | demographics2_info4 = | demographics2_title5 = | demographics2_info5 = | demographics2_title6 = | demographics2_info6 = | demographics2_title7 = | demographics2_info7 = | demographics2_title8 = | demographics2_info8 = | demographics2_title9 = | demographics2_info9 = | demographics2_title10 = | demographics2_info10 = | blank_name_sec1 = | blank_info_sec1 = | blank1_name_sec1 = Native languages | blank1_info_sec1 = Maguindanaon | blank2_name_sec1 = Crime index | blank2_info_sec1 = | blank3_name_sec1 = | blank3_info_sec1 = | blank4_name_sec1 = | blank4_info_sec1 = | blank5_name_sec1 = | blank5_info_sec1 = | blank6_name_sec1 = | blank6_info_sec1 = | blank7_name_sec1 = | blank7_info_sec1 = | blank1_name_sec2 = Major religions | blank1_info_sec2 = | blank2_name_sec2 = Feast date | blank2_info_sec2 = | blank3_name_sec2 = Catholic diocese | blank3_info_sec2 = | blank4_name_sec2 = Patron saint | blank4_info_sec2 = | blank5_name_sec2 = | blank5_info_sec2 = | blank6_name_sec2 = | blank6_info_sec2 = | blank7_name_sec2 = | blank7_info_sec2 = | short_description = | footnotes =

Arakan, officially the Municipality of Arakan (; ; , Jawi: ايڠد نو اراكن; ) is a municipality in the province of Cotabato, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 50,558 people.

History

The word Arakan is derived from the Manobo term “ara” which means abundance of natural resources in the valley and “kan” which means heroism, bravery and valor of the early Manobo leaders and settlers of the area. The word “arakan” then was named referring to one of the rivers of the valley. Arakan is basically a territory of a number of ethno-linguistic groups, predominantly of the Manobo-Kulamanon and Manobo-Tinananon tribes. The names of the two (2) big rivers in Arakan were also from these ethnic groups of the Kulaman and Tinanan Rivers. The original settlers of the place are the Manobos, which were believed to have originally come from the string of islands in the Malayan Peninsula and Borneo. This assumption is based on their language structure which has Malayan roots.

Throughout the years, they maintained contacts and inter-marriages with other tribes such as Matigsalogs and other lesser Bagobo tribes. The early migrant settlers from Visayas came in as early as the 1930s. Massive clearing of the forest areas became the order of these years for agricultural and settlement purposes. Due to these activities, the Manobos were forced to settle in the inner portions away from those areas occupied by the Bisayans. They were pushed further still and they permanently inhabited the highlands of the valley to avoid social and cultural interactions with the migrant Bisayans.

Early attempts to fully develop Arakan dated back in the 1970s when then Mayor Froilan Matas of the Municipality of Magpet (mother municipality of Arakan) unified his efforts with the Sangguniang Bayan, which was ably supported by the barangay leaders, and its populace led by Greenfield (now Poblacion) Barangay Chairman Aproniano A. Ebon, Sr. through a resolution strongly manifesting its support to the creation of a separate municipality of Arakan. In 1972, a more unified attempts to create the municipality by the provincial leadership has led the passing of House Bill No. 4805 sponsored by the then Assemblyman Salipada K. Pendatun. The declaration of martial law in the same year deterred its creation. This did not however, dampen the hope of the great leaders of Magpet.

The EDSA Revolution that took place in 1986 paved way to another attempt of the creation of a separate and new municipality through the collaborative efforts of the municipal government of Magpet spearheaded by then Vice Mayor Aproniano A. Ebon, Sr., the provincial leadership headed by then Governor Rosario P. Diaz, M.D. and the most especially by the passage of a house bill sponsored by Congressman Gregorio A. Andolana of the Second District of Cotabato Province.

Arakan is one of the granddaughter municipalities of Kidapawan. It was created by virtue of Republic Act No. 7152, approved by President Corazon Aquino on August 30, 1991; constituting 18 barangays separated from Magpet. The separation caused Kidapawan to eventually lose all its borders with Davao Region, excluding Mount Apo which is being shared by Kidapawan, Davao, and four other towns. This separation also made Arakan the province's youngest municipality.

Under the provision of the Act, it had to elect its new officials in local election on May 11, 1992. The then Vice Mayor Ebon overwhelmingly got the mandate as the first Municipal Mayor, while David B. Figura, Sr. was the first Vice Mayor. Ebon spent three terms as municipal mayor, as did David B. Figura, Sr. (who died before his last term ended).

In Kabalantian (at that time part of Magpet), on January 2–3, 1986, atrocities took place where six individuals were killed and houses were burned down, reportedly by members of the Landasan armed group.

Geography

Barangays

Arakan is politically subdivided into 28 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

• Allab
• Anapolon
• Badiangon
• Binoongan
• Dallag
• Datu Ladayon
• Datu Matangkil
• Doroluman
• Gambodes
• Ganatan
• Greenfield
• Kabalantian
• Katipunan
• Kinawayan
• Kulaman Valley
• Lanao Kuran
• Libertad
• Makalangot
• Malibatuan
• Maria Caridad
• Meocan
• Naje
• Napalico
• Salasang
• San Miguel
• Santo Niño
• Sumalili
• Tumanding

Climate

| location = Arakan, Cotabato | width = auto | metric first = Yes | single line = Yes | Jan high C = 29 | Jan low C = 20 | Feb high C = 29 | Feb low C = 20 | Mar high C = 30 | Mar low C = 20 | Apr high C = 31 | Apr low C = 21 | May high C = 30 | May low C = 22 | Jun high C = 29 | Jun low C = 22 | Jul high C = 29 | Jul low C = 22 | Aug high C = 29 | Aug low C = 22 | Sep high C = 29 | Sep low C = 22 | Oct high C = 29 | Oct low C = 22 | Nov high C = 29 | Nov low C = 22 | Dec high C = 29 | Dec low C = 21 | Jan precipitation mm = 46 | Feb precipitation mm = 35 | Mar precipitation mm = 41 | Apr precipitation mm = 38 | May precipitation mm = 67 | Jun precipitation mm = 79 | Jul precipitation mm = 68 | Aug precipitation mm = 66 | Sep precipitation mm = 52 | Oct precipitation mm = 59 | Nov precipitation mm = 62 | Dec precipitation mm = 45 | Jan rain days = 11.4 | Feb rain days = 9.7 | Mar rain days = 12.3 | Apr rain days = 14.1 | May rain days = 22.1 | Jun rain days = 23.7 | Jul rain days = 22.7 | Aug rain days = 21.8 | Sep rain days = 19.2 | Oct rain days = 21.8 | Nov rain days = 20.2 | Dec rain days = 14.8 | source 1 = Meteoblue | url = https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/historyclimate/climatemodelled/7.353N125.126E | title = Arakan: Average Temperatures and Rainfall | publisher = Meteoblue | accessdate = 30 January 2020 }} | date = 30 January 2020

Demographics

| align= none | title= Population census of | 1980 = | 1990 = | 1995 = | 2000 = | 2007 = | 2010 = | 2015 = | 2020 = | 2024 = | 2030 = | footnote= Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

In the 2020 census, the population of Arakan, Cotabato, was 50,558 people, with a density of {{sigfig|50,558/693.22|2}} PD/km2.

Economy

Tourism

• Epol River, (in Barangay Gambodes) has 6 series of waterfalls and river pools and is 3 km long.
• Matigol Falls, (in Inamong, Barangay Datu Ladayon), has a cave beside it and is 100 m high.
• Lake Luningning, (in Barangay Ganatan) has a depth of 30 m and an underground spring. It is 4 ha wide.
• Tinanan River, (in Valencia, Santo Niño) has 6 springs and two unexplored caves.
• Gaem Cave, a church-like cave (in Sitio Langub, Barangay Gambodes), has an area of 900 m2 and a height of 10 m.
• Bukatol Cave and Park, (in Bukatol, Barangay Kinawayan). From Mt. Sinaka, the Arakan Valley can be viewed.
• Forest Wildlife Park, 500 ha of forest (in Sinai, Barangay Salasang), home to Philippine Eagles and hornbills
• Bokwan Falls, 5-tiered and 15 m (in Upper Lombo, Barangay Kabalantian)
• Salasang Cave and Spring (Formon/Natubalan, Barangay Salasang)
• Nabuns Cave (Sitio Langub, Barangay Gambodes)
• Nanilungan Falls, 50 m high (in Barangay Gambodes)
• Yellow Gate zipline (in sitio Langub, Barangay Gambodes).
• Datu Ladayon Rice Terraces (in Datu Ladayon), the only terraced paddies in the area
• Aguas falls (Sitio Dao, Barangay Salasang)

Government

, Jeam D. Villasor is municipal mayor.

• Vice Mayor:
  • Gerlie T. Montales
• Councilors:
  • Rene Rubino
  • Julius Raniola
  • Vena May Cambel
  • Dondon Bunsuran
  • Ria Gayatin
  • Queeny Wong
  • Jun Moreno
  • Joselito Cases

References

References

1. {{DILG detail
2. "Province of Cotabato".
3. (30 August 1991). "Republic Act No. 7152; An Act Creating the Municipality of Arakan in the Province of Cotabato".
4. David, Karlo Antonio. (January 3, 2024). "Moppiyon Kahi Diid Patoy: The Greater Kidapawan Area". [[MindaNews]].

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