History

The region of the Bukidnon plateau was left largely unexplored by the Spaniards until the middle of the 19^th century. It is believed that the original Manobo-speaking inhabitants of the coast retreated into the interior plateau and were related to the Bukidnons. In the mid-19^th century, missionaries began to move into the interior. In 1849, Malitbog, the first town upriver from the coast, was founded, and a year later, Malaybalay was organized as a mission settlement. By the 1880s the missionaries were actively resettling highland communities into towns. During the Philippine Revolution, Filipino troops retreating from the Misamis coast established their headquarters in Malaybalay. Resistance ended in March 1901.

The entire Bukidnon plateau was placed under the administration of the province of Misamis in 1860 and continued to be part of that province until 1907. In August of that year, Bukidnon was created as a sub-province of the newly created province of Agusan. Bukidnon became a regular province of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu in 1914.

Many Visayan settlers moved into the fertile plateau at the beginning of the 19^th century as the Americans opened the land to large plantations. By 1950, the Visayans had outnumbered the indigeneous peoples.

People, Culture and the Arts

This green land of silence and solitude is a landlocked province named after its native tribe, the Bukidnon, or ‘people of the mountains’. They were the original settlers of the province before the Visayans migrated there. They are closely akin with the Higaonon tribe of Agusan del Sur. Their settlements are usually groups of 3-10 households headed by the datu. The women wear colorful dresses with wide flared sleeves and embroidered shawls, and skirts are often strips of white and red cloth sewn together. Some still inlay copper or brasswire into their incisors as a form of beautification.

There are other tribes who live in the hinterlands of Bukidnon that gather together in Malaybalay on the first week of September to celebrate the Kaamulan Festival. Its purpose is to unify the tribal groups of the area, which have historically been at odds with each other, and to encourage understanding between the minorities and the lowlanders who have migrated in the province. Tribesmen dance, chant, compete in indiginous sport and perform ancient rituals dedicated to their god, Magbabaya.

During these celebrations, visitors are able to watch the natives dance the inamo (monkey dance), binakbak (frog dance), bubudsil (dance of the hornbill and its hungry offspirng), and kayamotan (dance of the birds). A major feature of the festival is the enactment of a wedding ceremony between members of two tribes. The rite begins with the kaon, the formal asking for the bride’s dowry, which is highlighted by the basang or a debate in verse between the groom and the bride’s kinsmen. After the dowry has been fixed, the wedding takes place with a mock-honeymoon to end the wedding ceremony.

One of the well-known attractions of Bukidnon is the pineapple plantation of Del Monte. It is like watching a sea of pineapples, with seemingly endless rows of red, orange, and green pineapples. It is said to be one of the largest in the world.

Trade and Investments

Bukidnon, the province in the heart of Mindanao enjoys the best of everything. Its good road system allows easy access to the air and seaports of both Davao and Cagayan de Oro. Its vast land area of 829,378 hectares sits outside the typhoon belt and serves as the agricultural center of the region. Bukidnon offers good production areas for livestock, fruits, and vegetable as well as areas for processing facilities. The province also possesses the terrain and climate ideal for tourist based businesses.

Bukidnon has a total road network of 5,000 kilometers. The Sayre Highway links the province to both the northern and southern regions of Mindanao, from Cagayan de Oro to Carmen and South Cotabato. Secondary national roads connect the province to Davao City, Lanao del Sur, Agusan del Sur, Misamis Oriental, and Cotabato province. The Pulangi river system assures the province’s agri-based industries with steady water supply and at the same time drives the 220 megawatt Napocor hydro-electric power plant that supplies reliable electricity for the region. Bukidnon’s Kitanglad range is the telecommunications hub of Northern Mindanao. It holds the backbone of one of the country’s largest telephone companies as well as most television networks and cellular companies.

The increasing demand for food in the region, the steady growth of pineapple and fresh flowers exports, as well as the phenomenal growth of other agro-industrial ventures in Bukidnon shows the viability of establishing agricultural businesses in the province. Giant companies such as Del Monte Philippines, Inc., and Dole Philippines have already established operations in the province. Opportunities, however, are not limited to agriculture, as infant manufacturing industries like exports of rubber boots and shoes have shown great potentials. Added to this, eco-tourism offers additional opportunities especially since the province is endowed with a diverse terrain of forests, rivers and mountains.

Bukidnon prepares for furhter growth by enhancing accessibility by the construction of new roads, the rehabilitation of old ones and the standardization of bridge capacities to 20 tons. Power lines with 69 kilovolt ratings will be extended to all major towns. The province will also develop three agro-industrial centers with a total area of 2000 hectares. These efforts, which are expected to be completed by 2004, will spur further growth of the agribusiness industries as well as allow the development of light and medium industries in Bukidnon.

Partnership Initiatives

The absence of a land use plan has thwarted efforts of the municipality of Kitaotao to take advantage of many opportunities to attract investments. The municipality, together with four other municipalities of Bukidnon agreed to join in and coordinate their comprehensive land use plans, which are vital to attracting investors, and set key development projects within their areas. Given the current condition of land use plans in the Philippines as being "haphazard, uncoordinated, corrupt, and beset with incompatible land use activities", this local initiative was a move in the right direction.

The process, supported by the LGSP of CIDA involved building the necessary structure to carry out the project followed by provision of technical training and workshops to the participating LGUs. Involvement of the local NGOs and POs together with the private sector was likewise made. At present, these municipalities in Bukidnon have not only established the foundation for sustainable development but have also gained additional skills and fostered strategic partnerships amongst themselves that would greatly improve their work in local governance.

Development Initiative Highlights: