Cotabato (historical province)

Not to be confused with the present province of Cotabato.

Province of Cotabato
Former province of the Philippines
← 30px 1914–1973 →   →   →   →   30px →
Location of Cotabato Map of the province in 1918, comprising the present-day Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat
Capital		Cotabato City (1920-1967) Pagalungan (1967-1973)
History
•	Established	23 July 1914
•	Disestablished	22 November 1973
Area		22,967.91 km2 (8,868 sq mi)
Political subdivisions		38 (18 July 1966 to 22 November 1973) Alamada Ampatuan Bagumbayan Buldon Buluan Carmen Columbio Datu Paglas Datu Piang Dinaig Esperanza Isulan Kabacan Kalamansing Kidapawan Lebak Libungan Lutayan Maganoy Magpet Makilala Mariano Marcos Matalam Midsayap M'lang Pagalungan Palimbang Parang Pigcawayan Pikit President Quirino President Roxas Sultan Kudarat Sultan sa Barongis Tacurong Tulunan Tumbao Upi + 14 Banga City of Cotabato City of Rajah Buayan Glan Kiamba Koronadal Maasim Maitum Norala Polomolok Surala Tampacan Tantangan Tupi 52 (before 18 July 1966)
Today part of		Cotabato province South Cotabato Sarangani Maguindanao Sultan Kudarat

Cotabato, also known as the Empire Province of Cotabato, was a historical province of the Philippines established in 1914 that existed until its dissolution in 1973. The province's capital from 1920-1967 was Cotabato City while Pagalungan became its capital from 1967-1973.

Originally a district of the former Moro Province, on September 1, 1914, the defunct Department of Mindanao and Sulu provided with autonomous government through Act No. 2408 enacted on July 23, 1914, converted the district into a province along with other former Moro Province districts: Davao, Lanao, Sulu, Zamboanga, and its former sub-province Bukidnon. Davao, Lanao and Zamboanga were then later split and partitioned into different current provinces while Sulu and Bukidnon remain what it is today.

The empire province was one of the largest provinces of the Philippines, with an area of 2,296,791 hectares (22,967.91 km²). It was dissolved on 1973, comprising what are now the provinces of Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao.

History

Upon its separation from the Department of Mindanao and Sulu, Cotabato comprised the municipalities of Cotabato (the provincial capital), Dulawan, and Midsayap, and the following municipal districts:

• Awang
• Balatikan
• Balut
• Banisilan
• Barira
• Buayan
• Bugasan
• Buldun
• Buluan
• Carmen
• [Daguma]
• Dinaig
• [Dulawan]
• Gambar
• Glan
• [Isulan]
• Kabakan
• Kalanganan
• Kiamba
• Kidapawan
• Kitubud
• Kling
• Koronadal
• Lebak
• [Libuangan]
• Liguasan
• [Maganui]
• Nuling
• Parang
• Pikit-Pagalungan
• [Reina Regente]
• Salaman
• Sebu
• Silik
• Subpangan
• [Talayan]
• Tumbau

On June 18, 1966, South Cotabato was separated from the province through Republic Act No. 4849.

Datu Piang, fourth from the left, with American officers circa 1899. He was the first governor of the Empire Province of Cotabato.

Dissolution

On November 22, 1973, the remaining territories of the Empire Province of Cotabato was divided into North Cotabato, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat through Presidential Decree No. 341.

On March 7, 1984, North Cotabato was re-named to simply "Cotabato" through Batas Pambansa Blg. 660.

On March 16, 1992, the province of Sarangani was formed out of South Cotabato.

See also

• Islam in the Philippines