Polomolok, South Cotabato

Polomolok
—  Municipality  —
Municipality of Polomolok Bayan ng Polomolok Lungsod sa Polomolok Banwa sang Polomolok
Pineapple Shore
Seal
Nickname(s): Agro Industrial and Sub Urban Municipality of South Cotabato
Motto: Mahayag na Polomolok!
Map of South Cotabato showing the location of Municipality of Polomolok.
Polomolok Location in the Philippines
Coordinates: 6°13′13.8″N 125°3′46.38″E / 6.220500°N 125.0628833°E / 6.220500; 125.0628833Coordinates: 6°13′13.8″N 125°3′46.38″E / 6.220500°N 125.0628833°E / 6.220500; 125.0628833
Country	Philippines
Region	SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII)
Province	South Cotabato
Districts	1st District of South Cotabato
Barangays	23
Legal class	1st class Municipality
Founded	August 21, 1957
Townhood	September 10, 1957
Cityhood
Government
• Type	Mayor - Council
• District Representative	Pedro B. Acharon Jr. (AIM) (2010-2013)
• Mayor	Isidro D. Lumayag (LP-NPC-AIM) (2010-2013)
• Vice Mayor	Eliazar G. Jovero (LP-NPC-AIM) (2010-2013)
• Municipal Council	Councilors FALCON, Jose R. BONTUYAN, Jude G. ALMENCION, Nilda B. CORDOVA, Leo J. BAYAN, Xavier J. DEYPALAN, Melani G. CABAHUG, Ireneo J. SK Federation President LICAYAN, Jon Leo
Area
• Municipality	339.97 km2 (131.26 sq mi)
• Urban	20.50 km2 (7.92 sq mi)
• Rural	2.07 km2 (0.80 sq mi)
Elevation Highest peak is the Mount Matutum which has an elevation of 2,286 meters (7500 ft.).	300 m (1,000 ft)
Population (2010)
• Municipality	138,273
• Rank	17th Nationwide 1st in Mindanao-wide
• Density	406.7/km2 (1,053/sq mi)
Time zone	PHT (UTC+8)
ZIP Code	9504
Area code(s)	83
Climate(s)	Tropical Rainforest
Language(s)	Cebuano, Bisaya, Tagalog, English, Hiligaynon Ilonggo
Classification	Urban Town
Ecclesiastical Province	Diocese of Marbel
Website	Official Website of Polomolok

Polomolok is an agro industrial, suburban municipality of South Cotabato, Philippines. It is located between General Santos and Tupi. Polomolok is seated about 41.6 km (25.85 mi.) south-east of the provincial capital city of Koronadal, 17 km (10.56 mi.) north of the port city of General Santos and 1,030 km (638 mi.) south-east of the national capital, Manila. The municipality ranks 21^st in the largest income earner municipalities of the Philippines.^[1]

Polomolok has already reached the requirements to be a city.^[2]

Brief History [edit]

The name Polomolok was derived from the B’laan term "FLOMLOK’ which means hunting grounds. In the early years, the place where the Poblacion is presently situated was known for its abundance of wild life. 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 water coming from the hillsides. Those cool and clear flowing water encouraged foreigners to settle in this place. One of them was a Japanese trader Zenjiro Takahashi and his B’laan wife. He began clearing the area and planted agricultural crops. Not long after, some of the Christians came to settle and started to clear the area.

In 1940, the Philippines Commonwealth government embarked on a very bold program of social amelioration. One of the projects was the distribution of lands to interested people who wanted to settle in Mindanao. Settlers were brought by boat to Dadiangas from Luzon and Visayas. 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. Then came the creation of some barrios of the settlers. These were Palkan, Lemblisong, Polo, Polomolok Central (now Poblacion), Polomolok Creek (now Magsaysay), Sulit, Lamcaliaf, Kinilis, Glamang, Bentung, Koronadal Proper, Leve, and Silway. The first settlers, after a crop or two, started to invite their friends and relatives to settle in this place, because the soil was so fertile that any crop can survive due to favorable climate conditions.

The settlement program was interrupted for four years by the American-Japanese War. Don Francisco Natividad was appointed Military Mayor with Datu Badung Nilong as Vice Mayor and the late Sgt. Nuevarez as Chief of Police. In 1948, the late Perfecto Balili was designated NLSA Administrator with Rosendo Sarte as Officer-In-Charge. In 1954, the NLSA was abolished in the course of government reorganization. All records of NLSA were taken over by the Board of Liquidators. The Municipality of General Santos (formerly Buayan) was incorporated. 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. It started functioning as a regular and independent municipality on September 10, 1957 as a 6th class municipality. The local officials were appointed by the President. Its first appointed Mayor was Datu Badong Nilong.

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.

Demographics [edit]

Polomolok has a population of 138,273 people in 27,564 households as per census data of 2010,^[3] thus making it the most populous municipality (next to Koronadal City) in the province.

Based on its population, it is the largest Municipality in Mindanao, the largest Municipality in the SOCCSKSARGEN Region and 17^th largest Municipality in the Philippines.

Income Classification [edit]

Polomolok has a total income of PhP 301,954,369 as of 2011 certified by the Department of Finance; PhP 135,445,186 from local income sources and PhP 166,509,183 from Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA). It is a 1^st class Municipality. Polomolok is considered as the richest municipality in Mindanao.

Economy, commerce, trade and industry [edit]

The Municipality of Polomolok prides its successful implementation of its Revenue Generation Program as an exemplary practice. The purpose of the program is to increase local revenues from collection of real property taxes and other fees and charges; update Municipal Tax Ordinance; Conduct Business Tax Mapping; and system automation. Rank 3^rd on the rich municipalities and cities in Mindanao with less percentage of poverty incidence.^[4]

Agriculture [edit]

It is splendidly gifted with pineapple products and processing, livestock resources (cattle, swine production, meat packaging) furniture, asparagus and cut flowers, cotton ginnery, corn, vegetable and fruits.

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.

Corn is the second most grown crop in the municipality. Data from the Agriculture Office 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...

Rice is also one of the major crops. 99% of the total population has rice as their staple food. Office of the 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.

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.

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.

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.

Topography and Climate [edit]

Located at the southern part of South Cotabato, Polomolok is nestled at the base of the most prominent scenic spot Mt. Matutum. It is cone-shaped and looms over the provinces at 2,286 meters high, a unique challenge to mountaineers. It is perhaps the provinces most imposing landmark.

Natural hot and cold spring abound at its foot. Natural springs are abundant within this area and provide free flowing water. Two of these springs have developed into natural resorts.

Political Subdivisions [edit]

Polomolok is politically subdivided into 23 barangays. Barangay Poblacion is also known as Polomolok itself. There are 3 urban Barangays and 20 rural Barangays.

Political Map of Polomolok

Transportation [edit]

By land [edit]

The Polomolok Terminal has its daily trip to General Santos City from 3am to 7pm and has a trip to Koronadal City from 5am to 5pm. The estimated time allotment from Polomolok to General Santos and vice versa is only 15~20 minutes. From General Santos City, there is a 24/7 trip to Polomolok, the PUVs along National Highway near NDDU.

By sea [edit]

The General Santos City Seaport is accessible to Polomolok, there are daily trips from Manila to General Santos through Superferry and many other shipping companies.

By air [edit]

General Santos International Airport is 20 minutes away from Polomolok's town proper by using the newly constructed General Santos City Diversion Road.

Education [edit]

• College & Vocational Schools

1. Notre Dame-Siena College of Polomolok
2. Gensantos Foundation Inc., College-Polomolok
3. Best College of Polomolok, Inc.
4. Schola De San Jose
5. Philippine Millenium Colleges
6. St. Therese Blue Collar Institute

• High School & Elementary Schools

1. Polomolok National High School
2. Poblacion Polomolok National High School
3. San Lorenzo Ruiz Academy of Polomolok
4. Notre Dame of Polomlok
5. Christian School of Polomolok
6. Best School of Polomolok
7. Dole Cannery Central Elementary School
8. Bentung Sulit National High School
9. Dolefil Seventh Day Adventist Elementary School
10. Dole Philippines School
11. General Santos Academy
12. Matutum View Baptist Academy, Inc.
13. Mt. Matutum Christian School
14. Southern SDA of Polomolok
15. Upper Klinan National High School
16. Silway 8 National High School
17. Polomolok Central Elementary School

Festival [edit]

• FlomLok Festival is a Municipal-wide festival which represents the early inhabitants of the town.
• Pinyahan Festival is the Foundation Anniversary of the Barangay Cannery Site.
• Malambuon Festival is the Foundation Anniversary of the Barangay Poblacion.

Hospitals [edit]

Among the notable hospitals in Polomolok are the Howard Hubbard Memorial Hospital, Heramil's Maternity and Children Hospital, Bontuyan Medical Clinic, and the Polomolok District Hospital.

Shopping Malls and Food Chains [edit]

• Gaisano Grand Mall of Polomolok
• Fit Mart Polomolok

• Jollibee Polomolok (Proposed)
• Asian Tongue
• Dunkin Donuts

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code

Geographical Location [edit]

		Tupi, South Cotabato
	T'boli, South Cotabato		Malungon, Sarangani
		Polomolok, South Cotabato
		General Santos City

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