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Geography

SOCCSKSARGEN is also known as Region XII. Its name is an amalgamation of the names of the 4 provinces that make up the region. They are SOuth Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and SARangani plus the city of GENeral Santos. It is located in the southern part of Mindanao. It is bounded on the north by the provinces of Lanao Del Sur and Bukidnon, on the east by Davao Del Sur, on the south by Mindanao Sea, and on the west by the province of Maguindanao. Hills and mountains make up most of Sarangani, South Cotabato, western Sultan Kudarat, and the northeastern part of North Cotabato. The eastern part of Sultan Kudarat and the southwestern part of North Kudarat are part of the vast plain of central Mindanao. Highest peak is 2,958-meter Mt. Apo in the boundary of North Cotabato and Davao Del Sur. Other notable mountains in the region are: Mt. Matumtum (2,293 meters) in South Cotabato, Mt. Busa (2,083 meters) also in South Cotabato, Mt. Latian (1,612 meter) in Sarangani, Mt. Magolo (1,450 meter) again in South Cotabato, and Mt. Tianlud (1,220 meter) in North Cotabato. Lake Buluan in Sultan Kudarat and Lake Sebu and Lake Maughan both in South Cotabato are the well-known lakes in the region.

Sarangani and the southern part of South Cotabato receives rainfall more or less evenly throughout the year while in the other parts of the region, seasons are not very pronounced but it is relatively dry from November to April and wet during the rest of the year.

People

Like Davao Region, SOCCSKSARGEN is home to many cultural groups. Among them are the Cebuanos, Hiligaynons, Ilocanos, Tagalogs, Manobos, Tirurays, Maguindanaos, and Maranaos.

Economic Profile

The main economic activity in the region is agriculture. The chief products are rice, corn, coconut, banana, and pineapple. Rubber, sugarcane, and coffee are also grown in the area. Poultry, hog and cattle raising are widely done as an alternative source of income. Being the tuna capital of the country, fishing is a multimillion industry and tuna has become the chief export product of the region.

Manufacturing consists mainly of processing farm outputs such as rice and corn milling, tuna canning, pineapple canning and rubber processing.

The region contributed more than 3% to the national economy, the 8th largest, not bad considering the peace and order image problem of the region in particular and of Mindanao in general. (see comparison)

Major tourist spots in Southern Mindanao Region

• Florian Hot Spring and Fort Pitik in North Cotabato
• Lake Sebu and Lake Maughan in South Cotabato
• Glan White Sand Beaches in Sarangani
• Lake Buluan and Makin Falls in Sultan Kudarat