BRIEF HISTORY OF MINDANAO ISLAND

MINDANAO ISLAND the second largest (after Lauzon) in the Philippines, in the

southern part of the archipelago. surrounded by the Bohol, Philippine, Celebes, and Sulu

reas. Irregularly shaped, it measures 293 miles (471 km) north to south and 324 miles

(15:21 km) east to west. The island is marked by peninsulas and is heavily indented by the

Davao and Moro gults in the south and by Iligan Bay in the north. The long, semicircular

Zamboanga Peninsula (west) extends southwesterly toward the Sulu Archipelago and

Borneo, and the Cotabato and Surigao penitisulas extend south and north, respectively,

Rugged, faulted mountains and vok anioes occur in many areas. Mount Apo, at 9,692

feet (2,954 meters), is an active volcano in the southern part of the central highlands,

it is the highest peak in the Philippines. The island has narrow coastal plains, and the

Mindanao and Agusan river systems form broad, fertile basins and extensive swamps.

Lake Lanao (Lake Sultan Alonto), created by a lava dam, has an area of 134 square miles

347 square km). The island has a marsh-game refuge and bird sanctuary. The rare

Philippine eagle is found on Mindanao

Mindanao has been considered the country's "pioneer frontier" because of its large

expanse of undeveloped fertile lands. It did not experience substantial population

increase until migration was promoted, particularly in the mid-20th century. The chief

crops are corn (maize), rice, abaca, bananas, pineapples, mangoes, and coconuts. Cotton,

ramie (a fiber plant), coffee, and cacao are also grown. The timber industry is important,

and there are gold, nickel, iron, and coal deposits. Chartered cities include Zamboanga

City, Cotabato City, Davao City, Cagayan de Oro, and Butuan. Area 36,537 square miles

(94,630 square km) Pop (2007) 16,939,967 (Gorlinski, 2012).

Mindanao also has the largest concentration of ethnic minorities in the Philippines.

They include the Maguindanao, Maranao, llanun, and Sangil

. These are all Muslim groups

sometimes collectively called the Moro Groups usually found in the uplands include the

Tboli, Subanon, Bukidnon, Bagobo, Mandaya, and Manobo. Another significant group

is the Tiruray, whose religion is a mixture of Christian, Muslim, and local beliefs.

Mindanao is a Muslim outpost in the predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines,

Although Muslims are no longer a majority, Islamic culture is evident there are many mosques, and
unique brassware, including the kris or dagger. The autonomous region

of Muslim Mindanao-consisting of territory in western and southwestern Mindanao

along with some nearby islands, including Tawi Tawi and Jolo-was established in 1990

Mindanao derived its name from the Maguindanaons who constituted the largest

Sultanate. Maps made during the 17th and 18 centuries suggest that the name was wat

to refer to the island by natives at the time. Evidence of human occupation in Mindanao

dates back to tens of thousands of years. In prehistoric times the Negrito people arrived

Sometime around 1500 BC Austronesian peoples spread throughout the Philippines and

far beyond. Native people of the Maluku Islands refer to the island as Maluku Besar

(Great Moluccas)

Upon the Spaniards' arrival in the Philippines, they were dismayed to find such a

strong Muslim presence on the island, having just expelled the Moors from Spain after

centuries of fighting. In fact, the name Moros (the Spanish word for "Moors") was

given to the Muslim inhabitants by the Spanish. Caesarea Caroli was the name given by

Villalobos to the island of Mindanao wh he reached the sea near it. Caesarea Caroli

referred to Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire (and I of Spain.).

Moro Wars (1901-1913), in Philippine history, was a series of scattered campaigns

involving American troops and Muslim bands on Mindanao, Philippines. The Moro

fought for religious rather than political reasons, and their actions were unconnected
with those of the Filipino revolutionaries who conducted the Philippine-American War

(1899-1902).

Before the colonization, migrants from the neighboring Asian countries also

occupied Zamboanga, like any other islands of the Philippines. The Subanons, from the

Malay origin, was known to be the early people of the peninsula. Throughout the Spanish

regime, Zamboanga became the capital and seat of the Gobierno-politico-militar for the

entire Mindanao. Zamboanga also became the Spanish garrison because of its strategie

location. Hence, Zamboanga had opened its port to international maritime trading with

the rest of the European countries during the 18th century which resulted in better

economic opportunities.

The beginnings of Davao as a distinct geopolitical entity started during the last fifty

years of Spanish rule in the country. The conquest of the Davao Gulf area in 1848 paved

the way for the establishment of a Spanish de facto government in Davao. Although

as early as 1620, Spanish sovereignty already reigned in the north-eastern coasts of

Mindanao down to Bislig

In 1848, Don Jose Cruz de Oyanguren, a native of Vergara, Guipuzcoa, Spain, received

a special grant from Don Narciso Claveria, the Governor-General of the Archipelago. He

was ordered to conquer and subdue the entire gulf district, expel or pacify the Moros,

and establish the Christian religion. Oyanguren arrived in Davao as head of a colonizing

expedition comprising 70 men and women. They found an ally in Datu Daupan, chief.

of the Samal Mandayas, who saw in Oyanguren's colonizing venture a chance to get

assa. Oyanguren's initial attack against Datu Bago's fortified settlement at the mouth

DO River proved futile. His ships could not maneuver in the narrow channel of
she Davao River bend (where Bolton Bridge is now located) and were forced to retreat

Ne crected a barrier at Fiapi for his defense and constructed a cateway across ripia

amps to the dry section of the meadows now at Claveria Street junction), to bring

canons within range to Datu Bago's settlement in the three months that he devoted

constructing the causeway, Oyanguren had also to fund off Datu Bago's barang

tacks against the workers

Finally

, late in June help same from Zamboanga Don Mattel Quesada. Navy

Landing General, arrived with a company of infantry and joined in the attack against

putu Bago's settlement The out-gunned defenders

, despite their tenacious resistante.

ally fled to the different Muslim communities in the hope of carrying on the fight

other day. Oyanguren was reported to have peaceful possession of the Davao Gulf

erritory at the end of 1849, despite the lack of support from the government in Manila

dikis principals in the venture. He campaigned hard among the different tries like

the Mandayas, Manobos, etc urging them to live in settlements or reducciones to reach

hein for trade and commerce, but to no avail. The Moros continued to threaten those

who collaborated with the Spaniards. There was a little economic development of the

Dalf region Corcino, 1998)

The Spaniards also conquered Cotabato in the 17th Century, Settlements grow in the

buth of Rio Grande de Mindanao that proved the growth of civilization in the area

Trading of basic commodities, industrial raw materials, agricultural and aquaculture

ymducts became the center of economic activities in the area. Ar time passed by the

conomic potentials of Cotabato grew that made it independent from the rest of the

lands. Cotabato became a chartered city on June 20, 1959, by Republic Act No. 2364
Datu Mandu U. Sinsuat, Sr. became the first elected city mayor. In the early 19th century,

Americans started to penetrate Cotabato and eventually made the place as the capital

bers of the Cotabato province. When the United States reigned over the Philippines

ifter the Spanish-American War in 1898, the United States initiated a policy designed

basimilate the Moro into the Philippine nation and to curb some feudal practices such

slave trading. The attempt of the Americans to alter the traditional wayn of the More

ulted in intransigence and rebellion

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Lumada controlled an area which now

toen 17 of Mindanao's 24 provinces, but by the 1980 census, they constituted less than

of the population of Mindanao and Sulu. Heavy migration to Mindanao of Visayans

spurred by government-sponsored resettlement programs, turned the indigenous

Lumads and Moros into minorities.

Sporadic fighting took place in 1901 and 1903. Moros attacked the American troops

near Lake Lanao, in Mindanao. The best known of the American Moro battles occurred

in March 1906 at the top of Mount Dajo on the island of Jolo. Six hundred Moro who had

taken refuge inside a massive volcanic erater were killed by troops under Gen Leonard

Wood. Many women and children were killed in the fight. Wood came under severe

criticism in the U.S. Congress because of that. He was later absolved of any wrongdoing

by Pres. Theodore Roosevelt. Renewed hostilities occurred in September 1911 and June

1913. Fighting ceased after that, although Moro separatist movements continued into

the 21st century

The Americans continued the colonization program on Mindanao. In the 1930s, the

US authorities encouraged Christians to migrate to the southern region of Mindanao,

which was mostly populated by Muslims. On February 27, 1939. The 62 pioneers
(primarily agricultural and trade graduates) were the first big batch of settlers to land

in GenSan with the mission to industriously cultivate GenSan's fertile expanse of land.

After this first influx of pioneers, thousands more from Luzon and the Visayas have

subsequently migrated into the area. This movement started the displacement of some

native Blaan tribe to the mountains and lost their livelihood (Hall, 2010).

The migrants were on the advantaged side in legally securing lands. The migrants

made it difficult for the indigenous people and Muslims to own their farmlands because

they did not have land titles to prove ownership. So, the migrant Christians usually

won over land disputes that tremendously increased both their properties and their

population as years passed,

The Americans used their control over property and land laws to let American

corporations and Christian settlers take over native resources. They deprived the Moro

Sultanates in the west of self-governance, and independence. Ilokanos, Cebuanos, and

Illongos streamed into Moro territories in the western and central portions of Mindanao,

These resulted in armed struggles, The natives, especially those who refused to convert

to Christianity, became victims of land-grabbing by the migrants who were promised

vast and fertile lands by the government.

Mansive Filipino Christian settlements continued after the Philippines became

independent from America. The Americans passed the rule to the Christian Filipinos

Land disputes between the Christian settlers and the Muslims and the tribal natives

broke out into violence. Then, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) was forrned.

and the Moro armed insurgency against the Philippine rule happened. Because of this

strife between the two groups, the Philippine government encouraged Filipino Christians

In Mindanao to form militias called llaga to counter the Moro insurgency. The Ilaga wa

responsible for the killings and other atrocities in Mindanao. They were
the Manili massacre In June 1971, which killed 65 Muslim civilians in a Mosque.

Davao in Mindanao had a sizable population of Japanese immigrants. The migration

delapanese plantation workers flourished in Davao even in the early period of 1900's

controlled the entire abaca industry under the American regime. Davao became the

producer of abaca in the whole country during the period. Substantial commercial

rests such as copra, timber, fishing import, and export trading prospered (Cantal

2014). The Moros hated these Japanese immigrants and fought the Japanese

ders when they landed at Davao in Mindanao.

in the 1950s, there was an unprecedented influx of migrants from other parts of

Philippines to Mindanao particularly to Davao due to the economic opportunities

ered. In the 1960's, the banana and pineapple plantation industries became the

sort of development. However, social unrest was also prevalent (Cantal et al., 2014)

(MNLF), which begins an armed Campaign to put up a separate Islamic state in the

then third of the country. Between the years 1972-1976, the fighting raged between

oment forces and the MNLF, which is supported by some Muslim nations. Thousands

se killed, with whole towns destroyed in the violence. In 1976, under a deal brokered

the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), the MNLF signed an agreement with

Marcos administration to end hostilities in exchange for the government working to

ant greater autonomy in Muslim-populated areas. In the year 1977, Misuari's deputy

tahim Salamat, led a group of key commanders in splitting from the MNLF. They were

happy with Misuari's compromise and vowed to continue fighting for independence.

slimat later officially formed the MILF. During the presidency of Marcos in the 70's.

turist was promoted particularly in Mindanao. Unfortunately, it failed to attract

restors to come because of the peace and order situations of the region.
In 1978, one of the MNLF's fiercest ideologues, Salamat Hashim, split from the

WLF and vowed to press ahead with the fight for an independent, Islamic state Salatsat

Murad Ebrahim, another prominent rebel commander, formed the MILF in 1981

After the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution that ousted Marcos, the aquina

administration launched peace talks with the MNLF. In 1989, the Organic Act for the

Stomamous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was signed into law

la 1996, Misuari, on behalf of the MNLF, signed a final peace agreement with the

its government. That year, the MILF, which had long broken away from the MNLF.

antered informal talks with the Ramos government. But the MILF peace project

pit on the back burner, allowing the organization to recruit, establish big camps in

Central Mindanao, and become the most significant Muslim rebel movement

Former president Joseph Estrada mobilized the entire armed forces to crush the

Sort President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo resumed negotiations with the MILF,

and bring down its seat of power in Camp Abubakar, Central Mindanao in 2000.

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo resumed negotiations.

taking a bold step in crafting a draft agreement that triggered widespread opposition

from lawmakers and various sectors and which the Supreme Court, later on, declared

as unconstitutional. In response, two MILF commanders led attacks across mainly

Christian areas of Mindanao

In October 2012, the Aquino administration and the MILF signed a peace agreemen.

in Malacañang. It marked the first time the rebel group stepped into the country's sex

of power. In March 2014. both parties signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the

Bangsamoro (CAB).

The Bangsamoro is home to most of the country's Muslim or Moro populations

composed of many ethnic groups such as the Maranao and the Tausug, the Banguingul
(users of the vinta), as well as the collective group of indigenous tribes known as the

Lumad