Bukidnon

OVERVIEW
Bukidnon is a highland paradise in the heart of Mindanao. It is home to the world's biggest pineapple plantation boasting a classic golf course dating back to 1928. It is the biggest cattle-producing province in the region.

It is well endowed with natural attractions like the Kitanglad Ranges that includes Dulang Dulang, the second highest peak in the country. And it has been identified as one of the country’s richest in biodiversity and endemic species of flora and fauna.Bukidnon is in the heartland of Mindanao, linking Davao to the south and Misamis Oriental to the north of the island.

LOCATION
Bukidnon is a landlocked province in northern Mindanao. It is bounded on the north by Misamis Oriental, on the east by Agusan del Sur and Davao, on the west by the Lanao provinces, and on the south by North Cotabato.

GEOGRAPHY
Bukidnon, a rich tableland, is a landlocked province in Northern Mindanao. It occupies the extensive plateau that is bounded on the north and the northeast by Misamis Oriental; on the east by Agusan; on the south and southeast by Davao; and on the southwest and west by Lanao and Cotabato. It lies between the parrallels 7'25' and 8'38' north latitude and meridians 124'16' east longtitude.Topography is predominantly a rolling tableland of grass with an average elevation of 915 meters. Low plains alternating with rolling uplands, deep canyons and valleys characterize the terrain.

POLITICAL SUBDIVISION
The province has a total of 464 barangays distributed among 21 municipalities and one component city. Malaybalay is the capital town. The province is grouped into 3 congressional districts.

LANGUAGE/DIALECT
The province has different dialects brought by the immigration of lowlanders that come from the different islands of the archipelago. Cebuano is spoken by 77.9% of the population; Binukid, by 8.9%; and English, by 0.05%.

CLIMATE
Bukidnon is relatively cool and moist throughout the year. There are two prevailing types of climate variations: the northern part has no pronounced maximum rain period, with a short dry season lasting only for one to three months, while the southern part has no pronounced maximum rain period and no dry season.

The province is outside the the typhoon belt. The mean annual temperature is 24.04°C with maximum and minimum temperature of 29.6°C and 18.5°C, respectively. The annual average rainfall is 2,581.84m.


PEOPLE
The province is an ethnic melting pot with Visayan, Tagalog, and Ilocano migrants. Despite a diversity of cultures, the people have adopted Cebuano as their language, supplemented by the native dialect called Binukid. The natives are mainly Bukidnons who occupy the lowlands of the plateau while the Manobos are in the highlands. Bukidnon settlements are clusters of households under their own datu. They engage. in kaingin farming, basket-weaving, and pottery.

The women wear colorful blouses cloth sewn together, and shawls embroidered in red. Some of the numerous indigenous tribes derive their name from their place of origin: the Tigwahanon after the Tigwa watershed , the Umayamnon after the Umayan River, the Pulangaiyon after the Pulangi River, and the Matigsalug after the Salug River. The Iliano and Langilaon were named after the borderareas they occupy. The tala-anding, named after a myth, are distinguished by the elaborate fan-like headgear their women wear during festivals.

PRODUCTS / INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Bukidnon is an agricultural economy. It is a major producer of rice, corn, sugar coffee, rubber, pineapple, tomato, flowers, cassava, and other fruits and vegetables. It is also a major producer of chicken, hogs, and cattle.Among its major corporations, Del Monte Phils Inc. is engaged in pineapple production and cattle fattening while Bukidnon Sugar Milling Corp. and Crystal Sugar Milling are into sugar milling and refining.

A. Products

· A sheltered environment for assembly, cooling, sorting, packing and storage of fresh vegetables, marketing and financing services

B. Key players

· Local government of Impasug-ong, Bukidnon (one of the investors)
· Department of Trade and Industry
· GEM
· Northern Mindanao Vegetable Producers Association
· Chamber of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industries in Northern Mindanao (CAFFINORMIN)

C. Market

· Domestic: nationwide

D. Trade and investment opportunities

· Packing shed with cold chain capability

Economy
Almost all large firms operating in the province are into production or processing of these agricultural products. Del Monte Philippines, Inc. (DMPI), Lapanday Diversified Products Corp. and Mt. Kitanglad Agri-Development Corp., Dole Philippines (Skyland), Bukidnon Sugar Milling Corporation (BUSCO), Crystal Sugar Milling, Phil-Agro Industrial Corporation, Menzi Agricultural Development, Agaropyta Phils. Inc., Bukidnon Greens Inc., FP Obrero Farms, ARDEM, Inc., San Miguel Foods Corp. (SMFI_PFC), Monterey Farms Corp. and Swift Foods, Inc.

As one of the major anchors in crop production, Bukidnon is moving forward towards establishing its position as a principal trader of rice, corn, sugar, potato, tomato and many other commercial and industrial crops.

Bukidnon’s fresh fruits and vegetables are either sold in domestic markets or exported to neighboring countries. Fresh pineapples, banana, sugarcane and cutflowers are among its exports.

History
Bukidnon became a part of Misamis in the latter part of 1850. The whole area was then called Malaybalay (few houses) and the people were known as Bukidnons (mountain people).

The Philippine Commission then headed by Commissioner Dean C. Worcester, Secretary of Interior and a member of the Philippine Commission proposed the separation of Bukidnon from Misamis Province.

On August 20, 1907, the Philippine Commission Act No. 1693 was enacted the Province of Agusan and sub- province of Bukidnon.

Bukidnon became a regular province on March 10, 1917 by virtue of the creation of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu under Act 2711.


Tourist Attractions

Natural
PAIYAK CAVE
Location: Palaopao Mountains of Sumilao, Bukidnon
This well preserved cliffside cave had created centuries old formatons as gleaned from undistributed stalactites and stalagmites.

NAPALIT CAVE
Location: 36 hectares lake, Pigtauranan, Pngantucan
It is at the foot of the Kalungtungan mountains. It stands out becuase of its twenty four (24) floating islets of varying size, the biggest of which in 50 -feet wide. These islets float around the lake parallel to the direction of the wind.


Man-Made
BUKIDNON SUGAR CENTRAL
Location: Quezon, Bukidnon
The Bukidnon Sugar Company (BUSCO) is the only sugar central in Northern Mindanao. This 40 million sugar mill has a processing capacity of4,000 to 6,000 tonsof cane daily.


DEL MONTE PHILIPPINES, INC.
Location: Manolo Fortrich, Libona, Impasugong and Sumilao.
Considered the biggest pineapple plantation in the Far East. It also has a famous world class 18 hole golf course located in Cawayanon, San Miguel.