My Cotabato City

Last Christmas, my family and I went to our home place, Cotabato City, to spend time with our relatives in Maguindanao. My wife also attended the 25th Alumni Homecoming of her alma mater in high school.

Although I am based in Davao City and spend most of my time in Manila for my work in the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, Cotabato City is still a home for me. Many of my childhood memories are in this city. Both my sons were born and raised in Davao City and have few good memories of our hometown but my wife and I always tell them that their roots are in Cotabato City and Maguindanao. We always make sure they bond with their cousins, uncles, and grandparents. I always tell them that the name of the city is derived from two words: “kuta,” which means fort, and “wato/bato” meaning rock.

Cotabato City is geographically within the province of Maguindanao. But because of the creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in 1989 and later the plebiscite in 2001, the city got excluded from ARMM and became part of Region 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN).

In 1920, a Cotabato “Empire” District/Province once existed. The city was the capital of the Cotabato Empire. Several towns were carved off from the then Cotabato town since 1913.

On July 1, 1950, Cotabato became a first class municipality. Nine years later, or on July 10,1959, it became a city. On June 20, 1959 it officially became a chartered city by virtue of Republic Act No. 2364.

There are three major landmarks of the city. The first is Tantawan Hill, also known as the Pedro Colina (PC) Hill. This hill is made up of huge limestones and has a deep caves and a creek. My grandmother from the paternal side told me that the cave is linked with those in Taviran, Datu Odin Sinsuat. Taviran is around 20 kilometers away from the city.

The second landmark is the Sinsuat Ave. It is the main road that connects the two municipalities of Sultan Kudarat and Datu Odin Sinsuat. As we drove along Sinsuat Ave., I told my two sons that the road was named after their great great grandfather, Sen. Datu Sinsuat Balabaran. Datu Sinsuat was one of the greatest leaders of Cotabato. He paved the way to peace and development in Central Mindanao.

The third landmark is Timaco Hill. This hill is described as a “capsized ship.” It faces Illana Bay. My grandmother also told me wild monkeys lived in this area. Many folklores and myths within the Iranun communities are connected with Timaco Hill.

Even before the Martial Law era in 1970s, the city has been the home of big political families of Maguindanao. It continues to play as a “peace zone” for the different warring clans and families. But there were unfortunate occasions when families/clans didn’t recognize the city as a “peace zone” and settled their rido (feud) violently within the streets of Cotabato.

There are, indeed, many good memories that my wife and I have in Cotabato City. We may have traveled to different countries and cities around the world, but we still consider Cotabato City as our home. Inshaallah (God willing), Cotabato will soon rise again as one of the most advanced, economically developed, and culturally grounded city in Mindanao.--

from SunStar Davao