Region 12

REGION 12
Soccsksargen formerly known as Central Mindanao, is an administrative

region of the Philippines, designated as Region XII. Located in south-
central Mindanao, its name is an acronym that stands for the region's
four provinces and one highly urbanized city (South
Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos).
The regional center is in Koronadal, located in the province of South
Cotabato, and the center of commerce and industry is General Santos,
which is the most populous city in the region.
South Cotabato, together with Bukidnon province,

is the major producer of fresh and canned
pineapples which are sold not only locally but also
internationally. Other fruits produce in the
province are banana and papaya. General Santos
City has been the traditional landing center for
tuna caught in the high seas. The city is home to
several tuna canneries.
South Cotabato Provincial Capitol (Photo Credit: Facebook Page)
LAKE
HOLON
AND
THE
ALLAH
VALLEY
Located in
T’boli, South Cotabato, Mt. Melibingoy towers over the town with its highest peak at 1,750 meters. A dormant stratovolcano, it
harbors a crater named Lake Holon, which was formed after an eruption on January 4, 1641. The mountain and the lake are also
known as Mt. Parker and Lake Maughan, in honor of American surveyors whose plane crashed at the site. It has also nurtured wild,
endemic flora and fauna.Lake Holon feeds Allah River that flows across South Cotabato all the way to Maguindanao. It is a main
source of food and livelihood in the Allay Valley, an area shared by South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.
Allah Valley has been battling floods since the 1990s. To create a solution, a group called Allah Valley Landscape Development
Alliance (AVLDA) was formed. They discovered that one of the problems was the environmental degradation in the highlands since
many locals are forced to cut down and burn trees to earn a living. Funded by LGSP-LED, a collaborative program between the
Philippines and Canada, they are formulating an eco-tourism program as a more sustainable alternative source of income for the
people. AVLDA and LGSP-LED invited bloggers, myself included, to try their proposed tourism circuits to help them better the
program with our feedback and spread the word about South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.
Venado Lake at Mt Apo National Park; photo courtesy of Department of Tourism – Region 12
To promote inter-regional travel and tap into the growing middle class of the two cities whose ancestors had
migrated to Mindanao, DOT-12 decided to launch the road show in Iloilo, before proceeding to
Bacolod to harness Negros Occidental’s booming market.
Mt Matutum and pineapple farms in Tupi; photo courtesy of
Department of Tourism – Region 12
The event in Iloilo last March 21-23, 2014 was a

selling mission and a travel exhibit for the tourism
stakeholders of South Central Mindanao. It was
also an opportunity for businesses to match with
their counterparts in Western Visayas.
The exhibit features the inaul of Cotabato City, the tinalak of Lake Sebu’s T’boli tribe, the tasty
tuna and processed food from the “tuna capital” of General Santos City, and the tropical fruits
from Cotabato and South Cotabato provinces.
view of Sarangani Bay at Queen Tuna Park, General Santos City Sarangani Bay is one of the protected seascapes in
the Philippines photo taken at Queen Tuna Park, General Santos City, Philippines.
There is something so special about the province of

South Cotabato – a wide range of rainforests, freshest
tilapia from its lake, unique culture and traditions, and
breathtaking, hidden waterfalls scattered in the wild.
Situated in Lake Sebu; a well-known town in South

Cotabato boasts the natural wonders of the seven
waterfalls that can only be seen in the province itself.
Namely as Hikong Alo (Passage), Hikong Bente
(Immeasurable), Hikong B’lebel (Zigzag or Coil), Hikong
Lowig (Booth), Hikong Ukol (Wildflower), Hikong K-fo-i (Short), and Hikong Tonok (Soil).

Region 12

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Region 12

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REGION 12

Soccsksargen formerly known as Central Mindanao, is an administrative

South Cotabato, together with Bukidnon province,

The event in Iloilo last March 21-23, 2014 was a

There is something so special about the province of

Situated in Lake Sebu; a well-known town in South

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