Lanao del Sur, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,
Philippines
Biographical Information
PROVINCIAL PROFILE OF LANAO DEL SUR
FAST FACTS
Capital : Marawi City
Area : 3,850 sq km
Population : 507,596
Cities : Marawi City
No. of Towns : 37
Click here to see the List of Towns
LOCATION
Lanao del Sur is in northern Mindanao. It is bounded on the north
by Lanao
del Norte, on the east by Bukidnon, on the west by Illana Bay,
and on the
south by Maguindanao and Cotabato.
THE LAND
Lanao del Sur forms the western portion of the extensive plateau
of Northern
Mindanao. Adjoining Illana Bay on the southwest are a narrow
coastal plain
and rolling hills that give way to mountain ranges along the
boundary with
Cotabato and lowlands going east tot he boundary with Bukidnon.
Lake
Lanao, around which most of the province's towns are located, is
the second
largest lake in the country. It covers 357 sq km and is 700 m
above sea level.
Agus River is the lake's outlet that flows for 30 km into Iligan
Bay.
The province has a cool and pleasant climate because of its
elevation.
Summertime, as it is known elsewhere in the country, is not quite
distinct
here. Rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year. The
province is also
off the typhoon belt.
A BRIEF HISTORY
Lanao comes from the word ranao, meaning "lake." Lanao
centers around the
basin of Lake Lanao; thus, it is the land of the Matanaos, the
"people of the
lake." When the Spaniards first explored Lanao in 1689, they
found a
well-settled community named Dansalan at the lake's northern end.
Dansalan
became a municipality in 1907 and a city in 1940, although it was
inaugurated
as such only in 1950. In 1956, Republic Act NO. 1352 changed the
name
Dansalan to Marawi, from the word rawi, referring to the
reclining lilies in the
Agus River.
When Lanao was divided into two provinces under Republic Act No.
2228 in
1959, Marawi was made the capital of Lanao del Sur. In 1980, the
city was
renamed the Islamic City of Marawi. It is now the only chartered
city in the
country with a predominantly Muslim population. Through a
plebiscite held in
1989, Lanao del Sur voted "Yes" to join the Autonomous
Region for Muslim
Mindanao but Marawi voted "No." Under Executive Order
no. 429 dated
October 12, 1990, Marawi was placed under Region IX or the
Western
Mindanao Region.
THE PEOPLE
The prominently Muslim population belong to the Maranao who,
together
with the Maguindanao and the Tausug, are the three major Muslim
groups in
the Philippines. The Maranaos are among the most devout and most
traditional of the Muslim groups. They are sensitive to martabat,
the
controlling factor of their social actions. It is intricately
linked to family honor
and is manifested in the extravagant display of wealth and in
enacting violent
revenge. They are very conscious of their status; the province
boasts of
numerous sultans.
The Maranaos are also known for their artistry: from artifacts
and tools
adorned with okir (carvings) and nagas (serpent figures) to boats
and malongs
of brilliant colors. The Maranao dialect is commonly used; almost
all
Christians residing in Marawi can understand it.
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
The province's fertile soil supports a basically agricultural
economy, with rice
as the main crop. Other crops include the usual staples: corn,
coconut, abaca,
bananas, and some rarities like the durian fruit. The lake
contains several
species of fish for small-scale fishing. Extensive logging has
caused many
original forests to disappear. The most prominent cottage
industries are brass
making and malong -weaving.
