Midsayap


', officially the ', is a of the Philippines| in the province of,. According to the, it has a population of people.

Barangays

It is politically subdivided into 57 barangays.
;Note:

Climate

The province is situated between 5 and 8 degrees latitude thus Midsayap and all areas within its jurisdiction is less affected by typhoon. The municipality falls under the fourth type of climate which is characterized by more or less even distribution of rainfall throughout the year.

Geography

Midsayap is geographically located at the Southwestern portion of North Cotabato Province. It is bounded on the north by the Municipality of Libungan; on the south by the Rio Grande de Mindanao; on the east by the municipalities of Aleosan and Pikit; and on the west by the Municipality of Kabuntalan.
Midsayap is approximately away from Cotabato City and some from Davao City, two of the major urban centers in Mindanao. It is about away from Kidapawan City, the seat of the Provincial Government.
Midsayap has a total land area of 29,042 hectares comprising 57 barangays which is 5.03% of the total land area of Cotabato province. Some of the barangays are along the big bodies of water, thus making it accessible by water transportation. However, due to the construction of a concrete bridge at Dulawan towards the province of Sultan Kudarat and some municipalities of Maguindanao Province, land transportation is now feasible. The town is traversed by the Davao-Cotabato and the Midsayap-Makar national highways.

Land capability

The highest portion of municipal land area – – is classified as good land. These are the land centrally located in the municipality. These lands are nearly level lands and can be cultivate safely. However, protection from occasional overflow is required. The 10,651.2869 hectares which are Hydrosol type are wetlands and are suitable for fishpond or recreation purposes. Most of these lands are along the Rio Grande de Mindanao. The Center type of land are moderately good land, moderately sloping so that cultivation requires carefully planned erosion control measures. These lands are on the Northeastern barangays and a portion of Nabalawag and Kadingilan with an area of 8,010.0 hectares.

Soil type

There are four types of soil in this municipality. These are: Kabacan Clay, Kudarangan Clay, San Manuel Silty Clay Loam and Hydrosol. Kabacan Clay Loam is about 12,397.500 hectares or 37.52% of the municipal land area.
These are the soils at the central portion or at the heart of the municipality. Kudarangan Clay Loam is found in slightly rolling to hilly terrain or at the north-eastern barangays. This soil type occupies the 24.24 percent of the municipal area or 8,010.00 hectares. San Manuel Silty Clay Loam is located at barangays Upper Labas, Nalin and portions of barangay Villarica. This occupies an area of 1,980 hectares. Hydrosol type has an area of 10,651.2869 hectares or 33.24 percent of the municipal area.

Slope

Of the total land area of the municipality, 73.79 percent or 24,376.2869 hectares has a slope of 0–3 percent. These areas are located at the western and southern part of the municipality. These are mostly the irrigable rice lands.
The Northeastern barangays, a portion of Central Bulanan are hilly with slopes with 3-8% with a total area of 6,525.0 hectares. Highest slopes of 8–18% percent are situated at the boundary of barangays Nabalawag and Kadingilan and a portion of Central Bulanan. This has a total land area of 2,137.5 hectares.

Topography

Midsayap is characterized as plain to hilly terrain. Gently rolling to hilly areas are located on the Northeastern portion specifically at barangays - Kiwanan, Kimagango, Anonang, Malamote, Upper Bulanan and Milaya. A portion of Kadingilan and Nabalawag has a hilly portion at their boundaries. All barangays on the western portion which is cut by the National Highway from Poblacion to Dulawan is plain and is presently planted with irrigated rice and other crops. The southern most barangays are marshy being located along the Rio Grande de Mindanao.

History

Midsayap was derived from a native term which means Center and Hat. Midsayap means a hat at the center – just like a hill centrally located at the Municipality which slopes through the plains in a shape of a hat. Other version relates that Midsayap came from a Muslim term which means “person wearing a hat”. From 1912 to 1926, Midsayap was then a district of Dulawan and Pikit. Originally, Midsayap was inhabited by Muslims from the descendants of Sultan Ali Bayao from the lineage of Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat I. The seat of their sultanate was established at Libungan Torreta.
In 1927, a Philippine Constabulary Commander assigned in the area, Ist Lt. Catalino Javier, initiated the development of some portions of the municipality. Seeing the natural bounty of the area, he invited settlers from Luzon and Visayas to migrate in the area. The first wave of settlers who dared develop the wilderness was the late Antonio Labasan from Zambales. Among his companions were 23 interrelated families, the Rosete, Almazan, Dumlaos, Flautas, Fernandezes, QuiÑones,Fermils, Fantones and Documos who settled at Sitio Salunayan and Bual. Visayan settlers from Pikit also came to settle at Bual - the place of Datu Guiambangan Dilangalen. The Visayan migrants were headed by Gregorio Bingil, Julio Anito and Tomas Cantoy.
The idea of making Midsayap as a separate political district from the mother municipalities of Dulawan and Pikit was envisioned in 1930 by a group of Christian PC enlisted men who were assigned at Camp Ward. Their efforts, through the support of the deputy governor and military governor was realized in 1936.
Pursuant to Executive Order No. 66 dated November 25, 1936, Midsayap was created as a separate municipality. On January 1, 1937, it was inaugurated with Lorenzo Gonzales as its first appointed municipal mayor. In 1939, Juan Jaranilla became the first elected mayor of the municipality and served in that position until 1941.
Midsayap started with 71 barangays. Later, it was trimmed down to 42 when Libungan was separated from Midsayap in 1936. At present, Midsayap has 57 barangays. Population settlements were concentrated on the barangays of Sinawingan, Salunayan, Bual, Kapayawi, Barongis, Kimagango, Kiwanan, Katingawan, Ulamian, Baguer, Kapinpilan, Olandang, San Mateo, and Baliki. The following years showed the growth of the newly formed town. Gradually, new towns has been created. These are Pigcawayan, Libungan, Alamada, and lastly in 1982, Aleosan.
Midsayap is the largest municipality in the province of North Cotabato. This fast-growing town is one of the oldest settlements of migrants from Luzon and the Visayas, thereby giving its reputation as the highly heterogeneous society in this once Muslim-dominated place of Mindanaon.

Demographics

In the, the population of Midsayap, Cotabato, was people, with a density of.
The 2010 Census of Population and Housing of the Philippine Statistics Authority recorded the population of Midsayap at 134,170. It is the most populous among the municipalities of the province.
Growing at the pace of 1.92 percent for the past five years, the town is expected to double its population within 36 years.
Midsayap is populated mainly by Maguindanaos and as well as multi-cultural mix of peoples from the influx of migrants from Luzon and the Visayas, drawn to Mindanao's reputation as a promising haven for settlers.

Languages

is the widely spoken language. It is also common for people speaking different languages such as Iranun, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Manobo, Waray, among others.

Economy

Characterized to have a clay type of soil that is best suited for agricultural use, most of the town's land area are devoted to agricultural production. The lowland areas were planted with rice and other seasonal crops while the upland areas were planted with permanent crops. Agricultural products of the town include rice, corn, mango, coffee, coconut, banana, vegetables and root crops.
Aside from the thriving agriculture industry, Midsayap also boasts of its other industries such as cut flowers and ornamental plants, livestock and poultry, furnitures and decorative crafts and telecommunications. It is also a potential area for putting up other industries such as fruit and meat processing as well as oil palm plantation and processing.
Strategically located, Midsayap serves as a major commercial and trading center of the province where farmers from neighboring municipalities bring their agricultural products to be sold/traded.Recently, Midsayap evolved into an industrial place in the first district of North Cotabato especially in PPALMA area and vying to be the 2nd-tier City in the province. The prolific growth of business establishments made the town as a unique Municipality since a lot of city-based companies has already entered the town. The town is also adjudged as the 5th most competitive Municipality in the Philippines and Rank 1 in entire Mindanao in the year 2016.

Tourism

Annually, the townsfolk of Midsayap prepares for its colorful street dancing and parade competition popularly known as the "Halad sa Santo Niño Festival" as part of its grand fiesta celebration, which is held every third Sunday of January. The Halad Festival is celebrated in honor of the town's patron saint Señor Santo Niño.
Groups from various towns in Cotabato Province as well as neighboring towns of the Maguindanao Province troop annually to Midsayap to participate in the much celebrated contest, which is recognized by the Department of Tourism as a major festival.
This widely popular event started in 1988 through the efforts of REACT Philippines Midsayap Chapter in coordination with the Santo Niño Parish Pastoral Council and was so successful that it became a yearly event until today.
The festival first gained national recognition when the 1997 Halad champions, Eramis Clan, flew to Manila to compete in the National Finals and bested champions of other major festivals such as the Sinulog Festival of Cebu and the Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo.
The Halad festival re-established its status as a major festival when the 2003 Halad champions, the Dado Alamada National High School, represented Region XII in the national street dancing competition and won the P1 million grand prize in the held in May 2003 in Manila. Inspired by their back-to-back wins, the group participated again in the Pamaskong Aliwan Festival in December of that same year and also won the grand prize. Both festivals were part of the Visit Philippines 2003 program of the Department of Tourism.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Midsayap is served by almost 2,000 tricycles, either traversing through the main highways or within barangays, which are known locally as "tri-sikad".
Transportation to its barangays and adjacent municipalities are also served by Multicabs, Jeepneys, Dagit-Dagit and L300 Vans.
The public bus transport system, maintained by the Mindanao Star Bus Company, serves the Davao City—Cotabato City Route which passes through the cities of Kidapawan and Digos.
Public Utility Vans also serve routes to and from the cities of Davao City, Cotabato, Cagayan de Oro, Tacurong-Isulan, Koronadal and General Santos.

Agencies based in Midsayap

The following are the list of the National Agencies Regional Branch Office on this municipality:
Midsayap is also very accessible to health facilities thereby a reliable place to go. Medical and diagnostic facilities in the town are:
It is home to two major college campuses, namely Notre Dame of Midsayap College, the first school in Asia of the Notre Dame educational system, and Southern Christian College of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines as well as a host of privately owned tertiary schools offering business, technical, and allied health courses.
It also has an extensive public and private school system where basic education is delivered in almost all of its barangays.
Furthermore, Midsayap operates day-care centers in all of its 57 barangays for pre-schoolers to begin their early child education.

Tertiary

;Public
** Schools with Senior High School Curriculum
;Private
** Schools with Senior High School Curriculum

Elementary

;Public
Midsayap Central:
Midsayap North:
Midsayap South:
Midsayap South-West:
Midsayap West:
;Private