Libungan

Libungan was known by various names by its early settlers. The Manobo settlers of the area initially called the area as "Dasdas" which means road down by the river. "Libungan" is used to refer to the river located in the area by the Manobo which means cheater. During the earlier period of settling the place, the Libungan River changes its course which adversely affected the crops which led the settlers to believe that the river was "cheating" them. The area from then on was referred to as Libungan. "Tubak" is one of the earlier names used to refer to the place which means "eroding river".[5]

The Manobo are the earlier settlers of the place and was eventually settled by other ethnic groups mainly by Cebuanos from Cebu who found the place suitable for them because of its terrain. Many immigrants from Luzon and Visayas came to settle in Libungan in the early 1930s. During World War II, the area of Demapaco was used by guerrillas as hideouts and the Libungan River became a battleground. After the Liberation in 1945, more settlers came to Libungan who cleared the forest and used the area's fertile lands for agriculture.[5]

In 1955, when Libungan was still a part of Midsayap, many Libungan residents were elected to the Municipal Council of Midsayap. The Midsayap Municipal Council passed a resolution to the Provincial Government which in turn pass a similar resolution to the national government which seeks to create the Municipality of Libungan. Libungan was established as a separate municipality on August 7, 1961. Under Executive Order No. 414 dated January 27, 1961, Libungan was established as a regular municipality with 14 barangays. The number of barangays within Libungan increased to 32 in the following years but in 1969, Alamada, a new municipality was created from some of Libungan's barangays.[5]

After the creation of Alamada, the municipality maintained its 19 barangays, part of which are the former barangays of Midsayap, namely Libungan (Poblacion), Barongis, Cabaruyan, Batiocan, Sinawingan, Baguer, Montay and Demapaco. Other barangays that compose the municipality are Abaga, Cabpangi, Grebona, Gumaga, Kapayawi, Kiloyao, Malengen, Sinapangan, Kitubod, Nicaan and Palakat, which later became defunct. Under Resolution No. 35 dated December 14, 1978, Palao and Ulamian was established with the total number of barangays of Libungan becoming 20.[5]

Libungan was affected by two fires which had a socio-economic implications to the municipality which destroyed a commercial establishment and local government building. The former occurred on January 16, 1979, and the later occurred on February 17, 1989. After just a week after the fire at the municipal hall, the EDSA Revolution occurred which led to the installation of Corazon Aquino as president after the then president Ferdinand Marcos was deposed. Reorganization of political leadership was made and Libungan was affected.[5]

Libungan is located in the north-western part of the Province of Cotabato with Libungan River as the main boundary from the Municipalities of Alamada, Banisilan and Carmen.

In the 2020 census, the population of Libungan, Cotabato, was 56,269 people,[3] with a density of 330 inhabitants per square kilometre or 850 inhabitants per square mile.

The earlier settlers of Libungan are the Manobo, Maguindanaon and Iranun. It was later settled by people from Luzon and Visayas primarily by Cebuanos from Cebu.[5]

This municipality in the first congressional district of Cotabato is basically an Agricultural area. It has the basic requirements for agro-industries. It has many rice and corn mills, Buy/Sell, agri-supply supply and hardware stores. In the PALMA Alliance, Libungan has the biggest source of sand and gravel supply owing to the Libungan River bed. Libungan is also the home of the biggest poultry farm in the PALMA Alliance; it has also the Rock crusher and banana chips factory. It also has 2 filling stations, three pawnshops and a Rural Bank servicing mobility and financial requirements of local business.

The first mayor of Libungan was Esmeraldo Cedeño who was appointed and served from 1961 to 1964. In 1964, Pedro Singayao, Sr. a native from Malitubog who was an agriculturist and was a pensionado, who served as the first-elected mayor from 1964 to 1967. He was succeeded by Pacifico Dela Serna who served from 1967 to 1971 as mayor. Del Serna was among the early settlers from Cebu. He was then followed by his wife, Lucila T. Dela Serna who served as the third-elected mayor.[5]

Following the EDSA Revolution, newly installed President Corazon Aquino, appointed lawyer Nestor Q. Quintana as mayor of Libungan replacing Dela Serna. He was later replaced by Leliosa Agravante Villanueva and then later by Luden A. Laguting when Quintana ran for mayor in the 1988 election. He lost to Manuel T. dela Serna in the elections. Joel D. Humabad succeeded dela Serna when he was elected in 1992. Humabad was then succeeded by Ronaldo B. Pader after the former served for two terms. Pader served for three terms or nine years. In 2007, Manuel T. Dela Serna was elected mayor again. He is the current mayor and is on his third and last consecutive term.[5]

In the last five years from 2014, the development of tourism in the municipality was minimal. The municipal government has eyed developing the Sapangbato River at Barangay Grebona, the waterfall at Barangay Sinapangan and the Boy & Girl Scout Camp at Barangay Demapaco as tourism sports. The waterfall at Sinapangan is the sole existing waterfall in Libungan and the BGS Camp in Demapaco was dilapidated. Tourists visiting the municipality primarily comes from adjacent municipalities and Cotabato City.[19]

Numerous festivals are held within the municipality by the Manobo people in the barangays of Barongis, Demapaco, Grebona and Sinapangan. Fiestas honoring patrons are also held in the municipality.[19] Among these festivals are the Kaumahan Festival which features a parade and dancing contests revolving around the local endemic flora of the municipality and paraphernalia in food production. The Kaumahan festival is part of the Catholic Patronal Festival which is conducted every third Sunday of May. On December 28, annually the Samayaan Aroman Manobo Festival is celebrated where rituals by the Manobo such as Kanduli, Pamaya, Bulangan and Ulahingan are conducted.[20]

• http://www.libungan.gov.ph/
• Libungan Profile at the DTI Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index
• http://www.libungan-cotabatoprov.gov.ph/%5B%5D
• https://web.archive.org/web/20071214205616/http://www.libungan.com/
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code