Cotabato City

Cotabato
City
Official seal of Cotabato Seal
Map of Maguindanao showing the location of Cotabato City.
Country	Philippines
Region	SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII)
Province	—
District	Lone District of Maguindanao
Cityhood	June 20, 1959
Barangays	37
Government
• Mayor	Japal "JoJo" Guiani
• Vice-Mayor	Datu Muslimin G. Sema
Area
• Total	176.00 km2 (67.95 sq mi)
Population  (2007)
• Total	259,153
• Density	1,500/km2 (3,800/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PHT)
Income class	2nd class city
Website	Official website

Cotabato City is one of the cities of the Philippines located in Mindanao. Cotabato City is an exclave of the SOCCSKSARGEN region found within the boundaries of Maguindanao province, but is independent of that province. Cotabato City is distinct from and should not be confused with the province of Cotabato.

Cotabato City is the regional center of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao but the city is actually part of the SOCCSKSARGEN region and does not belong to the ARMM.

Cotabato's population was about 259,153 in 2007 census.

Cotabato is approximately 698.9 nautical miles (1294 km) from Manila, the country's capital, and is bounded by the municipalities of Sultan Kudarat to the north—with Rio Grande de Mindanao separating the two—Kabuntalan to the east, and Datu Odin Sinsuat to the south. The city faces Illana Bay, part of the Moro Gulf, to the west. Cotabato City has a total land area of 176.0 square kilometers.

Barangays

Cotabato City is politically subdivided into 37 barangays.

Bagua Kalanganan Poblacion Rosary Heights Bagua I Bagua II Bagua III Kalanganan I Kalanganan II Poblacion I Poblacion II Poblacion III

Poblacion IV Poblacion V Poblacion VI Poblacion VII Poblacion VIII Poblacion IX Rosary Heights I Rosary Heights II Rosary Heights III Rosary Heights IV Rosary Heights V Rosary Heights VI Rosary Heights VII

Rosary Heights VIII Rosary Heights IX Rosary Heights X Rosary Heights XI Rosary Heights XII Rosary Heights XIII Tamontaka I Tamontaka II Tamontaka III Tamontaka IV Tamontaka V Tamontaka VI

Tourist attractions

• Rio Grande de Mindanao. The second largest river in the Philippines and the longest in Mindanao crisscrossing, with its tributary, the city's vast area. Estimated to be 182 kilometers long and 96 meters wide. Water sports and boat racing are the popular attractions of the river, usually held to coincide with the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival and the Feast of Hariraya Puasa.
• Tamontaka Church - Built in 1872 of Spanish architecture and design. It is the oldest church in the city , a relic of the living past.
• Lourdes Grotto - A replica of Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto in France. The compound is equipped with a retreat house for recollection and seminars, a mini zoo and a children's park.
• Kutang Bato Caves - The only cave in the country that is right in the heart of the city. Its various entrances, all within traffic a rarity that can only be had in the "Heart of Mindanao". These caves were also the source of the city's present name for "Kuta" means "Fort" and "Bato" means "Stone" hence the name "Fort of Stone" which later on became Cotabato.
• Old Cotabato City Hall - A century old structure which houses almost all of the city government offices. It showcases the architectural design of the Maguindanaon Art.
• Takumi Butai Memorial Shrine - A monument in honor of Takumi Butai and the Japanese soldiers who died here during the Second World War. Takumi was the Provincial Commander of the Japanese forces assigned in Cotabato City. Before he died, he requested that some of his ashes be buried in Cotabato City. This shrine was put up by the Lion's Club of Kyoto, Japan in cooperation with the City Government of Cotabato.

External links

• Cotabato City Website
• Sangguniang Panlungsod Cotabato City Website
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Cotabato City
• The Mindanao Examiner Newspaper