Polomolok, officially the Municipality of Polomolok, is a municipality in the province of South Cotabato, Philippines. In the 2024 census, it has a population of 176,671 people making it both the most populated municipality in Mindanao and the most populated municipality outside Luzon.
It is located between General Santos and Tupi. Polomolok is seated about south-east of the provincial capital city of Koronadal, north of the port city of General Santos and south-east of the national capital Manila. As of 2019, it is the second wealthiest Municipality in Mindanao with PHP 1.77 Billion worth of assets and in 2021, Polomolok is the 2nd Most Competitive Municipality in Mindanao (9th Nationwide). Polomolok also serves as the chief town in the 1st District of South Cotabato.
On March 2, 2020, former South Cotabato First District Representative Shirlyn Bañas-Nograles filed House Bill No. 6432 for the conversion of the Municipality of Polomolok into a component city of South Cotabato.
History The name Polomolok is derived from the Blaan term flomlok, meaning "hunting ground." In its early years, the area where the present-day Poblacion stands was known for its abundance of wild life. With no established roads, lowland settlers relied on the Blaan highlanders as guides. In addition to its rich hunting grounds, Polomolok was characterized by numerous creeks with clear, free-flowing water from the surrounding hills, which attracted settlers. Among the early inhabitants was a Japanese trader, Zenjiro Takahashi, and his Blaan wife. He began clearing the land and cultivating agricultural crops. Over time, Christian settlers also arrived, further developing the area.
In 1940, the Philippines Commonwealth government embarked on a very bold program of social amelioration. One of the projects was the distribution of lands to interested people who wanted to settle in Mindanao. Settlers were brought by boat to Dadiangas (General Santos) from Luzon and Visayas. On November 2, 1940, Polomolok was officially opened for settlement and known as Polomok Settlement District. Atty. Ernesto Jimenez was appointed as its first overseer. He was responsible for the allocation of farm lots. Then came the creation of some barrios of the settlers. These were Palkan, Lemblisong, Polo, Polomolok Central (now Poblacion), Polomolok Creek (now Magsaysay), Sulit, Lamcaliaf, Kinilis, Glamang, Bentung, Koronadal Proper, Leve, and Silway. The first settlers, after a crop or two, started to invite their friends and relatives to settle in this place, because the soil was so fertile that any crop can survive due to favorable climate conditions.
The settlement program was disrupted for four years during the Second World War. During this period, Don Francisco Natividad was appointed Military Mayor, with Datu Badung Nilong serving as Vice Mayor and Sgt. Nuevarez as Chief of Police. In 1948, Perfecto Balili was designated as NLSA Administrator, with Rosendo Sarte acting as Officer-in-Charge. In 1954, the National Land Settlement Administration (NLSA) was abolished as part of a government reorganization, and its records were transferred to the Board of Liquidators. Meanwhile, the Municipality of General Santos (formerly Buayan) was formally incorporated.
On August 21, 1957, the Municipality of Polomolok was created by virtue of a Presidential Executive Order No. 264 signed by President Carlos P. Garcia. It started functioning as a regular and independent municipality on September 10, 1957, as a 6th class municipality. The local officials were appointed by the President. Its first appointed Mayor was Datu Badong Nilong.
From 1957 to 1963, the progress of this town was still very slow. Fields have always been green, harvest bountiful but farm products had low market value and circulation of cash was rather slow. Then came a breakthrough, when the largest pineapple company, the Dole Philippines Inc., was planted and inaugurated on December 7, 1963.
Geography Located at the southern part of South Cotabato, Polomolok is nestled at the base of the prominent Mount Matutum. It is cone-shaped volcano and looms over the provinces at high, a unique challenge to mountaineers. It is perhaps the provinces most imposing landmark.
Natural hot and cold spring abound at its foot. Natural springs are abundant within this area and provide free flowing water. Two of these springs have developed into natural resorts.
Barangays Polomolok is politically subdivided into 23 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.
Barangay Poblacion is also known as Polomolok itself. There are 5 urban barangays and 18 rural barangays.
Barangay/s Population(2024) Classification Poblacion (Polomolok) 51,082 Urban Cannery Site 23,658 Urban Magsaysay 14,223 Urban Bentung 1,579 Rural Crossing Palkan 2,698 Rural Glamang 10,174 Urban Kinilis 2,106 Rural Klinan 6 4,318 Rural Koronadal Proper 4,138 Rural Lam Caliaf 1,779 Rural Landan 6,645 Rural Lapu 2,237 Rural Lumakil 4,165 Rural Maligo 3,952 Rural Pagalungan 3,419 Rural Palkan 3,942 Rural Polo 2,875 Rural Rubber 4,047 Rural Silway 7 3,120 Rural Silway 8 13,569 Urban Sulit 6,173 Rural Sumbakil 1,446 Rural Upper Klinan 5,326 Rural
Climate
Polomolok features a tropical rainforest climate (Af), according to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification, with significant rainfall year-round and constantly hot temperatures. Since this tropical rainforest climate is more subject to the Intertropical Convergence Zone than the trade winds and experiences very few cyclones, it is subequatorial. The city experiences considerable rainfall during the year, even during the driest month. The average annual temperature is 25.7 °C in Polomolok. In a year, the average rainfall is 1410 mm. March is the driest month, and June is the wettest month in the city.
Demographics
Polomolok has a population of 176,671 people as per census data of 2024,[ Philippine Statistics Authority 2020 Census: Population and Annual Growth Rates for The Philippines and Its Regions, Provinces, and Highly Urbanized Cities] thus making it the most populated town (next to Koronadal City) in the province.
Based on its latest population, it is the most populous municipality in Mindanao, the largest municipality in the Soccsksargen Region and 12th most populous municipalityList of Philippine cities and municipalities by population in the Philippines. Cebuano is widely spoken and is the native language of majority of the municipality's inhabitants. Tagalog is also widely spoken and understood in the municipality. There is also a minority Kapampangan-speakers who are also residents in the municipality. Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Maguindanaon, Maranao, T'boli, Blaan, Teduray and Pangasinan are also spoken to varying degrees by respective ethnolinguistic communities within the municipality.
Economy
The Municipality of Polomolok implemented a Revenue Generation Program to increase local revenues through the collection of real property taxes and other fees and charges, update the Municipal Tax Ordinance, conduct business tax mapping, and automate systems. The municipality ranks second among municipalities and cities in Mindanao with a low poverty incidence.
Income classification As of 2019, Polomolok has a total assets of PhP 1,773,573,000 and a total revenue of PhP 577,267,000 as certified by the Commission on Audit. It is a 1st class municipality.
Polomolok is considered as the wealthiest and richest municipality in South Cotabato and the second richest municipality in Mindanao. Also, the town is the 2nd Most Competitive Municipality in Mindanao for the year 2020.
Agriculture
Agriculture in the area consists of the growing pineapple products and processing, livestock resources (cattle, swine production, meat packaging), asparagus and cut flowers, cotton ginnery, corn, vegetable and fruits.
Dole Philippines Incorporated is the largest industrial firm involved in growing, processing and exporting of fresh and canned pineapple. As of 2004, the area planted to pineapple is 15,507.872 hectares with an average production volume of 31.94 metric tons per hectare. This industry, which is situated at Barangay Cannery Site, generates about 6,000 jobs at present. It is considered as the biggest taxpayer in the municipality.
Corn is the second most grown crop in the municipality. Data from the Agriculture Office revealed that for the year 2003 there are 3,931 hectares or 13.46% of the total cultivated land agricultural lands were devoted to corn. About 1,236 hectares of which are planted to traditional corn seeds at average production of 3.20 MT/hectare and 2,695 hectares are planted to hybrid corn at average production of 4.0 MT/ hectare. The major producers are Barangay Klinan 6, Glamang, Landan, Silway 8 and Upper Klinan. About 30% of populace adopt corn as their staple food.
Rice is also one of the major crops. 99% of the total population has rice as their staple food. Office of the Agriculturist reported that for the year 2006, 445 hectares were utilized for rice production, of which only 300 hectares are irrigated, 45 are lowland, and 100 are upland. Irrigated areas are planted 2.5 time a year while rainfed and upland are planted only once. "Gintoang Masaganang Ani Program" Program targets for the average production of rice at about 4.5 MT, for irrigated, 3 MT for lowland and 1.5 MT for upland. This target was met by the farmers this year because of rice diseases and pest infestation.
The record of the Department of Agriculture shows that as of 2006, the total area planted with asparagus is 1,435.52 hectares. Plantations of this crop are in Barangay Sulit, Sumbakil, Crossing Palkan, Bentung, Lapu, Pagalungan, Lumakil, Rubber and Magsaysay. Farmer growers have access to the export market due to contract agreement with Marsman-Drysdale Agri-Ventures and Tropifresh. The surplus are sold in the local market and diversifically used as supplements for cattle fattening.
Vegetables grow well in Barangay Palkan, Kinilis, Maligo, Sumbakil and Koronadal Proper where the climate is cool and the soil is fertile. However, the farmers cannot really produce in large volume due to financial constraints and unstable prevailing market prices of vegetables.
Livestock and poultry production has increased tremendously in the past years. This is partly due to the municipality's climate and terrain which is ideal for livestock and poultry production. The land area devoted for agri-livestock production is 80 hectares or 0.27 percent of the total agricultural land.
For the year 2006, the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist reported that there are 322,628 heads of livestocks and poultry raised in the municipality. Poultry has the most number of heads at 271,420 where 3,639 are layers, 17,852 are backyard, and 249,929 are commercial under contract growers scheme with different Agri-business firms such as RFM, Vitarich, and Swift followed by swine with 23,719 heads which 10,970 are backyard and a total of 15,113 are raised commercially, and cattle with 24,491 heads where 2,065 are backyard and a total of 22,426 heads fattened in the cattle farms of Montery and DEALCO.
Supply of livestock in the municipality is insufficient due to shipment of livestock which are raised commercially to other parts of the country leaving the backyard raisers to support the local market. The municipality still depend on supplies coming from other areas in the province.