Off the beaten track, Sultan Kudarat (perhaps with few exceptions like Tacurong City) is
probably one of those places in Mindanao most people would rather skip in their
itinerary for “security” reasons. I’ve been wanting to explore it myself a long
time ago as I happen to have a few relatives in the provincial capital, Isulan.
But the “fear” of entering a land “just a stone’s throw away” from a dreaded
conflict zone kept hindering me from pushing through with my plan.  |
Isulan is the seat of
the provincial government
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Sultan Kudarat (or the SK in the acronym
of SOCCSKSARGEN Region) happens to be near one of the most notorious war zones
in the country that hugged the headlines not too long ago—remember the
bloodbath that took place in the infamous town of Mamasapano in Maguindanao?
From what I’ve gathered, SK was named
after a fierce leader who ruled a huge part of Mindanao in the 1600s. Sultan
Kudarat a.k.a. Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat (sometimes spelled as Qudarat or
Corralat) headed the Sultanate of Maguindanao who successfully opposed the
Spanish colonizers who attempted to conquer his land and hindered the
Christianization of the island.
Kudarat (1581–1671) was a direct descendant of Shariff Kabungsuwan, a Malay-Arab missionary who brought Islam to the Philippines between the 13th and 14th century. It was many centuries later, during the reign of former President Ferdinand Marcos, that the sultan was declared a national hero. Eventually, the late dictator issued a proclamation that created the province, naming it after the revered Muslim leader.
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| Panoramic view of Sultan Kudarat's imposing capitol building |
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| Tacurong City, the provincial capital |
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| Downtown Tacurong |
As fate would have it, I suddenly found
myself journeying to SK, not just once but twice this year! On both occasions,
I was subdued all the time I was there—so subdued to the point of being
sub-rosa! Being a newcomer, I always try to maintain a low profile whenever I
tread certain places perceived (sometimes, wrongly!) to be “hotspots of
conflict”, particularly those in Central Mindanao like Sultan Kudarat.  |
| Tacurong City's popular Rotonda |
During my first trip there, I passed
through what most travelers would consider the road less travelled—a portion of
Maguindanao, particularly the towns of Datu Paglas and Buluan. To my pleasant
surprise, however, the sojourn to SK turned out to be a pleasant one. And for
the record, SK, as I’ve experience it, is one of the more peaceful provinces in
the island.
For my second trip to SK, however, I
opted to take the other route, the longer but “safer” road, they say, driving
along the smooth stretches that connect General Santos (GenSan) City, the towns
of South Cotabato (Polomolok, Tupi and Tantangan) as well as its capital,
Koronadal City to Sultan Kudarat. For the first sojourn, I stayed in Tacurong
City. Meanwhile, GenSan was my home away from home during my second visit. 
Short
as they were, the sojourns to Sultan Kudarat gave me the chance to explore a
few of its interesting sites. In Tacurong, I was able to visit the secluded
Baras Bird Sanctuary where thousands of birds are said to hibernate during
their mating season (sometime in May). Unfortunately, I only managed to see
some of the fowls when I came. But they were so elusive I couldn’t take snaps
at them even from a distance.  |
| The sanctuary's iconic sculpture |
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| The road to Baras |
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Isulan, on the other hand, offers
visitors a glimpse of the grandeur of Arabic-inspired architecture through the
Sultan Kudarat Provincial Capitol. The imposing five-storey structure, with its
magnificent dome (that used to be painted in gold), is said to be one of the
most attractive government buildings not only in the country but in Asia, too.
I took a tour around the building and saw for myself how grand it is.
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| One of the huge edifices inside the massive government complex |
Aside from the Muslim leader, there’s
another popular local figure that caught my attention—Don Juan Garcia—whose
bust adorns the main lobby of the capitol. Garcia, who was instrumental for the
progress of Isulan, is also known as the prime mover of the development of the
palm oil industry not only in Sultan Kudarat but the whole of South Central
Mindanao Region.  |
A palm plantation on the way to the bird sanctuary
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From what I’ve heard, there are a number of waterfalls and caves found in some of the inland municipalities towns like Bagumbayan (the largest town), Columbio and Senator Ninoy Aquino. The coastal towns like Kalamansig and Palimbang also offer pristine white-sand beaches for beach bums. A hot and cold spring in Esperanza and a hot sulfur spring in Isulan are also waiting to be explored. Unfortunately, I didn’t dare tread into those interesting sites. Perhaps at some future time when I’ve already found a trusted guide who can lead me to them.
