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Province

South Cotabato

South Cotabato is a province in the SOCCSKSARGEN region of Mindanao, Philippines. Its population was 1,010,009 in the 2024 census, and it has 2 cities and 10 municipalities.

  • Population: 2024 Census
  • Places: PSGC 2Q 2026
  • Checked by Scene: October 8, 2026
  • Page updated: October 2, 2026
A calm lake dotted with bamboo fish pens and small wooded islets, ringed by green hills under white clouds.
Lake Sebu, with its fish pens.Photo: “The Placid Lake of Lake Sebu” by GinaD, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; resized by Scene. Scene's copy is shared under the same licence.

  • PeopleSources

    1,010,009

    people counted in the 2024 censusCensusA count of every person in the country, all on one day. The 2024 census counted people as they were on 1 July 2024.More in the glossary

    Up 22.1% from 2010 to 2024

  • Rank by peopleSources

    2nd

    of the 4 provinces of SOCCSKSARGEN by population, 2024Rank and shareWorked out by Scene from the PSA's counts: where a place stands among the places listed with it, and how many of every 100 of its parent's people live in it.More in the glossary

    About 23 of every 100 people in SOCCSKSARGEN lived in South Cotabato in 2024 (22.63%)

  • Inside itSources

    12

    cities and municipalities

    226 barangays

  • LandSources

    4,052.29 km²

    of land, 2019 masterlistLand areaThe land inside the place's official boundary. A square kilometre is a square 1 km on each side, about the size of 140 football fields.Explained by Scene: South Cotabato's land would fill a square about 63.7 km on each side. That is only a way to picture its size: its real shape is on the map.More in the glossary

    Average density, 2024: 249 people per km²Population densityHow crowded a place is on average: its people divided by its land area. 1,000 people per square kilometre is 10 people per hectare, a square of 100 by 100 metres.Explained by Scene: About 2 people per hectare if everyone were spread evenly across the land. In fact people live closer together in towns and farther apart in the countryside.More in the glossary

  • HomesSources

    277,245

    households in 2024HouseholdA person living alone, or people who sleep in the same home and share their meals. A family may be one household or several.More in the glossary

    3.6 people in each, on average, in 2024

  • Town or countrySources

    62.2%

    About 62 of every 100 people lived in urban barangays in 2024Urban barangayThe PSA counts a barangay as urban when it has 5,000 people or more, or a big employer, or several businesses and public services close by. Every barangay in Metro Manila is urban.More in the glossary

PSGC codePSGC codeThe code the Philippine Statistics Authority gives every place, so each one is known exactly, even when two share a name.More in the glossary
1206300000[4]Formerly 126300000

People

South Cotabato had 1,010,009 people in the 2024 census, up 22.1% from 2010.
People at each census since 1960

Counts from 2000 on are on today’s borders; earlier counts are as the place was then, so the line may step where a border moved.

South Cotabato had the 2nd most people of the 4 provinces of SOCCSKSARGEN in 2024[1]
  1. 1Cotabato1,286,142
  2. 2South Cotabato1,010,009
  3. 3Sultan Kudarat863,651
  4. 4Sarangani580,915
All 4 provinces of SOCCSKSARGEN
Of every 100 people in South Cotabato in 2024[1]

The PSA counts South Cotabato without General Santos City, which is a highly urbanized city and is counted on its own, as in every province.[1]

Age structure · 2024 Census[5]People living in households, by age and sex
  • About 28 of every 100 are children under 15 (27.9%)
  • About 66 of every 100 are of working age, 15 to 64 (66.2%)
  • About 6 of every 100 are 65 or older (5.9%)
MenWomen

The figures by age

People by age group, men and women
AgePeopleMenWomen
Under 580,01241,34138,671
5 - 994,88349,25645,627
10 - 14105,55154,69850,853
15 - 19102,62852,49850,130
20 - 2493,26347,61545,648
25 - 2980,37541,45538,920
30 - 3479,69541,40238,293
35 - 3970,88637,36133,525
40 - 4462,09532,60529,490
45 - 4956,93629,64627,290
50 - 5448,31824,83923,479
55 - 5939,53019,78619,744
60 - 6432,44715,64416,803
65 - 6924,59911,13613,463
70 - 7416,8847,2339,651
75 - 799,2263,4905,736
80 - 845,3561,7863,570
85 and over3,6129632,649

Every figure, census by census

People, 2024 CensusCensusA count of every person in the country, all on one day. The 2024 census counted people as they were on 1 July 2024.More in the glossary
1,010,009[1, 2]
Households, 2024HouseholdA person living alone, or people who sleep in the same home and share their meals. A family may be one household or several.More in the glossary
277,245[1, 2]
People in each household, 2024
3.6 on average[1, 2]
Share of SOCCSKSARGEN, 2024Rank and shareWorked out by Scene from the PSA's counts: where a place stands among the places listed with it, and how many of every 100 of its parent's people live in it.More in the glossary
22.63%[1]
In urban barangays, 2024Urban barangayThe PSA counts a barangay as urban when it has 5,000 people or more, or a big employer, or several businesses and public services close by. Every barangay in Metro Manila is urban.More in the glossary
62.2% (627,956 people)[6]
Men and women, 2024
512,754 men, 493,542 women[5]People living in households
Population at each census, with its source
CensusPopulationGrowth since the census beforeHouseholdsPeople per household
2024as of July 1, 20241,010,009[1, 2]0.84% a year277,2453.6
2020as of May 1, 2020975,476[1]1.35% a year——
2015as of August 1, 2015915,289[1]1.94% a year——
2010as of May 1, 2010827,200[1]———
2007as of August 1, 2007; as it was then767,255[37]1.46% a year——
2000as of May 1, 2000; on today’s borders690,728[37, 38]2.30% a year——
1995as of September 1, 1995; as it was then621,155[37]2.68% a year——
1990as of May 1, 1990; as it was then539,458[37]2.99% a year——
1980as of May 1, 1980; as it was then401,705[37]4.04% a year——
1975as of May 1, 1975; as it was then329,534[37]5.47% a year——
1970as of May 6, 1970; as it was then252,612[37]6.19% a year——
1960as of February 15, 1960; as it was then136,609[37]———

Cities and municipalities

South Cotabato is made up of 10 municipalities, 1 city and General Santos City, with 226 barangays in all. General Santos City lies within it but governs itself apart from the province.
Colour byColours the map of South Cotabato by the figure chosen; the key beside it says what each colour means.
Davao del SurSaranganiSultan KudaratBanga: 91,536 people, 370 per km², 0.63% a yearGeneral Santos City: 722,059 people, 1,436 per km², 0.84% a yearKoronadal City: 201,844 people, 719 per km², 0.78% a yearLake Sebu: 84,252 people, 98 per km², 0.88% a yearNorala: 48,499 people, 258 per km², 0.92% a yearPolomolok: 176,671 people, 516 per km², 0.56% a yearSanto Niño: 41,026 people, 483 per km², 0.73% a yearSurallah: 91,412 people, 307 per km², 0.55% a yearT'Boli: 105,296 people, 115 per km², 0.99% a yearTampakan: 42,304 people, 150 per km², 0.74% a yearTantangan: 48,570 people, 324 per km², 1.45% a yearTupi: 78,599 people, 195 per km², 1.64% a year

People · 2024 Census

  • Under 20,000
  • 20,000 to 31,000
  • 31,000 to 45,000
  • 45,000 to 76,000
  • 76,000 and over

The same steps colour every map of cities and municipalities in the Atlas, so a colour means the same range everywhere.

Density · people per km², 2024

  • Under 140
  • 140 to 250
  • 250 to 390
  • 390 to 750
  • 750 and over

The same steps colour every map of cities and municipalities in the Atlas, so a colour means the same range everywhere.

Growth a year · 2020–2024

  • Fell by more than 1% a year
  • Fell, by up to 1% a year
  • Grew, by under 1% a year
  • Grew by 1 to 2% a year
  • Grew by 2% a year or more

Each place's yearly change between the 2020 and 2024 censuses, on the same steps as every map in the Atlas.

Borders from UN OCHA (PSA and NAMRIA), a guide and not the legal boundary[3]Open in OpenStreetMap
Cities and municipalities of South Cotabato. Each column heading sorts the table.
Kind[1, 7]Share (2024)
BangaMunicipality91,5369.06%0.63% a year247.10 km²
General Santos CityHighly urbanized city722,059counted on its own0.84% a year502.80 km²
Koronadal CityComponent city201,84419.98%0.78% a year280.70 km²
Lake SebuMunicipality84,2528.34%0.88% a year856.57 km²
NoralaMunicipality48,4994.8%0.92% a year188.11 km²
PolomolokMunicipality176,67117.49%0.56% a year342.56 km²
Santo NiñoMunicipality41,0264.06%0.73% a year85.01 km²
SurallahMunicipality91,4129.05%0.55% a year297.93 km²
T'BoliMunicipality105,29610.43%0.99% a year919.15 km²
TampakanMunicipality42,3044.19%0.74% a year282.39 km²
TantanganMunicipality48,5704.81%1.45% a year149.70 km²
TupiMunicipality78,5997.78%1.64% a year403.07 km²

Land & Environment

South Cotabato covers 4,052.29 km² of land, 249 people for every km² in 2024. Its land rises to 2,293 m above the sea and it has 37.9 km of coast.
Land areaLand areaThe land inside the place's official boundary. A square kilometre is a square 1 km on each side, about the size of 140 football fields.More in the glossary
4,052.29 km²[7]As listed in the 2019 Masterlist of Land Areas (LMB, DENR)
Average density, 2024Population densityHow crowded a place is on average: its people divided by its land area. 1,000 people per square kilometre is 10 people per hectare, a square of 100 by 100 metres.More in the glossary
249 people per km²[7]
Coordinates
6.25351° N, 124.87092° E[3]The point inside its border farthest from every edge, so it always falls within the place.
Height above the sea[33]
Lowest
1 m
Average
565 m
Highest
2,293 m

Heights from the Copernicus DEM, a 30 m model of the surface: it reads the tops of trees and roofs, not the bare ground, over the land inside the border, the sea left out. Produced using Copernicus WorldDEM-30 © DLR e.V. 2010-2014 and © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH 2014-2018 provided under COPERNICUS by the European Union and ESA; all rights reserved.

Water, coast and peaks

37.9 km of coastline[34]

Rivers[34]

  1. Allah River54.4 of 129.0 km
  2. Silway River43.3 km
  3. Sepaka River40.0 of 47.7 km
  4. Banga River39.5 km
  5. Sapali River34.1 km
  6. Matin-ao River27.1 km
  7. Taplan River25.6 km
  8. Marbel River22.7 of 32.4 km

The longest inside it: 35 in all.

Lakes[34]

  1. Lake Sebu3.6 km²
  2. Lake Holon3.2 km²
  3. Lake Seloton0.48 km²
  4. Tinagacan Lake0.14 km²

Peaks[34]

  1. Mount Matutumvolcano2,286 m
  2. Mount Busavolcano2,083 m
  3. Horse Mountain1,660 m
  4. Mount Malibato1,530 m
  5. Talili Mountain1,422 m
  6. Mount Navarovolcano1,122 m

The highest: 28 in all.

Named rivers, lakes and peaks as OpenStreetMap mapped them on 30 September 2026, and the coast within 150 m of the border. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, under the Open Database License.

Climate

Climate typeClimate typePAGASA sorts the country's climate into four types by when the rain falls. Type I has a dry season from November to April and a wet one for the rest of the year; Type II has no dry season, with the most rain from December to February; Type III has a short dry season; Type IV has rain spread through the year.More in the glossary

Type IV[35]

Rain spread fairly evenly through the year, with no dry season.

Covers about 61 of every 100 parts of its land. Read by Scene off PAGASA's climate map, so approximate: the type that covers most of the place's land.

At General Santos, the nearest PAGASA station, 34 km away[36]Averages for 1991 to 2020: 958 mm of rain on 106 days a year; 27.9 °C on average

Rain each month Average temperature

The figures by month

Climate at General Santos, 1991 to 2020, by month
MonthRainRainy daysAverageHighLow
January97 mm927.5 °C32.3 °C22.6 °C
February53 mm727.9 °C32.9 °C22.8 °C
March55 mm628.5 °C34.0 °C23.0 °C
April54 mm628.9 °C34.3 °C23.5 °C
May72 mm828.5 °C33.5 °C23.6 °C
June102 mm1227.7 °C32.2 °C23.1 °C
July98 mm1127.2 °C31.7 °C22.8 °C
August91 mm1127.3 °C31.7 °C22.8 °C
September83 mm1027.5 °C32.2 °C22.8 °C
October100 mm1027.7 °C32.6 °C22.8 °C
November78 mm827.9 °C32.8 °C23.0 °C
December75 mm827.8 °C32.6 °C23.0 °C
The year958 mm10627.9 °C32.7 °C23.0 °C

A station's figures describe the place around it only roughly: inland and in the hills it may be cooler and wetter. The station stands 132 m above the sea.

Life & Economy

South Cotabato's economy made ₱192.7 billion of goods and services in 2025, ₱187,652 for each person. About 18 of every 100 people lived below the poverty line in 2023.
Economy, 2025Gross domestic productThe value of all the goods and services made in a place in a year: the size of its economy. The PSA measures it for every region, province and highly urbanized city. Counted at 2018 prices, it leaves out the rise in prices, so one year can be set beside another.More in the glossary
₱192.7 billion[20]Its gross domestic product at current prices; ₱157.9 billion at 2018 prices. It leaves out General Santos City, which the PSA counts apart.
Growth, 2024–2025
6.6%[21]How much more it made than the year before, at 2018 prices.
For each person, 2025
₱187,652[22]Its economy divided by its projected population, at current prices, as the PSA works it out.
Poverty, 2023Poverty incidenceHow many of every 100 people live in families whose income is below the poverty line: what a person needs in a year for food and other basic needs, as the PSA sets it for each province. It is an estimate, from a survey or, for a town, a statistical model, so the PSA gives a range it is likely to fall in.More in the glossary
17.9% of people[23]Below the poverty line, by the PSA's survey.
Income classIncome classThe Department of Finance sorts provinces, cities and municipalities into classes by their average yearly income over recent years: 1st class has the most. It measures the local government's income, not how well off its people are.More in the glossary
1st class[4]
About 18 of every 100 people in South Cotabato lived below the poverty line in 2023 (17.9%)[23]

The PSA's survey puts it between 13.1% and 22.6%, with 95% confidence. The poverty line was ₱28,134 a person for the year. As the PSA counts it, without the City of Gen. Santos.

The PSA notes: Those with CVs higher than 10% in 2023 poverty incidence among population should be used with caution.

Public places

  • 328government offices
  • 76hospitals and health centres
  • 599schools
  • 169places of worship
  • 22markets
  • 22stations and terminals
  • 31parks
  • 1beach
  • 7monuments and memorials

Counted from OpenStreetMap[3, 8]. Each town's page lists its own; this page lists the stations, parks, beaches and monuments.

Where a kind has more than 8, this page shows 6: first those with “South Cotabato” in their name, then one in each of its most populous cities and municipalities.

Stations and terminals22

16 more stations and terminals are listed on the pages of the cities and municipalities they stand in. See the 12 cities and municipalities of South Cotabato

Parks31

25 more parks are listed on the pages of the cities and municipalities they stand in. See the 12 cities and municipalities of South Cotabato

Beaches1

Monuments and memorials7

As OpenStreetMap maps them on September 30, 2026. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, under the Open Database License.

Government & Leaders

A governor leads South Cotabato. Its local laws, called ordinances, are passed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (the provincial board), led by the vice governor. The governor, the vice governor and the board's elected members serve three-year terms, and none may serve more than three in a row.[17, 18]

Capital
Koronadal City[4]

3 legislative districtsLegislative districtThe area that elects one member of the House of Representatives. A big province or city may have several.More in the glossary[19]

Each district elects one member of the House of Representatives. These are the districts as the laws drew them for the 2025 elections.

1st district

2nd district

3rd district

Leaders

The governor and vice governor elected at each election since 2001, as COMELEC's lists of the elected name them, and those in office now, as the DILG's directory lists them.

  1. 2025–2028In office as of February 2026

    Governor
    Reynaldo Sucayan Tamayo Jr.[24]
    Vice governor
    Arthur Yusay Pingoy Jr.[24]

  2. 2022–2025

    Governor
    Reynaldo Sucayan Tamayo Jr.[25]
    Vice governor
    Arthur Yusay Pingoy Jr.[25]

  3. 2019–2022

    Governor
    Reynaldo Sucayan Tamayo Jr.[26]
    Vice governor
    Vicente Reyes De Jesus[26]

  4. 2016–2019

    Governor
    Daisy Avance Fuentes[27]
    Vice governor
    Vicente Reyes De Jesus[27]

  5. 2013–2016

    Governor
    Daisy Avance Fuentes[28]
    Vice governor
    Cecile Esmalla Diel[28]

  6. 2010–2013

    Governor
    Arthur Yusay Pingoy Jr.[29]
    Vice governor
    Elmo Bañez Tolosa[29]

  7. 2007–2010

    Governor
    Daisy Avance Fuentes[30]
    Vice governor
    Eliordo Usero Ogena[30]

  8. 2004–2007

    Governor
    Daisy Avance Fuentes[31]
    Vice governor
    Eliordo Usero Ogena[31]

  9. 2001–2004

    Governor
    Daisy A. Fuentes[32]
    Vice governor
    Eliordo U. Ogena[32]
Governors and vice governors of South Cotabato, by term
TermGovernorVice governor
2025–2028In office as of February 2026Reynaldo Sucayan Tamayo Jr.[24]Arthur Yusay Pingoy Jr.[24]
2022–2025Reynaldo Sucayan Tamayo Jr.[25]Arthur Yusay Pingoy Jr.[25]
2019–2022Reynaldo Sucayan Tamayo Jr.[26]Vicente Reyes De Jesus[26]
2016–2019Daisy Avance Fuentes[27]Vicente Reyes De Jesus[27]
2013–2016Daisy Avance Fuentes[28]Cecile Esmalla Diel[28]
2010–2013Arthur Yusay Pingoy Jr.[29]Elmo Bañez Tolosa[29]
2007–2010Daisy Avance Fuentes[30]Eliordo Usero Ogena[30]
2004–2007Daisy Avance Fuentes[31]Eliordo Usero Ogena[31]
2001–2004Daisy A. Fuentes[32]Eliordo U. Ogena[32]

History & Identity

South Cotabato's fiesta and days

Everything listed for South Cotabato in Now

Created
Created by Republic Act No. 4849, approved 18 July 1966, which separated it from the Province of Cotabato[9]

How it got its name

It keeps the name of its mother province, Cotabato, which comes from the Maguindanao kuta wato, stone fort, as the Cotabato government and an American gazetteer of 1902 explain it.[9, 11, 12]

Its story

Before the 20th century its land was thinly peopled by Muslims, B'laan, Manobo and Tagabili. Islam, which reached the Cotabato valley in the 15th century, and the Spaniards, who held a fort at today's Cotabato City, both left the south largely untouched.[10]

Settlers from Luzon and the Visayas opened its lands under American rule. Mostly Cebuano settlers led by Tranquilino Ruiz Sr. began clearing Glan, the government's Colony No. 9, in 1914; Ilocanos landed at Kalaong, in Kiamba, on 9 March 1920; and on 27 February 1939 pioneers led by General Paulino Santos, after whom General Santos City is named, arrived on Sarangani Bay.[10]

As settlers multiplied, the south felt under-represented in a provincial government long controlled from the north, and it petitioned to separate. Republic Act No. 4849, approved on 18 July 1966, made twelve towns and the City of Rajah Buayan, now General Santos, the Province of South Cotabato, with Koronadal as its capital.[9, 10]

Its first officials were elected in November 1967, and it began to work as a province early in 1968. Since 2000, 18 July has been South Cotabato Day by presidential proclamation; the province marked its 60th anniversary in 2026.[9, 10, 13, 14]

In 1992 seven southern and coastal towns became the Province of Sarangani. Koronadal became a city in 2000 and is the regional centre of Region XII.[10, 15, 16]

Timeline

  1. October 1914

    Settlers begin Colony No. 9, today's Glan.[10]

  2. 9 March 1920

    The first Ilocano settlers land at Kalaong, Kiamba.[10]

  3. 27 February 1939

    General Paulino Santos's pioneers arrive on Sarangani Bay.[10]

  4. 18 July 1966

    Republic Act No. 4849 creates South Cotabato, with Koronadal as its capital.[9]

  5. November 1967

    The province elects its first officials.[9, 10]

  6. 16 March 1992

    Republic Act No. 7228 creates Sarangani out of seven of its towns.[15]

  7. 16 August 2000

    Republic Act No. 8803 makes Koronadal a city.[16]

Nearby

South Cotabato shares a border with Davao del Sur, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat.

How it compares

South Cotabato beside SOCCSKSARGEN, and where it stands among the provinces of SOCCSKSARGEN.

South Cotabato beside SOCCSKSARGEN
FigureSouth CotabatoSOCCSKSARGENRank among the provinces of SOCCSKSARGEN
People, 2024CensusA count of every person in the country, all on one day. The 2024 census counted people as they were on 1 July 2024.More in the glossary1,010,009[1, 2]4,462,7762nd of 4
Growth a year, 2020–2024Growth a yearHow fast the number of people changed each year between two censuses. 1% a year means about 1 more person for every 100 people, each year.More in the glossary0.84% a year[1, 2]faster0.55% a year2nd of 4
People per km², 2024Population densityHow crowded a place is on average: its people divided by its land area. 1,000 people per square kilometre is 10 people per hectare, a square of 100 by 100 metres.More in the glossary249[7]more crowded2201st of 4
Land areaLand areaThe land inside the place's official boundary. A square kilometre is a square 1 km on each side, about the size of 140 football fields.More in the glossary4,052.29 km²[7]20,262.71 km²3rd of 4
People in each household, 2024HouseholdA person living alone, or people who sleep in the same home and share their meals. A family may be one household or several.More in the glossary3.6[1, 2]lower3.8not ranked
In urban barangays, 2024Urban barangayThe PSA counts a barangay as urban when it has 5,000 people or more, or a big employer, or several businesses and public services close by. Every barangay in Metro Manila is urban.More in the glossary62.2%[6]higher56.1%not ranked

Sources

Page updated October 2, 2026. Sources checked by Scene October 8, 2026.
  1. 1.Philippine Statistics Authority. Population and Annual Population Growth Rate of the Philippines and its Regions, Provinces, and Highly Urbanized Cities Based on the 2010, 2015, 2020 and 2024 Population Census (OpenSTAT table 0211A6DAPG0). Published August 7, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  2. 2.Philippine Statistics Authority. Total Population, Household Population, and Number of Households by Province, City, Municipality, and Barangay as of 01 July 2024 : Region XII (SOCCSKSARGEN) (OpenSTAT table 0121A6DTHP1). Published August 3, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  3. 3.UN OCHA, from the PSA and NAMRIA. Philippines: Subnational Administrative Boundaries (COD-AB), barangay layer. Published February 13, 2025. Read by Scene September 25, 2026. CC BY-IGO 3.0. Open the source
  4. 4.Philippine Statistics Authority. Philippine Standard Geographic Code (PSGC), 2nd Quarter 2026: Publication Datafile. Published June 30, 2026. Read by Scene September 24, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  5. 5.Philippine Statistics Authority. Household Population by Age-Group Region, Province, and Highly Urbanized City: Philippines, 2024 Census of Population (OpenSTAT table 0201A6DPAG0). Published August 7, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  6. 6.Philippine Statistics Authority. Total Population and Urban Population by Urban Classification and Region, Province, Highly Urbanized City, City/Municipality and Barangay: Philippines, 2024 (OpenSTAT table 0231A6DPUP0). Published August 7, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  7. 7.Philippine Statistics Authority, from the Land Management Bureau (DENR). Population, Land Area, Population Density, and Percent Change in Population Density by Region, Province/Highly Urbanized City, and City/Municipality: 2015, 2020, and 2024 (OpenSTAT table 0221A6DLPD0). Published August 7, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  8. 8.OpenStreetMap contributors. Named public places in OpenStreetMap: schools, hospitals and health centres, places of worship, government offices, markets, stations, parks, beaches and monuments, from Geofabrik's extract of the Philippines. Published September 30, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. ODbL 1.0. Open the source
  9. 9.Congress of the Philippines. Republic Act No. 4849: An Act Creating the Province of South Cotabato. Published July 18, 1966. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  10. 10.Provincial Government of South Cotabato. History of South Cotabato. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  11. 11.Provincial Government of Cotabato. Our Province. Published November 21, 2018. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  12. 12.United States Bureau of Insular Affairs, War Department (Government Printing Office, Washington). A Pronouncing Gazetteer and Geographical Dictionary of the Philippine Islands. Published 1902. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Public domain (a United States government work, published 1902), read in the Internet Archive's scan and its text. Open the source
  13. 13.Office of the President of the Philippines. Proclamation No. 335, s. 2000: Declaring July 18 of every year as “South Cotabato Day”, and to further declare Tuesday, July 18, 2000 as a special day in the province of South Cotabato. Published July 1, 2000. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  14. 14.Provincial Government of South Cotabato. South Cotabato unveils vibrant celebration during media launching of 60th Foundation Anniversary and 27th Tnalak Festival. Published May 11, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  15. 15.Congress of the Philippines. Republic Act No. 7228: An Act creating the Province of Sarangani. Published March 16, 1992. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  16. 16.Congress of the Philippines. Republic Act No. 8803: An Act Converting the Municipality of Koronadal, South Cotabato Province, into a Component City to Be Known as the City of Koronadal. Published August 16, 2000. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  17. 17.Congress of the Philippines. Republic Act No. 7160: the Local Government Code of 1991. Published October 10, 1991. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  18. 18.1986 Constitutional Commission. The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines. Published February 2, 1987. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  19. 19.Congress of the Philippines. Republic Act No. 11804: An Act reapportioning the first legislative district of the Province of South Cotabato thereby creating the lone legislative district of General Santos City. Published June 2, 2022. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  20. 20.Philippine Statistics Authority. Gross Domestic Product by Province and HUC (OpenSTAT table 0012A5FPPA0). Published August 28, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  21. 21.Philippine Statistics Authority. Gross Domestic Product by Province and HUC, Growth Rates (OpenSTAT table 0032A5FPPA2). Published August 28, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  22. 22.Philippine Statistics Authority. Per Capita Gross Domestic Product by Province and HUC (OpenSTAT table 0092A5FPPA8). Published August 28, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  23. 23.Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Table 2a. Annual Per Capita Poverty Threshold and Poverty Incidence Among Population with Measures of Precision, by Region, Province and Highly Urbanized Cities: 2018, 2021, and 2023 (OpenSTAT table 0041F3DF02A). Published August 15, 2024. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  24. 24.Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). Directory of LGU Elective Officials for Term 2025-2028 as of February 2026 (its sheet: Consolidated List of Officials for Election Terms (2025-2028)), released through the FOI portal. Published February 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. A work of the Government of the Philippines: RA 8293, Section 176 (no copyright subsists in it; exploiting it for profit needs the agency's prior approval). Open the source
  25. 25.Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Records and Statistics Division, ERSD. List of Elected Provincial Candidates, May 9, 2022 National and Local Elections. Published December 23, 2025. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Public domain: comelec.gov.ph says "All content is in the public domain unless otherwise stated." Each list carries COMELEC's data privacy notice (RA 10173).. Open the source
  26. 26.Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Records and Statistics Division, ERSD. List of Elected Provincial Candidates, May 13, 2019 National and Local Elections. Published December 23, 2025. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Public domain: comelec.gov.ph says "All content is in the public domain unless otherwise stated." Each list carries COMELEC's data privacy notice (RA 10173).. Open the source
  27. 27.Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Records and Statistics Division, ERSD. List of Elected Provincial Candidates, May 9, 2016 National and Local Elections. Published January 12, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Public domain: comelec.gov.ph says "All content is in the public domain unless otherwise stated." Each list carries COMELEC's data privacy notice (RA 10173).. Open the source
  28. 28.Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Records and Statistics Division, ERSD. List of Elected Provincial Candidates, May 13, 2013 National and Local Elections. Published January 12, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Public domain: comelec.gov.ph says "All content is in the public domain unless otherwise stated." Each list carries COMELEC's data privacy notice (RA 10173).. Open the source
  29. 29.Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Records and Statistics Division, ERSD. List of Elected Provincial Candidates, May 10, 2010 National and Local Elections. Published January 10, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Public domain: comelec.gov.ph says "All content is in the public domain unless otherwise stated." Each list carries COMELEC's data privacy notice (RA 10173).. Open the source
  30. 30.Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Records and Statistics Division, ERSD. List of Elected Provincial Candidates, May 14, 2007 National and Local Elections. Published January 14, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Public domain: comelec.gov.ph says "All content is in the public domain unless otherwise stated." Each list carries COMELEC's data privacy notice (RA 10173).. Open the source
  31. 31.Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Records and Statistics Division, ERSD. List of Elected Provincial Candidates, May 10, 2004 National and Local Elections. Published January 8, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Public domain: comelec.gov.ph says "All content is in the public domain unless otherwise stated." Each list carries COMELEC's data privacy notice (RA 10173).. Open the source
  32. 32.Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Records and Statistics Division, ERSD. List of Elected Provincial Candidates, May 14, 2001 National and Local Elections (its pages are headed "LIST OF ELECTED MEMBER, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES"). Published January 8, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Public domain: comelec.gov.ph says "All content is in the public domain unless otherwise stated." Each list carries COMELEC's data privacy notice (RA 10173).. Open the source
  33. 33.European Union and the European Space Agency (Copernicus), from DLR and Airbus Defence and Space (WorldDEM). Copernicus DEM GLO-30: global digital surface model at 30 m, one-degree tiles (2021 release). Published 2021. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Copernicus DEM GLO-30 licence: free, any use including commercial, with the Copernicus notice. Open the source
  34. 34.OpenStreetMap contributors, extract by Geofabrik. Named rivers, lakes, reservoirs, peaks and the coastline of the Philippines in OpenStreetMap (Geofabrik extract, cut by osmium). Published September 30, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. ODbL 1.0. Open the source
  35. 35.Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Climatology and Agrometeorology Division. Climate Map of the Philippines (1951-2010), Modified Coronas Climate Classification. Published August 2014. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. A work of the Government of the Philippines: no copyright (RA 8293 s.176.1); PAGASA's approval is needed to use it for profit. Open the source
  36. 36.Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Climatology and Agrometeorology Division. Climatological Normals, 1991-2020, by synoptic station (one PDF each). Published January 2022. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. A work of the Government of the Philippines: no copyright (RA 8293 s.176.1); PAGASA's approval is needed to use it for profit. Open the source
  37. 37.Philippine Statistics Authority. 2015 Census of Population, Statistical Tables, Table 1: Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by City/Municipality, 1960-2015 (one workbook for each province, highly urbanized city and region). Published 2017. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  38. 38.Philippine Statistics Authority. 2020 Census of Population and Housing: Table A (Population and Annual Growth Rate for the Philippines and its Regions, Provinces and Highly Urbanized Cities) and Table B (Population and Annual Growth Rates by Province, City and Municipality, by Region). Published July 2021. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source

Scene adds what the sources do not print themselves: growth rates, shares, barangay areas and densities, coordinates, neighbours and distances, each computed from the figures and borders above. How each is made.

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Cite this page

Scene.ph. “South Cotabato.” Scene Atlas. Updated October 2, 2026. https://scene.ph/atlas/south-cotabato