Why It's Called That
SOCCSKSARGEN: five names, one empire province
SOCCSKSARGEN's letters match its provinces and city. Nearly all of it was once one huge province, Cotabato, whose name the province traces to kuta wato, the stone fort.
0:59 · SOCCSKSARGEN · October 9, 2026
The story
SOCCSKSARGEN is not a word. It's a list. Its letters match the provinces and city: South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, General Santos. A century ago, nearly all this land, with Maguindanao, was one province: Cotabato.
Its government calls it the empire province: about a thirteenth of the country. The province says its name comes from the Maguindanao kuta wato, the stone fort. In 1966, South Cotabato was cut away. In 1973, the rest was split in three.
Sultan Kudarat took the name of a sultan who ruled Maguindanao from 1625 to 1671. General Santos honours the leader of pioneers who landed on Sarangani Bay in 1939. Can you say SOCCSKSARGEN in one breath? Tell us in the comments.
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