Malaybalay, officially City of Malaybalay (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Malaybalay; Filipino: Lungsod

Official Seal

Nickname(s): South Summer Capital of the Philippines; The City in the Forest of the South
Motto: "Cool Place, Warm People"

Map of Bukidnon with Malaybalay City highlighted

Malaybalay, officially City of Malaybalay (Cebuano

: Dakbayan sa Malaybalay; Filipino: Lungsod ng
Malaybalay), is a first income class component city and the
capital and administrative center of the province of
Bukidnon, Philippines. The city, dubbed as the "South
Summer Capital of the Philippines", is bordered north by
Impasugong; west by Lantapan; south by Valencia City
and San Fernando; and east by Cabanglasan and
Agusan del Sur. According to the 2010 census, the city is
inhabited by 153,085 residents.

It was formerly part of the province of Misamis Oriental as a

municipal district in the late 19th century. When the special
province of Agusan (now Agusan del Norte and
Agusan del Sur) and its sub-province (Bukidnon) were
created in 1907, Malaybalay was designated as the capital
of Bukidnon. It was then formally established as a
municipality on October 19, 1907 and was created into a
city on February 11, 1998 by virtue of Republic Act 8490.
Malaybalay City is the venue of the Kaamulan
Festival, held annually from mid-February to
March 10.[6]

Etymology

Etymology

Folk etymology has it that when Spanish explorers came

to the central portion of the province in the late 18th
century, they met children playing at the lower part of the
Sawaga. The soldiers asked in Spanish what is the name
of the place. The children, who did not understand
Spanish, thought that they were asked what they were
doing. So they replied "Tagbalaybalay kay" (we are playing
house). The soldiers misheard and thought that the name
of the place was Malaybalay. So in the Spanish record the
name Malaybalay stuck approximately 18201840.

History

History

The original inhabitants of Malaybalay come from the

seashores of Northern Mindanao (Misamis Oriental area) but
were driven toward the mountains because of pirates and the
arrival of Spanish colonizers. Before the final conquest of the
central part of Mindanao (Bukidnon area), Sumilao, Linabo,
Mailag and Silae has been established by Spanish
missionaries (Dominicans and Jesuits). In 1850, Kalasungay
(an old settlement site in Malaybalay), was burned down by the
Spaniards during their final battle with the lumads, in which all
male adults were killed and the women and children were
taken as hostages. This battle is the last recorded resistance
by the original inhabitants against the Spanish conquerors.

Geography

Malaybalay City, the capital city of Bukidnon, is in the central part

of the province. It is bounded in the east by the municipality of
Cabanglasan and the Pantaron Range, which separates
Bukidnon from the provinces of Agusan del Sur and
Davao del Norte; on the west by the municipality of Lantapan
and Mount Kitanglad; on the north by the municipality of
Impasugong; and on the south by Valencia City and the
municipality of San Fernando.
The whole eastern and southeastern border adjoining Agusan
del Sur and Davao del Norte is elevated and densely forested
mountains, which is one of the few remaining forest blocks of
Mindanao.
The nearest seaports and airports are in Cagayan de Oro City,
which is 91 kilometers away.

Climate

Climate
The climate classification of Malaybalay City falls under the
Fourth Type or intermediate B type,
type which is characterized by
the absence of a pronounced maximum period and dry season.
The period from May to October is where heavy rains occur.
Rain falls at a yearly average of 2,800 millimeters (110 in) and
occurs throughout the year, though it is more intense during the
country's rainy season from June to October.
October On the other
hand, November to April are the dry months. Compared with the
rest of the country, the climate in Malaybalay is relatively cooler
the whole year round and the area is not on the typhoon belt.

Land area

Land area
The total land area of the city is 96,919 hectares (239,490 acres), [2] that is
about 13% of the total area of Bukidnon. An estimated of 65% of this is
classified as forestland/timberland and the remaining 35% is alienable
and disposable areas: lands which could be used for purposes such as for
agriculture or for industry.[10]
The city plays a strategic role in the protection of the headwater source of
the Pulangi and the Tagoloan rivers because of its location the upper
portion of both watershed areas. The Pulangi River then extends through
the Cotabato provinces as the Rio Grande de Mindanao and to
Cotabato City, where it empties into Illana Bay. The Tagoloan River, on
the other hand, traverses northwestward toward
Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, where it joins the Macajalar Bay. These
watershed areas provided potable water, irrigation, hydro-electric power,
and recreation and tourism activities.

Topography and soil type

Topographic map of Malaybalay City

Soil map of Malaybalay City

The average elevation of the city is 622 meters above sea level (2,040.68 feet). About 60% of
the city's area has above 30% slope, characterized by steep hills, mountains, and cliff-like
stream side. About 25% are level, gently sloping, and undulating. The rest are rolling and hilly.
One of prominent geographical structure in the city is the Kitanglad Mountain Range, located
in the western frontier, on its border with Lantapan and Impasugong.
Some barangays (Dalwangan, Capitan Bayong, Imbayao and Mampayag) are in the foothills
of this mountain range. Steep hills are found in the central portion of the city (Kibalabag,
Manalog and Can-ayan), where the Tagoloan River headwater can be found. The Central
Mindanao Cordillera (Pantaron Mountain Range), is on the eastern side of the city, in its
boundaries with Agusan del Sur province. The Pulangi River cuts across the area between the
hills in the central part and the Central Cordillera in the eastern part, creating a portion of the
Upper Pulangi river valley. The southern portion of the city is made up of level to undulating
area, a river valley created by the Sawaga River and the Manupali River, which are both
tributaries of the Pulangi River.
About 66% of the city's soil is identified as undifferentiated mountain soil and the rest are clay.
The predominant types of clay are Kidapawan, Alimodian and Adtuyon, which are generally
good for agriculture.

Demography

Historical growth of population of Malaybalay City, 1918-2007

Malaybalay is originally the home of the

Bukidnon "lumads" or natives, but there has been an
influx of settlers and immigrants from the Visayas and
Luzon for the last four decades contributing to the
growth of the population. The original inhabitants, the
Bukidnons, have retreated to the hinterlands as the
migrants continued to occupy and dominate the
population centers in the city. Malaybalay City is the
second most populous political subdivision in the
province, after Valencia City.

The city is predominantly rural, with only 16% of the population in urban
areas, 40% in urbanizing barangays and 46% in rural areas. Population is
evenly distributed in the urban and rural areas. The urban areas are
generally found on the confines of the Sayre Highway that traverses the
city. The main urban population is found in the Poblacion-Casisang area.
Secondary population centers includes barangays Aglayan, Bangcud and
Kalasungay.
Malaybalay has one of the lowest average population density in the
province, second only to Impasug-ong with only 146 persons per square
kilometer although there are barangays, especially in the Poblacion area,
with high population density.
Cebuano and Binukid are prevailing mediums of communication in the city.
More than half of the city's population are native-speakers of this
language. Other languages such as Maranao are spoken by the Maranao
people. Boholano (a dialect of Cebuano from Bohol) and Ilonggo are also
spoken by its native speakers living in this city.

Continuation