Koronadal
Koronadal, officially the City of Koronadal and also known as Marbel, is a component city and capital of the province of South Cotabato, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 201,844 people.
Koronadal is the capital city of the province of South Cotabato and serves as the regional administrative center of Soccsksargen. It is also the second most populous city in both South Cotabato and the entire Soccsksargen region, following General Santos.
Koronadal is one of the two cities in Mindanao with a predominantly Hiligaynon-speaking population, comprising approximately 95% of its residents. In 2003 and 2005 the city was recognized as "Most Competitive City" in the small-city category, and in 2005 and 2006 as the most business friendly city in Mindanao.
Etymology
The word Koronadal is popularly thought to have come from the B'laan words kolon “cogon grass”, and datal “plain”, which aptly described the place to natives. On the other hand, Marbel, which refers to the población, is from the Blaan term marb el "murky waters", in reference to the referring to the Marbel River.History
The area was first settled by the Blaan and Maguindanao. Koronadal once comprised the area from the banks of Buluan Lake in the north to Barangay Polonoling in the municipality of Tupi, South Cotabato to the south, and from the Quezon mountain range to the northeast to the municipality of T'boli, South Cotabato to the southeast.It was on August 18, 1947, when President Manuel Roxas signed Executive Order No. 82, creating the municipalities in the entire province of Cotabato, one of which was Marbel. The same executive order likewise mandated the official function of the municipal government which began after the qualification and election of the first set of municipal officials.
The municipal government of Koronadal began its official function on January 1, 1948, with an approved Annual Estimated Budget of. At that time, the land area of the municipality encompassed the present-day municipalities of Banga, Lake Sebu, Norala, Santo Niño, Surallah, T'Boli, Tampakan, and Tupi in South Cotabato, as well as Isulan in Sultan Kudarat. It became the provincial capital of South Cotabato, which was created under Republic Act No. 4849 on July 18, 1966.
Municipal Council Resolution No. 32, Series of 1948 mandated and proclaimed January 10 as the annual town fiesta commemorating the foundation of Marbel Settlement District of the National Land Settlement.
Cityhood
Koronadal was converted into a component city of South Cotabato by virtue of Republic Act No. 8803 on October 8, 2000.At present, Koronadal is a fast-developing growth center composed of twenty-seven barangays including the four zones in the población. Being the capital city of South Cotabato, it is the center of the province in terms of political, cultural and socio-economic activities.By virtue of Executive Order No. 304 signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Koronadal was named the new regional political and socio-economic center of Soccsksargen on March 30, 2004, with regional departments, bureaus and offices ordered to move from Cotabato City.
Geography
Koronadal is located in the northeastern part of South Cotabato province, positioned between approximately 6°24' to 6°34' north latitude and 124°47' to 124°58' east longitude. The city is bordered to the north by the Municipality of Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat; to the northwest by the Municipality of Tantangan; to the northeast by the Municipality of Columbio, Sultan Kudarat; to the south by the Municipality of Tupi, to the southwest by the Municipality of Banga; and to the southeast by the Municipalitiy of Tampakan.The city's landscape features a combination of flatlands and gently sloping terrain, with approximately 50.18% of its total land area classified as predominantly flat. It is flanked by the Roxas and Quezon mountain ranges, whose elevations reach between 700 to 800 meters above sea level and gradually slope downward toward the city center.
Barangays
Koronadal City is politically subdivided into 27 Barangays, and each barangays consists of Puroks while some have Sitios.According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, there are 17 Barangays classified as Urban and the rest are classified as Rural.
- Assumption
- Avanceña
- Cacub
- Caloocan
- Carpenter Hill
- Concepcion
- Esperanza
- General Paulino Santos
- Mabini
- Magsaysay
- Mambucal
- Morales
- Namnama
- New Pangasinan
- Paraiso
- Rotonda
- San Isidro
- San Roque
- San Jose
- Santa Cruz
- Santo Niño
- Saravia
- Topland
- Zone I
- Zone II
- Zone III
- '''Zone IV '''
Climate
Demographics
Ethnicity
The vast majority of the Koronadal's inhabitants descended from ethnic Hiligaynon migrants from Panay and Negros Occidental. However, there are other non-native ethnolinguistic groups reside in the city, such as Cebuanos, Ilocanos, and Pangasinans, Bicolanos, Kapampangans, Tagalogs, and Warays, making Koronadal a melting pot of cultures, languages and traditions. The first inhabitants of the city were the indigenous B'laans, T'bolis and Muslim Maguindanaons, who became minorities but significant pluralities in the city today since the early 20th century due to migrations from Luzon and Visayas seeking better opportunities in Mindanao, mainly from agriculture.Language
The main language of Koronadal is Hiligaynon, earning the city its nickname "the Ilonggo Capital of Mindanao". Tagalog, Ilocano and Cebuano are also widely spoken, with the former being the city's secondary lingua franca, while Maguindanaon, Maranao, English, and Arabic are also heard in the city Blaan and T'boli are also spoken by the ethnic groups of the same names who also reside in Koronadal.Religion
Roman Catholicism
Roman Catholicism is the largest religious affiliation in Koronadal. The city is under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Marbel, which covers the provinces of South Cotabato and Sarangani. According to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, the Diocese of Marbel served around 1.67 million Catholics as of 2021. Koronadal hosts several Catholic parishes, including the Christ the King Cathedral.Islam
Islam is the second-largest religious group in the city. It is practiced primarily by Muslim communities with roots among the Maguindanaon, Iranun, and other ethnolinguistic groups from nearby provinces, including converts to Islam known as Balik Islam. The city has several mosques, including the Koronadal Grand Mosque, and is part of the broader religious and cultural corridor that links Muslim communities in Mindanao.Other Christian Denominations
Koronadal has a significant population belonging to various Protestant and non-Catholic Christian denominations. These include:- Iglesia ni Cristo
- Seventh-day Adventist Church
- Southern Baptist Convention
- Evangelical Christian fellowships
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Members Church of God International
Indigenous and Traditional Religions
Koronadal is part of the ancestral domain of indigenous peoples such as the B'laan and T'boli. While many indigenous residents have adopted Christianity or Islam, some continue to practice elements of traditional animist beliefs, often in parallel with mainstream religions.| CHURCH | LOCATION | BARANGAY | |
| Christ the King Cathedral Saint Anthony of Padua Parish | Rafael Alunan Avenue | Barangay Zone III | |
| Our Lady of the Rosary Parish | Pioneer Settlers Avenue | Barangay Santa Cruz | |
| Sagrada Pamilya Parish | Koronadal - Columbio Road | Barangay San Jose | |
| Sacred Heart of Jesus Chapel | Sergio Morales Avenue | Barangay General Paulino Santos | |
| San Miguel Arkanghel Chapel | General Paulino Santos Drive | Barangay Morales | |
| Saint Michael Chapel | Quintin Paredes Street | Barangay Zone IV | |
| Our Lady of Hope Chapel | Passionist Seminary Road | Barangay Paraiso | |
| Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chapel | OLPH Seminary Road | Barangay Zone II | |
| San Isidro Labrador Chapel | Rotonda - Topland Road | Barangay Rotonda | |
| San Vicente Ferrer Chapel | Purok Maharlika Road | Barangay Saravia | |
| Saint Peter Chapel | Koronadal - Tampakan Road | Barangay Concepcion | |
| Santo Rosario Chapel | Koronadal - Tupi Road | Barangay Saravia | |
| Our Lady of Fatima Chapel | De Los Reyes Street | Barangay Morales | |
| San Jose Chapel | Seromines 1st Avenue | Barangay Caloocan | |
| Seveth-Day Adventist Church | General Paulino Santos Drive | Barangay Zone IV | |
| Marbel Baptist Church | Marcelo H. del Pilar Street | Barangay Zone IV | |
| Artesian Christian Fellowship | Koronadal - Tampakan Road | Barangay San Roque | |
| Southern Cathedral of Faith | General Paulino Santos Drive | Barangay Zone II | |
| Bible Baptist Church | Sergio Osmeña Street | Barangay Zone II | |
| Gathsemane Baptist Church | Pioneer Settlers Avenue | Barangay Santa Cruz | |
| Life-Changing International Ministries | Koronadal - Tantangan Road | Barangay Morales | |
| Barrio VI Baptist Church | Koronadal - Tampakan Road | Barangay Concepcion | |
| Igelsia Ni Cristo | General Paulino Santos Drive | Barangay Zone III | |
| Iglesia Ni Cristo | Koronadal - Tantangan Road | Barangay Morales | |
| Iglesia Ni Cristo | Koronadal - Tupi Road | Barangay Saravia | |
| Iglesia Ni Cristo | Koronadal - Tampakan Road | Barangay Concepcion | |
| Members Church of God International | Pioneer Settlers Avenue | Barangay Santa Cruz | |
| The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints | Sergio Osmeña Street | Barangay Zone I | |
| Church of God World Missions | New Pangasinan - Magsaysay Road | Barangay New Pagasinan | |
| Koronadal Grand Mosque | Emilio Aguinaldo Street | Barangay Santa Cruz | |
| Masjid Ibrahim Khalil | Koronadal - Tupi Road | Barangay Saravia | |
| Masjid Al-Buisan | Koronadal - Columbio Road | Barangay General Paulino Santos | |
| Masjid Al-Fuqarah | Pascual Street | Barangay General Paulino Santos | |
| Masjid Balik-Islam | Crisologo Street | Barangay Morales | |
| Masjid Marbel | Juan Posadas Street | Barangay Zone II |