Summary of The Brief History of Mindanoa Island

Summary of the Brief History of Mindanao Island
Mindanao is the second largest Island in the Philippines with an area of 36,537 square miles. It
has relatively rugged, faulted mountains and volcanoes including the famous highest peak active
volcano in the Philippines, the Mount Apo. Occurrence of coastal plains, rivers, basins and swaps in the
Mindanao Island was also prominent hence the lake created by a lava dam, the Lake Lanao was also
famous in the Island. Even the valuable Philippine eagle is found in this rich terrestrial of Mindanao.
Mindanao is said to be the country’s pioneer frontier due to its large expanse of undeveloped fertile
lands. Rich natural resources were present in the place including common crops such like corns, rice,
abaca, bananas, pineapples, mangoes, and coconuts. Minerals like Gold, coal deposits, nickel iron and
many more. Mindanao has the largest concentration in terms of ethnic minorities like the Moros, T’boli,
Subanon, Bukidnon, Mandaya, Manobo, Tituray and etc. Even so Roman Catholic was in general in the
Philippines, Muslim outpost were still evidently existed in the Island of Mindanao hence Islamic culture
such like the mosques, unique brassware, autonomous region of Muslim was still apparent in the areas
of Mindanao.
Mindanao was derived from the word Maguindanaons, the name of the island referred by the
natives who constituted the largest sultanate centuries ago. Strong Muslim presence in the island down
casted the Spaniards upon their arrivals in the Philippine. Hence a Moro war happened during 1901 –
1903 in Philippine history due to the fight of religion rather than political reasons. It said to be that the
Subanons was known to be early people of the peninsula specifically in the Zamboanga before the
colonization. Later, it was then became the Spanish military base and capital during Spanish governance
and during the last fifty years of the Spanish rule in the country, Davao as a distinct geopolitical entity
started. In 1848, Don Jose Cruz de Oyanguren was ordered to conquer the entire gulf, expelling the
Moros to establish the Christian Religion by the Governor-General Don Narciso Claveria. As a head of
colonizing expedition, Oyanguren arrived in Davao in ally with the chief of Samal Mandayas, Datu
Daupan whom wants to get even with his rival Datu Bago. On join force, their initial attacks against Datu
Bago was pointless and were forced to retreat, inducing him and his crew to build barrier for defense.
Finally, by the end of the June, a help from the Navy Commanding General, Don Manuel Quesada from
Zamboanga with accompanying infantry helped them to dismiss Datu Bago’s Settlement and takes
peaceful possession of the Davao gulf. He failed to convince the different tribes like the Mandayas,
Manobos, etc. among his hard campaign for settlements, it was then also due to the reason that the
Moros continued to threaten those who collaborated with the Spaniards. Even so, there was a little
economic development of the Gulf Region. The Spaniards also takes control on Cotabato in the 17 th
century and the settlements grew the civilization in the area including on the trading of basic
commodities, industrial raw materials, agriculture and aquaculture products that became the center of
economic activities. Economic potentials of Cotabato grew as time passed by, reason for it to became
independent from the rest of the Islands and been characterized as a city on June 20, 1959 wherein they
elected their first mayor, Datu Mandu U. Sinsuat. On 19 th century, Americans colonized the Cotabato
and reigned over the country after the Spanish-American War in 1898. They then initiated a policy of
slave trading and alters Moro traditions and henceforth results intransigence and rebellion. Around
1980 census, indigenous Lumads and Moros turned into minorities due to the heavy migration and
government-sponsored resettlements programs. And on 1901-1903, under the command of Gen.
Leanard Wood, around six hundreds of Moros were killed on that war that was happened at the Island
of Jolo. Nevertheless, the colonization program of Americans continued, hence some Christians tried to
migrate to the mostly populated by Muslims place the southern region and so does to various parts of
Mindanao islands. The Americans used their controls over property and land laws to let Americans
corporations and Christian settlers take over native resources. The native who refused to convert to
Christianity became victims of land-grabbing by the migrants who were promised vast and fertile lands
by the government. After the Philippines became independent from America, massive Filipino Christian
settlements continued thus the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) was formed due to the land
disputes. Killings of civilian Muslim happened of the Moro Insurgency whom happened to counter the
the Ilaga, Filipino christians militias.
Between the years 1972-1976, a war between government forces and the MNLF happened
which was also supported by some Muslim nations. However, in the year 1976, the MNLF signed an
agreement with the Marcos Administration to end hostilities in exchange for the government working to
grant greater autonomy in Muslim-populated areas. However, Hashim Salamat, led a group of key
commanders that splits from the MNLF for they were unhappy of the agreement and thus vowed to
continue fighting for independence reasoned why MILF were formed in 1981. In 1996, Misuari on behalf
of the MNLF, signed a final peace agreement with the Ramos Government and in that year also, MILF
entered informal talks with the Ramos government for peace project but was put on disparity and
henceforth result for the MILF to became the most significant Muslim rebel movement by establishing
big camps in Central Mindanao. The Former two president Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
were not able to arrange peaceful agreement of the group in their terms. However, on October 2012,
there a marked of the first time MILF stepped into the country’s seat of power happened as the Aquino
administration and the rebel group signed a peace agreement in Malacaṅang. And in March 2014, both
parties signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). Bangsamoro is home to most
of the country’s Muslim or Moro populations, composed of many ethnic groups.

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