Manolo Fortich

Before the coming of the Spaniards, the term "Bukidnon" referred to as the semi-sedentary indigenous inhabitants of the high plateaus and rugged mountain ranges of central Mindanao. The more prominent of these peoples were the "Manobos" who were the earliest settlers of this region. Located on the northern part of Bukidnon, is the Municipality of Manolo Fortich.

The MacArthur Monument in Barangay Diclum, the site of the World War II Del Monte Airfield from which Douglas MacArthur was evacuated to Australia from the Philippines after the fall of Corregidor and Bataan

The Forest Camp in barangay Dahilayan

The great pre-historic Asiatic migration was believed to have brought the early settlers of Bukidnon. It was theorized that they came from places of what is now known as Indonesia. Traveling by the sea, these migrants reached the gulf of Davao where some ventured further to areas of what is now known as Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental. The Asiatic beginnings of these people can be seen from their oral tradition and folktales, like the "Kalikat Hu Mga Elaw Dini Ta Mindanao" (Origin of the People of Mindanao). This folktale revolved on the story of two brothers from Asia "who crossed the seas" in their long journey "towards the east" which refers to the islands of the Philippines. The brothers reportedly landed in the island of Mindanao. With the region experiencing a drought, one of the brothers was forced to venture Northward in order to survive. He did this by following a dried up river to its almost dried up source, a lake. He settled and inter-married with the local inhabitants in the upstream of what is now known as Pulangi River. He and his family were considered as the ancestors of the present Bukidnons.

During the pre-historic era, the Bukidnons, also called Monteses or mountain-people, had settled in the area of what is now the Province of Bukidnon. These people have remained traditional till 1860 preserving most of their customs and traditions. Furthermore, these people had not been significantly influenced by the Spanish colonizers because of their isolation. The rugged mountain ranges and high plateaus which serve as home to these people presented an overwhelming obstacle to these colonizers. The Bukidnons undoubtedly have links to the culture predominant in the Southeast Asian region as evidenced by the similar customs and traditions. Their presence here can be traced to the early migration of these Asians throughout the region. Today, the surviving tribes inhabiting the mountains of Bukidnon still bear the culture they have inherited from their ancestors.

Manolo Fortich is named after Don Manuel "Manolo" González Fortich, a provincial resident of Barrio Damilag who became the first governor (1907-1914) of the Sub-province of Bukidnon. Don Manuel Fortich was born on November 27, 1879 in San Nicolas (now Barangay Basak San Nicolas), Cebu City. A Philippine Constabulary officer, he served as a guide to Dean C. Worcester while on expedition to Bukidnon. Upon retirement from government service in 1920, he established ranches in Maluko and Maramag, and acquired 3,000 cows. He died on January 15, 1943 at the age of 64.[6]

The original name of the town was Maluko, and was headed by Santiago Mambinonsad who was appointed as Alcalde de Barrio from 1922 to 1924. It was during the term of Ciriaco Asilan as Presidente del Barrio from 1926 to 1928, that the seat of municipal government was permanently transferred to Tangkulan. Mateo Gumaling was the first appointed municipal mayor of Maluko and in 1940 Margarito Cabang became the first elected Mayor.

Mangima Canyon

The municipality of Manolo Fortich has a total area of 506.64 square kilometres (195.61 sq mi), accounting 6.1% of the total land area of the province of Bukidnon.

Manolo Fortich is situated in the northern part of the province of Bukidnon. It is about 40 minutes away from the bustling commercial center of Cagayan de Oro.

It is bounded in the north by Cagayan de Oro and the municipality of Malitbog. In the east by the municipality of Sumilao, in the west by the municipality of Libona and Baungon and in the south by the rugged ranges of Mount Kitanglad.

Barangays

Manolo Fortich political map

Del Monte Pineapple fields with the Kitanglad Mountain Range in the background from Camp Phillips

Manolo Fortich is politically subdivided into 22 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

PSGC	Barangay	Population			±% p.a.
		2020[3]		2010[12]
101314001	Agusan Canyon	8.8%	9,985	9,850	▴	0.14%
101314002	Alae	8.1%	9,135	8,552	▴	0.66%
101314003	Dahilayan	1.5%	1,743	1,527	▴	1.33%
101314004	Dalirig	4.3%	4,844	3,541	▴	3.18%
101314005	Damilag	10.3%	11,713	11,385	▴	0.28%
101314006	Dicklum	3.6%	4,033	3,731	▴	0.78%
101314007	Guilang‑guilang	1.1%	1,247	1,152	▴	0.80%
101314008	Kalugmanan	3.3%	3,684	2,986	▴	2.12%
101314009	Lindaban	2.1%	2,325	2,017	▴	1.43%
101314010	Lingion	5.6%	6,336	5,496	▴	1.43%
101314011	Lunocan	6.5%	7,346	6,341	▴	1.48%
101314012	Maluko	3.6%	4,125	3,871	▴	0.64%
101314013	Mambatangan	3.8%	4,349	3,248	▴	2.96%
101314014	Mampayag	1.2%	1,334	1,312	▴	0.17%
101314015	Minsuro	0.9%	981	870	▴	1.21%
101314016	Mantibugao	2.8%	3,185	2,678	▴	1.75%
101314017	Tankulan (Poblacion)	7.7%	8,711	7,907	▴	0.97%
101314018	San Miguel	4.3%	4,867	4,524	▴	0.73%
101314019	Sankanan	3.3%	3,737	3,287	▴	1.29%
101314020	Santiago	1.4%	1,554	2,066	▾	−2.81%
101314021	Santo Niño	3.3%	3,704	3,445	▴	0.73%
101314023	Ticala	1.1%	1,272	1,240	▴	0.26%
	Total		113,200	91,026	▴	2.20%

In the 2020 census, the population of Manolo Fortich was 113,200 people,[3] with a density of 270 inhabitants per square kilometre or 700 inhabitants per square mile.

In the 2010 census, the population of the municipality was 91,026 people, up from 82,051 in 2007. Manolo Fortich belongs to a very low-density area which has only approximately 162 persons per square kilometre. The urban population is confined in barangays Agusan Canyon, Damilag and Tankulan.

Del Monte welcome marker

While Del Monte Philippines' manufacturing plant is located in nearby Cagayan de Oro, yet its pineapple plantation is located in the municipality specifically in Camp Phillips Road, Barangay Agusan Canyon while the company's clubhouse is located at Barangay San Miguel, still in Camp Phillips Road. The Del Monte Golf Course & Country Club on the other hand is located in Sitio Cawayanon, Barangay San Miguel. Just a few meters from the golf course is the Del Monte School, still located in Sitio Cawayanon. The Cawayanon Compound also located in Sitio Cawayanon is a residential area mostly inhabited by Del Monte employees.

• List of renamed cities and municipalities in the Philippines

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Manolo Fortich.

• Official website
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Old Official Website of Manolo Fortich