More Facts About Malaybalay City, Bukidnon

CITY OF MALAYBALAY

Province of Bukidnon

Number of Barangays: 46
Major Barangay: Poblacion (which is further divided into 11 barangays)
Income Classification: 1st Class Component City
Establishment (as a municipality): October 19, 1907
Cityhood: February 11, 1998 by virtue of Republic Act 8490
Population (2010): 153, 085

Malaybalay City is the capital and administrative center of the Province of Bukidnon. It is the first political unit of Bukidnon to become a city. It is bounded in the north by the Municipality of Impasug-ong, west by the Municipality of Lantapan, east by the Municipalities of Cabanglasan and La Paz (Agusan del Sur), and by the Municipality of San Fernando and Valencia City in the south.

The city has its official website which is malaybalaycity.gov.ph which showcases everything about the city.

The city has an average elevation of 622 meters above sea level ( 2, 040.68 feet) and has a total land area of 108, 259 hectares (984.38 km²) - the 2nd largest political unit of the province after Impasug-ong. The highest point is at the city's jurisdiction of the Mt. Kitanglad Range National Park.

The City's major body of water is Sawaga, a tributary of Pulangi River. Barangay Casisang is Bukidnon's 2nd most populous barangay, beaten by Valencia City's Poblacion.

The city's 46 barangays are classified into 5 districts namely:

1. POBLACION DISTRICT
2. NORTH HIGHWAY DISTRICT
3. SOUTH HIGHWAY DISTRICT
4. BASAKAN DISTRICT
5. UPPER PULANGI DISTRICT

Map of Malaybalay City showing its 5 districts.
Blue: Upper Pulangi
Green: North Highway
Violet: Poblacion
Yellow: South Highway
Red: Basakan

Such districts are established to ease the administration of the huge city. The following list shows the barangays with their corresponding districts.

POBLACION DISTRICT
1. Barangay 1
2. Barangay 2
3. Barangay 3
4. Barangay 4
5. Barangay 5
6. Barangay 6
7. Barangay 7
8. Barangay 8
9. Barangay 9
10. Barangay 10
11. Barangay 11
12. Barangay Casisang
13. Barangay Sumpong

NORTH HIGHWAY DISTRICT
1. Barangay Can-ayan
2. Barangay Capitan Angel
3. Barangay Dalwangan
4. Barangay Imbayao
5. Barangay Kalasungay
6. Barangay Kibalabag
7. Barangay Manalog
8. Barangay Patpat

SOUTH HIGHWAY DISTRICT
1. Barangay Aglayan
2. Barangay Bangcud
3. Barangay Cabangahan
4. Barangay Laguitas
5. Barangay Magsaysay
6. Barangay Mapayag
7. Barangay San Jose

BASAKAN DISTRICT
1. Barangay Apo Macote
2. Barangay Linabo
3. Barangay Maligaya
4. Barangay Managok
5. Barangay Miglamin
6. Barangay San Martin
7. Barangay Santo Niño
8. Barangay Simaya
9. Barangay Sinanglanan
10. Barangay Violeta

UPPER PULANGI DISTRICT
1. Barangay Busdi
2. Barangay Caburacanan
3. Barangay Indalasa
4. Barangay Kulaman
5. Barangay Mapulo
6. Barangay Silae
7. Barangay St. Peter
8. Barangay Zamboanguita

Malaybalay's demography classifies 11 urban barangays, 7 urbanizing barangays and 28 rural barangays. These are:

URBAN

• Barangays 1- 11

URBANIZING

• Barangay Aglayan
• Barangay Bangcud
• Barangay Casisang
• Barangay Kalasungay
• Barangay Linabo
• Barangay Managok
• Barangay Sumpong

The rest are rural barangays.

More Facts about Malaybalay City

Visit my other blog Explore Malaybalay City

Revisiting the Tagoloan River Canyon

The Tagoloan River Canyon in Lawis, Lunocan, Manolo Fortich was a very breath taking place. It is a very perfect spot to unwind and marvel at God's wonderful creations. (My last post about Lawis Let's Color The World...With Canyon!!)

Lawis.

My first visit to Lawis was last March 2013 and so far, the sight is still the best here in Bukidnon. My mind keeps on craving to step on Lawis again.

Last September, I invited some friends to travel with me back to Lawis. Fortunately, 4 confirmed and all is set for an adventure to Lawis.

It was a sunny Sunday and we met at Julies Bakeshop near Bukidnon National High School and by quarter to 8am, we rode a bus towards Barangay Lunocan, Manolo Fortich.

We reached Lunocan by almost 10am. Apparently, the habal habal drivers saw us and raced towards us and asked if where are we going. We said Lawis. The drivers priced P60/head since Lawis is 7-8 kilometers away from Sayre Highway. My friends then asked if they could lower the fare to P50/head. Fortunately, the drivers agreed and we head straight to Lawis.

Rain poured last night and the unpaved road was muddy. The habal habal drivers hasto carefully drive their way through the mud pools to avoid accidents.

Finally! we reached Lawis!

Posing with the Tagoloan River on the background.

My friends were getting bored (surprisingly) and they want more views and adventure. Then one of them said "Naog ta sa suba ta!" (Lets go down to the river!). Amazed, I never thought of that idea. I wasn't geared up for such adventure but because of excitement, we all agreed!

Halfway down the Canyon. (A little community exists)

 At first we got lost. I never knew the way down. We searched for the illusive path down to Tagoloan River until we finally saw a rocky, unpaved road leading down the canyon. Feeling excited, we rushed down the canyon.

The Lawis shed. (Destroyed due to strong winds)

While descending the canyon.

Finally, we reached a little community in a small flat area in the canyon. Since we couldn't find another road down, we asked for directions. Its kinda creepy knowing you're on a quite and strange place. There might be rebels! But the locals were friendly and smiled at us. They showed us the way and we continued our trek downwards.

Looking from above, I thought it wasn't a deep canyon. But this trek proved otherwise. We were energy drained and feeling hot. After minutes of trekking, we finally reached the Tagoloan River! It was a very great feeling surviving the treacherous trail down.

The Tagoloan Riverbank.

We chilled and marveled at the place's very great ambiance. Breath taking and enchanting! Beyond words! This place took my breath away again, literally!

While we were relaxing, we saw two young boys enjoying the Tagoloan River waters.

Two lads chilling riverside.

Feeling the intensifying heat of the Sun as noon approaches, we decided to chill at the rivers pristine waters.

Swimming and relaxing at the Tagoloan River.

Swimming on the river reminded us of our childhood memories. We felt like little children playing and laughing the day away. The water is surprisingly cold! The opposite riverbank is already part of Barangay Sampiano, Malitbog, Bukidnon.

After a fun swim, we prepared and shared lunch. Kain Pinoy!

Lunch for the very hungry explorers.

After lunch, we went again to the river to swim some more. After 2 hours, we decided to head back to Lawis. We prepared our things and went up the high canyon.

Trekking upwards was a struggle! Especially for a fat person like me. There were no flat areas. All I could cling to were the surrounding grasses. We reached the community in the flat region of canyon when rain poured down and made us wet again. The remaining trail upward was a challenge since rainwater made the rocky unpaved trail more slippery than before. I was the most struggled! I gave my bag to my friend to unload my heaviness. Finally, we reached the Lawis shed and at the same time, the rain stopped!

It was a very great adventure. Lawis again took my breath not just once, twice but thrice!

We then learned that the habal habal drivers waited for us. We then rode back to Lunocan.

Tired and thirsty, we stopped for a bit at Lunocan. We thanked the drivers for transporting us safely to and from Lawis.

One of my friends then has to go back to Malaybalay City for an appointment. The 4 of us then went to Barangay Tankulan (Poblacion), Manolo Fortich to accompany one of my remaining friend to her appointment.

Then another adventure happened, we rode our way around Tankulan and heading straight to Barangay San Miguel, MF to a famous golf course in Mindanao.

The Manolo Fortich Municipal Hall. 

Clubhouse. Part of the Del Monte Golf Course in Cawayanon, San Miguel, Manolo Fortich.

Reaching the Del Monte Golf Course, I was amazed. I never though I would enter such a sosyal place.

Lets golf! Left-Right: Kuya DanBarth, Shahani, Ramon, Jude and me.

The ambiance at the Clubhouse shows American influence, its architecture and style. The food are very delicious!  Enough to satisfy our hungry tummies from our first adventure.

A beautiful church in front of the golf course's main entrance.

Its getting late and we have to go back to Tankulan. We again rode on the borrowed motorcycles and ride our hearts away through the Sayre Highway. Upon reaching Tankulan, we thanked the Onahon brothers for the company. We boarded a bus plying Valencia City.

By almost 7:30pm, we reached Malaybalay City!

Planning travels is good, but mostly, unplanned travels are the most memorable!

The Return to Lawis and The Round Trip at Manolo Fortich

Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon

September 22, 2013

Baktas Ta Impasug-ong

It was a lazy Sunday when my travelling instinct comes again.

The sun was very bright, greeting a happy and blessed Sunday to everyone eyeing its glorious glow! For an avid traveler, sunshine is always equal to adventures.

With nothing on my mind, I wondered where to go, should I go south? west? east? north? Too many choices! Finally, a sign came in and told me where to go, NORTH! But I thought, where in the north? Then it hit me! I never had a chance to capture Malaybalay's Welcome Marker in Barangay Dalwangan. The destination is set!

Being an easy trip, I invited some friends but only one was willing to go with me. It was my colleague and friend Ramon Torres. Without any delay, we set off to the Bus Stop and off we go to Brgy. Dalwangan.

Malaybalay City Welcome Marker at Barangay Dalwangan.

The view around the marker, being in the highest barangay of Malaybalay (Barangay Dalwangan has the Malaybalay's jurisdiction with the Kitanglad Range, hence, the highest in terms of elevation), was very spectacular. The Kitanglad Range can be seen from afar, and so are other notable peaks (e.g. Palaopao Hills of Sumilao).

It was still early, being 9am in the morning, and our feet is still itching for more adventure. Then, Ramon said - "Baktas ta ta!" (Lets walk). At first I was hesitant knowing we would be walking, but I thought, why not try it. So we decided to walk through the entire Impasug-ong Sayre Highway jurisdiction (From Brgy. Impalutao up to the Alalum Bridge in Kisolon, Sumilao).

The Impasug-ong-Malaybalay Boundary Marker in Brgys. Impalutao-Dalwangan.

Walking a few kilometers was not easy, specially if you're not geared for it. I decided we should take a ride up to the famous Atugan Bridge (a decision which I regret the most). We rode our way up from Brgy. Impalutao  to Brgy. Capitan Bayong. We then started walking again at the southern end of a bridge, but this is not just a bridge, its ATUGAN BRIDGE!

The Atugan Bridge. The bridge crosses the Atugan River, a tributary of Tagoloan River.

ATUGAN BRIDGE was the highest bridge in the Philippines, but the Agas-Agas Bridge in Sogod, Southern Leyte took the title. The bridge crosses the Atugan River which serves as the natural boundary between Barangays Capitan Bayong and Poblacion, Impasug-ong.

It was my first time to walk across the bridge. As the large cargo trucks and buses ply the bridge, you will feel like you're going down the river underneath. It was a cool and awesome experience! The time it takes to walk though the bridge was 4 minutes.

Posing at the northern end of Atugan Bridge. (at Brgy. Poblacion's jurisdiction)

Sir Ramon Torres and the Atugan Bridge.

The Atugan Bridge.

The Atugan Bridge was not the end point of our "baktas". We have to walk more than 5 kilometers to reach Alalum Bridge, and the sun is rising higher in the sky. But the walk must go on!

Feeling the need to rest, we stopped at a waiting shed near a gasoline station and an intersection. Reading the signs, the road going west leads to Brgy. Kibenton, a barangay of Impasug-ong at the foot of the Kitanglad Range. The road going east leads to Brgy. Poblacion proper.

After 2 kilometers, we finally reached another famous landmark of Impasug-ong - the Giant Headdress with 7 Giant Women - located at the road junction leading Brgy. Poblacion proper.

The Giant Headdress and 7 Giant Women at Brgy. Poblacion, Impasug-ong.

After chilling for a bit, we continued walking. I can already see the Palaopao Hills which only means one thing - Kisolon is near! Feeling excited that the Alalum Bridge is close, I remembered the bridge has a welcome marker of Impasug-ong.

After 4 kilometers, finally, we reached Alalum Bridge!

The Alalum Bridge at Sumilao-Impasug-ong Boundary.

ALALUM BRIDGE crosses the Alalum River which serves as the boundary between Barangays Kisolon, Sumilao and Poblacion, Impasug-ong. It is also the Sumilao-Impasug-ong boundary and Bukidnon's DPWH Boundary (3rd DEO and 1st DEO). The Alalum River is a tributary of Tagoloan River.

The New Impasug-ong Welcome Marker on the southern end of Alalum Bridge.

Finally, we reached Barangay Kisolon, Sumilao, the end point of our "baktas". It was a great feeling to walk all through out Impasug-ong (except the multicab ride part). And to end a great adventure is to capture Sumilao's famous landmark - Alalum Falls.

Alalum Falls - the most accessible waterfalls in the province.

ALALUM FALLS, a waterfall in Alalum River, stands at 148 feet (45 meters). It is the most accessible falls in Bukidnon since it can be seen while plying through the Sayre Highway.

It was 3pm and we decided to go back to Malaybalay, but this time, we rode a bus. Seeing the road we walked, I thought "Wow, minuto ra to tanan kung mag sakay!" (It only took the bus minutes to pass the road).

With the modern commodities and luxuries we have today, we sometimes don't appreciate the views around us. But if we take time to see such views, then we realize we wasted the sceneries meant for us to see and amaze.

Baktas ta Impasug-ong

October 20, 2013

Impasug-ong, Bukidnon