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Kibawe is a 4th class municipality in the province of Bukidnon, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 32,955 people in 6,413 households.

Contents 1 History 2 Physical Features 3 Barangays 4 Famous people born in Kibawe 5 External links

In the early days of the American regime, Kibawe was populated by a tribe of mountain people. The Manobos people were nomadic by nature and subsisted on hunting and forest products. They maintained small plots of corn, camote and gabi in places where they built their temporary shelters. They practised a feudal type of government and were responsible only to their datus who governed as their political chieftain, judge, religious leader and armed-forces chief. The most famous among the “datus” was Datu Mambantayao. Datu Mambantayao's bravery and love for his subjects were unexcelled and remain in the hearts and minds of the people to this day. One of the historic events of his life as a datu was the capturing of a lady whom he loved. She was abducted by a tribe from Bugcaon, Malaybalay, Bukidnon, seventy kilometers away from Kibawe. Datu Mambantayao, along with his armed trained warriors marched to Bugcaon, which they attacked heavily, plundering and killing the Bugcaons’ chieftain for the recovery of the lady who he later married. Datu Mambantayao named this place Kibawe from the word “Guibawe” meaning recovery.

Bukidnon was eventually created as a separate province from Agusan. Kibawe became a barrio of Maramag. It now occupied the southern portion of Bukidnon, bounded on the north by Maramag, on the south by Carmen, Cotabato, on the east by Magpet, Cotabato and on the west by Lanao Sur. It covered the present areas of the mother municipality of Kibawe, the daughter municipalities of Dangcagan, Damulog and Kadingilan and grand daughter municipality of Kitaotao, with a land area of approximately 125,000 hectares.

Kibawe became a municipal district in 1931 and then became a regular municipality on July 1, 1956 under Executive Order 272 issued by the late President of the Philippines, President Carlos P. Garcia. Later on, barrio Dangcagan separated into a regular municipality. The growth and development of the municipality served high after the Second World War as immigrants from all over the country (mainly from Visayas and Mindanao) came flocking into the fertile valleys and low mountains of the community.

The original populace of the town, the Manobos, have practically been replaced by the above mentioned lowlanders. To date, only a few Manobos remain in the interior barrios. In the year 1972, the big barrios of Damulog and Kadingilan were created into separate municipalities. Thus, Kibawe retained the land area of 30,143.000 hectares or 301.430 square kilometers. The Kibaweños of today are people of diverse ethnic origin comprising of Cebuanos, Boholanos, Samariños, Leyteños, Sequijodnons, and Camiguingnon. From Luzon have come the Chinese, Ilongos, Manobos and Misamisnon. All are hardworking, friendly, peace-loving and law-abiding. Together, they work towards a common goal - the socio-economic advancement and amelioration of their lives as a whole.

Geographical Location

Kibawe is a rich land at the center of Mindanao, located in southern Bukidnon. It is bounded in the north by the municipality of Dangcagan, on the south by the municipality of Damulog, on the east by the municipality of Magpet, North Cotabato and on the west by the municipality of Kadingilan with Muleta River serving as a natural boundary. It has a total land area of 30,143.000 hectares or 301.430 square kilometers, with an approximate land elevation of 1,106.25 feet above sea level.

Topography

Kibawe has a larger percentage of rolling than plain areas. A rough estimate is 80% rolling hills and 20% plainlands. The important landmarks of the municipality are several mountain peaks, clustered over most of the barangays. Pulangi and Muleta Rivers serve as the major fishing grounds of the people residing near the bank, as do the beautiful and magnificent Paragupac Cave in Barangay Spring and the Rogobrob spring at Barangay New Kidapawan.

Climate

The climate conditions of the entire municipality of Kibawe is pleasant and cool throughout the year. It is relatively dry from January to April and wet the rest of the year.

Kibawe is politically subdivided into 23 barangays.

Balintawak Cagawasan East Kibawe (Pob.) Gutapol Pinamula Kiorao Kisawa Labuagon Magsaysay Marapangi Mascariñas Natulongan

New Kidapawan Old Kibawe Romagooc Sampaguita Sanipon Spring Talahiron Tumaras West Kibawe (Pob.) Bukang Liwayway Palma

• Manny Pacquiao, boxer

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• 2000 Philippine Census Information

Coordinates: 7°34′N, 124°59′E