Sultan Kudarat is a province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN Region (Region XII). The province covers roughly 5,363.86 square kilometers and is composed of 11 municipalities and 1 city, with a total of 249 barangays. The capital of the province is Isulan, which also serves as the provincial center. Sultan Kudarat is known for the Baras Bird Sanctuary in Tacurong City, a protected area that serves as home to thousands of migratory birds and a major eco-tourism destination.

History

Sultan Kudarat, located in the SOCCSKSARGEN Region of Mindanao, has a history deeply rooted in the influence of the Maguindanao Sultanate. The province is named after Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat, one of the most powerful Muslim rulers in the 17th century who successfully resisted Spanish colonization in Mindanao. During the Spanish period, the area remained largely unconquered, maintaining its Islamic faith and culture. In the American era, the territory that is now Sultan Kudarat was placed under the Department of Mindanao and Sulu and later became part of the undivided Cotabato province. After World War II, the influx of settlers from Luzon and the Visayas transformed the area's demographic and economic landscape, leading to the growth of agriculture and trade. The province of Sultan Kudarat was officially created on November 22, 1973, by Presidential Decree No. 341 under the administration of President Ferdinand E. Marcos, which divided the old Cotabato province into several smaller provinces. Isulan was designated as the capital. Over the years, Sultan Kudarat has developed into an agricultural hub, producing rice, corn, coconut, and other crops, while also preserving its Muslim and indigenous cultural heritage. Today, the province is not only an economic contributor to Mindanao but also a place of historical pride, bearing the name of a revered leader who symbolized resistance and unity among Mindanao's early inhabitants.