Malaybalay, officially the City of Malaybalay (; ), is a component city and capital of the province of Bukidnon, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 195,046 people.
The city, dubbed as the "South Summer Capital of the Philippines", is bordered north by Impasugong; west by Lantapan; south by Valencia and San Fernando; and east by Cabanglasan and Agusan del Sur.
It was formerly part of the province of Misamis Oriental as a municipal district in the late 19th century. When the special province of Agusan (now Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur) and its sub-province (Bukidnon) were created in 1907, Malaybalay was designated as the capital of Bukidnon. It was then formally established as a municipality on October 19, 1907, and was created into a city on February 11, 1998, by virtue of Republic Act 8490.
Malaybalay City is the venue of the Kaamulan Festival, held annually from mid-February to March 10.
Etymology According to the anthropologist and historian Ludivina Opeña, the name Malaybalay in historical records can be traced to the name of a spring (salubsob or salebseb in the Manobo languages) along the Sawaga River. The original meaning is unknown. The name is often incorrectly given baseless folk etymologies due to its resemblance to Cebuano words.
History Historiographic accounts for Malaybalay are scarce, and conflicting narratives further obscure the actual history of the city due to the oral nature of passing information by the Indigenous peoples and the incomplete accounts of Spanish registries in the region.
Precolonial history Malaybalay is one of the few villages in central Mindanao that was founded by the natives. People who live in present-day Malaybalay and most of Northern Mindanao and parts of Caraga now call themselves Higaonon. Higaonon tribal chieftains claim a city was built at the confluence (sabangán) of the Kibalabag and Can-ayan Rivers, at which point the Tagoloan River begins and is considered a sacred place by the tribe. They never converted to Islam like the tribes in Cotabato and Lanao.
Spanish period, 17th to 19th century
The Spanish, who arrived in the area in the 18th century, already saw thriving communities along the Tagoloan River. In 1815, the province of Misamis was created, which included areas of present-day Bukidnon. However, some skirmishes with the Spanish administration existed, such as the burning of Kalasungay village in 1850 by Spanish authorities, although the cause of such incident is conflicting. Nonetheless, it dispersed the survivors into neighboring villages such as Silae and Silipon (now Dalwangan). A group established a new settlement near the Sacub River (a spring near present-day Rizal Park), led by Datù Mampaalong. On June 15, 1877, in an accord between the Spanish government and Mampaalong with 30 other datù, their settlement called Malaybalay was incorporated into Misamis. At the same event, Mampaalong and his people embraced Christianity. Spanish registries incorporated Malaybalay as the pueblo Oroquieta, in the town of Sevilla (now Mailag), administered by the clergy. Other settlements, namely Kalasungay (Calasungay), Linabo, Silae, Valencia, Bugcaon, Alanib (Covadonga), Monserrat (may refer to either Lumbayao or Lurugan), and Lepanto (may refer to Maramag) were also incorporated into the town in separate occasions. Although Mailag was the designated town proper by the Spanish government, it was Linabo that served as the seat of town government. Malaybalay was then a barrio headed by an appointed cabeza de barangay.
American occupation, 1898-1946 During the American occupation, administrative structure of Mindanao underwent complete overhaul. The Province of Misamis was dissolved forming the current provinces of Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental. Likewise, the Philippine Commission then headed by Commissioner Dean C. Worcester, Secretary of Interior and a member of the Philippine Commission proposed the creation of a province of Bukidnon. With it, the local administration of Sevilla was considered defunct.
On August 20, 1907, the Philippine Commission Act No. 1693 was enacted creating the sub-province of Bukidnon. Malaybalay was then formally created as a municipality on October 19, 1907, replacing Mailag. It included the barrios of the former Sevilla except for Maramag, which became a separate Municipality. Dalwangan, formerly a village under Sumilao during the Spanish administration, was also incorporated within Malaybalay. When Bukidnon was declared as a regular province and become an independent political unit on March 10, 1917, by virtue of the creation of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu under Act 2711, Malaybalay was designated as its provincial capital.
World War II and Japanese occupation, 1942-1945
During the Second World War, in 1942, the Japanese occupation troops entered Bukidnon. They occupied Malaybalay, establishing a camp in Casisang. Guerrilla groups operating around Malaybalay made frequent raids on the Japanese camps from the time of the occupation until the arrival of the Americans. In 1945 American liberation forces, together with the Philippine Commonwealth Forces and Filipino guerrillas, liberated Malaybalay.
Postwar Malaybalay Malaybalay was one of the few municipalities and municipal districts comprising Bukidnon and in the decades that followed, several municipalities were created from Malaybalay's far-flung but populous barangays. These municipalities eventually became San Fernando (1959, from 8 barrios), Valencia (1961, from 13 barrios), Lantapan (1968, from 12 barrios), and Cabanglasan (1979, from 15 barrios). As the capital town, most economic activity was centered here until it shifted to the more centrally located Valencia, its daughter town. In 1980, Valencia overtook Malaybalay as the most populous municipality.
Cityhood
On March 26, 1996, the Sangguniang Bayan of the municipality of Malaybalay passed Resolution No. 3699-96 petitioning to the House of Representatives for the conversion of Malaybalay into a city. Reginaldo Tilanduca, 2nd District Representative of Bukidnon at that time, filed House Bill No. 6275, proposing the creation of Malaybalay into a component city. On March 22, 1998, President Fidel Ramos signed the act (R.A. 8490) that converted Malaybalay to a city, making it the first component city of Bukidnon.
Geography Malaybalay, the capital city of Bukidnon, is in the central part of the province. It is bounded in the east by the municipality of Cabanglasan and the Pantaron Range, which separates Bukidnon from the provinces of Agusan del Sur and Davao del Norte; on the west by the municipality of Lantapan and Mount Kitanglad; on the north by the municipality of Impasugong; and on the south by Valencia City and the municipality of San Fernando.
The whole eastern and southeastern border adjoining Agusan del Sur and Davao del Norte is elevated and densely forested mountains, which is one of the few remaining forest blocks of Mindanao. The nearest seaports and airports are in Cagayan de Oro, which is 91 kilometers away.
Barangays
Malaybalay is politically subdivided into 46 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.
These barangays are conveniently grouped into 5 geographical districts, namely the Poblacion District, North Highway District, South Highway District, Basakan District, and Upper Pulangi District.
BarangayGeographic districtClassification (Urban/Rural)Population 20202015 Barangay 1 Poblacion Urban 6,442 5,293 Barangay 2 Poblacion Urban 587 969 Barangay 3 Poblacion Urban 438 788 Barangay 4 Poblacion Urban 344 456 Barangay 5 Poblacion Urban 71 186 Barangay 6 Poblacion Urban 474 741 Barangay 7 Poblacion Urban 1,891 2,298 Barangay 8 Poblacion Urban 579 675 Barangay 9 Poblacion Urban 9,187 9,022 Barangay 10 (Impalambong) Poblacion Urban 3,447 2,942 Barangay 11 (Impalambong) Poblacion Rural 3,034 3,209 Aglayan South Highway Urban 8,215 7,594 Apo Macote Basakan Urban 5,024 4,903 Bangcud South Highway Urban 5,771 5,111 Busdi Upper Pulangi Rural 2,644 2,377 Cabangahan South Highway Rural 3,162 3,015 Caburacanan Upper Pulangi Rural 1,130 1,150 Can-ayan North Highway Urban 6,553 5,870 Capitan Angel North Highway Rural 1,545 1,160 Casisang South Highway Urban 29,406 25,696 Dalwangan North Highway Urban 7,785 7,004 Imbayao North Highway Urban 1,817 1,833 Indalasa Upper Pulangi Rural 1,979 1,690 Kalasungay North Highway Urban 9,961 8,272 Kibalabag North Highway Rural 1,199 1,158 Kulaman Upper Pulangi Rural 1,291 1,341 Laguitas South Highway Urban 3,899 3,233 Linabo Basakan Urban 7,448 6,933 Magsaysay South Highway Rural 3,176 3,001 Maligaya Basakan Rural 2,413 2,113 Managok Basakan Urban 7,567 7,200 Manalog North Highway Rural 1,035 969 Mapayag South Highway Rural 1,045 979 Mapulo Upper Pulangi Rural 1,675 1,260 Miglamin Basakan Rural 2,596 3,188 Patpat North Highway Rural 4,366 3,833 Saint Peter Upper Pulangi Rural 2,817 2,324 San Jose South Highway Urban 9,213 6,856 San Martin Basakan Rural 3,326 3,088 Santo Niño Basakan Rural 1,845 1,675 Silae Upper Pulangi Rural 2,681 2,629 Simaya Basakan Rural 4,713 4,161 Sinanglanan Basakan Rural 3,644 3,262 Sumpong North Highway Urban 9,243 9,302 Violeta Basakan Rural 2,269 2,199 Zamboanguita Upper Pulangi Rural 1,765 1,667 Total 190,712174,625
Climate The climate classification of Malaybalay falls under the Fourth Type or intermediate B type, which is characterized by the absence of a pronounced maximum period and dry season. Rain falls at a yearly average of and occurs throughout the year, though it is more intense during the summer season from April to September. Outside these months, January to March receive less rain and October to December are intermediate. Compared with the rest of the country, the climate in Malaybalay is moderate all year round and the area is not on the typhoon belt.
Land area
The total land area of the city is , that is about 13% of the total area of Bukidnon. An estimated 65% of this is classified as forestland/timberland and the remaining 35% is alienable and disposable areas: lands which could be used for purposes such as for agriculture or for industry.
The city plays a strategic role in the protection of the headwater source of the Pulangi and the Tagoloan rivers because of its location the upper portion of both watershed areas. The Pulangi River then extends through the Cotabato provinces as the Rio Grande de Mindanao and to Cotabato City, where it empties into Illana Bay. The Tagoloan River, on the other hand, traverses northwestward toward Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, where it joins Macajalar Bay. These watershed areas provided potable water, irrigation, hydro-electric power, and recreation and tourism activities.
Topography and soil type
The average elevation of the city is above sea level. About 60% of the city's area has above 30% slope, characterized by steep hills, mountains, and cliff-like stream side. About 25% are level, gently sloping, and undulating. The rest are rolling and hilly.