A short visit to Sultan Naga Dimaporo (Lanao del Norte)

I first heard of the name Sultan Naga Dimaporo in early 2008. Of course, it’s a name of a person but today it is now a name of one of the many municipalities that composes the Province of Lanao del Norte. Sultan Naga Dimaporo is the last town in the southern-western part of the province. Originally, the name of the town is Karomatan. It has a population of 46,004  according to the 2007 Census.

On June 9 this year, I was able to visit the place with the prodding of a client in the province. They actually had opened a new branch at the town. I was hesitant at first because Lanao del Norte is known to be a hotspot for kidnap-for-ransom gangs and is famous for MILF-conducted ambushes on civilians, as being portrayed in tri-media. Secondly, the Italian priest who was kidnapped in Pagadian City were said to be brought by the bandits in the town of Sultan Naga Dimaporo (SND).

To make the story short, we went there. On our way, I became more observant of the surroundings. But I was amazed because the roads leading to the town were all paved and well-maintained. I felt less fortunate because the main road artery in my province got concreted only last year. The place was relatively peaceful.

The other question people usually ask is if there are Christian residents in the area. Obviously Filipinos, irregardless of their cultural and religious beliefs, are living peacefully in the community. Christians are also elected (chosen) as village chiefs.

I also learned that SND is a good place to raise cows and goats. It is also engaged in fish processing (processed sardines). I was surprised by the latter information because I thought of where they get their supply for sardines. All I knew was the province was bounded by Panguil Bay. And there are no sardines found in the bay, though it’s host for fishpens, seaweed farms, etc. So my host brought me to the seaside. It was actually a beachfront.

I came to face with Illana Bay which directly reaches to Celebes Sea. They told me that on the right side is the way to Zamboanga City while the other side is actually going to General Santos City. And if you traverse the sea in front of us, we would find ourselves heading to Borneo or Malaysia. Indeed, tuna and sardines abound there.

To illustrate how peaceful the place is: most of the development officers of my client assigned at their branch in SND are single female. It is a different world out there, totally different from what the News Media projects.

I am glad that I went there and be able to attest the claim of its residents and neighbors that it’s peaceful in SND. Hopefully bus companies will plan to include the town in its route plan from Iligan to Pagadian City. Passenger utility jeepneys and vans serve the town and it has no regular trip interval. Passenger vans from Kapatagan to Cotabato City passes through the town. It is accessible but not conveniently through public utility vehicles.