Kalilangan

Kalilangan, officially the Municipality of Kalilangan (Bukid and Higaonon: Banuwa ta Kalilangan; Iranun: Inged a Kalilangan; Lungsod sa Kalilangan; Bayan ng Kalilangan), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Bukidnon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 43,711 people.

Etymology
The term kalilangan came from a Maranao native tongue which means "extreme happiness". It used to be a barrio of Pangantucan, Bukidnon. Due to tremendous influx of settlers coming from the different parts of the country, it becomes an independent municipality.

History
In 1951 Kalilangan become one of the settlement areas under the LASEDECO (Land Settlement and Development Corporation). Christian settlers came and settled in this place. When LASEDECO was dissolved, it was replaced immediately by National Resettlement Rehabilitation Administration (NARRA) during the time of then President Ramon Magsaysay. Another batch of settlers came composed of different tribes and other ethnic groups in the country. They were Cebuanos, Waray, Boholanos, Bicolanos, Tagalogs, Ivatans, Ilonggos, Ilocanos, Capangpangan and other tribes in the island of Mindanao. Settlers were given aid by the government particularly working animals, subsistence, farm tools and others. As years rolled on land cultivation progressed and the settlers started planting different kinds of crops. Roads were opened and commerce flowed freely to the new barrio of Kalilangan. Other settlers also started engaging in business

As Kalilangan was considered as one of the most progressive barrios in the municipality of Pangantucan and by virtue of Republic Act No. 4788 approved on June 18, 1966, a bill was sponsored by ex-Congressman Benjamin N. Tabios, creating Kalilangan into a 6th class municipality and was organized and implemented on January 1, 1968, just after the 1967 elections.

Geography
The Municipality of Kalilangan is bounded on the north by the Municipality of Talakag, on the east and south by the Municipality of Pangantucan and on the west by the Province of Lanao del Sur. It has a land area of 28,414.10 hectares. The municipalities of Talakag and Pangantucan are claiming some parts of the municipality. Talakag claims 2,427.50 hectares of land in the northern portion of the municipality while Pangantucan is also contesting for 691.0 hectares of Kalilangan's land area.

Barangays
Kalilangan is politically subdivided into 14 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

Topography
Kalilangan is characterized by rugged terrain with a limited plain or level area situated on the Poblacion and portion of the municipality. From its total land area, a dominant 76.57 percent are within 8-15 percent slope characterized by moderately undulating and gently rolling land. The barangays of San Vicente Ferrer and Ninoy Aquino are dominantly within this slope type.

Areas with 18 percent slope and above cover 15.61 percent. These are very steepy sloping and rolling land in many directions. The barangays of Macaopao, Lampanusan, portions of Kibaning, Public and Pamotolon are dominantly within the slope type.

The remaining 7.82 percent of the municipality level to nearly level land and gently sloping areas in one general direction within 0-3 percent, 3-5 percent and 5-15 percent slopes. These are common in the Poblacion portion of the municipality.

Demographics
In the 2020 census, the population of Kalilangan was 43,711 people, with a density of undefined PD/km2.

Historical growth
It was on 1970 that the Municipality of Kalilangan first attempted to conduct a census in its area of jurisdiction. On that year a total of 12,326 inhabitants have been registered by the Philippine Statistics Authority (NSO). Five years later NSO conducted another Census of Population registering 15,389 inhabitants revealing that for 5 years time 1970-1975 the municipality has reached a population increase of 24.85%. On the next 5 years from 1975 to 1980 NSO recorded 19.01% of inhabitants as has been added to the population of the municipality, revealing therefore that a population growth rate drop of 5.84% compared to that of 1970-1975 had happened.

After 10 years the next population census had been conducted by NSO registering a population of 23,923 inhabitants on 1990. In comparison with the municipality's census two decades ago,  from 1970 to 1980 and from 1980 to 1990 a population increase of 48.58% and 30.62% respectively was observed. In terms of population growth rate (1970-1980 has 4.04% and 1980-1990 2.70%)

Important population data also came up for population trend analysis was the 1990-1995 population census revealing a population increase of 12.75% with a population growth rate of 2.43%

Another population increase was recorded when official result of May 1, 2000 census of population was published. It recorded a total of 30, 592 persons for the municipality with 5,873 households, an average household size of 5 persons and recorded an average of 2.74 birth rate and death rate of 0.24.

The 2007 Census shows an increase in the population to 36,557.

Language
Presently Kalilangan was inhabited by about 47 different tribes with different languages on which 36% were Binukid, 24% Cebuano, 20% Maranao, 6% Hiligaynon/Ilonggo, 6% Ivatan/Itbayat and 5% Boholano. Binukid the dominant language in the municipality.

Religion
In terms of denomination, Kalilangan has about 21 known numbers of religious affiliation on which prevailing dominant group is the Roman Catholic of about 46.9%, followed by Islam which is equivalent to 37.22%. Other group of Baptist of 2.88%, Assembly of God 2.23%, Iglesia ni Cristo of 2.02%, and the remaining 9.25% belongs to the remaining sixteen (16) other denominations.