| Magpet | |
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| — Municipality — | |
| Municipality of Magpet, Cotabato | |
| Map of Cotabato showing the location of Magpet | |
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Magpet
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII) |
| Province | Cotabato |
| Districts | 2nd District of Cotabato |
| Barangays | 32 |
| Incorporated (Town) | June 22, 1963 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council |
| • District Representative | Nancy A. Catamco |
| • Mayor | PIÑOL, Efren F. (2010–present) |
| • Vice Mayor | VILLASOR, Florentino R. (2010–present) |
| • Municipal Council | |
| Area | |
| • Total | 755.36 km2 (291.6 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 300 m (984 ft) |
| Population (2009) | |
| • Total | 44,372 |
| • Density | 58.7/km2 (152.1/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Cotabateños Magpeteños |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+8) |
| • Summer (DST) | +8 (UTC+8) |
| ZIP Code | 9404 |
| Income class | 1st[1] |
Magpet is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cotabato, Philippines. According LGMPS[2] (as of 2009), it has a population of 44,372 people in 9,200 households.
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Magpet is located in the eastern part of Cotabato province and in the foothills of Mt Apo with generally slopping and mountainous terrain. It is bordered in the south by Kidapawan City and on the north by the Municipality of Arakan.
Magpet is politically subdivided into 32 barangays.
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Several rivers located in Magpet are being tapped for irrigation development and potential for hydro power plants. Others are the major tributaries to Kabacan River, which flows to many barangays of Magpet, to the Municipalities of Pres. Roxas, Matalam, Kabacan, Carmen and connects with Pulangi River. As a major source of water supply, it served for irrigation purposes, servicing thousands of hectares of rice fields not only in the Municipality of Magpet, but also in the various areas of the Province as well. Magpet is serviced with public water system (Level III) by the Metro Kidapawan Water District. Under this system, 1,242 households were connected with individual faucet. The Barangay Water Sanitation, or BAWASA, has a communal faucet (Level II) connected to 2,381 households. 2,978 households draw their water from developed springs (Level I).
Mineral products found in the municipality of Magpet include non-metallic like limestone, sand and gravel which are the basic good materials for constructions while the red and white clay, considered as among the best in the country, are good materials for ceramic production. These can be found particularly in the barangays of Doles, Inca and Noa. Metallic minerals include gold, nickel and silver.
Magpet derived its name from the word “Malotpot”[3] which means “a place where people gather in fellowship to partake of their packed lunch wrapped in banana leaves”.
An anonymous lexicographer inadvertently shortened the word “Linoppot” to “Maupot”. Much later and further spelled into “MAGPET” by a certain forester in his survey report. Consequently, the word “Magpet” stuck not only to mean the place but also the stream of the cool, fresh and clean water. By the present connotation, Magpet means “the verdant lands of countless waters”.
The life of the early year’s settlers and inhabitants of Magpet was a tale of survival and fortitude. Their lives were always in danger. Bloodthirsty malarial mosquito’s attacked them. Grandparents often told their grandchildren the stories “about eating their meals inside the mosquito nets” because “mosquitoes were as big as bees”.
Yet, all the hardships and suffering, and even death of the early settlers only served to strengthen their decision to stay and utilize the vast natural resources of Magpet. The land was very fertile and varieties of fishes were found in the rivers and streams, and on the woodlands, wild pigs, deer and birds are plentiful. Food was not a problem during that period, but rather, marketing of production surplus and purchase of basic commodities. They traveled for days and weeks in order to sell their crops to the nearest trading centers and they needed salt, sugar, matches and soap for daily needs.
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