Lanao del Sur is a province in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Mindanao, Philippines.

Cities

Location

• 1 Marawi — capital of the province
• 2 Wao
• 3 Malabang
• 4 Tugaya — the only community in the province that produces excellent brassware. Practically every family has a bellow in the area where the metals are smelted. Using the cire perdule or lost wax technique, cannons and gongs, betelnut boxes and rice pots are made.

Understand

Lanao del Sur is one of the four provinces of the original ARMM in Northern Mindanao. It is surrounded by the provinces of Lanao del Norte on the north, Bukidnon on the east, Illana Bay on the west and Cotabato and Maguindanao on the south.

Lanao's terrain forms the western chunks of the extensive plateau of Northern Mindanao. The narrow coastal plains and rolling hills close upon Illana Bay on the southwest and give way to the mountain scope with Cotabato along its boundary and the lowlands going east to the limits of Bukidnon.

The word Lanao originated from the word ranao, which means "lake". The province of Lanao encompass the basin of Lake Lanao where the Maranaos reside and are referred to as "people of the lake". Its capital, Dansalan, has become a municipality in 1907 and a city in 1940. Thus in 1956, the name of the town was change to Marawi, coming from the word "ravi", pointing to the reclining lilies in the Agus River. Marawi is now the provincial capital.

Maranaos dominated most of Lanao's population. Being one of the last group to be Islamized, Maranao hold firmly to the decree of their traditional law called maratabat, a status sensitive regulation that governs their social relations and sanctions that would preserve and cultivate their patronage.

They are also one of the most artistic ethnic groups in the country. They are well known for the superiority of their weaving and their metal and woodcrafts. They have created one of the finest endemic architecture with their impressive Torogans. The design and motifs of their okil is one of the most systematized in the country.

Lanao's rich and fertile soil provides fruitful harvest for their agricultural industry. Rice is their main crop followed by corn, coconut, abaca, bananas and durian. Brass making and malong-weaving are some of their cottage industries.

The province's main attractions are mostly concentrated in Marawi City. Lake Lanao is known to be the deepest lake in the country and is surrounded by lush countryside-farming villages impregnated with rice and cornfields. The lakeside towns are dominated by mosques. The Torogans which are an antique royal houses combined with Maranao's high-rooted carvings, are also situated in the area.

The Moncado Colony in Cadingilan is named in honor of Camino Moncado, a leader, organizer, writer and lecturer. Moncado monuments and statues of wild animals can be found in the said colony. Tugaya town, on the other hand, is reputed to produce the best brassware in the Philippines.

Get in

• 1 Malabang Airport (MLP  ^IATA). The only airport within the province, with no commercial flights. Its disused runway has been used for drying copra and rice. (updated Sep 2019)

The nearest major airports with scheduled commercial flights are Laguindingan Airport (CGY ^IATA) and Awang Airport (CBO ^IATA)

See

• Agus River: Between Saduc and Lilod, Marawi City. It is considered as the swiftest river in the country. Its famous cataract is the Maria Cristina Falls, outlet of Lake Lanao to Illana Bay.
• Sacred Mountain: A 150-meter with a pond at its summit. Visitors are forewarned not to climb the slopes or suffer the consequences. However, there is no solid evidence that tragic events did occur when the warning was violated.

Eat

Amik, Dodol, Browa, Tiyateg, Tamongkosi, Barobed, soman, Apang,

Sleep

Ayala MSU Main Campus