Interesting Facts about Iligan and Marawi

Here are some interesting trivia about Iligan City and Lanao del Sur province, which were contributed by Mr. Arnold Garbanzos.

FIRSTS

1. "First and largest Christian settlement in the country" -Dr. Mamitua Saber, Historian of the Sociology Department of the Mindanao State University
2. First Steel plant in Southeast Asia-National Steel Corporation
3. First hydro electric generating plant in the country-National Power Corporation
4. First city in Mindanao where the unfurling of the Guinness "largest flag" was made-Global Steel (formerly National Steel Corporation) Football ground
5. Site of the first national gathering of MBelievers
6. Site of the first Haggai National Training Seminar outside Metro Manila

INTERESTING FACTS:

1. Iligan is the site of the Central Book room of the Local Churches in the Philippines.
2. Gateway to the Heart of Central Mindanao.
3. Home of the majestic waterfalls - Maria Cristina Falls.
4. The Eagle headed shaped City of the Philippines.
5. The Industrial City of the South.
6. The City in the Philippines with the longest fiesta-31 days!!
7. Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur are twins - they have the "same birthday" - July 4 of every year - the only province in the Philippines with a twin.
8. June 16, 1950 is the charter day of Iligan while the same date is the day in 1956 when Dansalan was officially changed to Marawi.
9. All Iliganons traced their roots to the Maranao Tribe.
10. Tomas Cabili an Iliganon was the one who authored the chartering of Marawi into a city in 1940, while Muhammad Ali Dimaporo, a Maranao was the one who authored the chartering of Iligan into a city in 1950.
11. Iligan is a tri-people city-Lumads, Christians and Muslims.
12. It is part of Region 10, but enjoys the previledges of Region 12 i.e. Muslim holidays

THE ILIGAN-MALACANANG CONNECTION

1. The Philippines has the longest Christmas in the world, while Iligan has the longest fiesta in the Philippines.
2. The seat of power in the Philippines is Malacanang, while the seat of hydroelectric power in MIndanao is Iligan.
3. The country code of the Philippines is 63, while the area code of Iligan is 63.
4. The "patron saint" of Malacanang is Michael the Archangel, while the "patron saint" of Iligan is Michael the Archangel.
5. Philipp in Greek means "lovers of horses", while Iligan in the Higaonon tribe means "fortress". Horses and Fortresses in the Bible both refer to war.
6. President GMA used to stay in Iligan, now she is in Malacanang.

MARAWI AND LANAO DEL SUR:

1. The only Islamic City in the Philippines.
2. The camel headed shaped province of the Philippines.
3. Home of Lake Lanao-one of the oldest and deepest lake in the world-source of unending freshspring water.
4. Kilometer Zero of Mindanao.
5. The "Baguio City" of the South.
6. Central seat of government of the American forces in Mindanao during the early 1900s.
7. Home of the Mindanao State University(MSU) System.