Mindanao is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of the same name that also includes its adjacent islands, notably the Sulu Archipelago. According to the 2020 census, Mindanao has a population of 26,252,442 people, while the entire island group has an estimated population of 27,021,036 according to the 2021 census.
Bukidnon, officially the Province of Bukidnon, is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital is the city of Malaybalay. The province borders, clockwise from the north, Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Sur, Davao del Norte, Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, and Lanao del Norte. According to the 2020 census, the province is inhabited by 1,541,308 residents. The province is composed of 2 component cities and 20 municipalities. It is the third largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction behind Palawan and Isabela respectively.
Davao Region, formerly called Southern Mindanao, is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region XI. It is situated at the southeastern portion of Mindanao and comprises five provinces: Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental and Davao Occidental.
Soccsksargen, formerly known as Central Mindanao, is an administrative region of the Philippines, designated as Region XII. Located in south-central Mindanao, its name is an acronym that stands for the region's four provinces and one highly urbanized city. The regional center is in Koronadal, located in the province of South Cotabato, and the center of commerce and industry is General Santos, which is the most populous city in the region.
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was an autonomous region of the Philippines, located in the Mindanao island group of the Philippines, that consisted of five predominantly Muslim provinces: Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. It was the only region that had its own government. The region's de facto seat of government was Cotabato City, although this self-governing city was outside its jurisdiction.
Digos, officially the City of Digos, is a 2nd class component city and capital of the province of Davao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 188,376 people.
The Pan-Philippine Highway, also known as the Maharlika Highway, is a network of roads, expressways, bridges, and ferry services that connect the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao in the Philippines, serving as the country's principal transport backbone. Measuring 3,379.73 kilometers (2,100.07 mi) long excluding sea routes not counted by highway milestones, it is the longest road in the Philippines that forms the country's north–south backbone component of National Route 1 (N1) of the Philippine highway network. The entire highway is designated as Asian Highway 26 (AH26) of the Asian Highway Network.
Metro Davao, officially Metropolitan Davao, is a metropolitan area in Mindanao, Philippines. It includes the cities of Davao, Digos, Mati, Panabo, Samal and Tagum and spanned parts of all five provinces of the Davao Region. Metro Davao is one of three metropolitan areas in the Philippines. It is administered by the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority. It is the largest metropolitan region by land area and the second most populous in the Philippines.
The University of Mindanao is a private, non-sectarian university in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. It is located in Davao City. Established in 1946, the University of Mindanao has ten branches spread over thirteen campuses in Southern Mindanao. It offers learning opportunities for indigenous education.
Mindanao Star Bus Transport, Incorporated(formerly Weena Express, People's Transport Corporation) is a bus line under the umbrella of Yanson Group of Bus Companies (YGBC). It operates bus transport services from Davao City, to Soccsksargen Region and the Island Garden City of Samal, and has their own base in Ma-a, Davao City. Mindanao Star was once a part of Bachelor Express, but was later formed as an independent subsidiary of Yanson Group.
Yellow Bus Line, Incorporated (YBLI) is a large bus company in Mindanao. It operates bus transport services in the Central and Southern Mindanao with its headquarters in General Santos. Its company-owned terminals and offices are located in General Santos and Koronadal City.
An autonomous region of the Philippines is a first-level administrative division that has the authority to control a region's culture and economy. The Constitution of the Philippines allows for two autonomous regions: in the Cordilleras and in Muslim Mindanao. Currently, Bangsamoro, which largely consists of the Muslim-majority areas of Mindanao, is the only autonomous region in the country.
The University of Mindanao Broadcasting Network (UMBN) is a Philippine radio network majority-owned and controlled by the Torres family. It serves as the media arm of the University of Mindanao. Its headquarters are located at the UMBN Media Center, C. Bangoy St. cor. Palma Gil St., Poblacion, Davao City, while its national marketing offices are located in Makati. UMBN and its subsidiary Mt. Apo Broadcasting System run AM and FM stations in Mindanao, while its other subsidiary Ditan Communications runs the Visayas stations. It has three radio network brands, namely UMBN News & Public Affairs, Wild FM and Retro.
Jesus "Jess" Gestuveo Dureza is a Filipino lawyer, consultant, journalist and politician from Davao City, Philippines. He was the adviser on the peace process to President Rodrigo Duterte from 2016 to 2018 and is the Founding Chairman of Advocacy MindaNow Foundation, a group advocating for peace in Mindanao. He has held various appointive positions in past administrations including the chairmanship of the Mindanao Development Authority, the chairmanship of the Government Peace Negotiating Panel for Talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and Presidential Assistant for Mindanao. He is also a former Representative of the 1st District of Davao City in the Philippine House of Representatives.
Beta Sigma Omega Phi is a service fraternity and sorority founded at University of Bohol on October 10, 1968. This was organized by Frank Paz Jr., Frederick Loor, and Remy Galbizo. Their aims were to foster lifetime brotherhood and sisterhood and to build noble leaders and better citizens. Members are encouraged to promote the welfare of students and to work for better and greater involvement in the affairs of the school as well as in the community. The organization facilitates a variety of community civic involvement, and services like tree planting, feeding programs, bloodletting, operation tuli, and lately the Brigada Eskwela. Betans 1968 have established 72 collegiate chapters throughout Philippines; most of these are on the island of Mindanao.
Davao Metro Shuttle Corporation (DMS), also known as Davao Metro Shuttle Bus Company, Inc., is a large bus company in Mindanao, Philippines. It operates bus transport services in and outside Davao Region with its headquarters, main garage and offices in Davao City. Its main terminals are located in Davao City and Tagum.
Proclamation No. 216 was the 2017 proclamation of martial law and suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the whole of Mindanao amid clashes between government forces and Maute group terrorists in Marawi, issued by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on May 23, 2017. The state of martial law was extended thrice by Congress at the request of Duterte, citing necessity to quell hostile activities perpetrated by terrorist groups, and ended with the third extension lapsing on December 31, 2019.
National Route 1 (N1) is a primary national route that forms part of the Philippine highway network, running from Luzon to Mindanao. Except for a 19-kilometer (12 mi) gap in Metro Manila and ferry connections, the highway is generally continuous. Most sections of N1 forms the Pan-Philippine Highway except for sections bypassed by expressways.
The Mindanao Railway, previously known as the Trans-Mindanao High Speed Railway, is a proposed railway system in Mindanao, the southernmost major island of the Philippines. Originally proposed in 1936 as part of Manuel L. Quezon's efforts to strengthen the presence of Commonwealth government in Mindanao against the rising influence of Imperial Japan before World War II, the line was shelved. Other proposals and studies were made in the 1950s, 1990s, and the 2000s, but never materialized. The current line began development in 2018; however, construction has yet to start. It will be initially built as a single-track standard gauge system to be operated by diesel-powered rolling stock, but will have provisions for upgrading to double-track and electrification through overhead lines.
The COVID-19 pandemic reached the Davao Region on March 15, 2020, when the first case of the disease was confirmed in Tagum. All provinces as well as Davao City has at least one confirmed COVID-19 case. Majority of the cases and deaths in the region are attributed to Davao City.
Philippines 
