Chapter 10 Western Mindanao

Mindanao (/mɪndəˈnaʊ/ min-də-now) is the second largest and southernmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country (the other two being Luzon and the Visayas), which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. Davao City is the largest city in Mindanao. Of the island's 22 million population, according to the 2010 census, 10 percent is Muslim.^[1]

Mindanao is the only area of the Philippines with a significant Muslim presence. Due to widespread poverty and religious differences, the island has been the site of a separatist movement by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Fighting between MILF and Philippine forces has displaced more than 100,000 people.

Mindanao is considered the agricultural basin of the Philippines, where eight out of top 10 export agri-commodities come from.^[