Salunayan, Cotabato

Salunayan is a barangay in the municipality of Midsayap, North Cotabato. It is one of the first settlements of people in the early period of the 19th century by Muslim tribal groups. Salunayan developed into becoming a chosen settlement area of Christian settlers from Luzon and Visayas as the island of Mindanao has been famed for its bountiful arable lands. Among the first waves of families who sighted the potential of Salunayan are the Rosete, Almazan, Dumlaos, Flautas, Fernandezes, QuiÑones,Fermils, Fantones, Dofitas and Documos who settled at Sitio Salunayan and Bual .

Salunayan is one of the highly populated barrios of Midsayap. It has a population based on the 2000 census of 2,520, and 514 households. The community is composed of a highly-heterogeneous cultural backgrounds of residents such as Ilocanos, Cebuanos, Ilonggos and Maguindanaons with a small size of Tiruray, Waray and others. This is because Salunayan was home to a military camp where soldiers finding the place as a good place opted to stay for good.

It has a complete elementary school, complete high school, a well-manicured plaza, barangay hall, health center and day care center.

Notable people from Salunayan
The present bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Caloocan, Bishop Deogracias S. Iñiguez, Jr., was a graduate of Salunayan Elementary School.

References
http://www.cbcponline.net/bishops/bishops/iniguez.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20050206130601/http://www.census.gov.ph/census2000/p124700.html

Category:Barangays of Cotabato