THIS WEEK’S MILESTONES: Sept. 1-7, 2019

Sept. 1, 1914

Cotabato was founded as an empire province by the American colonial government.

Cotabato was previously the biggest district of the vast Moro province in Mindanao created in 1903, spanning the whole South Central Mindanao region.

In November 1973, Cotabato was divided into three provinces — North Cotabato, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat — under Presidential Decree No. 341.

In 1983, North Cotabato was renamed Cotabato by virtue of Batas Pambansa Blg. 660.

Cotabato is an emerging agritourism haven and is regarded as a food basket in the Soccsksargen region.

Sept. 5, 2011

The government-run train service from Metro Manila to the Bicol region resumed operations after it was suspended anew when a train derailed and destroyed railroad tracks in Quezon province.

The train service, dubbed the “Bicol Express,” was reopened in conjunction with the Peñafrancia Festival in Naga City, Bicol’s commercial center.

It was revived in June 2011 after a five-year hiatus due to damage on the tracks caused by a typhoon in 2006.

The train includes a dining car, cabin coaches with cushioned beds for single or multiple passengers and a coach with seats similar to that of buses.

Compiled by Kathleen de Villa, Inquirer Research