1930s. I wasn't born yet. In fact, my parents weren't even born yet. But Tacurong already was, although with another name perhaps. Local history cannot determine if in 1930s, Tacurong had already its present name. Local history tells that it went with the name Pamasang (taken from the name of the creek that was passing through the place then) which was later changed to Talakudong, a Maguindanao term for headgear (perhaps most of the early settlers then were usually seen wearing hats or any head cover).
What was certain though was in 1940s, Tacurong existed as a rural barangay of Buluan town of the then empire
Province of Cotabato. My mother still vividly recalls how many times they would travel Tacurong to Buluan by foot in their younger years. Try to ask somebody to go to Buluan by foot now and they will tell you 'you're crazy'! Indeed, only mentally challenged persons would do that at present, and I still wonder why they don't get tired.
Surviving the challenges of the times, Tacurong emancipated itself from political control of Buluan and became a municipality in 1951.
Since then, pioneer settlers from Luzon and Visayas started to arrive in surprisingly huge numbers. Many were emboldened by the promise of varied opportunities... from jobs to land ownership. For a long time, settlers worked collaboratively in prodding the place to progress.
Through the years, the committed people of Tacurong rallied behind their ten generations of municipal mayors - from Ricardo Soriano to Jose Escribano to Geronimo Arzagon.
Hard work paid off after 49 years of being a municipality. With Congressman Angelo Montilla at the helm, Tacurong became a component city of
Sultan Kudarat on September 18, 2000.
As the first elected city mayor, Lino Montilla held on to the persistence of his predecessors to make Tacurong a better place. Slowly indeed, the budding city started to make a name for itself in the national scene. In 2004, Philippines-Canada LGSP-CIDA awarded Tacurong the Kaagapay Seal of Excellence in Local governance.
After nine years, Lino Montilla passed the rein of leadership to his younger sister Lina, who lived up to the challenge and sustained the gains of the previous administrations. Fifteen months into her first term, Lina Montilla brought the local government in the forefront of good governance by reaping two more national awards - one from the Civil Service Commission and another from the Department of Interior and Local government.
From a sleepy barangay to a budding town to a dynamic city, Tacurong goes on to embrace development. It goes on to be a cradle of peace-loving and hardworking generations of Tacurongnons.
This is the continuing journey of Tacurong. And I am proud to be one of her sons chronicling that journey.
