The name M'lang was derived from a Maguindanaon word Tamlang/Tamelang which means "bamboo".
History
In 1930s, migrants mostly from the islands of Panay and Negros in Western Visayas and some parts of Luzon settled in M'lang. Jacinto Paclibar, who was in search for more fertile lands and vast settlement was the first Christian who settled in M'lang. In the Second World War, he was appointed Chairman of the Civil Emergency Administration under the 118th Infantry Regiment of Wendell Fertig's 10th Military Division, assuming his position in M'lang. After the war ended, he was appointed as Deputy Governor of the undivided Cotabato until 1949. He had in mind a government assisted subdivision project so that landless settlers may have their share to utilize fertile lands for farming and settlement.[5]
M'lang is one of the five daughter municipalities of Kidapawan. After the Second World War, in 1947, the municipal district of Kidapawan was converted into a municipality, with merging of then-forested M'lang-Tulunan area. This was due to the closeness of the Manobo with the Maguindanaons, along with the increase of Ilonggo settlers with relatives in the municipal districts into a then-mostly Maguindanaon territory.[6]
M'lang was the first to separate from Kidapawan, being created as a regular municipality on August 3, 1951, by virtue of Executive Order (EO) No. 462, issued by PresidentElpidio Quirino. Domingo Lim, a former Kidapawan police chief, was appointed as mayor.[6]
The municipality reduced its territory in 1961; first, through EO No. 441 when 28 barrios and sitios were separated to create Tulunan.[6][7] With the establishment of M'lang and Tulunan, Kidapawan's direct access to the Ligawasan Marsh was cut off.[6] Later that year, a portion of M'lang, along with parts of western Kidapawan and of Kabacan, were merged to from Matalam, through EO No. 461; thus, Kidapawan and Kabacan, neighbored since precolonial era, were cut off as well.[6]
Geography
Barangays
M'lang is politically subdivided into 37 Barangays.[8] Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.
In the 2020 census, the population of M'lang was 98,195 people,[3] with a density of 310 inhabitants per square kilometre or 800 inhabitants per square mile.
Transportation
The Central Mindanao Airport, in Barangay Tawan-tawan, is intended to serve as the primary air transport hub for agricultural produce of Cotabato and those coming from central Mindanao. It has a 1.2 kilometer runway with a capability for commercial flights, but there are no scheduled flights. Central Mindanao project is designed to provide capacity of 3.5 million passengers p/a.[14]
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