Bukidnon is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital is Malaybalay City. The province borders, clockwise starting from the north, Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Sur, Davao del Norte, Cotabato, Lanao del Sur, and Lanao del Norte.
Bukidnon is considered by Filipinos to be the food basket of Mindanao. It is the major producer of rice and corn in the region. Plantations in the province also produce pineapples, bananas and sugarcane.
There are no seaports in the province, although there is an airport in Malaybalay City. The airport is currently closed. To get to Bukidnon, one must travel by land from Cagayan de Oro City in Misamis Oriental Province.
The traditional culture of Bukidnon is a pride to all. The cultures and traditions are embodied in oral folk literature of the province which are classified into; “Antoka” (riddles), “Basahan” (proverbs or wise sayings), “Kalingoan” (ceremonial songs), “Limbay” (lyric poem), “Sala” (love song) and “Nanangon” (folktales). Religion is monotheistic. They believe in one God. “Magbabaya” (the ruler of all) has minor gods and goddesses under his command (Example: “Bulalakaw” watches rivers and lakes, “Tumpas Nanapiyaw” or “Itumbangol” watches the basses of the earth night and day lost in crumbles).
The Bukidnons have different degrees of acculturation. The first-degree Bukidnons are those leading the most traditional life style. This includes those who lived remote from any center of lowland habitation, deep in the forest and along the watershed of the main rivers. The second-degree Bukidnons lived near the fringes and directly within the bounds of the lowlanders. The third-degree Bukidnons are highly assimilated and are generally able to send their children off to school. The fourth degree Bukidnons have fully assimilated the ways of urban living and hardly acknowledge the old ways of their background. The fifth degree Bukidnons are largely recent immigrants from their other parts of the Philippine archipelago and have made Bukidnon as their permanent home.