Jolo is a volcanicisland in the southwest Philippines. It is located in the Sulu Archipelago, between Borneo and Mindanao, and has a population of approximately 300,000 people.

Jolo is also the name of the town on the island which serves as the capital of the province of Sulu, within the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. About a third of the island's population live in the municipality of Jolo.

The island is part of the Jolo Group of volcanoes, and contains numerous volcanic cones and craters, including the active Bud Dajo cinder cone.

History

The Spaniards were never secure in Jolo so by 1878 they had fortified Jolo with a perimeter wall and tower gates, built inner forts called Puerta Blockaus, Puerta España, and Puerta Alfonso XII; and two outer fortifications named Princesa de Asturias and Torre de la Reina. Troops, including a cavalry with its own lieutenant commander, were garrisoned within the protective confine of the walls. From Jolo, in 1880 Col. Rafael Gonzales de Rivera who was appointed the governor dispatched the 6th Regiment to Siasi and Bongao islands. The Spaniards were not secure in their stronghold because it would be sporadically attacked. On 22 July 1883, it is reported that three unnamed juramentado succeeded in penetrating the Jolo town plaza and killed three Spaniards.; The word ���Ajuramentado��� was coined by Spanish colonel Juan Arolas after witnessing several such acts while serving duty in Jolo garrison.

The Americans arrived in 1899, and by the turn of the century, the Philippine-American War was raging in Luzon. So as not to spread out their forces, the Americans employed the classic divide-and-rule tactic. Maj. Gen. E.S. Otis, commander-in-chief of the US Forces, sent Gen. Bates to negotiate with the Sultan of Sulu. Known as the Bates treaty, the agreement provided for the exercise of American authority over the Sulu archipelago in exchange for the recognition of Muslim culture and religion.

Geography

ETYMOLOGY

It is said that the Chinese traders who frequented the place, named Jolo after ho lâng (也썰볶). Ho lâng meaning ���Good People��� reflects the Chinese perception of the natives. Chinese traders would leave goods on Jolo���s shore, and find them undisturbed on their return. The phrase was eventually extended to ho ló (也�佬) meaning ���Good Community.

TRADING CENTER

Jolo was the regional entrepot and developing city years before the Philippines was even a country. The Sulu economy formed its base around commerce and through the network of nearby trading partners. The Sultanate benefited from importing rice from northern Philippines, as the Sulu region had a chronic rice shortage. The Sultanate was unable to bring agriculture to its full potential because the area was prone to erratic rainfall and drought.

Language and dialects

Majority of Joloanos speak the native Tausug. English and Tagalog (Filipino) are also used specially in school and different offices within the town. Hokkien is also used by Chinese traders. Other languages include Samal/Badjao.

According to the 2000 Philippine census by the National Statistics Office, the Tausug language ranks number 14 with 1,022,000 speakers all over the country, the speakers mainly coming from Western Mindanao.

INDUSTRY

In Jolo, most of the residents are in the agriculture industry. Agricultural products include coconut, cassava, abaca, coffee, lanzones, jackfruit, durian, mangosteen and marang. Jolo is the only municipality in Sulu that does not farm seaweed. Fishing is the most important industry; otherwise people engage in the industries of boat building, mat weaving, coffee processing, and fruit preservation.

Political and societal significance

The Moros are geographically concentrated in the Southwest of the Philippines. Moros identify mostly with the majority Muslim nations of Indonesia and Malaysia because of their geographic proximity, and linguistic and cultural similarities. Moros have faced encroachments from the Spanish, Americans and now face the national Philippine government. Thus, the struggle for the Moro independent state has existed for over 400 years.

Currently, the Moro National Liberation Front is the Ruling Party of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). In 1996, the MNLF was granted leadership of the ARMM in response to the calls for Muslim autonomy. Abdusakur Tan is the governor of Sulu and Husin Amin is the mayor of Jolo. Politicians in these regions rose to power with the help of clan connections.