Physical Features

Sumilao has an aggregate land area of is 207.49 km² representing 2.4% of the total land area of the province. Its participation in the region is 0.7212. Of the ten barangays, Lupiagan has the largest area accounting to about 29.18% of the total land area. San Vicente is the smallest with 8.54 km² or 4.14% of the total land area.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) data revealed that the information on Sumilao’s total land area which is 207.49 km² can be classified as: 155.92 km² are considered alienable and disposable and 51.57 km² of which are forestal/timberland.

The Alalum Falls, seen from the Sumilao viewing deck

Sumilao is one of the 20 municipalities of Bukidnon. It is located between latitudes 8 degrees, 11 seconds and 8 degrees, 12 seconds North and longitudes 124 degrees, 52 seconds and 125 degrees and 2 seconds East. It is bounded in the east by the Municipality of Impasugong, in the south by the municipalities of Baungon and Libona and in the north by the Municipality of Manolo Fortich.

It is particularly bounded in the east by the town of Impasug-ong, south by Lantapan and Talakag, west and north by Manolo Fortich.

Ten barangays comprise the municipality with Kisolon as the seat of government. It occupies an aggregate land area of 20, 445 hectares. Sumilao is traversed by the deep Kulaman Canyon which physically separates six barangays from the Poblacion and Kisolon.

Sumilao is approximately 62 kilometers from Cagayan de Oro City and 29 kilometers from the provincial capital, the City of Malaybalay. It is situated between the two growth centers of the province, Manolo Fortich and the City of Malaybalay. It is accessible by land transportation and vehicles plying the Cagayan de Oro City and Malaybalay/Valencia routes passing through the eight kilometer stretch of the National Sayre Highway, which traverses the municipality’s area.

Mt. Kitanglad

Generally, Sumilao’s physical configuration is characterized by extreme features. From the south to the central portion moving towards the north and northwestern areas are the mountain ranges and high relief which include the part of the fames Mt. Kitanglad, the second highest mountain peak in the Philippines and the Palaopao Hill. Due to the fair lineament of the Upper Kulaman areas, settlements sprawl between the vast monotony of pineapple plantation. Per topographic map of the municipality from NAMRIA, the average elevation of Sumilao is 600 meters above sea level.

Bukidnon province has two prevailing climate variations based on rainfall pattern existing in its northern and southern sections. The northern partm where Sumilao is located falls under the third or intermediate A type. Under this type, seasons are not very pronounced; relatively dry from November to April and wet for the rest of the year, maximum rain period is not very pronounced. Specifically, the climate in the southern part of the municipality is relatively cool and humid throughout the year. These areas are along the foot of the Mt. Kitanglad while in the northern areas, rainfall is more or less evenly distributed throughout the year. Most often in these areas, heavy downpour occurs every afternoon while in the morning the sun shines. The average heaviest rainfall for the past five years occurs in June with 431.7 millimeters and the lowest in March with only 89.2 millimeters.

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