Before the Spanish colonization of the Philippine archipelago began, the majority people living in Bacolod were the Maranaos. According to the story from the old leaders, during Spanish colonial period some of the leaders from the interior areas of Lanao del Norte usually cross the beach of municipality of Kolambugan to the coastline of what is now Ozamiz City by boat to kidnap people living in other side and make them as workers (personal helper), many of whom are Visayans. During the American colonial period, under the National Land Settlement Administration (NLSA) of the Commonwealth Government, there was a Philippine House of Representative proposal to invade the Island of Mindanao to use the some land to help the Philippine Government, and one of the opposition that time is Congressman Datu Salipada Khalid Pendatun. The proposal was approved and signed by President
Manuel L. Quezon. The settlers compose of people from Luzon and Visayas who have various knowledgeable skill jobs such as farming, engineering, logging, construction, etc. In Lanao del Norte, the transport of settlers was paacefully successful due to the smooth negotiations with the Maranao tribal leaders and landlords. As a welcome sign, the landlords donated a five-hectare plot of land to the settlers to start a new life. The family of settler worked to the landowners in the process, and as a gift since they are very good workers, the land lord gave the small piece of land. It is said that settlers trade goods to the landlord in exchange of lands. Some of landlords' sons marry the daughter of their workers which result and until the majority living in Lanao del Norte and Misamis Occidental has blood in Maranao Tribe (Muslim Blood). On the hand, the settlement has going problem and conflict between Non-Muslim and Muslim when Martial Law is implemented. ==Geography==