History of Kapalong, Davao del Norte

For so long the territory of the Ata, Mandaya,[i] and Dibabawon, Kapalong was a typical tribal domain where the natives had to depend for food from the rivers and the forests. Libuganon River, for most part, was an important waterway linking inner settlements to the sea, and has always been an expedient channel for travel when there was no flash flood. Although they lived off the wealth of the forests and its wild game, the natives always built small settlements near the riverbanks as a matter of convenience. The rivers do not only serve as appropriate places for bathing, washing, and cleaning; they also provide an almost infinite supply of edible creatures. On the other hand, many of these natives have turned to swidden farms for root crops and vegetables. Local lore says the town got its name from makapalong (can put out a fire, in Visayan). The term is associated with the powerful current of an enchanted river, and tradition says the torches the natives usually hand-carried at night while negotiating the riverbanks were often extinguished by the air pockets produced by the water splashing against the riverside. Over time, the term has become a word of caution for residents and passersby taking the waterside. The entry of migrants in Kapalong, in particular in Maniki (chilly or cool in Mansaka dialect), took place in the years preceding the establishment of the Commonwealth. Visayans turned up earlier, though, in response to the invitation of the American colonial leaders to explore the potentials of Mindanao, then largely a little-known region of opportunities. Kapalong was not among the eight (8) recognized municipal districts covered by the 1918 Census undertaken during the American Occupation, but in the official report of the survey published later,[ii] it was classified as a municipal district[iii] and, in another official document related to the same census, as a municipality.[iv] When it was officially created into a municipal district on February 23, 1921 by virtue of Executive Order No. 8 signed by Governor Francis Burton Harrison, it had nine (9) barrios, namely: Abaca (central), Mabaquid, Manique (Maniki), Mabnatao, Esperanza, Sua-on, Jaguimitan, Kapalong and Florida.[v] Kapalongs jurisdiction under the presidential edict was from the intersection of Rio Biga at latitude N-8, thence south through the right side of Mount Ampawaid at the junction of the rivers of Liboganon and Magdagundung, thence west right to the provincial boundary line to the intersection of the boundary line of the provinces of Davao and Cotabato, winding thence north along the same boundary line to the intersection with the boundary line of the provinces of Davao and Agusan in the 8o latitude, thence to the east right to the point of departure at the intersection of Biga River at 8o north.[vi] The establishment of the Commonwealth in 1935 had direct impact on Kapalong as a key district. In 1937, President Manuel L. Quezon authorized the inauguration of cadastral projects in six municipal districts in Davao that included Guianga Extension (Davao City), Saug (now Asuncion), Kapalong, and the towns of Compostela and Monkayo in Compostela Valley Province. A year later, parties were organized to execute the surveys with the mission to expedite their completion and with the primary purpose of adjudicating the titles to the lands and prevent landgrabbing.[vii] This government initiative opened the locality and the other places adjacent to it to the influx of Visayan migrants. To underscore Kapalongs status as a municipal district, it had its own judicial structure as early as 1938 following the appointment of Jose Magune, who went on to become Davao City councilor (1945-1947), as justice of the peace of the locality.[viii] In 1939, the town had a population of over 5,000. Kapalong was created as a town under Executive Order No. 151,[ix] which President Elpidio R. Quirino signed on July 8, 1948 but took effect only on August 1, 1948. Originally, it was composed of barangay Maniki, Abaca, Tibal-og, Semong, Mabantao, Florida, Sua-on and Gupitan; later,

though, its territorial integrity had to undergo numerous changes resulting from executive and legislative decisions. Situated on the northwestern sector of Davao del Norte, Kapalong is bordered in the north by Agusan Province, by the municipalities of Santo Tomas and Asuncion in the south, by Compostela Valley Province in the east, and by the province of Bukidnon in the west. Geographically, it hosts five water channels, namely Libuganon River, as principal waterway, and the tributaries of Kipaliko, Gabuyan, Kapalong and Semong.

LIST OF MAYORS Raymundo Felio Vicente M. Royo Feliciano Ganade Napy A. Agayan Porferio F. Royo 1948-51 1952-55; 1956-59 1960-61 1961-63 1965-68; 1969-72; 1972; 1980; 1980-86 1986-88 (officer in charge); 1988-92; 1992-95 By succession Appointed First elected mayor

Vislumino Y. Tamondong, MD Alfredo Rada Bienvenido M. Quilla Dominador P. Cruda, Sr. Edgardo L. Timbol

January - February 1988 March - June 1988 1998-2001; 2001-04; 2004-07 2007-10; 2010-13

Office in charge OIC Mayor

The first law to alter Kapalongs land area was Executive Order No. 352, creating the town of Sto. Tomas; it was signed on August 14, 1959, by President Carlos P. Garcia. Originally, the town had only eight (8) barrios in its domain namely Maniki, Abaca, Tibal-og, Semong, Mabantao, Florida, Sua-on, and Gupitan, but in later years expanded with the creation of new villages. In 1990, following the founding of the municipality of Talaingod under Republic Act 7081, which was enacted into law by President Corazon C. Aquino on July 29, 1991, Kapalongs territory was redefined; three of its barangaysthat is, Sto. Nio, Palma Gil and Dagohoywere transferred to the jurisdiction of Talaingod, reducing its number of to 21.

On August 30, 1992, three new barangays were approved in a plebiscite conducted by virtue of a provincial resolution. These are Datu Balong, Libuton and Pinamuno, which were originally part of Gupitan, the municipalitys biggest barangay. The creation was consistent with the Local Government Code of 1991, the same law that elevated the town to first-class category. Another initiative that affected Kapalong was Republic Act 9265, signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on March 15, 2004, which created the municipality of San Isidro and removed from Kapalong the barangays of Dacudao, Datu Balong, Libuton, Pinamuno, Linao, Monte Dujali, and San Miguel and placed them under the jurisdiction of the new town. Today, the municipality, with has jurisdiction over an area of 83,001 hectares (from the original 180,000 hectares), is a first-class boom town with fourteen (14) barangays, namely: Semong (Sampao), Florida, Gabuyan, Gupitan, Capungagan, Kaputian, Luna, Mabantao, Mamacao, Pag-asa, Maniki (Poblacion), Sampao (Bienvenida), Sua-on, and Tiburcia, are independently providing the push that is pump-priming the towns growth. Since its inception in the post-war period, Kapalong has already been ably managed by ten (10) mayors since Raymundo F. Felio was appointed, serving the mayoralty for three years (19481951). In 1951, Vicente M. Royo became the first elected town mayor; he got reelected in 1955. Feliciano Ganade won the 1960 local polls but did not serve out his full term; by succession, he was replaced by Napy A. Agayan (1960-63). In the 1963 local elections, another Royo was installed as mayor. Porferio F. Royo served four terms (1963-1967; 1967-1971; 1971-1980; 1080-1986), for a total of twenty-three years (23) years, more than half of these under the martial rule. The post-Marcos period showed Vislumino Y. Tamondong, a doctor, being appointed as towns officer-in-charge (1986-1987), but in 1988, the first local elections under the first Aquino presidency, he won his first mandate. Four years later, he was reelected. During the interregnum, the period between his resignation as OIC and his installation as full-pledged mayor, two figures served briefly as acting mayors, namely Alfredo Rada and Bienvenido M. Quilla. Tamondongs aspiration to get a third term was frustrated by Dominador P. Cruda, Sr., a retired colonel with sound public relations savvy, who won as a dark horse in the 1998. He went on to serve for another two terms more (2001-2004; 2004-2007) and took a respite from politics as a matter of constitutional limitation. He was followed in the mayoralty by Edgardo L. Timbol, a former Sangguniang Bayan members and later vice-mayor, who got reelected in 2010.[x] While its major industries are primarily agriculture-based, the place offers an efficient transport system linking it to major market and business centers in the region. From education to health facilities, it ranks among the most improved towns in southern Mindanao. Positively known as the banana country, Kapalong, by 2008, was producing 70 tons of exportgrade bananas, providing the town the economic backbone that has heavily contributed to its grown. At the helm of this agricultural productivity are seven leading agricultural firms, namely Standard Philippines Co., Inc. (Stanfilco), Lead Export & Agro Development Corp., Diamond Farms, Inc., JB Mercado & Sons Agri-Enterprises, Inc., Soriano Fruits Corp., Lapanday Foods Corp., and Davao Agri-Food Merchant, Inc. As of 2009, Kapalong has been is host to a secondary government hospital, three primary private hospitals, a rural health unit, and thirteen (13) health stations. Education-wise, it prides itself of fifty-two (52) kindergarten and day-care schools, thirty-six (36) elementary and primary schools, nine secondary academic institutions, an agricultural college, a technical vocational school and twenty-eight (28) other literacy learning centers. Served by two power outfits, namely the Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative (DANECO) and the Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC), the town, with a population of 61,763[xi] inhabitants, is also home to a radio station, a phone system, cable network, and other communication facilities that make it an attraction business hub. A handful of banks operate in town alongside popular outfits that engage in lending, pawning and cooperative. Among spelunkers, Kapalong, the caving capital of the Philippines, has some of the most beautiful (caves) in Asia[xii] in near-virgin state. Caves like Okbot, Alena, and Kapunit, considered the top tourist attractions in town, are being introduced globally[xiii] by enthusiasts as among the

most amazing natural underground grottos. Given its mainly undisturbed condition, these caves have remained the primary roosting sites for fruit-eating bats.

[i]. The Mandayas are a group of non-Christians constituting one of the tribes in the Province of Davao and living mostly in the municipal districts of Tagum. Kapalong, Saug, and Kamansa. They still live a primitive life. Philippine Magazine, VoL. XXXVI, No. 1 (369), January 1934, 494. [ii]. Annual Report of the Director of Fishery of the Philippine Islands for the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 1925, The Government of the Philippine Islands, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry, Manila: Bureau of Printing, 1926, 702. [iii]. The other municipal districts were Guianga (now a barangay of Davao City), Malita, Monkayo, Pantukan, Samal, Sigaboy and Tagum. [iv]. Annual Report of the Director of Forestry, Bureau of Forestry, Manila: Bureau of Printing, 1926, 87. [v]. Gaceta Oficial, Tomo XIX, No. 32, March 15, 1921, 719-721. [vi]. Partiendo de la interseccion del Rio Biga con la latitude N-8; desde alli hacia del sur derecho y pasando por la cumber del Monte Ampawaid hasta el punto de union de los rios Magdagundung y Liboganon; desde alli en direccion oeste derecho a la linea limitrofe provincial hasta su interseccion con la linea limitrofe provincial de las provincias de Davao y Cotabato; desde all en direccin tortuosa norte y siguiendo dicha lnea limtrofe hasta su interseccion con la lnea limtrofe provincia de las provincias de Davao y Agusan en la latitud octava; desde all hacia el este derecho hasta el punto de partida que se hall en la interseccin del Rio Biga y los 8o de latitud norte. (Gaceta Oficial, 721.) [vii] Bureau of Lands Annual Report, 1937, Manila: Bureau of Printing, 1938. [viii]. Philippine Magazine, Vol. XXXVI, No. 1, January 1939 [ix]. Also created under Executive Order No. 151 were the municipalities of Samal and Lupon. (Official Gazette, July 1948, 2151.) [x]. Comprehensive Development Plan of Kapalong, Davao del Norte, n.d., I-3. [xi]. 2007 Census of Population [xii]. http://www.getwet-asia.com/philippines/?p=534, retrieved 01 July 2010. [xiii]. It hosted the 3rd National Caving Congress in 1903 and, later, the National Caving Congress, under the auspices of the Philippine Speleological Society, on April 6-10, 2010.