I.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND/BRIEF HISTORY

 Matanao means a place or something to see or witness at a vantage point. In the earlier days, the place was known as “Matin-aw”, a term used to mean clear. The name is derived from the crystal clear brooks and rivers that the place abound. No one could exactly tell how, when, and why “Matin-aw” became Matanao.

 In 1920, long before Matanao was formally created into a municipality, Buas had already existed (representing Matanao) as a barangay of Santa Cruz inhabited by tribal minorities, the B’laans with Datu Edu Gamban as their recognized leader. In 1927, migrants from the Visayas headed by the late Rosendo Javelona and his family came to the place followed by the Infestans in the same year. Protestantism was spread by one Pastor Diamonon through the Javelonas. Ranchers also invaded the place and have for themselves large homesteads. Ten years later, sometime in 1937, scores of Cebuanos came. Among them were the late Roman Albarracin, Pablo Chavez and Crispin Puerto and their respective families. The next batch of Cebuanos came in 1940s and they were the Famor Clan who brought with them the zest to catechize the place, thus, Catholicism was born and a chapel was built giving honor to the present patron saint Señor San Miguel.

 Countless batch of migrants flocked to the place and various cultural influences account for what Matanao is today. The people of the municipality is a blend of Ilongos, Cebuanos, Bicolanos, Ilocanos, Zamboangueños, Tagalogs, B’laans, Calagans and Bagobos. Babel of dialects was experienced by the people in the place, but Cebuano came out to be the dominating dialect, thus, becoming the mother tongue of the municipality.

 Under Republic Act No. 1902 enacted on June 22, 1957, Matanao was created along with 18 barangays, separating it from Bansalan, the mother municipality. Its formal inauguration was held on July 7, 1957. Thenceforth, the town folks celebrated its foundation every July 7 until 1998 when the elective officials decided to celebrate the anniversary on the exact date – June 22.

Matanao has 33 barangays and 151 sitios or puroks. The barangays were: Asbang, Asinan, Bagumbayan, Bangkal, Buas, Buri, Cabasagan, Cabligan, Camanchiles, Ceboza, Colonsabac, Donganpekong, Kapoc, Kauswagan, Kibao, Langa-an, La Suerte, Lower Marber, Manga, New Katipunan, New Murcia, New Visayas, Poblacon, San Jose, San Miguel, San Vicente, Saub, Savoy, Sinaragan, Sinawilan, Tamlangon, Tibongbong and Towak. Matanao has a total population of 60,070 as of 2016, settled sporadically in its 25,868.2768-hectare land area.

The seat of the municipal government is found in barangay Poblacion which is approximately 6.790 kilometers from crossing Km. 71 of the Davao-Cotabato National Highway, approximately 78 kilometers from Davao City.

Generally, the municipality of Matanao is enjoying a peaceful and orderly atmosphere though there were minor threats in the hinterlands.

POLITICAL SUCCESSION AND DEVELOPMENTAL BREAKTHROUGHS

The first set of officials who ran the municipal government were all appointed by then President Carlos P. Garcia until the first formal election was held sometime in 1959. The first appointed mayor and vice mayor were the late Rosendo Javelona, Sr. and the late Teofilo Calibo, respectively. The municipal offices during these years were housed in the old building fronting the Magsaysay Park. It was during the elective years of the late Mayor Cesar U. dela Victoria, Sr. that the present municipal hall was constructed. It was after years of struggle for the identity of the municipality that the dela Victoria administration had successfully surmounted the difficulties.

The sites of the public market and the municipal plaza were acquired through deeds of donation sometime in 1961.

 In 1971, the rein of leadership changed and Hon. Lindo D. Javelona took hold of it for barely a year until 1977 when he resigned and his Vice Mayor Hon. Miguel S. Dumdum took the mayoral post and served for about 15 years. As a result of their constant struggle for the town’s future, Matanao’s economy had started to become vibrant as evidenced by the acquisition of land for the first-ever municipal subdivision in barangay Poblacion.

The former Matanao Community Hospital (presently occupied by the MSWDO) popularly known as Medicare Hospital was operational way back in the late 1970s but was closed in the early 1990s.

 In February 1986, a revolutionary form of government was experienced by the country and Officers-in-charge were installed until the February 1987 elections were held. The elections brought back the mayoral rein of Cesar U. dela Victoria, Sr. In 1989, the Bulatukan Jumbo Bridge came into existence making the linkage of the southwestern barangays and the town center convenient. Sometime in 1992, the Poblacion to Km. 71 provincial road was concreted, a dream come true for the municipal populace.

 The 1995 elections brought forth Hon. Vicente A. Fernandez’ administration and he completed his three terms of office in 2004. It was during his leadership that the town was proclaimed the “Cleanest and Greenest” municipality in the province for three consecutive years beginning in 1999 and became a national finalist for category B. In 2002, Matanao was the first municipality of Davao del Sur installed in the provincial Hall of Fame in the Clean and Green Program.

In 2004, until 2007, Hon. Pablito C. Albarracin assumed the mayoral post and he continued the programs and projects that had been started by the previous administration.

 The 2007 elections installed Hon. Vicente A. Fernandez to the mayoral post and held the position for another three consecutive terms. Sometime in 2010, various heavy equipment was acquired to intensify the implementation of infrastructure projects and barangay development undertakings.

It was during his term of office, sometime in 2013, that the new municipal hall building which was connected to the old one, had started its construction prioritizing the ground floor and was occupied last 2014. The construction of the second floor of the building followed and was occupied in March 2015. The acquisition of 13-hectare land for sanitary landfill and agri-tourism development was purchased in 2014, and on April 2015, the Solid Waste Management Plan of the LGU was successfully defended in the National Solid Waste Management Commission of the DENR in Quezon City.

 It was also during the term of Mayor Vicente A. Fernandez that the area for the Memorial Park was acquired.

From October 2014 until December 2015, Hon. Elmer L. Javelona, the elected Vice Mayor, became the Acting Municipal Mayor due to the permanent absence from the office of Hon. Vicente A. Fernandez during his third term as Mayor. In January 2016, Hon. Elmer L. Javelona took his oath as Mayor in compliance with the directives of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

 The recent 2016 elections paved the way for the leadership of the youngest Mayor of Matanao, Hon. Vincent F. Fernandez. He pursued the updating/revision of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) because he believed that only through proper planning that the municipality have comprehensive and inclusive growth. His topmost development agenda are concreting of various road networks, provision of potable water systems, and livelihood programs.

 Just within a few months of his incumbency, he was able to acquire through transfer without cost, a bus for the use of the municipal constituents.