Matanao, officially the Municipality of Matanao (; ), is a municipality in the province of Davao del Sur, Philippines. At the 2024 census it had a population of 62,773 people. It is situated on the island of Mindanao, the second-largest and southernmost major island in the Philippines.
Matanao is bordered in the west by the town of Columbio, in the province of Sultan Kudarat, in the north by the towns of Magsaysay and Bansalan, in the east by Hagonoy and the city of Digos, and in the south by Kiblawan and Padada.
History On June 17, 1957, some of the barrios of the municipality of Bansalan namely Kibao, San Vicente, Kibuaya, Managa Km. 67, Sinawilan, New Visayas, Sacub, Upper Malabang, Tibongbong, Sinaragan, Maliit Digos, Kapok, Tamlangon, Manga, Buas, New Katipunan, Da-Anama, Upper Kauswagan, Kagaulas, Kabasagan, Tuwak, Mal, Latian, Lanturi, Dongan-Pekong, La Union, Kauswagan, and Paitan were grouped and constituted into a new and independent municipality known as Matanao.
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 abound in the area. 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 Blaans (Bilaan) with Datu Edu Gamban as their recognized leader. In 1927, migrants from the Visayas led by the late Rosendo Javelona and his family came to the place. 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 Ildefonso Chavez, Roman Albarracin and Crispin Puerto and their kins. The next batch of Cebuanos came in the 1940s including the Famor and Relatado Clan.
Countless batches of migrants from Luzon and Visayas flocked to the place and various cultural influences account for what Matanao is today. The people of the municipality are a blend of Cebuanos, Ilonggos, Bicolanos, Boholanos, Ilocanos, Zamboanguenos, Tagalogs, Blaans, Calagans and Bagobos, Babel of dialects was experienced by the people in the place, but Cebuano came out to be the dominating language upon assimilation into the majority society of Cebuano-speakers, thus, becoming the mother tongue of the municipality up to this day.
Geography
Matanao is located in the province of Davao del Sur in Region XI Davao Region on Mindanao Island. The municipality Matanao is about west-south-west of province capital City Of Digos and about south-south-east of Philippine main capital Manila.
Barangays Matanao is politically subdivided into 33 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks, while some have sitios.
The poblacion forms the center of the municipality whereas the other 32 are in the outlying areas which are several kilometers away from the town.
Barangays PSG-Code Urban/rural Population(2010) Asbang 112410001 rural 1,082 Asinan 112410002 rural 623 Bagumbayan 112410003 rural 470 Bangkal 112410004 rural 3,136 Buas 112410005 rural 836 Buri 112410006 rural 2,318 Camanchiles 112410007 rural 1,218 Ceboza 112410008 rural 618 Colonsabak 112410009 rural 1,619 Dongan-Pekong 112410010 rural 1,536 Kabasagan 112410012 rural 2,034 Kapok 112410013 rural 1,151 Kauswagan 112410014 rural 1,474 Kibao 112410015 rural 617 La Suerte 112410016 rural 1,685 Langa-an 112410017 rural 665 Lower Marber 112410019 rural 1,309 Cabligan (Managa) 112410021 rural 1,492 Manga 112410022 rural 3,569 New Katipunan 112410023 rural 1,909 New Murcia 112410024 rural 1,321 New Visayas 112410025 rural 2,367 Poblacion 112410026 urban 4,969 Saboy 112410027 rural 1,730 San Jose 112410028 rural 1,128 San Miguel 112410029 rural 501 San Vicente 112410030 rural 732 Saub 112410031 rural 467 Sinaragan 112410032 rural 1,448 Sinawilan 112410033 rural 4,016 Tamlangon 112410034 rural 782 Towak 112410035 rural 1,793 Tibongbong 112410036 rural 767
Climate
Hot and humid most of the year. May to November is typhoon season. The mean annual temperature of the municipality is between . The annual rainfall ranges from . The coldest part of the year is usually from December to February, and the hottest months are April and May. Rainfall is more or less evenly distributed throughout the year.
Demographics
Economy
Although predominantly a rice-farming municipality, Matanao is a growing area for banana cultivation, with Cavendish and Lakatan banana plantations established in barangays Manga, Dongan-Pekong and Saboy.
References
External links Matanao Profile at the DTI Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index [ Philippine Standard Geographic Code] Philippine Census Information Local Governance Performance Management System