History of Samal

Early inhabitant of Samal Island was were

called Isamals. The island named after this early tribe
people who came in two waves centuries ago from from the
nearby archipelagos of Borneo, Sulawesi and the Moluccas
which were part of a southeast Asian Region called Malay
Region
Before the Americans came in the 1900s, the Isamal tribe was rules by king locally
known here as Datu. One of the last ones to rule the island was a tribal chief known Datu
Taganiog who run a small coastal village Mabasa known today as town of Penaplata. This
datu died in january 28, 1948, was so respected and honored by the villagers and other
people on the island, that they named their village Malabasa, a word that
means honorable in their local dialect. With Datu Taganiog as their leader, the Isamals
were known to live in perfect harmony as peace-loveing people for many years.
MONCADO COLONY. A village of Moncadian who
are were among the first residents is Samal Island.
Their ancestral house stood for generations in the mountains
that can be seen even if you are in Magsaysay Park in Davao
City.
During American occupation, as the governor-general
was creating and organizing the entire Philippine
archipelago into district and towns, the whole Samal Island
archipelago was set up as a district municipality this district was composed of the main
island of Samal and the smaller islets of Talicud, Cruz Ligid, Malipano and Arboles (or
Sanipahan)

White Sand Beach of Samal Island

Samal Island was also divided in three district
municipalities. In July 18, 1966 southern portion of the island
called Kaputian, was set up as a municipality by the Philippines
president Ferdinan Marcos, under Republic Act 4745. Migrants
and traders from Cebu in the central Philippines, dominated 70%
of entire population of Samal in the early 60s. The rest were
Isamals, the original inhabitants at 22% while around 8% were
migrants from Bohol, Iloilo, Leyte and island on northern
Philippines who work from their living as traders, farmers and
fishermen. Some of these small number of migrants also included Muslims coming from faroff provinces in Mindanao, who make their living as fishermen along the coastal.

History of Samal
The early Spanish regime, during the reign of Don Jose Uyanguren of Davao City , a
certain Island within the DAVAO Gulf was named SAMAL in recognition to the settlers
who migrated from Jolo and Basilan called the ISLAMIC TRIBAL GROUP or
ISAMAL. Most of the settlers lived along the coastal areas and only few in the hinter
lands. Their daily primitive way of acquiring foods is through fishing, farming, and hunting
within the vicinity.
The island was created into a municipality named as Municipality of Samal and
Barrio Peaplata was the center for commercial economic and government operation. At that
time, the municipal councilors of Samal found its concept of local autonomy and effective
delivery of services. They therefore decided to create another municipality in order to be
effective and autonomous in governance. Mayor Simplicio Obenza, Sr. made his iniative to
the
speedy
creation
of
two
municipalities.

The Early Years of the Island

In the early years, indigenous people coming from the Northern and Eastern coasts of
the undivided Davao Province settled Samal Island. A large mixed population of Mansakas,
Mandayas and Muslims composed the identification of the now so-called Sama Tribe.
As these primeval settlers were organized into communities a Datu up to the early
part of the American Regime dynastically ruled them.
In the early part of the 18th century governance shifted when Christianization came
in. The first mass was celebrated in Barangay San Hose of Samal District in 1928.
As an archipelago, Samal became a District Municipality of Davao Province on June
8, 1948 under executive Order #151, which was sgned by then President Elpidio Quirino.
Later, on May 28, 1953 Babak Municipality was created under Executive Order #590 which
was also signed by then President Elpidio Quirino. After thirteen years, Municipality of
Kaputian was created on June 18, 1966 under Executive Order # 184, which was signed by
then President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Each municipal name derived from each different
historical tracing.

The second district which is the government center of the city got its name Samal
from the early indigenous settlers forming into one tribe called ISAMA and its barangay
name Peaplata from the Isama term MALIBASA which means a place where honorable
people living in perfect harmony who love peace. First district derived its name Babak from
an abundant shrubs called TAGBAK grown in the area and a big tree which the natives
called BABAK which were used as landmark for the peoples trade center. White sand in
the local dialect PUTTING BALS is significantly true to the shoreline of the third district
from which is name Kaputian derived.
History of Babak
The historical traces of the name of this developing Island town came to surface from
detailed informations through investigations and personal interviews with some native
chieftains of how the place got its name. Based on unrecorded history, the place was
sparsely populated by few farming natives called ISAMALS who first settled the coastal
areas of the Island. There were no known surveyed roads except trails and pathways
crisscrossing the lowland areas. Thick forest and green land covered the ISLANDS virgin
soil.
In this isolated unnamed coastal area, there abound green leafy shrubs TAGBAK
which were used by the natives into making baskets and containers for their fish catch ,
foods and others. The place had been the source of TAGBAK the main materials for their
native handicrafts.
On another account, there was in the said place, a tree which the natives called
BAKBAK which used to be the landmark of the place as the trading center of the natives
in their trading business, thus, paving the start of the development of commercial business
among the inland tribes.
The place then, having been made the center of tribal economic business activities
and commercial intercourses, the name BABAK in short was born and became known to
be the natives trading center in the island. Babak grew and developed into a native
community out of the century old native tradition, old fashioned agricultural farming and
antiquated methods of fishing. It became the main commercial center for traders from the
mainland DABA-DABA, now Davao.
Long before the Christians migrated to this Island, the coastal areas were already
populated by natives ruled by a DATU. These early settlers were tall, big and /or of giant
size DINAGATAS, but these natives, ancestors of the present samal natives became
extincts for they were killed and poisoned by the early colonizers. Proof of this can easily be

verified by the presence of human bones and remains found in the rocky shoreline caves of
liquid Islets and the mainland Samal Island.
The Isamals are by occupation farmers and fisheries using very crude methods.
Through the coming of the Christians from different provinces of Luzon and the Visayas,
improved methods were introduced, thus increasing production more arable land were
cultivated.

History of Kaputian
Before the Second World War Samal was still a virgin forest during that time. Don
Vicente Fernandez together with Don Ramon and Don Pepe Fernandez acquired and
cultivated the southern part of Samal which was ruled by Datu Budas during the early
period of American occupation and founded Hacienda Samal and Compana Maritima.
On June 18, 1966, the Philippine Congress historically made a landmark legislation
through enabling laws passed under Republic Act 4754 that dubbed the creation of the
municipality of kaputian and separating it from the mother municipality for the purpose. The
mandate includes the islets of Malipano and Talicud Island. Under Executive order 184,
Kaputian was legally declared as another municipality of Davao Province.
Since the beginning of its creation the municipality has been ruled by Three (3)
political leaders namely; Hon. Diosdado Alorro, Hon. Dediano E. Rebong and Hon. Aniano
P. Antalan. The incumbent took his reign during the revolutionary form of government under
the leadership of President Corazon C. Aquino.
Kaputian derived its name from the WHITE SAND that occupies the southern part
of the Samal Island long before ruled by Datu Budas.
Creation of the City IGaCoS
When Samal Island were created into three municipalities, it was perceived that its
development would be mobilized being located proximately to the progressive Metropolis of
Davao and nearby growth centers in Davao Del Norte and Davao del Sur. Yet, after the past
decades since its creation as municipalities in 1948, 1953 and 1966 its development lagged
far behind from its neighboring local government units. Hence in 1966 the high ranking
officials of Davao del Norte led by Congressman Rodolfo del Rosario and Provincial
Governor Prospero S. Amatong with other members of Sangguniang Panlalawigan moved

on to usher Samal a new vision of hope before its Golden Anniversary in 1998. During this
year a new concept of development strategy cropped up which is the creation of an urban
center in a rural development that would set a new horizon of modernity and prioritize
quality public service delivery.
Congressman Rodolfo P. Del Rosario passed the bill that resulted to the passage of
Republic Act#8471, which paved the way for the integration of the three municipalities into
one local government unit that is now called the Island Garden City of Samal. This was
signed on January 30, 1998 by his Excellency, President Fidel V. Ramos and was
overwhelming approved by the people of the locality during the plebiscite held on March 7,
1998. Almost four months later, on June 30, 1998, the new city began exercising its
corporate powers.