Matanao

Municipality in Davao del Sur, Philippines

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Municipality in Davao Region, Philippines

Matanao

Municipality

Municipality of Matanao

Flag

Seal

Map of Davao del Sur with Matanao highlighted

OpenStreetMap

Matanao

Location within the Philippines

Coordinates: 6°45′N 125°14′E﻿ / ﻿6.75°N 125.23°E﻿ / 6.75; 125.23
Country| Philippines
Region| Davao Region
Province| Davao del Sur
District|  Lone district
Founded| June 17, 1957
Barangays| 33 (see Barangays)
Government

[1]

• Type| Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor| Vincent F. Fernandez
• Vice Mayor| Irick A. Agbon
• Representative| John Tracy F. Cagas
• Municipal Council|

Members

*   * Welter B. Coyoca
* Melanie M. Maniapao
* Dante L. Lausa
* Frederick M. Juban
* Samuel P. Pasaol
* Bonifacio D. de Chavez
* Glenn E. Duldulao
* Demosthenes B. Famor

• Electorate| 41,053 voters (2025)
Area

[2]

• Total

| 202.40 km2 (78.15 sq mi)
Elevation

| 64 m (210 ft)
Highest elevation

| 111 m (364 ft)
Lowest elevation

| 25 m (82 ft)
Population

(2024 census)[3]

• Total

| 62,773
• Density| 310/km2 (800/sq mi)
• Households

| 17,012
Economy

• Income class| 2nd municipal income class
• Poverty incidence|

17.88

% (2021)[4]
• Revenue| ₱ 289.7 million (2022)
• Assets| ₱ 606.8 million (2022)
• Expenditure| ₱ 237.7 million (2022)
• Liabilities| ₱ 227.8 million (2022)
Service provider

• Electricity| Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative (DASURECO)
Time zone| UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code|

8003

PSGC|

1102410000

IDD : area code | +63 (0)82
Native languages| Davawenyo
Cebuano
Kalagan
Tagalog
Ata Manobo
Website| www.matanao.gov.ph

Matanao, officially the Municipality of Matanao (Cebuano: Lungsod sa Matanao; Tagalog: Bayan ng Matanao), is a municipality in the province of Davao del Sur, Philippines. At the 2020 census it had a population of 60,493 people.[5] 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

[edit]

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.[6]

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 is 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

[edit]

Matanao is located in the province of Davao del Sur in Region XI Davao Region on Mindanao Island. The municipality Matanao is about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) west-south-west of province capital City Of Digos and about 990 kilometres (620 mi) south-south-east of Philippine main capital Manila.

### Barangays

[edit]

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 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

[edit]

Hot and humid most of the year. May to November is typhoon season. The mean annual temperature of the municipality is between 22.4 to 31.5 °C (72.3 to 88.7 °F). The annual rainfall ranges from 1,500 to 2,500 millimetres (59 to 98 in). 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.

Climate data for Matanao, Davao del Sur

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)  | 30
(86)  | 30
(86)  | 31
(88)  | 32
(90)  | 31
(88)  | 30
(86)  | 29
(84)  | 30
(86)  | 30
(86)  | 30
(86)  | 30
(86)  | 30
(86)  | 30
(87)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)  | 23
(73)  | 23
(73)  | 23
(73)  | 23
(73)  | 24
(75)  | 24
(75)  | 24
(75)  | 24
(75)  | 24
(75)  | 24
(75)  | 23
(73)  | 23
(73)  | 24
(74)
Average precipitation mm (inches)  | 59
(2.3)  | 46
(1.8)  | 41
(1.6)  | 54
(2.1)  | 105
(4.1)  | 159
(6.3)  | 179
(7.0)  | 197
(7.8)  | 162
(6.4)  | 147
(5.8)  | 102
(4.0)  | 65
(2.6)  | 1,316
(51.8)
Average rainy days  | 12.3  | 11.7  | 12.2  | 14.5  | 22.6  | 25.6  | 26.6  | 27.5  | 25.5  | 26.0  | 21.2  | 16.0  | 241.7
Source: Meteoblue[7]

## Demographics

[edit]

Population census of MatanaoYear| Pop.| ±% p.a.

|
|

1960 | 21,071| —
1970 | 26,889| +2.47%
1975 | 25,459| −1.09%
1980 | 30,106| +3.41%
1990 | 41,262| +3.20%
1995 | 43,455| +0.98%
2000 | 46,916| +1.66%
2007 | 49,806| +0.83%
2010 | 51,382| +1.14%
2015 | 56,755| +1.91%
2020 | 60,493| +1.35%
2024 | 62,773| +0.89%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[8][9][10][11][12]

## Economy

[edit]

Poverty incidence of Matanao

2000
42.02

2003
28.35

2006
53.00

2009
40.70

2012
25.67

2015
25.14

2018
21.02

2021
17.88

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]

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

[edit]

1. ^ Municipality of Matanao |  (DILG)
2. ^ "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
3. ^ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
4. ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
5. ^ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
6. ^ "An Act Creating the Municipality of Matanao, Province of Davao". LawPH.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-10. Retrieved 2011-04-12.
7. ^ "Matanao: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
8. ^ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
9. ^ Census of Population (2015). "Region XI (Davao Region)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
10. ^ Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region XI (Davao Region)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
11. ^ Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region XI (Davao Region)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
12. ^ "Province of". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
13. ^ "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
14. ^ "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
15. ^ "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
16. ^ "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
17. ^ "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
18. ^ "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
19. ^ "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
20. ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Matanao Profile at the DTI Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index
* Philippine Standard Geographic Code
* Philippine Census Information
* Local Governance Performance Management System

Places adjacent to Matanao

|  | Magsaysay / Bansalan | Digos

|
|

|  |
Columbio, Sultan Kudarat |

Matanao

|  |
| Kiblawan | Hagonoy

* v
* t
* e

Province of Davao del Sur

Digos (capital)
Davao City (largest city)

Municipalities|

* Bansalan
* Hagonoy
* Kiblawan
* Magsaysay
* Malalag
* Matanao
* Padada
* Santa Cruz
* Sulop

Component City|

* Digos

Highly urbanized city|

* Davao City (Administratively independent from the province but grouped under Davao del Sur by the Philippine Statistics Authority.)

*[PSGC]: Philippine Standard Geographic Code
*[Pop.]: Population
*[±% p.a.]: Per annum growth rate. Executive Order 135 §6 states that for "census years" (years divisible by 10) the reference date would be May 1st, but for all other years, the reference date is to be the "middle of the year". This means that growth rates, although correct, are not necessarily simple year-on-year comparisons.
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template