Labason, officially the Municipality of Labason ( ceb, Lungsod sa Labason; Subanen: ''Benwa Labason'';

Chavacano Chavacano or Chabacano is a group of Spanish-based creole language varieties spoken in the Philippines. The variety spoken in Zamboanga City, located in the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao, has the highest concentration of speakers. ...

: ''Municipalidad de Labason''; tl, Bayan ng Labason), is a 3rd class

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...

Zamboanga del Norte Zamboanga del Norte ( Cebuano: ''Amihanang Zamboanga''; Subanon: ''Utara Sembwangan''; tl, Hilagang Zamboanga), officially the Province of Zamboanga del Norte, is a province in the Philippines situated within the Zamboanga Peninsula region in M ...

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 43,934 people. Labason's commercial buildings have improved over the past years.

Murcielagos Island Murcielagos Island locally known as ''Pulo Baliudyong'' is a small low-lying island in the Sulu Sea off the coast of Zamboanga del Norte in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. It measures over across at its widest point and is situated o ...

is within the municipal jurisdiction of Labason.

Etymology

The name “Labason” before it came to be had a number of names. Several versions regarding its derivation were gathered, but the most widely known among them is that Labason is from the word “Lab-as”, a Visayan term which means “Fresh Fish”. This place was known for its abundance of fresh fish and it is till even up to now. Early traders called it “Lab-asan”.

History

The original inhabitants of this place and other sitios were Subanons who lived a nomadic life. Later, Muslim missionaries claimed them as their subjects. Economic and social conditions of the native were improved when Labason was made a Municipal District. The people taught and encouraged to plant crops, raised all sorts of agricultural products and domesticated farm animals. In accordance with the Code of Mindanao and Sulu, on July 10, 1916, this place was transformed into a municipal district, making Panganuran the seat of government under Zamboanga. The extent of its jurisdiction was from Baliguian to Banigan. Due to the increase in population and other factors favorable to development that then existed, the seat of government was transferred from Panganuran to Labason. Mandag Kawan, a Subano, was appointed as the first municipal district president with Don Juan Moro as the vice president. Later Don Juan Moro also became the first district president when Labason became the seat of government and then followed by District President Hatib Layling, a Muslim with Bagti Sangkayan as vice president. Gil Sanchez, Sr. and Nemesio Fortich were the first Christian president and vice president respectively. They served their district from 1934 to 1937. When

Sindangan Sindangan, officially the Municipality of Sindangan ( ceb, Lungsod sa Sindangan; Subanen: ''Benwa Sindangan''; Chavacano: ''Municipalidad de Sindangan''; tl, Bayan ng Sindangan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Norte ...

was created into a municipality, Labason become one of its barrios. Years later, the socio-economic condition of Labason has improved and the people felt the need to be independent from Sindangan. Such wish was granted in 1948. By virtue of Executive No. 79 signed by the late President

Manuel Roxas Manuel Acuña Roxas (born Manuel Roxas y Acuña; ; January 1, 1892 – April 15, 1948) was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the fifth president of the Philippines, who served from 1946 until his death due to heart attacks in 194 ...

on August 12, 1947, Labason was created into a municipality. In 1959, the sitios of Bacong, Gabong, Pitawe and Banga-an were constituted into the barrio of Pitawe.

Geography

Barangays

Labason is politically subdivided into 20

barangay A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolitan ...

Climate

Demographics

Economy

References

External links

Labason Profile at PhilAtlas.com
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Philippine Standard Geographic Code The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

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Municipalities of Zamboanga del Norte {{ZamboangaP-geo-stub