Padada, Davao Del Sur

Padada, officially the Municipality of Padada (; ), is a municipality in the province of Davao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 29,878 people, making it the least populated municipality in the province.

Its boundaries were defined by Republic Act No. 1008, approved June 12, 1954.

"Padada" refers to a tree from the mangrove family which were once abundant along its entire shoreline and estuaries but due to encroachment and indiscriminate fish farming, the Padada trees became extinct.

History

Guihing was once the original sitio of Padada and its formation was brought about by Mr. Walstrom, an American expatriate who owned a vast coconut plantation in the area called the Mindanao Estate Co., together with the effort of Don Bartolome Hernandez Sr., a coconut planter and a pioneer of the area too.

Padada as a town was organized on July 15, 1949, after its creation into such by virtue of Executive Order # 236 of Elpidio Quirino, then president of the Republic of the Philippines. The territorial jurisdiction of Padada originally embraced the present town of Santa Maria, Malalag, and Sulop in the south, Kiblawan in the west, Hagonoy in the north, and part of Matanao in the north-west with the seat of government in the barrio of Limonso which is now the Padada Poblacion.

In 1946, after the proclamation of the Philippine Republic, hordes of home seekers mostly Filipino veterans of the Second World War headed by Major Froilan Mascardo Matas, settled the area called Padada Valley occupying several repossessed Japanese Plantations in the vicinity. With the influx of numerous migrants of all walks of life, Limonso as the center of trade, grew into a large community, and qualified to become a separate municipality. As early as January 1949, the bid for the creation of Padada Town was prepared, finally securing its approval through Executive Order No. 236, dated July 15, 1949.

Antonio Go Pace was the first mayor by appointment who was erstwhile a councilor of Santa Cruz. With him, Innocentes Zanoria Adolfo was also assigned as the first municipal treasurer of Padada. The creation of Limonso now Padada into a municipality and the subdivision of the poblacion into commercial and residential districts was attributed to him. Gregorio Matas was the first elected mayor and held the position for three consecutive terms with Mr. Felix Brandares as vice mayor and in which the municipal building was possible thru his effort. Atty. Isidro M. Ordaneza succeeded the former and holds the longest tenure of office—16 years from 1963 and re-elected again in 1967 and 1971 until March 1979. Padada ABC gymnasium was built during his term.

However, in the process of re-organization of local governments by President Ferdinand E. Marcos, then Vice Mayor Benjamin A. Saragena was designated Acting Mayor of Padada, assuming office on March 19, 1979. In the 1980 local elections, Acting Mayor Saragena was elected mayor with Pascuala Dizon as Vice Mayor and his entire Sangguniang Bayan ticket was swept into office.

After the People Power Revolution in EDSA, Corazon C. Aquino appointed Atty. Carmelo R. De Los Cientos III as OIC of this Municipality and assumes the office with Elpidio R. Pantojan as OIC Vice Mayor and 8 OIC Sangguniang Banyan.

Prior to the 1988 local elections, all OIC Municipal Officials we made to resign during the campaign period from December 1987 to February 1988. It was on this short period of time that another OIC ruled the municipality. OIC Mayor Leonardo U. Pillerin and Vice Mayor Margarito Mendez were installed from December 1987 to February 1988, together with the 8 OIC S.B. members. During the 1988 elections, the people of Padada elected Atty. Carmelo R. De los Cientos III as municipal mayor and Elpidio R. Pantojan as vice mayor. Both were re-elected and served for three terms. In the 1998 local election, former Mayor Benjamin A. Saragena won the election of mayor and Antonio N. Razonable as the Vice Mayor.

In the 2001 local elections, Atty. Antonio N. Razonable and Pedro F. Caminero Jr. won the mayoralty and Vice Mayoralty post. Both were re-elected and served from 2001 to 2010. The 2010 elections, which made use of Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) system, paved the way to Pedro F. Caminero Jr, a vice mayor for three terms during the administration of Razonable, to reign the local government of Padada as the new mayor. He was accompanied by Alexander V. Morales as his vice mayor and partner in the local governance.

In the May 2013 national election, he was replaced by Atty. Gladys A. Razonable-Gascon, the daughter of then Mayor Antonio N. Razonable and the first female mayor of Padada. In the May 2016 national election, she was replaced by the former mayor Pedro F. Caminero Jr. He was accompanied by Francisco "Frashale" Guerrero Jr as his vice mayor.

In the May 2022 National and Local Elections, paved the way to Francisco L. Guerrero, Jr, a Vice Mayor for two terms during the Administration of Caminero, to reign the local government of Padada as new Mayor. Juwill G. Carpentero, won the Vice Mayoral race, a Sangguniang Bayan Member for two terms during the Administration of Caminero.

On December 15, 2019, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck at around 2:11 p.m. with the epicenter about 6 kilometers northwest of Padada.

Geography

Padada is part of the province of Davao del Sur lying between 125° degrees 20° east longitude and 6 degree 28°44° north latitude. It is bounded on the north by the municipality of Hagonoy, on the west by the municipality of Kiblawan, on the south by the municipalities of Sulop and Malalag and on the east by Davao Gulf. The Poblacion is approximately from Digos, the capital town of Davao del Sur.

Land area

The total land area of the municipality is , 65% of which is planted to coconut and 35% to banana, corn, rice and other crops. It has three urban barangays namely, NCO, Almendras, and Quirino that totals to one hundred eighty one hectares. Three of the remaining fourteen barangays are located along the coastal portion and the other on the internal area. Two (2%) of the total provincial land area is what constitute the municipality of Padada.

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 range from . The coldest part of the year is usually during the month of December to February and the hottest month are April and May. Rainfall distribution is more or less even during the year.

Barangays

Padada is politically subdivided into 17 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

Natural environment

;Piape Hills
It is a site, 4.5 kilometers east of Poblacion Padada facing Davao Gulf. Known as the crocodile mountain for when viewed above it look like a sleeping crocodile resting in the shore of Padada. It is being identified as the Provincial Jamboree Site and an Agro-forest area of the municipality. The hill is covered with shrubs, trees and rocks. It is planted with trees since 1972, as an environmental concern of the people of Padada. A potential mountain trail for tourist. On top of the summit, you will have a panoramic view of Padada Valley, Davao Gulf, Mt. Apo, and Mt Matutum. It can be reached by 30–45 minutes hiking from the foot of the hill.

;Piape Reef
A coral reef with an area of more or less four (4) hectares located within the municipal fish sanctuary. The whole area is covered with a variety of corals and 10–12 depth fathom blue clear water used to be the breeding ground of variety of species of marine life. The area will submerge during high tide and is visible during low tide. It is one of the best take off point of scuba divers and a scuba diving destination in the south. It is estimated to be nine (9) kilometers from the Poblacion and only around five (5) kilometers from the Piape shoreline. It is accessible by all type of land transportation from Poblacion Padada to barangay Piape and by boat or motorized banca from Piape to the reef. A prelude to Piape coral reef is a sandy reef locally known as Pasig which will also submerge during high tide but is only ½ hectare in area surrounded with a knee-length muddy water not conducive to swimming and diving.

;Piape Marine Sanctuary
It is located adjacent to Piape Reef facing Piape Hills. It is 4.5 km east of Poblacion facing Davao Gulf and can be reached on a motorized boat in 5–7 minutes. It has an area of surrounded with buoys from BFAR ( Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Philippines)) for its protection and identification. It is a breeding ground of 50–60 species of marine life.

Demographics

Based on National Statistical Coordination Board, the total population was 25,724 as of May 1, 2010, up from 27,127 in the August 2007 census. The registered number of voters is 16,815 as of 2010.

Languages

English, Pilipino, Chinese, Cebuano is the mother tongue spoken by 68.82% of the total population. Other dialects spoken in the area are; B´laan, 6.40%; Bagobo 2.88%; Hiligaynon (Ilongo) 1.70%; Manobo 6.72%; Ilocano 1.22% and Tagacaolos 8. 36%

English and Filipino ormerly spelled Pilipino which is based on Tagalog, is the official language. About 95 percent of the population speaks Visaya. English is widely and commonly used for educational, governmental, and commercial purposes.

Religion

Majority of the population 17,907 are Roman Catholics, a few are Muslims and Protestants, as well as Iglesia Ni Cristo and Mormons.

St. Michael Parish

As early as 1848 the Spanish missionaries set foot on Davao. Fr. Francisco Lopez from the Augustinian Recollects together with Don Jose Oyanguren came to establish a Christian settlement after defeating local chieftain, Datu Bago. The following years, the Jesuits took over the apostolic responsibility from the Recollects. Instrumental to the evangelization and expansion of the Davao church were missionaries like Fr. Quirico More, Mateo Gisbert, Pablo Pastells and Saturnino Urius. The entire Mindanao area was under the Diocese of Cebu since 1595, until some parts were placed under the jurisdiction of Jaro in 1865. On April 10, 1910, the Diocese of Zamboanga was created and took all ecclesiastical