Davao Del Sur - History

History

The beginnings of both Davao Region and Davao del Sur was associated with that of the foundation of Davao, which is the first town to be founded south of the island of Mindanao in 1848, following the conquest of the area by Don Jose Uyanguren of Guipuzcoa, Spain. In 1849, Nueva Guipuzcoa province is founded in the region conquered by Don Uyanguren in what is now Davao Region, with Davao, then called Nueva Vergara, as the provincial capital. Don Uyanguren, then the provincial governadorcillo, made some efforts to develop the areas he conquered, although he failed.

Just thirty-six years after the foundation of Davao, the town of Sta. Cruz was founded in the 5th day of October, 1884, the first town to be founded south of Davao; the town is now the oldest town in the province.

In 1898, the Spanish administration in the Philippines ended in 1898 following its defeat during the Spanish-American War. In early 1900s, waves of immigrants from the Visayas, Luzon, and as well as from Japan began to live in the region, centered mainly in Davao. The region began to boom in economic growth as agricultural business proliferated in the region.

As a portion of the "food bowl" of what is now the province of Davao del Sur, otherwise known as the Padada Valley, the agricultural area south of the town of Sta. Cruz, which is known as Digos that time, lured many migrants, majority of whom came from the Visayas and Ilocos regions to settle permanently in the area. Before World War II, an enterprising American by the name of N.E. Crumb leased 10.24 km² and transformed the place into an Abaca Plantation. This became the hub of economic activity in the locality during those days.

In 1942, founded by occupation of the Japanese soldiers landed and entering in the province of Southern Davao.

In 1945, the liberation in Southern Davao by the United States and the Philippine Commonwealth troops was supported by the Davaoeño guerrilla fighters against the Japanese forces beginning to fighting in the Second World War.

In 1967, Davao Province was divided into three(3) provinces, one of them is Davao del Sur; the town of Digos was made its capital town and will be converted into city for the next 33 years.