The Municipality of Sta. Cruz's Role in Filipino History
The municipality of Sta. Cruz was an active participant in the making of Mindanao's and Philippines' histories. From the Spanish rule, to American regime, to Japanese occupation, to independence, to Martial Law, to EDSA\Revolution, Sta. Cruz' story was intricately interwoven into the country's saga.
This gulf town was originally called "Labo" a Bagobo word meaning "marshland". Labo is situated "between a confluence of two mountain streams where waters were as clear as crystal and was but a short distance from the coast". According to pioneering residents, this place was later called Balalan (this covers the area from Lubo up to Digos River).
Long before the Spaniards came, the "Lumads" or the natives Tagabawa Bagobo inhabited Sta Cruz that was mostly forested then except in the Darong coast where the Davao Muslim Calagans settled. Their respective leaders called "datu" ruled them. Foremost among them were Datus Ali, Malado and Bukina Samal.
When the Spaniard established the Davao Settlement in 1848 that was under Provincia Moro, Datu Bago, a Muslim from Maguindanao tribe in Cotabato ruled the area. The priests and missionaries belonging to the Recollect Order started the evangelization but the Lumads resisted Christianity and it was documented that in 1852 only two lumads in Sta Cruz were baptized. They were Petra Pamansag and Basilisa Agustin of Sibulan. In 1870 the Bagobos had their first chapel in Tuban through the effort of Fr. Marcelino Vivero, a missionary from the east coast town of Caraga, who according to story, was drifted by strong wind to Caburan while sailing during his apostolic work. On his way back to Caraga via the cabecera of Davao, he passed by the coastal villages where banners were staked on the shore to signify "welcome". One of these was Tuban where he stayed long enough to exhort the natives to embrace Christianity. In 1873, Fr. Quirico More arrived in Davao and resumed missionary works down to Darong and as far as Balut Island. In 1882,
This gulf town was originally called "Labo" a Bagobo word meaning "marshland". Labo is situated "between a confluence of two mountain streams where waters were as clear as crystal and was but a short distance from the coast". According to pioneering residents, this place was later called Balalan (this covers the area from Lubo up to Digos River).
Long before the Spaniards came, the "Lumads" or the natives Tagabawa Bagobo inhabited Sta Cruz that was mostly forested then except in the Darong coast where the Davao Muslim Calagans settled. Their respective leaders called "datu" ruled them. Foremost among them were Datus Ali, Malado and Bukina Samal.
When the Spaniard established the Davao Settlement in 1848 that was under Provincia Moro, Datu Bago, a Muslim from Maguindanao tribe in Cotabato ruled the area. The priests and missionaries belonging to the Recollect Order started the evangelization but the Lumads resisted Christianity and it was documented that in 1852 only two lumads in Sta Cruz were baptized. They were Petra Pamansag and Basilisa Agustin of Sibulan. In 1870 the Bagobos had their first chapel in Tuban through the effort of Fr. Marcelino Vivero, a missionary from the east coast town of Caraga, who according to story, was drifted by strong wind to Caburan while sailing during his apostolic work. On his way back to Caraga via the cabecera of Davao, he passed by the coastal villages where banners were staked on the shore to signify "welcome". One of these was Tuban where he stayed long enough to exhort the natives to embrace Christianity. In 1873, Fr. Quirico More arrived in Davao and resumed missionary works down to Darong and as far as Balut Island. In 1882,