Padada, Davao del Sur

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Padada
Municipality

Seal

Map of Davao del Sur with Padada highlighted

Padada
Location within the Philippines

Coordinates:

0638N 12521ECoordinates:

0638N 12521E

Country

Philippines

Region

Davao Region (Region XI)

Province

Davao del Sur

District

1st district of Davao del Sur

Barangays

17

Government[1]
Mayor

Gladys A. Razonable-Gascon

Area[2]
Total

83.00 km2 (32.05 sq mi)

Population (2010)[3]
Total

25,724

Density

310/km2 (800/sq mi)

Time zone

PST (UTC+8)

ZIP code

8007

Dialing code

+63(0)82

Income class

3rd

Website

www.padada.gov.ph

Padada is a third class municipality in the province of Davao del Sur, Philippines. According to the
2010 census, it has a population of 25,724 people. [3] Its boundaries were defined by Republic Act No.
1008, approved June 12, 1954.[4]

Padada is a word which refers to a tree that belongs to the mangrove family which were abundant
along its entire quite shorelines and estuaries during the primeval time, but due to encroachment
and indiscriminate fish farming, Padada trees became extinct.
Contents
[hide]

1Geography
o

1.1Land area

1.2Climate

1.3Barangays

1.4Natural environment

2History

3Demographics
o

3.1Language/dialect

3.2Religion
3.2.1St. Michael Parish

4Economy

5Local transport

6Schools

7References

8External links

Geography[edit]
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 the Davao Gulf. The Poblacion is approximately 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) from Digos, the
capital town of Davao del Sur.

Land area[edit]
The total land area of the municipality is 8,300 hectares (21,000 acres), 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. Four 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[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 range from 1,500 to 2,500 millimetres (59 to 98 in). 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[edit]
Padada is politically subdivided into 17 barangays.[2]

Barangay

Code

Urban/Rural

Population
(2007)

Population
(2010)[3]

Almendras (Pob.)

112411001

Urban

4196

3,983

Don Sergio Osmena, Sr.

112411002

Rural

647

776

Harada Butai

112411003

Rural

1452

1,728

Lower Katipunan

112411004

Rural

686

683

Lower Limonzo

112411005

Rural

1030

1,173

Lower Malinao

112411006

Rural

1033

1,198

N C Ordaneza District (Pob.)

112411007

Urban

2332

2,401

Northern Paligue

112411008

Rural

1703

1,522

Palili

112411009

Rural

1054

1,064

Piape

112411010

Rural

1429

1,394

Barangay

Code

Urban/Rural

Population
(2007)

Population
(2010)[3]

Punta Piape

112411011

Rural

1118

1,056

Quirino District (Pob.)

112411012

Urban

1831

1,721

San Isidro

112411013

Rural

1366

1,407

Southern Paligue

112411014

Rural

1329

1,455

Tulugan

112411015

Rural

845

973

Upper Limonzo

112411016

Rural

1934

2,089

Upper Malinao

112411017

Rural

1142

1,101

Natural environment[edit]
Piape Hills
It is a 65-hectare 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 3045 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 1012 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 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 57 minutes. It has an area of 50 hectares
surrounded with buoys from BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Philippines)) for its
protection and identification. It is a breeding ground of 5060 species of marine life.

History[edit]
Guihing was once the original sitio of Padada and its formation was brought about by Mr. Walstrom,
an American expatriate who owns 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.

Entrance to Municipal hall

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 Sta. Maria, Malalag, and
Sulop in the south, Kiblawan in the west, Hagonoy in the north, and part of Matanao in the northwest 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 Sta. Cruz.
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 office16 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 ViceMayor 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 Hon. Antonio N.
Razonable as the vice-mayor.
In 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 the late Mayor Antonio N.
Razonable and the first female mayor of Padada.

Demographics[edit]

The Municipal Hall of Padada

Population census of Padada

Source: National Statistics Office[3]

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. [2]

Language/dialect[edit]
English, Pilipino, Chinese, Cebuano is the mother tongue spoken by 68.82% of the total population.
Other dialects spoken in the area are; Blaan, 6.40%; Bagobo 2.88%; Hiligaynon (Ilongo) 1.70%;
Manobo 6.72%; Ilocano 1.22% and Tagacaolos 8. 36%
English and Filipino [formerly 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[edit]
Majority of the population are Roman Catholics [17,907], a few are Muslims and Protestants, as well
as Iglesia Ni Cristo and Mormons.
St. Michael Parish[edit]

St. Michael Parish Padada

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 territories in Mindanao away from Cebu. Then, on January 20, 1933 Pope Pius
XI created Cagayan de Oro as second diocese in Mindanao. During this time Mindanao was divided
into two dioceses, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro.
In 1934 because of the scarce number of missionaries and since Davao has only eight Jesuits
administering it, Bishop Luis del Rosario of Zamboanga sought for foreign help and one of those
who responded was the Foreign Mission Society of Quebec or popularly known as P.M.E. Fathers or
La Socit des Missions-trangres (in French: Pretres de Missions-trangres,). In 1937, the first
P.M.E. Fathers who arrive here in Davao were Fr. Clovis Rondeau, Omer Leblanc, Leo Lamy,
Conrad Cote, and Msgr. Clovis Thibault who was the main proponent of establishing the Parish of
Padada. After the first five P.M.E. Fathers, many others followed. On December 17, 1949 Davao
became the Prelature Nullius to which Clovis Thibault was appointed as administrator.

St. Michael Parish Of Padada

On June 29, 1951 Pope, Plus XI elevated Cagayan de Oro to an archdiocese together with Jaro.
The Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro became the first archdiocese in Mindanao. It had as its
suffragans all the dioceses and prelatures then in
Mindanao: Surigao, Cotabato, Sulu, Davao, Ozamiz, and Zamboanga which had been its mother
diocese. It became an archdiocese seven years ahead of its mother diocese, Zamboanga.
And on December 31, 1954, Clovis Thibault, P.M.E. was appointed as Prelate and on February 11,
1955 he was ordained as Bishop. When Davao was later elevated into a Diocese, Bishop Thibault
was canonically instituted as its ruling Bishop on July 11, 1966.
On the account of Fr. Paul Gravel, P.M.E. in his 25th Padada Parish anniversary message dated
May 1, 1977 he recalls of the establishment of the Parish. It started with the proposal of Msgr. Clovis
Thibault during the Parish fiesta of Digos on August 22, 1952. On the following month September 7,
together with his close friend Diosdado Ypil they ventured the new undertaking. They were
welcomed by the people of Padada in the person of Mayor Gregorio Matas, Bonifacio Semilla the
president of Catholic Association and many others who were supportive of the said plan.

Padada Parish Church

Christians during this time must have been excited upon hearing the news. Given that Sta. Cruz was
long before became a parish in 1941 and Digos in 1948, to some degree Padada reached the
appropriate moment to become a parish. At that moment Padada had only a chapel situated near
the highway, standing near the bread fruit or locally known as kamansi (Artocarpus altilis) that is
within the vicinity and residence of a certain Rodem. Right after that day they repaired the old chapel

and afterward moved it in the residence of the Yap Family which is the location of the church at
present. They effectively did it in three weeks time before their fiesta with the help of the people.
They called the project Tagbo (encounter). We could not be certain whether they dismantled it piece
by piece or carried the entire structure all the way to its new place like what we Filipinos usually do in
bayanihan which greatly witness our spirit of communal unity and effort. It was an enormous
undertaking that they informed and sought help from leaders like Mr. Ronda of Hagonoy, Mr.
Pascual, Diel and Calumpong of Malalag, and other places like Pawa, Kiblawan, Tanwalang, and
Santa Maria. There were hundreds of them including the tribal minorities of Blaans of Maragaa and
the Tagacaolos of Malalag shared their earnest involvement of the said project. On September 29
that year, Fr. Gravel celebrated the annual fiesta of St. Michael the archangel in the new site. They
completed the initial stage that sets another milestone in the lives of the people in Padada. After the
fiesta, the same spirit of enthusiasm and solidarity continued to intensify as they started to plan the
construction of a bigger church. Finally, on July 6, 1953, they laid the foundation of the structure.
Again, the structure that was planned needed help from the affiliated communities. It was a
protracted effort to finish the main and internal structure of the church that they continually relied on
the financial aid from few of the wealthy families of the neighboring municipalities and the masons
who volunteered their service.
Fr. Gravel was the first and said to be the longest assigned priest of Padada. Ambiguously he was
remembered serving the parish for ten years. The parishrecords show that there had been a great
deal of assistance coming from the P.M.E.s who took the role as Parish priests, but probably he
stayed a little longer. Even at present his persona endured in the memories of the people as the
driving force who laid the foundations of their dream.

Economy[edit]

Banana Plantation, Padada

Padada is basically an agricultural area where coconuts abound and to which copra is the main
produce, maize comes to second as the important crops that is grown
including bananas and cassava. Other crops
include sugarcane, mangoes and papayas. Livestock on farms include chickens, goats and hogs.
Marine fishing is an important industry. Barangays along the coastal portion are mostly converted
into fishponds that yields bangus (milkfish) and shrimp. The Poblacion serves as the economic and
the business center.

Local transport[edit]

Padada Transport Terminal

Padada Overland transport terminal is at the center of the town, where all the major businesses,
commercial establishments and public market are situated. Concrete-paved national highway runs
along Padada connecting Davao City and General Santos and adjacent provinces like South
Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, Cotabatoand Sta. Cruz Province. Air and water transport is
accessible in the area through the international air and sea ports located in Davao City and General
Santos City. Jeepneys and buses are used widely for major routes. Mostly Tricyclesin the poblacion
and in neighboring barangays. Bikes are used for leisure and sporting events.

Schools[edit]
Private schools

ATO Padada Christian School

Saint Michael's School of Padada

Southeastern College of Padada

Homepal Padada

Public schools

Limonzo Elementary School

Piape Elementary School

Padada South Elementary School

Padada Central Elementary School

German Lanticse Elementary School

Lower Katipunan Primary School

Harada Butai Primary School

Don Sergio Osmea Primary School

Mariano Sarona Elementary School

Padada National High School

Padada National High School-Malinao Extension

Padada national High School-Piape Extension

Carmelo C. Delos Cientos Sr. National Trade School

Tulogan Elementary School