"THE PROVINCE OF ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES"
Mission & Vision
Mission
Reduce poverty by ensuring food security, creating drivers of the economy, nurturing individuals and communities to reach their potentials and engaging them in securing a safe and peaceful environment, and in mitigating the effects of climate change.
Davao Occidental as the most competitive province, whose human resources are God-fearing, possessing skills, competencies and empowered, with diverse climate-change-adaptive and disaster-resilient communities cooperating harmoniously and peacefully, unified and driven by a corporate governance that is committed to sustainable inclusive growth and development.
MUNICIPALITIES
TOTAL POPULATION
TRIBES
NO. OF HOUSEHOLDS
TOTAL HECTARES
BARANGAY
Provincial Physical Characteristics
Davao Occidental is the 81st and newest province in the Philippines located in Davao Region, one of the most progressive and competitive regions in Mindanao. Specifically, it is situated in Southern Mindanao where it is bounded on the north by Davao del Sur; on the west by Sarangani Province; on the east, it is bounded by Davao Gulf; and finally, on the south, it also shares a water border with the Indonesian province of North Sulawesi. The main land mass of the province is occupied by the four (4) municipalities while the islands of Sarangani are separated by the Sarangani Strait.
Davao Occidental has a total land area of 264,544 hectares. It consists of the five (5) municipalities of Sta. Maria, Malita, Don Marcelino, Jose Abad Santos and Sarangani, with Malita as its seat of the Provincial Government. It has a total number of 105 barangays with Malita having the most number of barangays with 30. The province has a lone Congressional District as provided under Republic Act 10360.
Davao Occidental’s terrain is characterized by small portions of flatlands mostly concentrated along the coastlines and contrasted largely by undulating, rugged and very rugged mountains and ranges. Several mountain ranges are found in the province, although not yet very popularly known, but among the most prominent ones are, Mt. Saddle that looks like an overhanging L-shaped mountain still covered with primary forests and overlooking the Davao Gulf at Barangay Little Baguio in Malita. Known among travelers are the Marlboro Country Ranges traversing Jose Abad Santos which are rugged and very steep. Don Marcelino also has very steep mountains at Baluntaya, Dalupan and West Lamidan which still have rich biodiversity.
History
Davao Occidental was created by virtue of Republic Act 10360 enacted by the 15th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines on July 23, 2012 and signed into law by President Benigno C. Aquino III on January 14, 2013. The five municipalities of Sta. Maria, Malita, Don Marcelino, Jose Abad Santos and Sarangani were carved out from the province of Davao del Sur to compose the province of Davao Occidental. Congressmen Franklin P. Bautista and Marc Douglas Cagas of the House of the representatives and Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos were the principal authors of the law creating the province which was ratified on October 28, 2013.
Development Thrust
Provincial Hymn
“DAVAO OCCIDENTAL HYMN”
I
Luha, Pawis at Tapang Ibinuhos sa iyong pagsilang. pagsulong sa iyong kaunlaran
ang na sa puso namin magpakailan man.
Handa kaming mag-alay ng buong katapatan damdamin at kaisipan. para sa iyong tagumpay.
Chorus:
Lalawigang sinasamba
lupain ng antigong mamamayan daay malausak tungo sa karagatan Gimog-kanluran dito matatagpuan.
Sulong Davao Occidental hiyas ka noon pa man
at hanggang magpakailan man Ikaus ay aming minamahal.
II
Masipag galing at talino mga ninuno ng bayang ito walang pagod sa pagtataguyod makamtan bayan ang inaasam mo.
Dama ang kinabukasan sumasayaws dahon sa kagubatan malamig at sariwang hangin sa dalampasigan ng karagatan.
(Repeat chorus 2x)
III
At hanggang magpakailan man ikaw ay aming minamahal (2x)
At hanggang magpakailan man Ikaw ay aming minamahal.