Municipal Government of Don Marcelino
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Municipal Officials
Municipal Mayor:
Hon. Michael A. Maruya
Vice Mayor:
Hon. Mark Edward Anthony M. Maruya
Councilors:
Hon. Renato S. Bautista
Hon. Annie B. Sumalinog
Hon. Joseph C. Betinol
Hon. Reynold G. Llanto
Hon. Amador D. Cano
Hon. Jorge Gildore
Hon. Porferio M. Cambalon
Hon. Angelito M. Caluyan
Ex-Officios:
Manuelle Antoni M. Firman (Sangguniang Kabataan Federation)
Vicente Maruya III (Liga ng mga Barangay)
Brief History
In 1906, Governor-General Leonard Wood sent a US Marine, Orville Wood to Malita
to enforce the liquor law in the area. With his troops, Wood settled in the fertile bank of
the river dividing the present Poblacion Malita and the Culaman Company to establish
the first recorded settlement in the area. For three and a half decades of American
Regime (1906-1941), immigrants from Cebu and other provinces of Mindanao settled in
Malita. The rich coastal plains were claimed and developed by American Planters,
foremost among them are the Woods in Barangay Culaman, the Patstones in Barangay
Lacaron, the Peabodys in Barangay Lais, the Pahls in Barangay Calian and the
Johnsons in Barangay Lamidan.
The first Filipino Plantation owner who set foot in Malita was Don Marcelino Maruya. He
was instrumental to the development of the unexplored forest areas specifically those
areas which presently comprise Don Marcelino. He settled in what is now called
Barangay Talaguton and initiated the education of the hill tribes consisting of the
Tagacaolos, the B’laans and the Manobos
On May 13, 1978, the then Assemblyman Benjamin V. Bautista, Sr. introduced
before the Batasang Pambansa Parliamentary Bill No. 369 entitled, “An act creating the
municipality of Don Marcelino, province of Davao del Sur”. It was formally
recommended in its entirety by the Committee on Local Government and was passed
without amendment.
Consequently, on December 19, 1979, His Excellency, the President of the Philippines,
Ferdinand E. Marcos signed the bill into law which was denominated as Batas
Pambansa Bilang 47. Thus, the new municipality was born comprised of six barangays
namely: Talaguton, Lawa, Nueva Villa, Calian, Lamidan and Kiobog all from the mother
municipality of Malita, Davao del Sur. The designated seat of government was
Barangay Lawa. The new municipality was inaugurated on April 01, 1980 under the 5th
Class Category.
It was so named in honor of Don Marcelino Maruya, the father of the first
appointed Mayor, Hon. Vicente S. Maruya.