Digos is the capital city of Davao del Sur. The city lies on the eastern shores of Davao Gulf on the island of Mindanao. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 125,171 people in 26,306 households.

Digos City is now a part of (Metropolitan Davao) Metro Davao.

 

In the early days, Digos was a watercourse, a meeting place of inhabitants belonging to the Austronesians settled along the southern foothills of Mt. Apo. The Digos River meets the Davao Gulf and it is ideal for fishing and bathing.

During the Spanish Era, a group of natives carrying bows and arrows were approached by some Spaniards traversing the very fertile tracks of land in Davao. One Lopez Jaena Pacheco, a conquistador during the administration of Governor Claveria serving as the head of the group, inquired about the name of the place from the barefooted natives. Believing that the Spaniards were asking where they were bound to, the natives answered "Padigos", which means "to take a bathe". Since then the place was identified as Digos.

As a portion of the "food bowl" of the province of Davao del Sur, otherwise known as the Padada Valley, Digos 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, the Japanese troops occupied Digos city.

In 1945, Digos was liberated from the Japanese through the efforts of an alliance between Philippine and American forces.

Through the initiation of Congressman Apolinario Cabigon, Digos became a regular municipality in 1949 by virtue of Presidential Executive Order No. 236, dated July 19, 1949 issued by President Quirino. Its coverage included the barrios of Tres de Mayo, Goma Bansalan, Matanao, Darapuay and the Poblacion where the seat of government was located. Before its transformation into a municipality, Digos was a barrio of Sta. cruz, a town 16 kilometers away. On 19 July 1949, the town was formally inaugurated with Benito Rabor appointed as Mayor.

Digos in later years, before its conversion into a city, was regarded as the capital town of the Province of Davao del Sur, long before it gained the status of a First Class Municipality in 1993, being center for trade, commerce and education, accruing to its strategic location at the cross point of two principal thoroughfares in the south.

In July 1998, the bid to convert Digos into a city was moved and initiated by Hon. Mayor Arsenio A. Latasa, considering its very satisfactory qualifications required in R.A. 7160

House Bill No. 5672 dated November 24, 1998 of Congress authored by Hon. Congressman Douglas Ra. Cagas led to the drafting of Republic Act 8798, converting the Municipality of Digos into a component City of Davao del Sur, which was signed by President Joseph E. Estrada on July 14, 2000 and ratified by the Digoseños on September 8, 2000.

 

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