| Municipality Of Monkayo Town of Monkayo |
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|---|---|
| Nickname(s): Gold Ore Capital Of Compostela Valley | |
| Map of Monkayo and the province of Compostela Valley | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Davao Region (Region XI) |
| Barangays | 21 |
| Incorporated (town) | Sept. 14, 1954 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Manuel Brilliantes |
| • Vice Mayor | Avelino Cabag |
| Population (2007) | |
| • Total | 90,971 |
| Demonym | Monkaweños |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+9) |
Monkayo is a 1st class municipality in the province of Compostela Valley, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 90, 971 people. It has 21 barangays, with Mt. Diwata, having the biggest population of 16, 965 people. Monkayo is an agricultural town, with vast tracks of land planted to rice and banana. The municipality is also host to the gold-rich barangay of Mt. Diwata, popularly known as "Diwalwal" (which in the local dialect means one's tongue is hanging out due to exhaustion), a 1,000-meter high range known worldwide for its rich gold ore deposit. Monkayo's seat of government is located in barangay Poblacion, a highly-developed rural town center, and is 120 kilometers away from Mindanao's regional center of Davao City, and some 30 kilometers from Nabunturan, the provincial center.
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Monkayo is politically subdivided into 21 barangays.
Monkayo, as a municipality was created by virtue of an Executive Order signed by the late President Ramon Magsaysay on Sept. 14, 1954.
The town's pre-World War II settlers were lumads, or indigenous peoples consisting of the so-called "Four Tribes"--the Mandayas, Dibabawons, Mansakas and Manobos. These tribes dominated practically all of what is now Monkayo.
During World War II, the battle was fought in Monkayo by joint Filipino and American troops with the local guerrilla fighters against the Japanese Imperial forces.
Monkayo's development was spurred immediately after the liberation from Japanese invasion. And in the 1950s,abaca trade along the Agusan River flourished. Settlers from the Visayas and Luzon also came, as well as Chinese traders who established a trading post in the mouth of Agusan River along the delta of what is now called Barangay San Jose. Boats plied from Monkayo bringing goods to other trading centers along the Agusan River towards further north up to Butuan City.
The construction of the Davao-Agusan Daang Maharlika (Pan-Philippine Highway) further fast-tracked the town's development. More businesses came in, and the "motorboat economy" brought about by the trade along the Agusan River slowly vanished as overland travel from Davao City to Butuan City was enhanced. The road network shortened the travel time from Davao to Butuan and eventually to other key cities in Mindanao.
Major industries as of 2006:
Monkayo Banana Exporter
Monkayo Banana Exporter
Monkayo Mining/Gold Processing Plant
Monkayo Telecommunications
Monkayo Telecommunications
Monkayo Mining/Gold Processing Plant
Monkayo Mining/Gold Processing Plant
Monkayo Mining/Gold Processing Plant
Monkayo Mining/Gold Processing Plant
Monkayo Mining/Gold Processing Plant
There are 37 public elementary schools within Monkayo, namely;
There are also two (2) private elementary schools, namely;
Public High Schools:
The former is state-run while the latter is funded and administered by the municipal government of Monkayo.
Kumbilan Cave(Casoon) Kumbilan Cave has tunnel-like features and wide chambers laden with beautiful formations. The presence of stalactites and stalagmites and other formations in one chamber of the cave responds to educational needs with regards to cave evaluation. Fauna observed as occupants of the cave are snakes and fruit flies. The cave is home to the "kabyaw" fruit bats.
Mt. Diwalwal
A small town of 40 000 people, mostly migrants from Surigao, Agusan and Cebu - all dependent on gold. Small-scale mining has been their major industry since the gold-rush in the area in the 80’s. Diwalwal literally means lawit because old folks say when you reach the place diwawal na ang dila mo or lawit na ang dila mo. Diwalwal is a relatively quiet town but recently caught the headlines when an estimated 25 miners died on October 25 inside a tunnel allegedly due to toxic gas suffocation.
Seven Waterfalls of Awao
The gushing water coming from above was not that high in volume but still it does relaxed our bodies from the stroke of strong current. The falls is really wide if it was all occupied with water, water is cold but not chilling and it is noticeable that the fauna on it’s surroundings as well as the moss that was formed above the rocks where the falls are flowing are still thick indicating that this falls is not frequently visited by outsiders.
Octagon Farm
Upper Ulip Hot Spring
Lantawanan Inland Resort (Union)
Inland Resort of Maite
Pasian Caves
Sagay Falls of Salvacion
Buenas Creek Inland Resort (Mt. Diwata)
Magdagandang Falls,
Another Spanish influence that remains up to this day is the observance and celebration of barrios, or villages, of the day of their respective patron saint called "Fiesta". It is in these celebrations wherein songs, dances and other forms of arts and merrymaking from various cultures have evolved creatively into the sights and sounds of Monkayo now.
Kariyawan Festival
The festival features pageantry with a Monkayo queen from one of the prominent families of the place, and a cockfight at the Monkayo Sports complex,where cockfighting aficionados from all over the province converge .
Binibining Monkayo
Is the organization responsible for sponsoring the annual town beauty pageant which selects the beautiful girl throughout the municipality.
Monkayo Idol
The innovative municipal-wide search for the most talented and versatile homegrown young singers, has opened a new dimension for the youth program of the Municipal government of Monkayo.
Drum and Bugle
Is a musical marching unit (similar to a marching band) consisting of brass instruments, percussion instruments, and color guard. Typically operating as independent non-profit organizations, they perform in competitions, parades, festivals, and other civic functions. Participants from different schools throughout the town compete for the title.
Monkayo Fiesta
Monkayo's celebration of the Feast of St. Ignatius de Loyola every July 31 is well-known in the Philippines.
Araw ng Monkayo
It is the heart of all celebrations in Monkayo. Furthermore, the celebration falls on the fourth day of September.
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