Panabo

Panabo City (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Panabo, Filipino: Lungsod ng Panabo) is a 4th class city near Davao City in the province of Davao del Norte, Philippines. The city has an area of 249 square kilometers. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 159,456 people in 27,225 households.

History

Long before the rich lowland was discovered by civilization, a group of stocky-haired aborigines called aetas have already staked a claim and declared this place their own. Far from being civilized, these aetas led nomadic life and co-existed with the living creatures of the wilds. They have few wants and were easily satisfied. With the use of their bow and arrow - "PANA-SA-BOBOY" as they call it - they hunted for food which primarily consisted of rootcrops and meat of wild boars. "Pana-Sa-Boboy" was their most essential tool and it became part of their life

When the Christian settlers came at the onset of the century, these friendly natives moved further to the hinterlands along with them their "pana-sa-boboy". These later evolved into present day name PANABO.

1999 Hypothesis

The Municipal Government of Panabo conducted Barangay Development Planning Workshop wherein historical trending of all barangays were considered using key informant interview for the baseline information. The oldest natives in the barangay who were born in Panabo were tapped but they never mentioned about the history as first drafted. This ignites the idea to dig out more information. The stories were collated until the final consensus was presented.

The aetas were not the only first migrant in Panabo. They came in unison with the Kalagans (presently called as Davao Muslims), and the ANGs (Non-Muslim and Non-Christian). They grew in number and until villages were settled. A common trading center was established, where they sold their agricultural and marine products as well as where they bought their prime commodities. They fondly called this place as "PANABO-AN" which means in the locality as TABOAN and trading center in English. The word PANABO was later used and declared as the official name of the place.

Legal Basis

The local government unit of Panabo was created into a component City of Davao del Norte by virtue of Republic Act No. 9015 and ratified by the residents in a plebiscite held on March 31, 2001. However, its official existence as a municipal corporation took effect on with the appointment of new set of officials.

Barangays

Panabo City is politically subdivided into 40 barangays. Quezon was formerly the sitio of Cabili; it became a barrio in 1957.^[1]

Non-government/Volunteer Organization

These Securities and Exchange Commission (Philippines) registered organizations helps promote the peace and order of Panabo City: