Nabunturan | |
|---|---|
| Municipality of Nabunturan | |
 Flag  Seal | |
Nicknames:
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| Motto: Nabunturan, A Progressive, Peaceful, and Dynamic Agri-based Municipality | |
| Anthem:Nabunturan Hymn | |
 Map of Davao de Oro with Nabunturan highlighted | |
OpenStreetMap  | |
.svg)  Nabunturan Location within thePhilippines | |
| Coordinates:7°36′12″N125°58′01″E / 7.603414°N 125.967047°E /7.603414; 125.967047 | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Davao Region |
| Province | Davao de Oro |
| District | 2nd district |
| Founded | July 23, 1957 |
| Barangays | 28 (seeBarangays) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Sangguniang Bayan |
| • Mayor | Myrocel Clarin-Balili |
| • Vice Mayor | Rodel G. Balili |
| • Representative | Ruwel Peter S. Gonzaga |
| • Electorate | 53,977 voters (2025) |
| Area | |
• Total | 231.30 km2 (89.31 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 127 m (417 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 437 m (1,434 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 64 m (210 ft) |
| Population (2024 census)[3] | |
• Total | 85,949 |
| • Density | 371.59/km2 (962.42/sq mi) |
| • Households | 20,831 |
| Demonym | Nabunturanon |
| Economy | |
| • Income class | 1st municipal income class |
| • Poverty incidence | 13.7 |
| • Revenue | ₱ 464.6 million (2022) |
| • Assets | ₱ 872.4 million (2022) |
| • Expenditure | ₱ 416.3 million (2022) |
| Service provider | |
| • Electricity | Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (NORDECO) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| ZIP code | 8800 |
| PSGC | |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)87 |
| Native languages | Davawenyo Cebuano Kalagan Mansaka Tagalog Ata Manobo |
| Website | nabunturan |
Nabunturan, officially theMunicipality of Nabunturan (Cebuano:Lungsod sa Nabunturan;Tagalog:Bayan ng Nabunturan), is amunicipality and capital of theprovince ofDavao de Oro,Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 84,340 people.[5]
The municipality is home to theMainit Hot Springs Protected Landscape.
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The town of Nabunturan was once a barangay of Municipality ofCompostela. The origin of the name is frombungtod, theCebuano term for “hill.” The wordNabunturan means “surrounded by hills” in English (nabungturan). The early settlement was governed by a headman calledBagani, but was under the supervision of the Municipal District President of Compostela over matters concerning civil affairs. For the maintenance of peace and order, the area was under the immediate supervision of the Philippine Constabulary Detachment of Camp Kalaw,Moncayo. From barangay Jaguimitan in the north to barangayMawab (now a municipality in the south), the whole Compostela town was divided into two (2) municipal districts: the district of Moncayo, and the district of Compostela, with the latter's seat of local government in barangay Nabunturan, now the municipality of Nabunturan.
Before the construction of the national road traversing Nabunturan, the place was little known; but despite the threat of malaria, which was prevalent at the time, pioneers ventured into the area. Mansaka natives settled their lives here in the municipality of Mawab to Barangay Bangkerohan, Montevista. The original site of Barangay Nabunturan was situated along the Libasan-Saosao Provincial Road, about 4 km from the presentPoblacion site. The public school system was under the supervision of the Supervising Teacher stationed in the Kalaw Settlement for schools in the district of Monkayo.
When the road was constructed in 1938, many Visayan settlers and pioneers came to Nabunturan and made it their home. By that time, the establishment of the Bureau of Public Works (BPW) camp settled in Nabunturan. Many business trades and establishments poured in and Nabunturan was established as a rural community.
In 1941, theSecond World War broke out in the country. A new hiding place for guerrillas and USAFFE Contingents spread in Nabunturan. But during the Japanese occupation in Mindanao, Nabunturan became a Japanese Kempetai Garrison. After the war, the Japanese were repulsed back to Davao City, and the camp regained its status as the center of life and business in Davao de Oro. Camp Kalaw was destroyed and abandoned.
In 1945, American forces landed in Davao City, and the Philippine Civil Assistance Unit (PCAU) established the civil government of Compostela at Nabunturan because of its accessibility to Davao City. By that time, many highways and roads were constructed, and Nabunturan became a center of commerce. Because of this, the need to convert Nabunturan into a municipality was felt. On July 23, 1957, 30 days after the approval and passage of Republic Act no. 2038, a new political unit—separate and distinct from the mother municipality of Compostela—was created. It retained its original name, Nabunturan. The first mayor of the town was Lauro C. Arabejo, the incumbent mayor of the municipality of Compostela.
On January 30, 1998, PresidentFidel V. Ramos signed into law the creation of the 79th province of the country, Compostela Valley (now named Davao de Oro), pursuant to Rep. Act 8470, which created Nabunturan as its capital town on March 8, 1998.Prospero Amatong, then incumbent governor ofDavao del Norte province from which the new province of Compostela Valley was carved out, opted to serve as the first governor of the newly created province. He only served for one day because he resigned the following day and filed his candidacy for Congress. He was succeeded by Luz Sarmiento as an appointed governor and served for two months. The first elected governor was Jose R. Caballero who served from July 1, 1998, to June 30, 2007.
Nabunturan is subdivided into 28 barangays, namely: [6] Each barangay consists ofpuroks while some havesitios.
| Climate data for Nabunturan | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 27 (81) | 27 (81) | 28 (82) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 28 (82) | 29 (84) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 23 (73) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 23 (74) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 160 (6.3) | 127 (5.0) | 96 (3.8) | 62 (2.4) | 141 (5.6) | 197 (7.8) | 185 (7.3) | 186 (7.3) | 183 (7.2) | 181 (7.1) | 128 (5.0) | 111 (4.4) | 1,757 (69.2) |
| Average rainy days | 20.0 | 17.2 | 15.9 | 13.9 | 23.8 | 27.2 | 28.1 | 28.2 | 27.0 | 27.0 | 21.3 | 18.7 | 268.3 |
| Source: Meteoblue[7] | |||||||||||||
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 21,860 | — |
| 1970 | 27,689 | +2.39% |
| 1975 | 30,883 | +2.21% |
| 1980 | 37,292 | +3.84% |
| 1990 | 53,410 | +3.66% |
| 1995 | 56,576 | +1.08% |
| 2000 | 60,543 | +1.46% |
| 2007 | 67,365 | +1.48% |
| 2010 | 73,196 | +3.07% |
| 2015 | 82,234 | +2.24% |
| 2020 | 84,340 | +0.53% |
| 2024 | 85,949 | +0.45% |
| Source:Philippine Statistics Authority[8][9][10][11][12] | ||
In the 2020 census, the population of Nabunturan was 84,340 people,[13] with a density of 360 inhabitants per square kilometre or 930 inhabitants per square mile.
Poverty incidence of Nabunturan
10 20 30 40 2000 35.58 2003 29.88 2006 27.20 2009 28.33 2012 24.43 2015 22.68 2018 17.50 2021 13.70 Source:Philippine Statistics Authority[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] |
| Name of mayor | Years served | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Lauro C. Arabejo | 1957–1959 | Not, who continued his two unexpired term as Mayor of Compostela |
| Antonio A. Tulio | 1960–1963 | Served until September 11, 1963 only because he ran for Provincial Board |
| Gregorio Echavez | Four Months | Served as Mayor on September 12, 1964 being as Vice Mayor. |
| Lauro C. Arabejo | 1964–1967 | Served as Mayor for the whole term |
| Lauro C. Arabejo | 1968–1969 | Served as Mayor until 1969 because he ran for Congressman |
| Venancio C. Piastro | 1969–1971 | Served as Mayor from September 1969 to 1971 being as Vice Mayor |
| Prospero S. Amatong | 1972–1977 | Served as Mayor from January 1, 1972, to September 28, 1977, after his courtesy resignation was accepted by then President Marcos. |
| Zosimo A. Bugas | 1977–1980 | Appointed and served as mayor from September 29, 1977 to March 2, 1980 |
| Prospero S. Amatong | 1980–1986 | Served as Mayor until March 31, 1986, only because he was appointed as OIC Governor. |
| Venancio C. Piastro | 15 Days | Served as Mayor from April 1, 1986, to April 15, 1986 for being as Vice Mayor |
| Arsenio B. Flores | 1986–1988 | Appointed and served as OIC Mayor from April 16, 1986, to January 26, 1988 |
| Romeo A. Chavez, MD | 5 days | Appointed and served as Mayor from January 27, 1988, to February 1, 1988 |
| Joel O. Bugas | 1988–1992 | Served as Mayor for the whole term |
| Joel O. Bugas | 1992–1995 | Re-elected as Mayor during the 1992 national and local elections |
| Joel O. Bugas | 1995–1998 | Re-elected as Mayor during the 1995 national and local elections |
| Ruben R. Flores MD | 1998–2001 | Served as Mayor for the whole term |
| Macario T. Humol | 2001–2004 | Served as Mayor for the whole term |
| Macario T. Humol | 2004–2007 | Re-elected as Mayor during the 2004 national and local elections |
| Macario T. Humol | 2007–2010 | Re-elected as Mayor during the 2007 national and local elections |
| Romeo C. Clarin | 2010–2016 | Served as Mayor of Nabunturan |
| Chelita C. Amatong | 2016–2022 | Served as Mayor of Nabunturan |
| Myrocel C. Balili | 2022–present | Currently elected as Mayor of Nabunturan |
Places adjacent to Nabunturan | |
|---|---|
 Province ofDavao de Oro | |
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| Municipalities | |
