Matanao
Municipality
Municipality of Matanao
Flag Seal
Map of Davao del Sur with Matanao highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Matanao Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 6°45′N 125°14′E / 6.75°N 125.23°E / 6.75; 125.23
Country	Philippines
Region	Davao Region
Province	Davao del Sur
District	Lone district
Founded	June 17, 1957
Barangays	33 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Vincent F. Fernandez
• Vice Mayor	Irick A. Agbon
• Representative	John Tracy F. Cagas
• Municipal Council	Members Welter B. Coyoca Melanie M. Maniapao Dante L. Lausa Frederick M. Juban Samuel P. Pasaol Bonifacio D. de Chavez Glenn E. Duldulao Demosthenes B. Famor
• Electorate	39,246 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	202.40 km2 (78.15 sq mi)
Elevation	64 m (210 ft)
Highest elevation	111 m (364 ft)
Lowest elevation	25 m (82 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	60,493
• Density	300/km2 (770/sq mi)
• Households	17,012
Economy
• Income class	2nd municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	17.88 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 199.8 million (2020), 87.57 million (2012), 97.96 million (2013), 110.9 million (2014), 132.7 million (2015), 157.5 million (2016), 171.9 million (2017), 210.7 million (2018), 179.4 million (2019), 218.5 million (2021), 289.7 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 512.1 million (2020), 217.2 million (2012), 248.8 million (2013), 224 million (2014), 257.7 million (2015), 351.2 million (2016), 396 million (2017), 424 million (2018), 440.6 million (2019), 537.5 million (2021), 606.8 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 245.9 million (2020), 74.52 million (2012), 88.58 million (2013), 100.7 million (2014), 109.2 million (2015), 140.5 million (2016), 161.2 million (2017), 189.4 million (2018), 165.8 million (2019), 208.4 million (2021), 237.7 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 184.6 million (2020), 113.6 million (2012), 142.5 million (2013), 137.6 million (2014), 257.7 million (2015), 351.2 million (2016), 170.9 million (2017), 158.7 million (2018), 135.6 million (2019), 195.8 million (2021), 227.8 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative (DASURECO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	8003
PSGC	112410000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)82
Native languages	Davawenyo Cebuano Kalagan Tagalog Ata Manobo
Website	www.matanao.gov.ph

Matanao, officially the Municipality of Matanao (Cebuano: Lungsod sa Matanao; Tagalog: Bayan ng Matanao), is a municipality in the province of Davao del Sur, Philippines. At the 2020 census it had a population of 60,493 people.^[3] It is situated on the island of Mindanao, the second-largest and southernmost major island in the Philippines.

Matanao is bordered in the west by the town of Columbio, in the province of Sultan Kudarat, in the north by the towns of Magsaysay and Bansalan, in the east by Hagonoy and the city of Digos, and in the south by Kiblawan and Padada.

In June 17, 1957, some of the barrios of the municipality of Bansalan namely Kibao, San Vicente, Kibuaya, Managa Km. 67, Sinawilan, New Visayas, Sacub, Upper Malabang, Tibongbong, Sinaragan, Maliit Digos, Kapok, Tamlangon, Manga, Buas, New Katipunan, Da-Anama, Upper Kauswagan, Kagaulas, Kabasagan, Tuwak, Mal, Latian, Lanturi, Dongan-Pekong, La Union, Kauswagan, and Paitan were grouped and constituted into a new and independent municipality known as Matanao.^[5]

Matanao means a place or something to see or witness at a vantage point. In the earlier days, the place was known as "Matin-aw", a term used to mean clear. The name is derived from the crystal-clear brooks and rivers that abound in the area. No one could exactly tell how, when and why "Matin-aw" became Matanao.

In 1920, long before Matanao was formally created into a municipality, Buas had already existed (representing Matanao) as a barangay of Santa Cruz inhabited by tribal minorities, the Blaans (Bilaan) with Datu Edu Gamban as their recognized leader. In 1927, migrants from the Visayas led by the late Rosendo Javelona and his family came to the place. Protestantism was spread by one Pastor Diamonon through the Javelonas. Ranchers also invaded the place and have for themselves large homesteads. Ten years later, sometime in 1937, scores of Cebuanos came. Among them were Ildefonso Chavez, Roman Albarracin and Crispin Puerto and their kins. The next batch of Cebuanos came in the 1940s including the Famor and Relatado Clan.

Countless batches of migrants from Luzon and Visayas flocked to the place and various cultural influences account for what Matanao is today. The people of the municipality is a blend of Cebuanos, Ilonggos, Bicolanos, Boholanos, Ilocanos, Zamboanguenos, Tagalogs, Blaans, Calagans and Bagobos, Babel of dialects was experienced by the people in the place, but Cebuano came out to be the dominating language upon assimilation into the majority society of Cebuano-speakers, thus, becoming the mother tongue of the municipality up to this day.

Matanao is located in the province of Davao del Sur in Region XI Davao Region on Mindanao Island. The municipality Matanao is about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) west-south-west of province capital City Of Digos and about 990 kilometres (620 mi) south-south-east of Philippine main capital Manila.

Matanao is politically subdivided into 33 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks, while some have sitios.

The poblacion forms the center of the municipality whereas the other 32 are in the outlying areas which several kilometers away from the town.

Hot and humid most of the year. May to November is typhoon season. The mean annual temperature of the municipality is between 22.4 to 31.5 °C (72.3 to 88.7 °F). The annual rainfall ranges from 1,500 to 2,500 millimetres (59 to 98 in). The coldest part of the year is usually from December to February, and the hottest months are April and May. Rainfall is more or less evenly distributed throughout the year.

Poverty incidence of Matanao

Although predominantly a rice-farming municipality, Matanao is a growing area for banana cultivation, with Cavendish and Lakatan banana plantations established in barangays Manga, Dongan-Pekong and Saboy.

• Matanao Profile at the DTI Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System