The history of Tagbina

History of the Municipality of Tagbina

The history of the founding of the municipality dates back to the times when new frontiers of settlement were opened by virtue of the construction of new roads by the government during commonwealth period. Sometime in the year 1936, the national road was constructed connecting the two municipalities of Lianga and Hinatuan in the southern part of the province of Surigao del Sur, so that the construction of the Lianga-Hinatuan road paved the way for the new frontiers of settlement within the 50 – kilometers span of jungle territory. Thus, the birth of Tagbina, a jungle area strategically situated at the mid-section of the 50 – kilometers line of road.

According to the traditional folklore, Tagbina was derived from the name of the river that meanders in its environs, where the aboriginal inhabitants would boat and catch fish like halo-an or mudfish, shrimps or river lobsters. Folklore has it further that the name Tagbina which the native gave to the river was coined after the word “Tagbanua”. Hunters and rivers fishermen who roamed the area way up the river came to discovered fossils of giants and skulls or bones of human beings of the prototype of giant, this type of homo sapiens were known in the kamayo vernacular as “Tagbanua” or giants of the mountains.

With the completion of the Lianga-Hinatuan road and the subsequent opening of public lands for subdivision sometime after the liberation, settlers from all over the archipelago came into the area by leaps and bounds. Tagbina then became a regular barrio of the municipality of Hinatuan in the year 1955, with the settlement of these native tribesmen. Matias Tubia (now deceased) was the first barrio lieutenant.

Within a span of about 13 years since its formal organization as a regular barrio, Tagbina rose as one of the most progressive barrios of the municipality of Hinatuan. Inspired by the rapid progress and prosperity, coupled with the intense desire for independence, the political leaders of Tagbina worked for its creation as a municipality.

Finally, the municipality of Tagbina was created as a separate Municipal Corporation from the mother Municipality of Hinatuan by virtue of Republic Act No. 5774, dated June 21, 1969, during the Sixth Congress of the Republic of the Philippines; with seat of government located at Tagbina comprising the barrios of Malixi, Sta. Juana, Manambia, Batunan, Tagongon, Carpenito, Kahayagan, Lago, Maglambing, Tagbina, Quezon, Soriano, Magsaysay, Osmeña and Mabtay. In subsequent years, ten (10) more barangays were added raising the number to 25.

From a population of about 13,000 in 1969, the new municipality of Tagbina became a blossoming and developing community with the influx of new settlers who are attracted by its rich agricultural lands. The current population is 34,057, a conglomeration of different ethnic group coming from all over the archipelago. These ethnic groups are mostly Cebuanos, Boholanos, Leyteños, Ilongos, some Ilocanos and Tagalogs. From a measly annual budget of P 15,000 in the initial stage of its organization in 1970, the municipality of Tagbina gradually rose from its category as a seventh class municipality to a third class municipality and even outranked many of the much older towns of the province of Surigao del Sur in terms of income. Its present budget is P 34,000,000.00.

The first officials of the new municipality, who were duly elected in a special election held simultaneously with the national elections of 1969 were the following: Mayor Magno S. Cuyno, Sr., Vice Mayor Agriculo Armayan, Councilors Belderio Coralde, Rolando Lapeciros, Augustilo Maligmat, Felecisimo Urquiza, Gorgonio Realista, and Pepito Otakan.

The pioneer settler and recognized leader of the native who is the nucleus of the blossoming community of Tagbina, is one Jose Potenciando, Sr. (now deceased). Collaborating with him in the pioneering venture were the following: the late Claudio Cuyno, the late Clemente Boiser; the late Pedro Serra, the late Victorio Ramas, Sr., the late Severino Otakan; the dynamic settler namely: the late Amador Mantilla, the late Federico Villar, the late Matias Tubia, the late Fancisco Quibod, Nicasio Joyo, the late Juanito Dimaano and many others.

The municipality of Tagbina enjoyed the benefits of the untiring and able stewardship of 23rd LADAP Scholar, the Honorable Magno S. Cuyno, Sr. whose tenure of office as mayor lasted for 15 years until his retirement in 1984.

source: verbatim from: http://www.wowsurigao.com/about-surigao/surigao-del-sur/tagbina