Diocese of Tagum

In a land area of 8,129.8 square kilometers, the diocesan territory covers the entire civil Provinces of Davao del Norte (except the Island Garden City of Samal, the southern portion of the Lasang River, a small portion of Davao City north of the Lasang River) and of Compostela Valley.

Davao del Norte, once known simply as Davao, is a province of the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is Tagum City. It borders the province of Agusan del Sur to the north, Bukidnon to the west, Compostela Valley to the east, and the city of Davao to the south. Davao also includes Samal Island to the south in the Davao Gulf. The province of Compostela Valley used to be part of Davao until it was made into an independent province in 1998. Before 1967, the four provinces-Davao, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, and Compostela Valley-were once a single province named Davao. The Davao Region covers this historic province.

Davao del Norte is subdivided into 8 municipalities and 3 cities. The Island Garden City of Samal is the only municipality or city of Davao del Norte that is not on Mindanao island. This city covers the whole of Samal Island and Talikud Island in the Davao Gulf.

Davao Del Norte has two political districts and 223 barangays.

Population

As of end of year 2017, the total population of the diocese is 1,751,935 of which 85.80 percent are Catholics or 1,503,040.

The majority of the population descended from Visayan migrants. As a result, Cebuano is the most widely spoken language.

Other prominent migrant groups are the Ilonggos.

Among the indigenous ethnic groups in the province are the Mandaya, Mansaka, and Ata-Talaingod.

Language

Predominant language used by its people are Cebuano, Dabaweño, Tagalog and other minor dialects such as Chavacano, Ilongo, Ilocano, Boholano, Waray, Maranao, and Manobo. However, most people can also speak and understand English.

History

DIOCESE OF TAGUM
(Diocesis Tagamma)

Suffragan of Davao
Created Prelature: Jan. 13, 1962
Erected: April 5, 1962
Elevated to diocese: Oct. 11, 1980
Comprises: The entire civil Provinces of Davao del Norte (except the Island Garden City of Samal, the southern portion of the Lasang River, a small portion of Davao City north of the Lasang River) and of Compostela Valley.

The Diocese of Tagum is a suffragan diocese of Davao Metropolitan. It was canonically erected as Prelature Nullius on Jan. 13, 1962 by Pope John XXIII, with Reverend Joseph William Regan, MM as its local ordinary. It was elevated to the status of a diocese on Oct. 11, 1980 by His Holiness Pope John Paul II, who appointed the Most Reverend Pedro R. Dean as its first Filipino bishop ordinary, and the Reverend Ramon Villena as the auxiliary bishop.

The diocese of Tagum has always made a record especially when it comes to the number of clergy ordained yearly as compared to other dioceses in Davao, Digos, Tagum and Mati (DADITAMA) ecclesial sub-region.

Davao del Norte was originally a part of what was then collectively known as the province of Davao. On May 8, 1967, the late Congressman Lorenzo S. Sarmiento, Sr. authored a bill, which was later passed into law - RA 4867 - that divided Davao into three provinces, namely, Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental. On June 17, 1972, the name Davao del Norte was changed to Davao under RA 6430. All three provinces celebrate their anniversary every 1st of July.

When it was created, Davao del Norte was made up of 13 municipalities: Asuncion, Babak, Compostela, Kapalong, Mabini, Mawab, Monkayo, Nabunturan, Panabo, Pantukan, Samal, Sto. Tomas, and Tagum. On May 6, 1970, six additional municipalities were created, and these were Carmen, Kaputian, Maco, Montevista, New Bataan, and New Corella. By 1996, the province had a total of 22 municipalities, with the creation of Laak in 1979, Maragusan in 1988, and Talaingod in 1990.

On Jan. 30, 1998, former President Fidel V. Ramos signed RA 8470 creating the province of Compostela Valley out of Davao province. This paved the way for the conversion of the municipality of Tagum into a city (RA 8472), the merging of the three island municipalities of Babak, Samal, and Kaputian to form the Island Garden City of Samal (RA 8471), and the creation of the municipality of B.E. Dujali (RA 8473). With the creation of Compostela Valley, the province of Davao reverted back to its old name of Davao del Norte.

Political

A Philippine province is headed by a Governor. A Provincial Council (Sangguniang Panlalawigan) is composed of a Vice Governor (Presiding Officer) and Provincial Board Members. A Philippine city or municipality is headed by a Mayor. A City Council (Sangguniang Panlungsod) or Municipal Council (Sangguniang Bayan) is composed of a Vice Mayor (Presiding Officer) and City or Municipal Councilors. A barangay is headed by a Barangay Captain, who is also the presiding officer of the barangay council. The Barangay Council is composed of seven (7) Barangay Kagawads. A similar unit called a Youth Council (Sangguniang Kabataan) is headed by an SK Chairperson with a similar rank to a Barangay Captain. The council is composed of SK Members.

Transportation

• How to reach Tagum City, Davao del Norte
• By Plane
  The Davao International Airport has daily flights to and from major cities in the Philippines and weekly flights to Singapore and Manado, Indonesia. The airport is an hour ride from Tagum City. Upon arrival at the airport, metered taxicabs are available. The taxicabs or PUBs will take you to the bus terminals located at Ecoland, Davao City and from there different kinds of buses will take you safe to Tagum City.
  
  
• By Sea 
  Superferry will bring you to Davao Sasa Wharf safely with its three times a week trip if you are from Manila. When you leave Manila on Monday you will reach Davao by Wednesday and if you leave Wednesday you will arrive on Friday and if it's Saturday you will reach Davao by Monday. You can check their schedules at superferry.
  
  If you're from Cebu City, the trip is only once a week, the departure is Sunday and you will arrive Davao on Monday.
  
  If you're from Iloilo City, the departure is every Thursday and the arrival is Friday and if you're from Zamboanga City the departure is every Tuesday and the arrival is Wednesday.
  
  
• By Land
  Tagum City can be reached by land boarding Philtranco Bus from Pasay City via Bicol Region then to Samar, Leyte. From Leyte the bus will board a ferry boat to Surigao City then to Butuan City, San Francisco Agusan del Sur and in a few hours you will reach Tagum City. It took you three days to reach Tagum by land but you will enjoy the scenic views of the Philippine Island from Metro Manila to Visayas and Mindanao.
  
  
• Getting Around
  All passenger buses and jeepneys from Northern Mindanao going to Davao City or from Davao City to any point in Eastern and Northeastern Mindanao pass by. There are also taxis or vans plying from Davao City to Tagum City in approximately one-and-a-half hour journey.

Economy

The annual per capita income (in Philippines Pesos) (excludes Tagum) was 17,137 (or USD389 as of September 2010).

• Major industries
  The province is primarily agricultural but is also engaged in mining, forestry and commercial fishing. Main agricultural crops are rice, maize, banana, coconut, abaca, ramie, coffee and variety of fruits and root crops. 
  
  Davao del Norte is a leading producer of bananas in the Philippines.
  
  On the other hand, Davao Gulf provides fish products such as brackish water milkfish, tilapia, shrimp, crab, freshwater catfish and tilapia.
  
  Mining is also added revenue with small-scale gold mining activities in several areas.
  
  There are also numerous active quarries of commercial quantities of gravel, sand, and pebbles for construction.
  
  Tourism is also a major part of the economy of Davao del Norte with a lot of beautiful beaches to offer such as the most famous Pearl Farm Beach Resort.
  
  Manufacturing
• Gold and Silver Jewelry
• Furniture (wood base and mixed-media)
• Gifts, Toys and Housewares (novelty, handicrafts); and
• Bags and Footwear
  Food Processing 
• Meat/Fish Processing; and 
• Fruit Processing; (durian products; banana products)

Telecommunication

Tagum has three (3) telephone companies and two (2) telecommunication service providers operating in Tagum City namely; CRUZTELCO in collaboration with the PLDT, DATELCO in collaboration with the PHILCOM, ITALTEL which is under the management of Department of Telecommunication. Wireless telecommunications service providers are SMART and GLOBE.

Tagum has three (3) local radio stations, Radio Natin (FM Band), Pure (FM Band) and DXDN (AM Band). However, Tagum can also receive 30 FM and 15 AM radio station signals based in Davao City and Metro Manila. Moreover, there are eight (8) channels received for television and more than forty (40) channels for the local cable network provided by the Filipino Cable Corporation which caters Skycable and Suncable and also a wireless network by Home Channel. 

• Infrastructure 
  
• Roads 
  In addition to access highways from Davao City and the Provinces of Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental, the opening of the Talaingod-Bukidnon road and the Carmen-Panabo coastal villages' road has put Davao del Norte virtually at the crossroad of development in the Davao region.
  
  There is also a plan for construction of a by-pass road in Barangay Sta. Cruz, Panabo City that is lying close to neighboring Municipality of Sto. Tomas.
  
  Said road and bridge components will serve as an exit point for industrial traffic to Barangay Mahayag of Davao City on the South, without passing through poblacion Panabo. 
  
  
• Water Supply 
  Water requirement in the city is supplied by Tagum Water District. 
  
  
• Power Supply 
  Power requirement is provided by Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative (DANECO).

Topography

The land is generally rugged, mountainous and has moderate steep sloping areas on the western part and wide plains on the central lowland area.

Education

Literacy rate (simple literacy) in the diocesan territory is 92.39 percent.

Culture

• Andaon Festival The festival is celebrated every 1st week of September and this is a thanksgiving to Tagihinit (God) for the good harvest, good health and good future.
• Banana Festival 
  The festival is celebrated every 1st week of July in commemoration for the founding of the province and its main agri-product which is banana.
• Panagtagbu Festival
  This is celebrated in Tagum, every 1st week of March, coinciding with the city of Tagum's founding anniversary.
• Pangapog Festival
  This is celebrated every 1st week of August in the Island Garden City of Samal as thanksgiving for bountiful harvest, highlighting a parade, street dancing, cultural presentations and agri-industrial fair.
• Musikahan sa Tagum
  Is a distinct cultural event that celebrates the Filipino excellence in Music composition, performance and production, the end goal of which is to provide the youth with more opportunities to excel in the Music Industry. The annual festival engenders a vision of a fairer and brighter future for the youth through the enhancement of skills in arts and in building creative pathways for gainful employment especially for out-of-the-school-youth.
• Durian Festival sa Tagum City
  A month-long showcase of the delectable fresh durian fruit grown in the city and in the neighboring towns. It also puts on center stage the baking of delicacies, cakes and pastries having durian as its main ingredient eventually branding it as the Tagum-made food products for pasalubong. Tagum City Float portrays the abundance of the Durian Fruit as its major product, which gave birth to Durian Festival celebrated on its peak month (August-September).
• Binuhat Festival
  The City Tourism Council had initiated another festival this coming month of July designed for all the gays from any point in Mindanao. This will be the first time here in Tagum City that the gays will be the stars for the whole week and this was hail