History

The History of Davao City

Before the Spaniards set foot on Davao region, Davao was home to many different tribes. One, the Moros, were influenced by Islam. Islam was introduced a long time ago to the Philippines by the Arabs. When the Spaniards came, they saw trends in the Moro people that carried similar characteristics as the Moors. Hence, Spaniards gave them the name, “The Moro”.

Although the Davao region hadn’t seen much of the Spaniards yet, there were some Spanish merchants in the Gulf of Davao making trade. In 1844, a Spanish ship called “San Rufo” arrived off of the coast of Samal Island. The captain let the Moros of the island know that the Gulf of Davao had been handed over to the Spanish government, thanks to the Sulton of Maguindanao. Unfortunately, later, the Moros killed all but two members (servants) of the ship’s crew.

One of the ship’s members, Antonio, had a sister named Maria Luisa Azaola. Her lover, Don Jose Oyanguren, was angered at Antonio’s, and the crew’s, deaths by the Moros. In his anger, he created a goal of spreading Christianity to the Gulf of Davao, as well as taking out all of the pirates who lurked the shores. In 1847, he was allowed to proceed to his goal and was provided three ships by the governor. In 1848, the Moros under their leader, Datu Bago, were defeated by Oyanguren.

Oyanguren renamed the Davao region Nueve Vergara, but time passed and its original name, Davao, resurfaced. As Davao grew over the many years after the defeat of Datu Bago, Davao became a chartered city in 1936.