Davao’s population in 1900

Spreading the Catholic faith during the years of Spanish rule in Davao was consistent with the difficulties of negotiating perilous ravines and crags, crossing the open seas, or climbing interior indigenous settlements. The presence of Moros in coastal areas and river mouths added more challenges that the missionaries had to avoid or face the risk of harassment and death.

While the thought of hostility was with some basis, certain regions, including remote locations and hinterland hamlets, had its share of courtesy, particularly in some Moro communities that allowed the priests to venture into the village on condition the conversion was voluntary and the local tradition respected. As a result, a good number of Moro datus, with the missionaries displaying utmost civility, were eventually converted to the faith.

The success of conversion, though relative, can indirectly be adduced from a 1900 document titled El Archipielago Filipino, a collection of data related to geography, statistics, chronology, and science drawn from previous works or obtained through observation and study by the Jesuits. Significant among these details are the number of converts, which was part of the total population, who were concentrated in certain towns, visitas, and neighborhoods.

For instance, the town of Davao, in 1900, had only a population of 13,874, reduced and mostly coverts, and described as having wide streets laid out in a grid, with a convent house that was regarded as one of the best in Mindanao. The town abounded also with large wooden houses.

The other towns cited as part of the Davao district are the settlements of Astorga, Santa Cruz, Rosario, Asuncion Taum, Avances, Candelaria, Calatrava, Los Martires, Belen, Oyanguren, Guernica, Alberique, Matina, Aclisan, Lagondogan, Caloson, Olas, Bagongon, Santa Fe, Morella, Garellano, Oran, San Ignacio, Roquetas, Arapiles, Aviles, Bañolas, Santillana, Cristina, Segorbe, and Melilla, classified as dependencies.

Peñaplata, on the other hand, with 1,848 inhabitants living in the visitas of San Jose de Samal, San Ramon, Alcira, Tarifa, Carmona, and Cervera; while Malalag, Davao del Sur, encompassed the visitas of Iberia, Vera, Santa Isabel, La Estrada, Marbella, San Juan, Refugio, Victoria, La Trinidad, Santa Maria, San Miguel, Alegria, Pilar, Magalibas, Nuin, Bulut y Tumanao.

Except for a few settlements that have retained today their old placenames, most of the areas mentioned have either adopted new identities, subsumed with another placename as survivor, or forever removed from the official records of the government.

The Mati commandery, meanwhile, was recorded to have 2,475 inhabitants around this period. The place was described as the largest in area among all those in the archipelago, covering 9,634 sq km and located in the beautiful bay of Pujada. Its coverage included the visitas of San Estanislao, La Concepcion, La Paz, La Guia, San Alonso, El Pilar, Tamisan, and Dao.

On the other hand, Sigaboy, with 2,217 people, comprised the visitas of Luzon, Pundaguitan, Monserrat, Nazaret, San Juan, Cuabo, Carmen, San Jaime, Javier, Macambol, and Anunciacion; and Caraga, with 4,054 residents, the visitas of Manorigao, San Fernando, San Fermin, Mercedes, Concepcion, Santiago, San Pedro, San Jose, Santa Fe, San Luis, San Francisco, and Santa Maria.

Manay, with 2,649 inhabitants, on the other hand, covered the visitas of Zaragoza, Santa Cruz, San Ignacio, Jovellar, Tarragona, Manresa, and San Fernando; while the Cateel-Baganga area, with 6,561 inhabitants, had jurisdiction over the visitas of San Nicolas, Dapnan, Quinablangan, Baculin, San Rafael, San Alfonso, San Antonio, San Victor, Maybajay, and Tagmoan.

Despite the later arrival of the American Protestants, conversion to Catholicism in the eastern seaboard remained vibrant and dynamic. In fact, old resettlements that had recently been repopulated provided the impetus in the creation of new parishes in the area. For the Protestant pastors, their thrust of conversion started on the south, specifically in Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur.