Davao Geo

𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐬𝐚

Some street names may seem generic or unworthy of scrutiny, for they are only names of large cities in the United States, or countries, or minerals.

But in Sasa, a barangay along the Pakiputan Strait facing the Island Garden City of Samal, it also features streets named after figures of historical significance.

Doña Mercedes Rd – named after Mercedes Bangoy Pichon, one of the three children of first-generation politician and pioneering figure Francisco Bustamante Bangoy. The city’s international airport and a large public high school in Sasa are named after her father in recognition of his philanthropic acts.

Sulpicio Rd – named after Sulpicio Go, founder of Philippine Span Asia Carrier Corporation (PSACC, formerly Sulpicio Lines). A major shipping line in the country, its quarters are located along the road.

Doña Salud/Reta Ave – named after Salud Bangoy Reta, sibling of Mercedes Pichon and one of the three children of Francisco Bustamante Bangoy.

Pichon Rd – named after the Pichon family, one of the pioneering families in the Sasa area, with roots tracing back to the Palma Gils and intermarriages with the Bangoys, notably through Antonio Pichon, who married to Mercedes Bangoy.

Doña Pilar Ave – named after Pilar Palma Gil de Rodriguez, daughter of Teodoro Palma Gil, a first-generation politician, and Sofia Bustamante Bangoy, sister of Francisco Bustamante Bangoy. She was married to Julian Rodriguez, a former mayor of Davao City.

Don Julian Rd – served as a Davao representative during the Commonwealth period and as mayor of Davao City from 1954 to 1955. He was the husband of Pilar Palma Gil de Rodriguez.

Stella Hizon Rd – was the daughter of Pampanga, Central Luzon native Vicente Panlilio Hizon Sr. and Asuncion Bangoy Hizon (the namesake of Dona Asuncion Hizon Rd).

Street names are not just addresses. They also serve as avenues to honor officials or figures who contributed significantly to the welfare and development of a local area. – 𝘑.𝘙. 𝘗𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘭

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐳

Santa Cruz is a coastal municipality in Davao del Sur, bounded by Davao City to the north and Digos City to the south. With an estimated mean elevation of 6.9 m above sea level, it is also bordered by Mt Apo to the west and the Davao Gulf to the east.

Santa Cruz is the third-oldest municipality in Mindanao and the oldest in Davao del Sur, legally created on October 5, 1884.

One popular explanation for how Santa Cruz got its name traces it to the phrase 'sa cruz,' used by migrants to refer to a site near the present municipal hall where a cross was planted after Spanish attempts at Christianization failed.

Another believes that in 1884, Spanish officials were welcomed by both Christian and non-Christian settlers with a banner embroidered with the words ‘Sta. Cruz.’

At present, Santa Cruz has 18 barangays: Inawayan, Darong, Astorga, Coronon, Zone I, Zone II, Zone III, Zone IV, Tuban, Tagabuli, Bato, Matutungan, Melilia, Saliducon, Sinoron, Jose Rizal, Tibolo, and Sibulan.

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧: There is one thing I’ve known for a long time about Santa Cruz and another that I’ve only learned recently. I know for a fact that Santa Cruz is scenic, especially when you traverse the northern barangays along the national highway that runs along the slopes of the Apo–Talomo Mountain Range and the Davao Gulf, with shores that sometimes encroach on the side of the highway.

But one thing I’ve only discovered recently is that it is the oldest municipality in Davao del Sur, founded long before Davao City was chartered. Looking at its current land area, I even thought it must have broken off from a larger neighboring city like Davao or Digos. It turns out Santa Cruz predates these cities! Interestingly, Digos was once a barangay of Santa Cruz, which I find both fascinating and intriguing. – 𝘑.𝘙. 𝘗𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘭

𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚

Out of Davao City’s 182 barangays across 11 administrative districts, these barangays rank from 70th to 66th among the smallest by land area, respectively:

70. BUCANA, Talomo Dist – 4.535 km²
69. LIZADA, Toril Dist – 4.518 km²
68. BALENGAENG, Toril Dist – 4.410 km²
67. DALAGDAG, Calinan Dist – 3.603 km²
66. CAMANSI, Toril Dist – 3.588 km²

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚

Out of Davao City’s 182 barangays across 11 administrative districts, these barangays rank from 75th to 71st among the smallest by land area, respectively:

75. BIAO JOAQUIN, Calinan Dist – 5.151 km²
74. MATINA CROSSING, Calinan Dist – 4.989 km²
73. ILANG, Bunawan Dist – 4.915 km²
72. LOS AMIGOS, Tugbok Dist – 4.788 km²
71. ANGALAN, Tugbok Dist – 4.604 km²

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐨 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐭𝐨𝐩, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐨𝐧?

Davao Hilltop is located in Brgy Langub, Talomo Dist.

This scenic view overlooking the urban sprawl of Davao City sits on a steep slope along the hilly Langub Rd, just above the Davao City Diversion Rd.

So from there, how far could you see to the horizon?

At sea level, the geometric distance to the horizon is about 4.8 km due to Earth’s curvature, though atmospheric refraction and visibility conditions can cause this distance to vary.

According to Elevation Finder, Davao Hilltop is approximately 136 m above sea level. Using geometric horizon calculations based on a spherical Earth and assuming ideal atmospheric conditions, the maximum visible distance is approximately 41 km.

Ignoring atmospheric conditions that may affect the distance of visible horizon, you could see as far as the mountains of Pantukan, Davao de Oro, about 40 km away.

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧: Even though I have yet to go to Davao Hilltop, I can confidently say that the view there must be stunning, not necessarily because of the nature and aesthetics, but because of my personal fascination with seeing the furthest places these naked eyes of mine can see.

Living in Brgy Sasa, with an elevation that is mostly at par with sea level, there isn’t much to marvel at when it comes to seeing things on the horizon. The best view I’ve had so far is watching Samal Island recede from view as I travel north toward Panacan, Tibungco, or Ilang, as the Pakiputan Strait separating mainland Mindanao and Samal Island widens.

Or that some kind of metropolis, glowing with lights, which I thought was Sta. Cruz (in hindsight, it was actually Matina Aplaya, because I remembered seeing a bay-like feature in the Davao Gulf, consistent with the geography of coastal Matina), when I watched it one clear night from Eden Nature Park and Resort in the high mountainous slopes of Brgy Eden, Toril Dist. Things are far better in high places, allowing me to see more of the Earth’s curvature.

Davao Hilltop must be the first place to go when I finally get my life in order to satisfy this geographical craving. – 𝘑.𝘙. 𝘗𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘭

𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐨 𝐆𝐞𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝

These past few days, we’ve been inactive. Classes at the university resumed last Monday, and I found myself busy attending to the voluminous demands required of me, so much so that I couldn’t find the time to do what I love most: exploring Davao City’s geography.

But the moment I breathed in the Saturday morning breeze, I thought, “It’s Davao Geo time!” Still, in the interest of providing engaging content sustainably, I devised ways to continue publishing posts despite the extent of my preoccupation.

After all, I believe I wouldn’t be complete without nurturing my personal passion. More importantly, understanding our local geography is one way of taking pride in our identity as Davaoeños, without necessarily hinging on power struggles to define who we are.

New content will be posted today at 3:30 PM. Thank you, Davao Geo community, for your continued support!

𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚

Out of Davao City’s 182 barangays across 11 administrative districts, these barangays rank from 80th to 76th among the smallest by land area, respectively:

80. DUMOY, Talamo Dist – 5.493 km²
79. COMMUNAL, Buhangin Dist – 5.470 km²
78. MATINA PANGI, Talomo Dist – 5.410 km²
77. RIVERSIDE, Calinan Dist – 5.299 km²
76. MUDIANG, Bunawan Dist – 5.274 km²

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝟓𝟎𝟎 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐨 𝐆𝐞𝐨! 💚

Thank you so much, Davaoeños, for this meaningful milestone. When I created this page on 29 December 2025 as a pastime, I never expected Davao Geo to gain such traction within geography circles. Today, we have officially reached 500 followers, and I am truly grateful to see this community growing day by day.

Thank you for all your support. We will keep exploring the beautiful geography of Davao City and beyond!

𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚

Out of Davao City’s 182 barangays across 11 administrative districts, these barangays rank from 85th to 81st among the smallest by land area, respectively:

85. BIAO GUIANGA, Tugbok Dist – 5.800 km²
84. CATALUNAN PEQUEÑO, Talomo Dist – 5.795 km²
83. TAGLUNO, Toril Dist – 5.622 km²
82. WAAN, Buhangin Dist – 5.604 km²
81. BUHANGIN (POB.), Buhangin Dist – 5.507 km²

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚

Out of Davao City’s 182 barangays across 11 administrative districts, these barangays rank from 90th to 86th among the smallest by land area, respectively:

90. TALOMO (POB.), Talomo Dist – 6.551 km²
89. MARAPANGI, Toril Dist – 6.476 km²
88. MINTAL, Tugbok Dist – 6.452 km²
87. BINUGAO, Toril Dist – 5.873 km²
86. TAGURANO, Toril Dist – 5.830 km²

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐫

Enter Carmen and Tamayong, two adjacent barangays from Baguio and Calinan Districts, located west of Brgy. Calinan (Pob.) along the high slopes of the Apo–Talomo mountain range. On average, these two barangays sit at an estimated elevation of 836 meters above sea level.

Brgy. Carmen has a land area of 7.875 km² and a population of 2,626, according to the 2024 census. Brgy. Tamayong is relatively larger, covering 19.64 km² with a population of 8,036.

While these barangays appear close on the map, a netizen noted that traveling from Carmen to Tamayong is challenging because there is reportedly no direct road connecting them.

A netizen messaged Davao Geo:

"I saw your recent post and it had me thinking about the status of Barangay Carmen and Barangay Tamayong in Baguio District and Calinan District. These two barangays are also so near to each other but due to their landscape, people from Carmen have to traverse five barangays (Cadalian, Baguio Proper, Malagos, Calinan, and Wangan) just to reach Tamayong."

Indeed, it can be seen on the map that there is no road directly linking the two barangays.

Current road networks further show that traveling from Brgy Carmen to Brgy Tamayong requires passing through six barangays: Cadalian, Baguio, Malagos, Calinan, Wangan, and Cawayan.

This route, taking the Calinan–Carmen Rd and the Calinan–Tamayong Rd, stretches an astounding 28 kilometers. It takes approximately 45 minutes.

Apparently, this 28-km roundabout could be shortened by building a road along the shortest route between the two main highways.

But there may be one big problem.
That problem is not linear.

The boundary between Brgy Carmen and Brgy Tamayong follows a river valley with a drop of about 250 meters, stretching from the mountains down to the foothills toward Calinan.

This valley may pose significant engineering challenges, affecting the feasibility of building a road directly connecting the two barangays in the foreseeable future.

Carmen and Tamayong , though near to each other, remind us that nature can draw the first lines, and human movement must follow, no matter how winding the paths become.

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧: The Marilog–Baguio–Calinan–Toril districts, nestled in the foothills of the Apo–Talomo mountain range, remain relatively unexplored by me. The furthest northwest I’ve been in Davao City is Brgy Tugbok. But I’ve always been curious about the upland barangays along the high slopes of the mountain range. I love the idea of visiting places with high elevation and cool weather, far from the urban heat island effect of the commercial downtown.

However, I’ve noticed that these upland districts, while connected by the broader Davao–Bukidnon National Hwy, are often unlinked by direct routes cutting through the outskirts. Travel between these far-flung barangays usually requires going down to the highway. I don't problematize this, though, and building new road networks is, of course, easier said than done given potential environmental implications. But if human movement and transportation constraints begin to outweigh these challenges, perhaps the administration might consider studying the current situation in Carmen–Tamayong.

Thank you, Marc Lawrence, for your valuable tip. – 𝘑.𝘙. 𝘗𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘭