Police Regional Office 11

On July 8, 1948, His Excellency Elpidio Rivera Quirino the 6^th President of the Republic of the Philippines made possible the creation of Kapalong into a distinct municipality thru Executive Order No. 151 which took effect by August 1 of same year.

Kapalong is named after the aeta word “MAKAPALONG” which means “CAN PUT OUT FIRE”. Originally, “Makapalong” was used to name the place where a creek that flows down at Liboganon River, as a warning to all its settlers since it was believed to be enchanted because every time the natives will traverse or pass through the creek, their torches put out without any cause and many people were lost or drowned. Later, the place came to be known as Kapalong.

The Aetas and Mandayas were the pioneering settlers in the forest lands beside Libuganon River. Just like any other early settlers, they too were engaged in hunting and freshwater fishing as there was not much economic activity during those times. Nomadic in nature, they haven’t established such permanent settlement as they usually wander around the thick forest for better source of food and safer dwelling.

With the coming of different migrants from Luzon, Visayas, and other parts of Mindanao, establishment of communities started to surface. These people built homes and brought with them agriculture and other economic livelihood products and activities. Hence, there started the gradual economic and social growth of the place.

Originally Kapalong has a total land area of more than 180,000 hectares. From its creation in 1948 to present, some barangays were carved out to form part of the three different municipalities: namely Sto. Tomas, Talaingod and San Isidro leaving Kapalong a total land area of 94,185 hectares with 14 barangays.

Kapalong’s first presidential appointed Mayor was Raymundo Felio who served from 1948 until 1951 while Mayor Vicente M. Royo became the first elected Municipal mayor who also served from 1951-1959. The third was Mayor Feliciano Ganade (1959-1960) followed by Mayor Napy Agayan, appointed by succession (1961-1963); Mayor Porferio F. Royo (1946-1986); Mayor Vislumino Y. Tamondong (1986-1998) Mayor Dominador P. Cruda Sr., (1998-2007) and finally from June of 2007 to present, the 8^th Mayor of Kapalong, Hon. Edgardo L. Timbol.With the present administration headed by Mayor Timbol, Kapalong is making its way in shaping its social, cultural, technological and economic agendas with the main aim of improving the lives of its people geared towards fostering progress and total development of the whole populace.On August 1, 1948 the municipality of Kapalong was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 151 signed by late President Carlos P. Garcia granting its political emancipation from the mother municipality of Tagum;

Upon creation of said municipality, the first appointed Mayor was late Raymundo Felio who was then empowered to appoint the late Exiquil Ortiz as the first Chief of Police of the Kapalong Police Station Department, Kapalong, Davao;

That the Kapalong Police Station has the total land area of 94,185 hectares which composed of Fourteen (14) regular Barangays bounded on the north by the Province of Agusan del Norte; on the west by the Municipality of Asuncion; on the southwest by the Municipality of Sto. Tomas; and on the northwest by the Municipality of Talaingod, with a total population of 66,493 as of the last census;

4.Ex-Mayor Porferio Royo defeated Atty. Napy Agayan and served as Municipal Mayor for almost 23 years from the date of his induction into the office until the OICs came into power after the February 1968 EDSA revolution;

Kapalong Police Station finally acquired its new concrete PNP building in the year 1992 during the incumbency of Hon. Vislumino Y Tamondong with Inspector Ronaldo Genaro Ylagan as the first Chief of Police. Since then, previous Mayors did support the local police sustained their daily operation but only the present set of local government officials led by the incumbent mayor gave its full and unwavering support not just for the procurement of new office equipments and supplies but also on the repair and face-lifting of the building up to the issuance of motorcycles and upcoming police vehicles for the use of this police Station.

At present Kapalong Police Station is manned by 30 PNP active members. This number is far beyond the 1:500 ideal police to population ratio standard set by the authorities to ensure its effectiveness in combating all forms of lawlessness. With the present fast pace development in terms of infrastructure and the expanding economic activities brought about by the upcoming of potential investors from Davao and Tagum.