Editing Digos (section)

==History==
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In the early days, Digos was a watercourse, a meeting place of inhabitants belonging to the [[Austronesian people|Austronesians]] who settled along the southern foothills of Mount Apo. The Digos River meets Davao Gulf and it is ideal for fishing and bathing.

Digos was once part of the [[Sultanate of Maguindanao]]. During the 1800s, it was under the influence of [[Datu Bago]], a [[Maguindanao people|Maguindanaon]] datu who led the resistance in Davao Region against the [[Spanish Empire]].

During the [[History of the Philippines (1521–1898)|Spanish Era]], a group of natives carrying bows and arrows were approached by some Spaniards traversing the very fertile tracts of land in Davao. One Lopez Jaena Pacheco, a conquistador during the administration of Governor Claveria serving as the head of the group, inquired about the name of the place from the barefooted natives. Believing that the Spaniards were asking where they were bound to, the natives answered "Padigus", which means "to take a bath". Since then the place was identified as Digos.

As a portion of the "food bowl" of the province of Davao del Sur, otherwise known as the Padada Valley, Digos lured many migrants, majority of whom came from the Visayas and Ilocos regions to settle permanently in the area. Before World War II, an enterprising American by the name of N.E. Crumb leased 10.24&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> and transformed the place into an Abaca Plantation. This became the hub of economic activity in the locality during those days.

Digos was occupied by the Japanese troops in 1942.

In 1945, through the brave efforts of the combined forces of the [[Philippine Commonwealth Army]], the local Davaoeño guerrilla units from the Davao peninsula, and the United States military, the Japanese soldiers were defeated.

Through the initiation of [[Davao's at-large congressional district|Davao]] Congressman Apolinario Cabigon, Digos, became a regular municipality of the unified [[Davao (province)|Davao]] in 1949 by virtue of Presidential Executive Order No. 236, dated July 1, 1949, issued by President [[Elpidio Quirino]]. Its coverage included the barrios of Tres de Mayo, Goma Bansalan, Matanao, Darapuay and the Poblacion, where the seat of government was located.<ref>{{cite PH act|chamber=EO|number=236|url=https://lawphil.net/executive/execord/eo1949/eo_236_1949.html|title=Organizing the Municipalities of Digos, Padada, and Panabo, in the Province of Davao|publisher=The Lawphil Project|date=July 1, 1949|access-date=July 27, 2024}}</ref> Before its creation into a municipality, Digos was a barrio of [[Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur|Santa Cruz]], a town {{convert|16|km|sp=us}} away. On July 19, 1949, the town was formally inaugurated with Benito Rabor appointed as Mayor.

On May 8, 1967, the municipality became part of [[Davao del Sur]] following Davao's division under Republic Act No. 4867.<ref>{{cite PH act|chamber=RA|number=4867|url=https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1967/ra_4867_1967.html|title=An Act Creating the Provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur and Davao Oriental|publisher=The Lawphil Project|date=May 8, 1967|access-date=July 26, 2024}}</ref>

Digos in later years, before its conversion into a city, was regarded as the capital town of the Province of Davao del Sur, long before it gained the status of a First-Class Municipality in 1993, being center for trade, commerce and education, accruing to its strategic location at the cross point of two principal thoroughfares in the south.

===Cityhood===
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In July 1998, the bid to convert into a city was moved and initiated by Mayor Arsenio A. Latasa, considering its very satisfactory qualifications required for in R.A. 7160

House Bill No. 5672 dated November 24, 1998, of Congress authored by [[Davao del Sur's 1st congressional district|Davao Del Sur 1st district]] Congressman [[Douglas Cagas]], led to the drafting of Republic Act No. 8798, converting the Municipality of Digos into a component City of Davao del Sur, which was signed by President [[Joseph Estrada]] on July 14, 2000,<ref>{{cite PH act|chamber=RA|number=8798|url=https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2000/ra_8798_2000.html|title=An Act Converting the Municipality of Digos, Davao Del Sur Province, Into a Component City to Be Known as the City of Digos|publisher=The Lawphil Project|date=July 15, 2000|access-date=July 27, 2024}}</ref> and ratified by the Digoseños on September 8, 2000.