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The Island Garden City of Samal
In the early years, Samal island was settled by indigenous people coming from the northern and eastern coasts of the undivided Davao Province. A large mixed population of Mansakas, Mandayas and Muslims composed the identification of the now so called Sama tribe.
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As these primeval settlers were organized into communities they were dynastically ruled by a Datu up the early part of the American regime.
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In the early part of the 18th century governance shifted when christianization came in.
As an archipelago, Samal became a District Municipality of Davao Province. Subsequently, in three year time Municipality of Babak and thirteen years after Municipality of Kaputian were created. Each municipal name derived from each different historical tracings and so with the barangays with in their jurisdiction.
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The second district which is the government center of the city got its district name Samal from the early indigenous settlers forming into one tribe called “Isama” and its barangay name Peñaplata from the Isama term “Malibasa” which means a place where honorable people living in perfect harmony who loved peace that they knew no war. First district derived its name Babak from an abundant shrubs called “Tagbak” grown in the area which were used as land mark for the people’s trade center. White Sand in local dialect “Putting Balas” is significantly true to the shorelines of the third district from which its name Kaputian derived.
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In the early settlement of the island, there were no known surveyed roads except trails and pathways crisscrossing the lowland areas. Thick forest and green land covered the island’s virgin soil.
The Isamas are by occupation farmers and fishermen using old fashioned and crude methods of agricultural farming and fishing. Their products were contained in baskets woven by their own hand arts, raw materials of which are abundantly grown in the island and transported by means of handling and through animal driven carts in the in-land and paddled bancas as the water transport. Barter system was their traditional economic enterprise.
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The coming of the Christian from the different Provinces of Luzon and Visayas and from the other parts of Mindanao, introduced improvised methods of farming and fishing . More arable lands were acquired and cultivated.
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More developments and settlements happened, population continue to grow as years passed by until the time that Samal Island was tapped as one of the government tourism zones.
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Samal Island is one of the seven thousand tropical islands in the Philippines with a larger number of glorious beaches complete with soft white coral sand, rustling coconut palms and gently lapping turquoise water. A number of natural waterways and caves are strategically located within the island.
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- The Provincial Capitol of Samal
The General Moncado White House
In the early days, especially after World War II, Samal was known as the island of the Moncadista. The followers of Moncado were particularly noted for eating only raw and uncooked food, no fish and no meat. At that time, many of the adult male members sported long hairs and flowing beards.
From time to time, some old timers would ask: “Whatever happened to that peculiar group?” The Moncadistas are still in Samal. The information for this article comes from brief interviews with Mr. Jesus Acedillo, Spiritual Director of the group, Mrs. Josefina Merida, Board Member and Treasurer, a few other members, and from the internet.
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As of latest count, there are around 2,000 members still residing in Samal. Other members, numbering around 3,000 are scattered in different places. It is estimated that there are perhaps 20,000 more followers of Moncado in the Philippines but are not affiliated with the Moncado colony in Samal.
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The House now stands abandoned and has neighbors and caretakers stating that there are a lot of paranormal activity in the mansion. A caretaker we interviewed stated that they see a lady in white that roams the house at night and also a man with balls and chain can be seen roaming the premises. We have captured the lady in white in one of our photograph and much more. We have also captured a lot of class A EVPs while investigating the property. The most prominent ghost in the house are named Juanita, Diyosa, Jason, Christina and Crispin.
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If you want to encounter ghost or spirits, this is the place to meet them. Bring your camera and video recorder because you definitely will hear them and see them.
Air Philippines Flt 541 Crash Site
Air Philippines Flight 541 was a scheduled domestic flight operated by Air Philippines from Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila to Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City.
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On April 19, 2000 the Boeing 737-2H4 crashed in Samal, Davao del Norte while on approach to the airport, killing all 124 passengers and 7 crew members. It remains the deadliest air disaster in the Philippines and the second deadliest accident involving the Boeing 737-200 after Mandala Airlines Flight 091 which crashed 5 years later.
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The aircraft, a Boeing 737-2H4, registration RP-C3010, previously owned by Southwest Airlines as N50SW was first delivered in February 1978 and was sold to Air Philippines 20 years later.
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On April 19, 2000, Air Philippines Flight 541, with 131 passengers and crew members, left Manila at 5:21 a.m., flying to Davao City, in South East Mindanao, about 600 miles southeast of Manila.
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As it approached the airport at around 7 a.m., a Cebu Pacific DC-9 aircraft was on the runway preparing for take off to Cebu. Shortly later, Flight 541 began to circle in low clouds, waiting for the plane on the ground to move off the runway. As it circled, Flight 541 slammed into a coconut tree, 500 feet above sea level and crashed few miles west of the airport.[2]The plane later caught fire and disintegrated, no one survived the accident.