Malita, officially the Municipality of Malita (Cebuano: Lungsod sa Malita; Filipino: Bayan ng Malita), is a 1st class municipality and capital of the province of Davao Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 118,197 people.^[3]

This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2014)

Quick Facts Country, Region ...

Malita
Municipality
Municipality of Malita
Hilltop view of Malita
Flag Seal
Nicknames:  Jewel of the South Whaleshark Capital of Mindanao
Motto:  Angat Malita!
Map of Davao Occidental with Malita highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Malita Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 6°24′39″N 125°36′52″E
Country	Philippines
Region	Davao Region
Province	Davao Occidental
District	Lone district
Founded	November 17, 1937
Barangays	30 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Bradly L. Bautista
• Vice Mayor	Estefanie B. Dumama
• Representative	Lorna Bautista-Bandigan
• Municipal Council	Members Benjamin T. Bautista III Carlo Chino G. Baliota Elvira L. Gabaldon Girly D. Licuan Allan G. Colina Isabelo M. Masiwel Tomas D. Alcordo Jr. Josie James D. Rillo
• Electorate	69,059 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	883.37 km2 (341.07 sq mi)
Elevation	197 m (646 ft)
Highest elevation	1,786 m (5,860 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	118,197
• Density	130/km2 (350/sq mi)
• Households	29,489
Economy
• Income class	1st municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	35.82 % (2018)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 579.1 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 1,463 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 496.5 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 721.1 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative (DASURECO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	8012
PSGC	118603000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)82
Native languages	Davawenyo Cebuano Kalagan Tagalog
Website	www.malita.gov.ph

Close

Malita is known for various cultural arts and heritage of its people and tribes. Gaginaway Festival is celebrated annually every full moon on the month of November and Araw ng Malita is also celebrated annually on November 17.

According to folk etymology, the name "Malita" is derived from the Spanish word "maleta" which means suitcase. It is said that purportedly Don Mariano Peralta, a retired veteran of the Spanish–American War who ventured to the place, decided to live on the vast, fertile plain across the river. One day while bodily fording the deep and swift river with his suitcase and other belongings in hand, the force of the current overwhelmed his perilous balance and got swept by the water consequently losing his grip on the suitcase. His frantic shouts of "maleta, maleta" attracted the attention of the bathing natives who after realizing the situation promptly responded and retrieved the vanishing to settle as Malita. How it came to its present spelling and usage maybe attributed to the natives’ prevalent use of suitcase. Hardly forgetting the shouts of Peralta, the natives later thought the word referred to the land he intended long 'e' sound for the vowels 'i' and 'e'.

Malita is the oldest community in the province. Malita's existence dates back scores of years before its formal creation as municipality on November 17, 1936. Records show that Malita must have existed long before the passage of the Philippine Commission Act, the Laws of the Moro Province that mentioned Malita in Section 1 of Act No. 164 dated December 10, 1904. Through the said Act it is presumed that it existed as a barrio of Santa Cruz long before the coming of the Americans to Davao. Executive Order No. 64 issued by President Manuel L. Quezon officially created Malita into a municipality. Marcelino Maruya, from whom the town of Don Marcelino was named after, was the first appointed municipal mayor.

Waves of migrants from the Visayan islands, most of whom hail from Cebu, came on what is now Malita long before it became a municipality. They were later followed by immigrants from Luzon. Even after the destruction brought by World War II by the belligerents, there are still waves of migrants towards Malita and other parts of then-Davao province. This increased its population until it later became the most populous municipality in the province.

Poverty Incidence of Malita

Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority^{[14][15]
[16][17][18][19][20]}

The municipality is the main economic center of Davao Occidental province. Agriculture and fishery is the main industry of the municipality. Being far from other major urban centers in its vicinity like Davao City, Digos, and General Santos, and although only a town, Malita also serves as the major urban center of the province. However, as economic activity in the town continues its rapid growth, Malita will soon become the province's first component city for years to come.

Municipal officials (2013-2016):

• Congressman: Franklin Bautista (2nd District of Davao del Sur)
• Mayor: Benjamin Bautista, Jr.
• Vice Mayor: Bradly Bautista
• Councilors:
  • Estefanie T. Bautista
  • Zaldy S. Lataban
  • Marianela C. Malinao
  • Ali G. Colina, Jr.
  • Artemio J. Peralta
  • Paulito M. Montero
  • Jimmy L. Danwata
  • Raymund G. Danwata