Labason

Labason, officially the Municipality of Labason (Lungsod sa Labason; Subanen: Benwa Labason; Chavacano: Municipalidad de Labason; Bayan ng Labason), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 43,934 people.

Labason's commercial buildings have improved over the past years.

Murcielagos Island is within the municipal jurisdiction of Labason.

Etymology
The name “Labason” before it came to be had a number of names. Several versions regarding its derivation were gathered, but the most widely known among them is that Labason is from the word “Lab-as”, a Visayan term which means “Fresh Fish”. This place was known for its abundance of fresh fish and it is till even up to now. Early traders called it “Lab-asan”.

History
The original inhabitants of this place and other sitios were Subanons who lived a nomadic life. Later, Muslim missionaries claimed them as their subjects.

Economic and social conditions of the native were improved when Labason was made a Municipal District. The people taught and encouraged to plant crops, raised all sorts of agricultural products and domesticated farm animals.

In accordance with the Code of Mindanao and Sulu, on July 10, 1916, this place was transformed into a municipal district, making Panganuran the seat of government under Zamboanga. The extent of its jurisdiction was from Baliguian to Banigan. Due to the increase in population and other factors favorable to development that then existed, the seat of government was transferred from Panganuran to Labason.

Mandag Kawan, a Subano, was appointed as the first municipal district president with Don Juan Moro as the vice president. Later Don Juan Moro also became the first district president when Labason became the seat of government and then followed by District President Hatib Layling, a Muslim with Bagti Sangkayan as vice president.

Gil Sanchez, Sr. and Nemesio Fortich were the first Christian president and vice president respectively. They served their district from 1934 to 1937.

When Sindangan was created into a municipality, Labason became one of its barrios. Several years later, the socio-economic condition of Labason has improved and the people felt the need to be independent from Sindangan. Such wish was granted in 1948 where it became the first municipality to be carved out from its mother town.

By virtue of Executive Order (EO) No. 79 issued by President Manuel Roxas on August 12, 1947, the municipality of Labason was organized, separated from Sindangan. The municipality contains the barrios of Labason, designated as the seat of government, and La Libertad. It is the tenth municipality of the old Zamboanga province.

The municipality was inaugurated on January 24, 1948 (twenty-three days after the supposed effectivity) and the said order was the legal basis for the creation of new barrios, and the municipality's original: Dansalan, Kipit (Quipit; formerly a sitio of then-barrio Labason under the municipality of Sindangan) and Patawag. They are among the five barangays, of the municipality's twenty, created from its mother barrio, Labason.

In 1959, the sitios of Bacong, Gabong, Pitawe and Banga-an were constituted into the barrio of Pitawe. In 1979, by virtue of ''Batas Pambansa Blg. 19'', ten barangays in the western part of the municipality, including Pitawe, were separated to create the municipality of Gutalac.

Barangays
Labason is politically subdivided into 20 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.
 * Antonino (Poblacion)
 * Balas, Graba
 * Bobongan
 * Dansalan
 * Gabu
 * Gil Sanchez
 * Imelda
 * Immaculada
 * Kipit
 * La Union
 * Lapatan
 * Lawagan
 * Lawigan
 * Lopoc (Poblacion)
 * Malintuboan
 * New Salvacion
 * Osukan
 * Patawag
 * San Isidro
 * Ubay