BRIEF HISTORY OF MANUKAN
 

      “Manok” is the Visayan term for chicken. And this is how Manukan, a progressive municipality of Zamboanga del Norte got its name. It was said that during the Spanish times a very small and insignificant barrio was part of the town of Dapitan  (now Dapitan City) which was inhabited mostly by the traditional Subanos. Chickens were plentiful and the most predominant breed was known as “Banukan”.

                Later on, the name “Banukan” was conveniently changed to “Manukan” when this place became a part of the present municipality of Katipunan. As the barrio grew steadily and progressively, Manukan residents made representations with the municipal council of Katipunan for the creation of the barrio into a separate municipality.

                The bill creating Manukan into a municipal was sponsored by the late Congressman Roseller T. Lim upon representation by the Governor of Zamboanga del Norte at that time, the Honorable Serapio Datos. On June16, 1951 by virtue of Republic Act No. 655 signed by the late President Elpidio Quirino, Manukan became a full-fledged municipality.

The municipality was inaugurated on July 20, 1951 with Honorable Prudencio C. Tiu Sr. as the first mayor serving the people of Manukan till 1962.

 The succeeding municipal mayors who took the reign of government are the following:

          Honorable Virgilio A. Ramos   -----1962-1967

          Honorable Inocencio T. Go       ---- 1967-1968

          Honorable Jose S. Teves           ------1968-1976

          Honorable Jesus A. Ramos          -------1976-1984

          Honorable Benefico T. Panagaagan ------1984-1985

                                 (Acting Municipal Mayor)                   

         Honorable Jesus A. Ramos            ------1985-1986

         Honorable Jacinto C. Ruedes Jr.-------1986-1987

                                                (Officer in-charge)

          Honorable Elpidio M. Sagario     ------Dec. 2-4 1987

                                                (Officer in-charge)

          Honorable Ranulfo M. Suarez -----Dec. 5, 1987-Feb. 1, 1988

                                                (Officer in-charge)

             Honorable Jacinto C. Ruedas, Jr.-------1992 to date

                 
       The Manukan municipality was originally composed of the barrios of Manukan, Masawan, Disakan and Ponot. By 1979 it has already eighteen (18) barangays, namely; Pobalcion, Disakan, Gupot, Libuton, Linay, Mate, Saluyong, Villaramos, Dipane, Lupasang, Serongan, Siparok, Tabon, Ponot, Tamil, Manawan, Madalag and Dinasan.

It was in 1979 that the last seven (7) barangays stated above were severed to form part of the newly created municipality of Ponot (now of Jose Dalman) leaving only eleven (11) barangays with the mother municipality. The remaining number of barangays of Manukan, however, increased in due time.

The present total number of barangays comprising the municipality of Manukan is now already twenty- two (22).