Brief history of Digos City

During the Spanish era, a group of natives were approached by some Spaniards
and were asked about the name of the place. Believing that the Spaniards were asking
where they were bound to, the natives answered, “padigos” which means “to take a bath”.
Since then, the place was identified as Digos.
Before the creation of Digos as a municipality, Digos was a barrio of Sta. Cruz, a
municipality 16 kilometers away.

Through the initiation of then Congressman Apolinario Cabigon, Digos became a

regular municipality in 1949 by virtue of Presidential Executive Order No. 236 dated July
1, 1949 issued by President Elpidio Quirino. On July 19, 1949, Digos was formally
inaugurated.

The move to convert Digos from municipality into a city was initiated by former
Mayor Attorney Arsenio A. Latasa in July 1998. President Joseph E. Estrada signed
Republic Act 8798 on July 14, 2000, formally declaring Digos as a Component City of the
Province of Davao del Sur. It was supported by a majority of votes representing 87% of
the total voters in a plebiscite conducted on September 8, 2000.

18th Araw ng Digos City celebration

The 18th Araw ng Digos City is a week-long celebration for the Digoseños. This
was participated not just by the Digoseños, but also by other people coming from the
different parts of the country like Tarlac City, Antipolo City, Cebu City, Tagum City, Davao
City, Bukidnon City, Iligan City, Zamboanga City and many more to mention.

There were a lot of sports activities like skim boarding, ultimate frisbee, tennis,
sepak takraw, arnis, table tennis, badminton, basketball and a lot more. The celebration
was also participated by the dog lovers community in the Dog Show Competition. The
Miss Digos 2018 and the Hiyas ng Digos 2018 were one of those most exciting activities
during the celebration. A marathon, in collaboration with the Local Government of Davao
City, was conducted from Digos City to Davao City. The different schools in Digos City
voluntarily participated in the Interschool Drum and Lyre Competition. A blood donation
activity was also conducted during the week-long celebration.

One of the highlights during the week-long celebration was the Lechonan sa
Kadalanan Festival which was held on September 8, 2018. The said Lechonan sa
Kadalanan Festival was participated by different pig roasters in the city.

The Lechonan sa Kadalanan Festival was made even more exciting as it

attempted to break a record in the Guinness Book of World Record as to the greatest
number of roasted pigs. A total number of 1,280 pigs were submitted by the participants
and was checked by the adjudicators.
 The following are the qualifications for a pig to be counted as a valid entry for the
attempt in breaking of a record in the Guinness Book of World Record:

1. The pig should be not be less than 40 kilos;

2. The pig should be checked and slaughtered in the slaughterhouse;
3. The pig should already be in the slaughterhouse before 4:00 AM;
4. At exactly 4:00 AM, the roasting of the pigs should simultaneously start; and
5. The pig should be roasted in their prescribed area as assigned to them by
Dr. Fermin G. Verallo , the head of the committee on the Lechonan sa
Kadalanan Festival.

The adjudicators for the said activity were:

1. Dr. Myrna I. Habacon – Technical Director of National Meat Inspection

System for Region XI;
2. Dr. Alan P. Dargantes – Dean of the Veterinary Medicine of Central
Mindanao University:
3. Dr. Randy A. Tudy – Head of the Research and Publication Office of Cor
Jesu College; and
4. Dr. January M. Nones – Chief of Laboratory Division of National Meat
Inspection System.

After careful and strict checking by the adjudicators, only 979 pigs were
qualified to be part of the attempt to break the record in the Guinness Book of
World Record.

The documents were immediately submitted to the main office of the Guinness
Book of World Record in London.

The Guinness Book of World Record responded immediately to the Local

Government unit of Digos City. The office of the Guinness Book of World Record
acknowledged and confirmed the submitted documents.

Unfortunately, there was a misunderstanding. The record, in which the City of

Digos attempted to break pertains to the greatest number of served pigs roasted
in the oven and not spit roasted pigs.

The office of the Guinness Book of World Record in London suggested that
instead of breaking a record, which is clearly impossible due to the different way
of roasting the pigs, the Digos City should set a record for a new and different
category which is more appropriate. They then requested for a few more
documents from the Local Government of Digos City for them to be able to finally
decide on the matter.

The category in which the City of Digos is hoping to be recorded in the

Guinness Book of World Record is the “greatest number of spit roasted pork”.

The said documents will be sent this week by Dr. Fermin Verallo to the office
of the Guinness Book of World Record in London.