Municipal takes its roots
prior to the arrival of Mohammad Sarip Kabungsuan in early 1475 where the native
B'laans and T'bolis inhabited the place and dominantly settled in barangays
Lumatil, Manil, Eslome, Colon, Kamanga, Nomoh and part of Seguil. Presently,
these natives now live in the hinterlands of the municipality due to the fact
that they could not join and assimilate with the Christians and Muslims who
arrived in the municipality in the early 1800s.
According to history, Maasim was actually a combination of
two words, Ma and Sim which were derived from the names of a brook called Ma
and an old B'laan Chieftain Sim
In early 1800, the Muslims were the first settlers of
Maasim where settlements were found in Barangay Pananag and Barangay Kanalo
founded by Datu Aman and Datu Calusisi, one of the children of Malinog Balindong
Karamat of Glan (formerly Galang).
On the other hand, another muslim tribe known as Samal
also inhabited Barangay Lumatil. Although there is no accurate historical facts
of their origin, this writer believes that this muslim tribe might have settled
the place during the migration of Samals from Bonggo Islands, Cotabato to the
Gulf of Davao and Sarangani Islands in Davao del Sur.
On the other hand, another muslim tribe known as Samal
also inhabited Barangay Lumatil. Although there is no accurate historical facts
of their origin, this writer believes that this muslim tribe might have settled
the place during the migration of Samals from Bonggo Islands, Cotabato to the
Gulf of Davao and Sarangani Islands in Davao del Sur
In 1926, during the American regime, a certain Florentino
Panerio, together with some settlers from Glan expedited and crossed Sarangani
Bay by a small banca to look for a fertile soil to till and eventually landed in
Cucob, Kanalo but finally settled in Kablacan.
Two years after in 1929, another group of settlers have
followed and with the massive migration of settlers and homeseekers. Kablacan
was virtually made as a center of the economic and political activities of the
municipality. However, some of those have moved to the eastern part of the
municipality particularly to Poblacion, Colon, Malbang and Kamanga..
The migration marked the highest peak of development in
the current history of Maasim. This time the eastern side of the town is being
densely populated.
With the progressive leadership of barangay leaders of
Poblacion, Kablacan and Colon who jointly agreed to ask the national government
to separate Maasim from its mother municipality (Kiamba) and create into a new
regular municipality, President Diosdado Macapagal issued Executive Order No.
113 creating Maasim into a regular municipality in 1965. Subsequently, in
October 1965, barely one month before the scheduled national election, the
President appointed and administered the oath of office of Mr. Felipe Uy as
Mayor together with his Vice Mayor and five councilors.
However President Ferdinand Marcos dissolved the
newly created municipality as a consequence to former Vice-President Emmanuel
Pelaez's question on the validity and authority of Pres. Macapagal's act of
creation. The issue has reached the level of the Supreme Court of the
Philippines, which ruled out that the creation was beyond the authority of the
President, but by the Legislative Branch (Congress) of the government.
At the turn of fate, during the regular session of the
Congress of the Philippines on January 27, 1969, Congressman Chiongbian of the
lone district of South Cotabato intoduced the Bill for the re-creation of the
municipality of Maasim consistent to its development and was approved on June
21, 1969 through Republic Act No. 5866.
Subsequently, thereafter on November 8, 1971, Hon, Jaime
F. Arizaleta became the first elected Mayor of the newly created municipality of
Maasim until the appointment of OIC-Gregorio A. Zamorro, Sr. as an aftermath of
the 1996 EDSA People Power Revolution.
The Administration of Aniceto Lopez, Sr. came to power
upon his election in 1988 and continued to reign until his three consecutive
term ended when his Vice-Mayor Moises A. Zamorro, Sr. succeeded him in the 1998
elections.
After Zamorro, Sr.'s refusal to go for a reelection, the
very own son of his predecessor, Hon. Aniceto P. Lopez, Jr., catapulted to power
having been elected as mayor of the municipality in the 2001 elections.
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