In the early years of Kapalong, three of its barrios in the hinterlands, Sto. Niňo, Palma Gil and Dogohoy were thickly forested. The forest’s natural creations are abundant where the village people, mostly cultural minorities then, relied for food and products where some are offered to other people in exchange of goods which are often cigars or cigarettes, canned goods and other basic commodities. The place is blessed with a number of rivers which was the way for the settlers to travel to other areas on a “balsa” (bamboo raft) paddled along the rivers, either upstream or downstream. The rivers were also sources of water for domestic use.

Along one of the major rivers of the area, the Talomo River lives the Matig-Talomo people, known as the people who live along the banks of the Talomo River or in Visayan, “taga-Talomo). Other lumad settlers in the area are the Matig-Koylawan whom are known to be the lumads of the forest or “taga-Lasang”. Another lumad community in the hinterlands are the Matig-Langilan or “taga-Langilan” who live along the banks of Langilan river who got its name from a Langilan tree that grows at the head of Langilan River. They are also known as the warriors or the brave ones. All these lumads in the settlements of the indigenous people are known as the Ata-Manobos. The early Ata-Manobo settlers depend on wild fruits & vegetables, wild animal hunting and freshwater fishing for viands and corn & rootcrops as their staple food. The tribes had their own culture to enjoy, leaders to rule and traditions that unite themselves for the attainment of their common goal.

The lumad communities and a few Christian settlers in the hinterlands and lowland areas were disturbed by the concession of a logging company of the Maňalac family which brought with them the first migrants in early 50s. Maňalac loggers indiscriminately began cutting trees in the virgin forests of Kapalong. Not only did the settlers were distracted but also the nature and wildlife. Wild animals were scarce to hunt and wild fruits were hard to find as the trees fell down during the cutting of the forest trees by the loggers.

Years passed was the influx of settlers usually migrants from almost all parts of the country bringing with them their own cultures that are adopted by some lumads which improved them a bit. Civilization gradually sunk in among the leaders of the tribe, realizing that they wanted to inform the government of their desires and needs. Each tribal community had its own leader which they called Datu.

In 1965, some leaders of the lumads in Kapalong organized themselves hence Kapalong United Cultural Minorities was born, registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and duly accredited by the Commission on National Integration (CNI). The organization has a total membership of 54,400 households with varying cultures and traditions but under one President. The newly registered organization was led by an overall chief leader, Datu Jose “Balimba” A. Libayao.

The primary purpose of the organization was to push for the creation of a new municipality primarily for the cultural minorities, who felt that were left behind in terms of development and neglected in terms of assistance from the government. Optimistic to achieve their purpose, the members of the organization donated personal resources in any form to help in the processing of documents for the creation of the new Municipality of Talaingod.

The Provincial Government of Davao under the leadership of then Governor Prospero S. Amatong, in cooperation with the office of then Congressman Baltazar A. Sator endorsed House Bill No. 5284 to the National Government manifesting the desires of Datu Jose “Balimba” A. Libayao for the creation of Talaingod into a municipality for the indigenous communities.

Truthfully, on July 29, 1991 Republic Act No. 7081 was signed by then President Corazon C. Aquino creating the Municipality of Talaingod with Datu Jose “Balimba” A. Libayao as the Municipal Caretaker. The new Municipality of Talaingod is comprised by the Barangays of Sto. Niňo, Palma Gil and Dogohoy with a total land area of 45,496 hectares.

Datu Jose “Balimba” A. Libayao assumed office on July 1, 1992 as the first elected Mayor of the Municipality of Talaingod. Honorable Mayor Datu Jose “Balimba” A. Libayao served three (3) consecutive terms from July 1992 to June 2001. Second elected mayor is Honorable Mayor Pilar A. Libayao who also served for three (3) terms from July 2001 to June 2010. The third elected mayor who similarly served for three (3) consecutive terms is Honorable Basilio A. Libayao, who served from July 2010 to June 2019; and the concurrent head of the agency is the 4^th elected Mayor, Honorable Jonnie A. Libayao on his 3rd term of office and will serve the municipality up to June 2028. All four mayors of the municipality are indigenous people, of the Ata-Manobo tribe.

Presently, the area of the Municipality of Talaingod is increased to 61,955.25 hectares, based on the Political Cadastral Survey of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, of which 37,051.27 hectares is the Ancestral Domain Claim of the Ata-Manobo tribe.

The municipality is 98% National Tax Allocation (NTA)-dependent, since the ancestral domain lands are tax-exempt. However, the opening to commercial and public travels of the Davao del Norte – Bukidnon National Highway will certainly boost and hasten the economic activity of the municipality and absolutely attracts more local and foreign investors.