Davao de Oro, previously named Compostela Valley, was carved out of Davao del Norte Province by virtue of Republic Act No. 8470, signed by President Fidel V. Ramos on January 30, 1998, to become the 78th province of the Philippines. On March 7 of the same year, the law was ratified through a plebiscite conducted in the twenty-two municipalities of the mother province. (Read more)