After establishing a strong settlement in Surigao, the Spanish Torcio proceeded to conquer the Pacific coastal line of Surigao as far as Bislig. Their coastal settlement was harassed by the hillsman (Manobos). To protect the settlers, a Spanish Torcio was sent to the interior conquering Jateva, Veruela and Talacogon. Being the center of their territory Talacogon was made into a municipality. It was the first town of Agusan.

Moros passing Butuan Bay troubled the settlements in the interior, Governor Villalba ordered several Capitans to attack Mainit, Jabonga and Tubay. The following persons, Capitan Florendo Mondejar, Gregorio Mondejar, Cerilo Colon, Eugenio Mission and Basilio Luison were responsible for the pacification campaign along Lake Mainit, Jabonga River and Butuan Bay. The above-mentioned together with Basilio Luison, Gaudencio Luyahan, Corpus Ceduta, Magno Mission and Crisanto Cepeda established a pueblo in 1840 in the sitio of Elihan. This settlement was named Tubay in honor of King Tubay, the strongest datu. This was the second Spanish settlement in Agusan.

However, the town was always endangered by Moro attacks. For strategic reasons, they transfer the townsite of the sitio of Malobog. In later years, Capitan Florencio Mondejar of Tubay transferred again to Tubay for reason of natural defense against Moro attacks.

As the settlers grew in number, the pueblo seat of government was transferred to Sabang, land near the mouth of Jabonga River.

Gregorio Mondejar succeeded his father Florencio as Capitan del Pueblo. Magno Mission who married a daughter of Florencio Mondejar succeeded this man. Later on, Magno Mission succeeded as Capitan del Pueblo by Eugenio Mission . He transferred the Pueblo seat government to Daan Lungsod. After some years, the son of Basilio Luison by the name of Alberto Luison died on April 25, 1897 during the revolution. Felix Mission succeeded him as Capitan del Pueblo. In 1898, Tubay was under military authorities by an order from President Emilio Aguinaldo, General Simon Gonzales of Surigao appointed officials who requested the authorities to transfer the town proper to its former place in Sabang. Their request was granted and Sabang has until now remained as the townsite of Tubay, Agusan.

Marcelino Mission succeeded Felix Mission who was the President of the town of Tubay, maintained its being a town since 1840 until Marcelino Mission was its president of the town. Unluckily, the person got into a losing controversy with the justice of the peace, Eustaquio Mission. He left Tubay and lived in Cabadbaran, the home barrio of his wife, Gregorio Batitang. He continued administering the Tubay town affairs while he himself stayed in Cabadbaran. When the Americans came to Tubay and Cabadbaran, they saw that Cabadbaran was the best location for the seat of government of Jabonga, Tubay and Cabadbaran combined. The latter was a progressive barrio of Tubay occupied by Christian settlers after the Manobos left. Tubay was therefore converted into a barrio a part of the new town of Cabadbaran in 1903.

Business in Tubay since 1904 to 1930 was very prosperous. Copra, abaca and other native products from Mainit, Jabonga and Santiago and from all those regions along the Mainit lake was brought to Tubay. In 1931, the Santiago-Cabadbaran-Tubay road was opened. People preferred to ride truck rather than on a baroto. Business in Tubay became less in volume.

On October 20, 1947, Tubay was made a regular municipality through Presidential Proclamation No.44 of the late President Manuel Roxas and Arnulfo Luyahan was the first appointed Mayor of the town. Tubay's distance to the city of Butuan is 39.1 kilometers.

Source: Agusan del Norte Brochure
Produced by the Provincial Government of Agusan del Norte
in cooperation with Community Affairs Public Assistance and Information Office
and the Provincial Planning and Development Office.