Brief History:
In the earliest days, Ponot was inhabited by the Subanen Tribes, who evidently found the place worth setting that they gradually built their homes and settled there. It was these settlers that the Spaniards found when they colonized the country in the 16th century, thereby establishing a Spanish settlement especially in the western part of Mindanao
Originally, Jose Dalman is calle
d Ponot. It is derived from the word “Pongot” (stressed on the first syllable), a local term that means a thick bushes on tickets and shrubs, which abound along its shorelines. The legendary tale that accounts to how Ponot got his name is one of the country’s heinous crime ever committed in history. Francisco Paliola
It is said, that 1648, because of his devotion to the mass, Father Francisco Paliola, S.J. demanded regular attendance from his Subanen converts, and probably used the tmethod of roll call and the method reprehension then in universal use for checking absentees. Irked by this, certain woman of Ponot, just above Sindangan Bay, incited their warriors against the priest. A band was formed, led by an apostate Christian name Huana a pagan name Tampios, broke into the house where Paliola staying, clove his skull with a Kris and lift him dead. He died in January 29,1648. The Christian took his body to Dapitan where it was buried. Along the wide stretch of beach at Sitio Tabang near the town site a landmark where Paliola died could still be found even at present in the place of Vicente Adaza. Later when another wave of Spanish colonizers came and noticed the wide stretch of thick bushes entering Ponot shores, asked where what place it was, the natives readily answered “Ponot” thinking that the Spaniards were asking the place where the Spanish missionary was killed and buried. Since them, the place was called “Ponot”, at which the Spaniards dropped the letter “G” as it is hard for them to pronounce. Many years later, Dr. Jose P. Rizal together with his disciple, Jose Dalman upon seeing the bounties of its natural resources as they passed by Ponot, said in dialect, “Jose, sa panahon nga bulagon na kita sa kapalaran, baliki kining lugaraha ug dinhi igambalay ug tukura ang kaugmaon sa imong banay”. Thus, inspired by these words, the young Jose went back to Ponot from the sojourn from Dapitan after Rizal was to face his fate from the Spaniards. It was them Jose Dalman, with the help of his contemporaries, a cetain Adaza and Aseniero, founded the second settlement of Ponot after the native. The Municipality of Ponot, prior to its creation was one of the biggest barangays of the Municipality of Manukan. Early in the year 1978, Parliamentary Bill No. 148 sponsored by Assemblyman Guardson R. Lood was submitted to the Batasang Pambansa for the creation of the Municipality of Ponot, in the Province of Zamboanga del Norte. The on April 3, 1979, by virtue of Batas Pambansa Bilang 15, said Bill was passed into law thereby approving the creation of the Municipality of Ponot
However, the municipality exercised its legal function on August 10, 1979 after Hon. Iniego G. Dalman was sworn into office by the late Governor Virginio B. Lacaya. Dalman 1984-1984
The municipality’s first set of officials was headed by Hon. Dalman as the appointed Municipal Mayor, with Hon. Ludwig H. Adaza as the Vice-Mayor. Then on January 30, 1980 elections, they both won their respective seats with majority. Upon its creation, the municipality has eight barangays, namely: Poblacion, Siparok, Tabon, Tamil, Manawan, Madalag, Dinasan, and Lopero. On April 8, 1983, Pariamentary Bill No. 1857 sponsored by Assembyman Guardson R. Lood, through the effort of the municipal government headed by Hon. Dalman wad enacted into law by virtue of Batas Pambansa bilang 381 changing the name of the municipality of Ponot to Jose DAlman in honor of the late Jose C. Dalman. Hon. Adaza became the Municipal Mayor after the death of Mayor Iniego G. Dalman with Hon. Florencio Belarmino as the Vice-Mayor. In 1985, under the administration of Mayor Ludwig H. Adaza, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Zamboanga Del Norte has approved the creation of ten other barangays namely: Balatakan, Marupay, Lumaping, Ilihan, Tamarok, Bitoon, Lipay, Sigamok, Litalip, and Labakid, thus totalling to eighteen barangays. After the EDSA Revolution in 1985 wherein President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. was ousted from office by virtue of the “People Power”, all incumbent officials nationwide were forced to step down to give ways to the new sets of officials under the administration of President Corazon C. Aquino. The new set officials of the municipality under the so called” Revolutionary Government” was headed by Hon. Sergio Y. Biolango Sr. as the OIC-Municipal Mayor and Hon. Eduardo Rey J. Labadlabad as the OIC- Vice-Mayor.
