The province is known as one of the archipelago’s holiest sites in the Pre-Christian native religion. It is here where the God of Hurricanes was persuaded to relent his attacks on the islands by Da, the God of Peace. The province in pre-colonial times was much influenced by the Rajahnate of Butuan which was nestled in present-day Agusan del Norte. It was also used as the entry point of the Rahajnate of Ternate, present-day Moluccas of Indonesia, to attack the Rajahnate of Butuan, Rajahnate of Cebu, the indigenous settlements in the Anda Peninsula of Bohol, and the Kingdom of Dapitan (located ‘between Panglao and Bohol), which later moved in northern Zamboanga after the Kingdom of Dapitan was destroyed.

Although one of the newest provinces of the country, settlements in the Dinagat Islands were already present during the Spanish regime as a result of migration of people from nearby provinces of Bohol and Leyte. The so-called mystical province played an important role in the country’s history, particularly during World War II.

The municipality of Dinagat is the oldest community in the province. In the early days, a story was told that a stranger reached the place in search of greener pastures. He approached a native and asked what the inhabitants do for a living. The natives said that they farm and fish to live. The stranger’s interest in fishing prompted him to inquire where they fish, and the native replied and pointed to a place saying dinhi niini na dagat (here from this bountiful waters). Since then, the place was called “Dinagat”.

The municipality was formally established in 1855. It occupies the territorial boundaries of the whole island. From 1890 to 1990 its boundaries were gradually reduced giving rise to six municipalities, Loreto, Cagdianao, Libjo, Basilisa, Tubajonand San Jose.

Soldiers of the 6th Ranger Battalion move through a village on Dinagat Island, 18 October 1944.

Loreto became a Spanish pueblo on September 4, 1890 under the supervision of Governor General Manuel Sanchez by the virtue of Direccion General No. 30. It was originally called Mabua due to the ever-foaming river that runs right into the center of the community. It was named Loreto in 1881 by the Spanish priest who frequents the town, in honor of the wife of the Alcalde Mayor of the Province of Surigao.

The province was the site of the historic Battle of Surigao Strait during the Second World War. The Municipality of Loreto became the entry point of the American Liberation Forces on October 17, 1944. It was on this shore that the 6th Ranger Battalion of the 6th U.S. Army under Col. Mucci landed at Sitio Campinta of Barangay Panamaon in Loreto. It was during this landing that the first American flag flew on Philippine soil since the Japanese invasion in 1941. The Americans named the place “Black Beach No. 2.”

The northern part of the island served as a refuge for the American soldiers, while the western border was held by Japanese forces. Capsized vessel structures are still found today in the waters of Basilisa.

On December 23, 1959, Cagdianao was created into a municipality under Executive Order No. 367.^[4] Its name came from the Spanish word Cada dia linaomeaning “everyday peaceful and calm”. However some scholars say that its name came from the Visayan word Taga Danaw meaning “the lake people”.

Libjo was created into a municipality and named Albor on February 29, 1960 under Executive Order No. 381.^[5] It was taken from the municipalities of Dinagatand Loreto. Albor came from the surname of the mayors of Loreto and Dinagat — Alfaro and Borja. It was renamed as Libjo on June 17, 1967. The name came from the word Liboo, a kind of mussel clam.

Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association Shrine built and maintained by members of the association in memory of Ruben Edera Ecleo Sr. the founder of the PBMA, Situated at Aurelio, San Jose.

In 1965, Ruben Edera Ecleo Sr. founded the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA) at Sitio Puyange, now Poblacion in San Jose. PBMA is a non-sectarian organization bounded by a strong spirit of brotherhood. Not long after that, members from all over the Philippines migrated to the island to be in constant association with their founder.^{[citation needed]}

Meanwhile, Basilisa became a municipality on June 17, 1967 under Republic Act No. 4986. It was then named as Rizal, after the country’s national hero.^[6] The municipality was renamed as Basilisa on June 21, 1969 under Republic Act. No. 5775.^[7]

Tubajon, which was once a barangay of Loreto, became a municipality on June 21, 1969 under Republic Act No. 5643. According to local folklore, during the Spanish regime, a banca boarded with Guardia Civils landed in the shores of Tubajon in search of a criminal. One of them came across a river and saw a man pounding leaves. Curious, he asked the man, “What will you do with it?” The man answered “Akong Tubajon ang suba aron sayon dakpon ang mga isda” (I will poison the river with Tuba leaves so that the fishes could be easily caught). When the man returned to the group, he narrated everything he saw and heard from the native to his companions. From then on, the place was called Tubajon.

The newest municipality is San Jose, created on November 15, 1989, under Republic Act No. 6769.^[8] The town was named in honor of Jose Ecleo who was its pioneer and father of then mayor of the municipality of Dinagat, Ruben Edera Ecleo Sr. The town is the seat of the PBMA.

The Dinagat Islands was part of the First District of Surigao del Norte Province until it became a province on December 2, 2006, with the approval of Republic Act No. 9355 (authored by Rep. Glenda B. Ecleo), the Charter of the Province of the Dinagat Islands, in a plebiscite.^[1] President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyoappointed the province’s first set of officials on January 26, 2007.^[9] Provincial officials were first elected a few months later, in the May 14, 2007 elections; these elected officials took office on July 1, 2007.^[9]

On February 11, 2010, the Supreme Court of the Philippines declared the creation of the Dinagat Islands Province null and void on grounds of failure to meet land area and population requirements for the creation of local government units.^[10][11][12] The decision was not yet rendered final and executory before the May 10, 2010 elections; therefore the Commission on Elections still organized the elections for the province’s separate congressional representative and provincial officials.^[13] Although the original decision was made final and executory on May 18, 2010—thereby reverting the Dinagat Islands to Surigao del Norte—the officials elected in 2010 continued to serve the province, even throughout the legal battles that followed, which eventually saw the Supreme Court reverse its position.^[9]