1. History
On the Southeastern-most portion of the municipality of Tabuk, bordering the vast province of Isabela in the East, and Mountain Province in the South, is Barangay Malalao.
Unfortunately, as of this writing, there is no available official record as to when and how this local government unit within the territorial jurisdiction of Tabuk municipality became a barangay. It is surmised that the creation of Barangay Malalao took pace before the division of the Old Mountain Province into the Mountain Province.
From stories told by old folks in the area, Malalao began to be settled by immigrants from the Sub-province of Benguet, particularly, from the municipality of Mankayan. These early settlers from Mankayan established themselves about a kilometer west of the Santiago, Isabela - Tuguegarao, Cagayan Road and their settlement was named Lepanto. Lepanto was later claimed as a part of the municipality of Quezon, Isabela.
One of the early settlers in Lepanto by the name of Ricardo Domilos from Suyoc, Mankayan, Benguet, ventured deeper westward and established himself as a farmer rancher in what is now Barangay Malalao.
Sometime in the early 1950s, a roving missionary of the Philippine Lutheran Missin in the person of Rev. Simon Bilagot paid a visit to the Lepanto Settlement with the plan to establish a mission field of the Lutheran Church thereat. On seeing the unsettled area of Malalao he thought of his kinsmen in Balaoa home in Tadian, Mt. Province. Bilagot immediately went to his relatives in Balaoa, Tadian, and Mt. Province and invited / encouraged them to go and settle in that virgin land of Malalao, Tabuk, Sub-province of Kalinga.
These early setters from Benguet and Mountain Province were later on joined by land seekers from other parts of the country, some from as far Lon-oy, San Gabriel, La union. It was when the area became heavily populated that it was organized as a separate, distinct and independent local government unit.
From verbal accounts, the first Barangay Captain was Ricard Domilos who was later on succeeded by Rosito Bilagot, younger brother of Rev. Simon Bilagot, from Balaoa, Tadian Mt. Province. After Rosito Bilagot, Salvador Supanga from Lon-oy, San Gabriel, La Union was elected Barangay Captain.
There had been several changed of hands in the leadership of Barangay Malalao from Salvador Supanga up to the present. He was succeeded by the following: Hon. John Songag, Hon. Danilo Marcelo Sr., Fernando Bancoleng and in the latest brangay election, Hon. Danilo Marcelo Sr. won as Barangay Chairman.
II. Land Area – 400 hectares
III. No. of sitios/puroks – 7 puroks
IV. Population (2007 NSO census) – 5,475
V. Major Products – Rice & vegetables
