Dao, Capiz

The name Dao came from a tall tree that grew in large numbers near the river. Local accounts say early leaders Isada and Paro chose the site after finding a large dao tree by the water.

Dao is one of the earliest communities in Capiz. Older writings call it Divingdin and Mandruga, once a visita linked to the parish in Panay, the first place on the island reached by Spanish missionaries.

When Dumalag became a town in 1596, Dao was placed under it as a barrio. It became independent again on February 29, 1836 through a decree of Governor General Pedro A. Salazar and was placed under the patronage of Santo Tomas de Villanueva.

It was incorporated as a municipality following the founding of the Capiz Province in 1901. It was invaded by the Japanese 41st Infantry Regiment as part of their Panay operation on 16 April 1942.^[6] In 1957, the barrio of Nasuli-B was renamed to Santo Tomas.^[7]

The community developed through its rich soil, steady river systems and a climate that supported farming throughout the year.

Dao is 32 kilometres (20 mi) from Roxas City.

Dao is politically subdivided into 20 barangays. ^[8] Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

In the 2024 census, the population of Dao was 34,555 people,^[15] with a density of 390 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,000 inhabitants per square mile.

Poverty incidence of Dao

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority^{[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23]}

Dao has sites that are well known among natives and are tourist spots alike.^[24] These include:

• Sto. Tomas de Villanueva - local parish church
• Lolets Eco Park - a natural park with a resort

The people of Dao celebrate festivals, sometimes along with other regions of the province, in events like:

• Pasalamat Festival
• Halaran Festival, although mostly held in Roxas City^[25]

The Dao Schools District Office governs all educational institutions within the municipality. It oversees the management and operations of all private and public, from primary to secondary schools.^[26]