VISION
“Datu Odin Sinsuat envisions a peaceful, prosperous and disaster-resilient municipality with sustainable economy, center of quality education and tourism, where citizens enjoy equal access to opportunities and basic services, living in a clean and green environment with adequate infrastructural support and governed by God-fearing and competent leaders.”
MISSION
“Datu Odin Sinsuat is committed to pursue responsive and effective governance leading to a resilient development in the areas of social services, peace and culture, economy and environmental management.”
HISTORY
Brief History of Datu Odin Sinsuat
The Municipality of Datu Odin Sinsuat is a first class municipality of Maguindanao del Norte and surrounded by municipalities that were formerly part of its territorial jurisdiction. It is bounded by Cotabato City at the north, Municipality of Kabuntalan at the northeast, Municipality of Datu Anggal Midtimbang at the southeast, and Municipality Upi at the southwest. The Municipal Hall and the Municipal Sattelite-Office are strategically located and can be reached by all means of transportation.
The municipality has thirty-four (34) barangays of which Poblacion Dalican is the seat of government. Barangays Awang, Tamontaka and Dalican are considered to be its three (3) most progressive barangays.
The municipality is formerly called “Dinaig” derived from a Maguindanaon word “Dinaig” which literally means “unsubmissive”. For according to its leaders and people, the town was able to wit stand the offenses made by other sultanates during the power struggle at that time. The leadership of DATU BANDARA, the then first leader of the town paved way for the establishment of their own sultanate which they proudly called “DINAIG” and which according to them would mean “a place worth dying for”.
On August 18, 1947, then President Manuel A. Roxas issued Executive Order No. 82 officially creating the municipality of Dinaig, which covered areas in Maguindanao Province such as Upi, South Upi, and almost half of the municipality of Talayan including Lebak and Kalamansig which are now part of Sultan Kudarat Province.
The first elected Mayor of the Dinaig Municipality was Datu Odin Sinsuat who held his office in Nuro Upi where the first seat of the Municipal Government was established. However, due to the inaccessibility of the area that time and the unstable peace and order situation in the area, the seat of government was transferred to Capiton by virtue of E.O. No. 323 dated June 16, 1950 issued by the then President Elpidio Quirino.
As the municipality developed and progressed, the growing demand for basic services increased hence, after a thorough consultation with their constituents, they appealed for the transfer of their seat of government to Poblacion Dalican where most of the residents and traders can pursue their economic activities such as commerce and trade, this was made possible by virtue of E.O. No. 156 dated May 27, 1965.
After continuously serving the town for twenty-four (24) years Mayor Datu Odin Sinsuat opted to retire in politics in 1971. His retirement from his post paved way to the succession of his son, Atty. Datu Andamen Sinsuat, as the town’s highest official. His leadership was a short lived. His untimely demise paved way for the succession of the Vice-Mayor Sultan Blah K. Mama.
Realizing the need to have a strong and effective leadership during the Martial Law time, President Ferdinand E. Marcos persuaded Hadji Datu Odin Sinsuat to revive his political career and once again head the town. Mayor Datu Odin Sinsuat sensed the urgency of the situation, heeded the call of the president and by 1976, he was again elected as the Mayor of the town and was subsequently elected as President of the Mayor’s League in Maguindanao Province.
However, after the EDSA revolution in 1986, all Municipal Mayors were replaced by appointment of an OIC paving way to the leadership of Hadji Mokamad Abas. His term was also a short-lived one, for that same year on December 1, 1986, Bai Noraya Ambolodto Sinsuat took over as OIC of the town.
In the 1988 election, Mayor Datu Odin Sinsuat surprised his foes in politics when he made a grand comeback and defeated his political opponents with an astonishing number of votes from his supporters. The Father of Dinaig dedicated his entire life of service to his constituents up to the last moment of his life. He passed away on June 15, 1993.
Taking the reins of leadership, Vice Mayor Datu Datukon Untong, took over the post as Mayor of Dinaig. Seeking re-election Mayor Datukon ran against the son of late Mayor Datu Odin Sinsuat – Datu Ombra Q. Sinsuat during the election but to no avail. The young Sinsuat apparently reaped the support and trust of the people by winning the mayoralty post.
Taking cognizant of the Grand Old Man’s achievements and leadership, the honorable members of RLA pursuant to Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act No. 29 dated October 3, 1994 unanimously sponsored a bill renaming Dinaig Municipality to DATU ODIN SINSUAT municipality on December 15, 1994 in honor of the late father of their colleague Hon. Assemblyman Datu Bimbo Q. Sinsuat.