La Libertad was formerly called "TUAYON" while it was only a sitio of Barangay Dampalan, Rizal, Zamboanga del Norte.
      When the municipality of Rizal, another formerly barangay of Dapitan 
was organized and given its separate local government, La Libertad was made a part of Rizal in the year 1951. Organizations of new municipalities in the province spawned the desire of the natives of La Libertad to agitate for the separation of the overgrown barangay from Rizal and moved for the creation into a new town.
      Taking cognizance of the sincere desire of the natives and lay leaders of the community, Congressmen Alberto Q. Ubay, sponsored a bIll in the congress creating the municipality of La Libertad. The bill became a law 
in 1959 and on September 1, 1959, the said municipality was inaugurated.  

GEOGRAPHY

      La Libertad is located in the Northeastern and interior part of the province of Zamboanga del Norte. It is bounded on the North by the town 
of Rizal, the mother municipality, on the South by Mutia, on the East by the town of Sapang Dalaga and Conception, Misamis Occidental and the City of Oroquieta and on the West, the City of Dapitan. It is about 39 Kilometers from Dipolog and Dapitan City, passing through the Provincial and National roads which are developed.
      From either the cities of Dipolog or Dapitan the municipality is accessible by land transportation passing through a second class road 
going north thence moving east at kilometer 27.

TOPOGRAPHY

      The municipality is a rolling area with some patches of lowland areas. From the extreme Northeastern part of the municipality, it is about 1, 200 feet more or less above sea level. There are rivers that traverse across the municipality. Dapitan River is the biggest and followed by Dipolog River, Balobohan that also joins Potongan River.
      Fifty five percent (55%) of the land area of the municipality is classified as rolling, twenty percent as mountainous and twenty five percent (25%) as flat. Considering the predominantly rolling terrain 
gullies ranging from shallow to a few feet deep added in distinctive 
mark in the topography of the area.
      Two big rivers traverse the municipality. They are the Dipolog and Dapitan rivers. When harnessed these can provide tremendous amount of electricity. Smaller rivers or tributaries are also found. Among them 
are the Signaran and Balobuhan rivers.
      The elevation of the municipality moves on gradually higher towards the

SOIL

      The municipalitie's soil located in the highlands are considered poor. Lowland soils on the other hand are considered fertile with adequate amount of humus. This condition is especially true in practically all 
the areas of La Libertad.
      The Bureau of Soils reported that the main types of soil in the municipality are that of the Adtuyon Clay and Castilla Clay loam. Soil 
pH is classified to be generally on the production range. It especially favors the production of fruit trees and other permanent crops.

Existing Land Uses

      La Libertad has a total land area of 5,460 hectares. Of the total land area eighty-five percent (85%) or 4,641 hectares are arable. The non-arable areas consisted of forest areas destroyed by kaingin which have become denuded and eroded. Several hectares are said to have non-metallic mineral deposits in commercial quantity.
      A greater portion of the municipality is planted to coconuts, fruit trees, rubber and other permanent crops. Over three hundred hectares is devoted to corn land while less than a hundred is being planted with rice. Areas devoted to cereal production are mostly found in the barangays of La Union, New Carcar, New Bata-an, La Victoria, Sta. Catalina, El Paraiso, Mercedes and Jose.
     Pastureland and forestland are found to be very negligible in the area    The Tax Mapping Survey undertaken by the Provincial Assessor's Office  reveals that poblacion La Libertad has a land area of 324.0319 hectares. Of the total land area 267.63 hectares are planted to various agricultural crops. The remaining areas are used as residential lots, institutional, commercial, open spaces and roads.

Roads & Bridges

      There are 42.0069 kilometer of Provincial road, 1.0823 Kilometer of municipal road and 10 kilometers of barangay road. Concrete roads constitute 2060 meters while gravel and earth roads total to 81.9459 kilometers.

CLIMATE

      The climate of the Municipality of La Libertad is predominantly cool. From late afternoon towards sunrise, the atmosphere is refreshingly cool and envigorating. On a normal day gentle wind would blow from westerly direction. The municipality is not within the typhoon belt. Monsoon rains however, occur in the months of June and July and also on October and November.
      Under the general classification, the municipality belongs to the fourth type of Climate. There is no dry season and no very pronounced maximum rain period - rainfall more or less evenly distributed throughout the year.

DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

Language/Dialect

      The leading dialect spoken in the Municipality of La Libertad is Cebuano. Both Pilipino & English are spoken by many of its in habitants and is a required language of instruction for children in primary school.

RELIGIOUS SECTOR

      The predominant religion of the municipality is Roman Catholic. The other remaining religions are Protestant, Filipinista, Seventh Day Adventist, Iglesia Ni Cristo, Grace and Pentecostal.

ETHNIC GROUPS

      The known inhabitants in the municipality are Subanens, Visayans & Boholano's.

Population
   Population by barangays

      The municipality of La Libertad has a total population of 7,702, with a seventy-five percent (75%) tenancy rate.
      Barangay Poblacion has the highest population with 1,596 followed by Barangay Mauswagon with 916 and the third is Barangay El Paraiso with 893 inhabitants.

LABOR FORCE

      Permanently employed          25%
      Temporarily employed           5%
      Underemployed                     70%

        The municipality of La Libertad has a twenty-five percent (25%), five 
percent (5%) are temporarily employed and the remaining seventy percent (70%) comprises the unemployed rate.

COMMUNICATION

              1. Number of location of wireless systems
              1.1 Radio stations                None
              1.2 Television stations                None
              1.3 Telegraph stations                1
              1.4 Telex stations                None

              2. Mail Services
              2.1 Public Postal Services
              2.1.1 Number and staff of post offices            
                                         1 post master - 1 
                                          1 postman - -    2

2.1.2 Number of mail carriers                None
2.1.3 Number of mail trucks                  None
2.1.4 Service                             1 motorcycle

GENERAL INFORMATION

    Location:                       North-Eastern,  interior part of   the province
   Income Classification:                                                             5^th class
   Land Area:                                                                      29,521.00 has.
   Land Use:
                       Agriculture                                                 5,317.5022 has
                   Woodland        
                   Miscellaneous                                             189.9795 has
    No. of Barangays:                                                             13
    Population:                                                                      7,702 (1995)
    Population Density:                                                     1.4 person/ha.
    Major Religion:
                      Roman Catholic                                                  89.00%
                      Protestant                                                             2.60%
                       Iglesia Ni Cristo                                                  0.70%
                       Seventh Day Adventist                                       2.70%
                       Filipinista                                                             4.00%
                       Grace                                                                   0.50%
                      Pentecostal                                                           0.50%
    Indigenous People/Tribal Community:                                Subanen

     Dialects Spoken:
                           Cebuano                                                               85.00%
                      Subanen                                                              10.00%
                      Others                                                                   05.00%

     Topography :
                        Land Forms:                                             Rolling (hilly)

       Climate:                                                                 Predominantly cool

       Mean Temperature:                                                               Average

      Distance to Dipolog City:                                                        39 kms.

ECONOMY

     Major Products:                                                                       Coconut

     Major Source of Livelihood:                                                   Farming

SOCIAL AND HEALTH FACILITIES

         Hospital:                                                                              None

        Barangay Health Centers:                                                    4

        Educational Institutions: 

                             National High Schools                                        1
                        Elementary schools                                          10
                         Day Care Centers                                             8

         Social and Health Indicators:
                       Literacy rate                                               90.00%
                       Mortality rate                                                 3.53%
                        Morbidity rate                                           274.15%
                        Birth rate                                                       1.59%
                        Crude birth rate                                         15.91%

     No. and percentage of malnourished children:
                         Low                                                           544 - %
                          Moderate                                                 139 - %
                          Severe                                                         8 - %

ENVIRONMENT

     Mineral resources available in the area:             Silica-Quartz, Adobe

      Major rivers/bays/springs/watersheds/lakes:                  Dapitan River

  National Park:                                                                                   None

       Recreational Facility:                           Basketball and Tennis Courts

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS   

         None

INFRASTRUCTURE

         Means of Transportation:                                      Jeepney,   Motorcycle

        Bus Companies operating:                                   None

         Road Network: (kms)

      Major bridges:                                                           None

       Water Facilities Available:
                         Level 1                                               1 unit
                         Level 2                                                None   
                         Level 3                                                None

      Energization : (Source: Zambo. Del Norte Electric Cooperative )
                          No. of consumers:                          843