Prior to gaining separate representation, areas now under the jurisdiction of Davao del Norte were represented under the Department of Mindanao and Sulu (1917-1935) and the historical Davao Province (1935-1967).
Apart from restoring the name of the province to Davao del Norte, the passage of Republic Act No. 8470[REF] and its subsequent ratification by plebiscite on 7 March 1998 separated the province's eleven eastern municipalities to create the new province of Compostela Valley, which comprised two new congressional districts.