In March 1969, Executive Order 386, signed by President Carlos P. Garcia, reconstituted the southern part of Malabang as the Municipality of Balabagan.

In 1942, the Philippine Supreme Court Chief Justice José Abad Santos was brought to this camp, after he was captured in Cebu while fleeing from Japanese forces.

Chief Justice Abad Santos was executed in the camp for refusing to cooperate with the Japanese, and was buried in barangay Curahab.

In 1945, United States and Philippine Commonwealth forces, working with Maranao guerillas, occupied Malabang after a siege.

During the Siege of Malabang, the guerillas used weapons like the Maranao kris, barong and kampilan to fight the Japanese forces.

The victorious American and Philippine Commonwealth troops, together with their Maranao guerrilla allies, eventually defeated the Japanese Imperial forces.

The locals of the town celebrate the founding day, the Araw ng Malabang every March 1 annually.

Malabang is one of thirty-nine municipalities comprising the province of Lanao del Sur in northern Mindanao.

Along with English, Cebuano is used in Catholic masses and religious services as Malabang is part of the Prelature of Marawi, subject to the Archdiocese of Ozamiz.

Some descendants of Chinese settlers in China Town (Poblacion) speak Mandarin and to some degree, Hokkien.

Arabic is used in madrassas and spoken by qualified local and visiting ustadz (Islamic scholar) and imams.

Malabang is central to commerce and trade activity in the coastal area of Lanao del Sur.

Although listed as 4th class municipality, all levels of education are attainable in Malabang, a center of learning in the coastal area of Lanao del Sur.