Mythical Origin
Believed by some historians as the place where the first
Christian mass in the Philippines was celebrated, Agusan was first referred to
by its Malay settlers as “agasan”, a word in the dialect meaning “where water
flows”. This alluded to the presence of a mighty river that traversed the whole
area. With the coming of the Spanish conquistadores, the area where flowed a
mighty river came to be known as “Agusan” to the civilized world.The aborigines
of Agusan were the ancestors of the present day Mamanwas who were driven to the
hinterlands by the first wave of Malay immigrants coming from Borneo and
Celebes. These people, in turn, sought the protection of the interior jungles
because of the forays and the constant raids of “Moro” pirates.The “Moros”,
being seafaring people, confined themselves to the coastal areas where they
started settlements, leaving the forestall areas to the Manobos.Agusan del
Norte’s claim to being the province where the first mass was held is
perpetuated in oral historical traditions whose beginnings date as far back as
the latter part of March and early part of April, 1521. Rajah Siagu, the ruler
of Agusan, was said to have left his settlement in order to visit his friend
Rajah Humabon of Bohol. Together, they visited the ruling rajah of a place
called Limasawa where a fleet of Spanish galleons headed by a Portuguese
navigator called Fernao Magallao (Fernando Magallanes in Spanish) had just
dropped anchor. Rajah Siagu invited the navigator to visit his place, to which
Magallanes went and had a mass celebrated on Easter Sunday in what is now
called Magallanes (formerly Masao). It is said that Magallanes’ ships were
given provisions by Siagu for which, in gratitude, his people were exempted
later on from paying tribute to the King of Spain. This boon lasted only for
sixty years and was taken away when the people rose in revolt against the
conquistadores.With the occupation of Spanish troops, came the priest and
scholars who immediately started converting the natives. Of the missionaries
sent here, the most outstanding was Rev. Saturnino Urios, a Jesuit, who
indefatigably set about converting some 23,000 natives during his 28 years in
the province. He is oftentimes called the “Apostle of Agusan” for his
missionary zeal and to honor him, the parochial school of Butuan was named
Father Urios College, and presently is called Urios College.Agusan took arms
against Spain during the revolution. With Aguinaldo’s revolutionary government,
a small native unit was organized in Butuan under the leadership of Senor
Gumersindo Flores. This small force put to task the American soldiers stationed
in the place. Spears being no match to the powerful guns of the Americans,
Agusan yielded to the might of the American soldiers in January 1900.Until
1911, Agusan, under the name of Butuan, was part of Surigao province, formerly
known as Caraga district. However, following the passage of Act 1693, creating
the non-christian provinces, it was separated from Surigao, with the Diwata
Mountains as the boundary lines. Before the approval of Republic Act No. 4979
on June 17, 1967 and its proclamation as a province on January 5, 1968, Agusan
del Norte was part of the former province of Agusan.The province was under the
military rule until 1913. When the Department of Mindanao and Sulu was created
under the Secretary of Interior, Agusan became one of the seven provinces
comprising the department with Frank W. Carpenter as the first civil governor.
In 1914, the first Filipino governor of Agusan was appointed in the person of
Teofisto Guingona. The first elected governor of Agusan was Apolonio D. Curato
in 1923, holding this position for three terms. Jose Rosales followed him and
stayed as governor for two terms. In 1936, Mariano C. Atega was elected
governor and was succeeded by Agustin O. Casiñas.Then, war broke out. During
the Japanese occupation, General Aguirre occupied the governor’s post for five
months. Liberation came and Curato was again the governor. However, he stayed
in the position only for a year. Servando D. Jongko who was elected in 1947,
stayed as governor until 1951. From 1952 to 1959, Felixberto C. Dagani occupied
his post. He was succeeded by Democrito O. Plaza who served as governor from
1960 to 1963. Jose C. Aquino took over in 1964 and resigned in 1966 when he ran
for Congress. His vice governor, Consuelo V. Calo ran for governor in 1967 and
won.On June 17, 1967, R.A. 4979, authored by Congressman Jose C. Aquino was
passed by congress dividing Agusan into two (2) provinces, namely Agusan del
Norte and Agusan del Sur. Agusan del Norte joined the ranks of fast developing
provinces on July 1, 1974 when it became a Provincial Development Assistance
Project (PDAP) province through the efforts of Governor Consuelo V. Calo. She
remained as Agusan del Norte’s Chief Executive until 1986 when the
revolutionary government of President Corazon C. Aquino made a complete revamp
on the national and local government units throughout the country.The province
then, was administered by OIC Governor Jose T. Gonzales but his term was short
live due to his death on the same year. OIC Governor Jesus S. Delfin was
appointed to fill in the vacancy of governorship until he decided to ran for a
governatorial candidacy which he lost to Candidate Eduardo L. Rama, Sr., who
won in the 1988 election. Governor Eduardo L. Rama, Sr., served the province
for two terms and after which he ran for Congressman and won.On February 23,
1995, R.A. 7901 was approved by His Excellency President Fidel V. Ramos
creating the four (4) provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao
del Norte, Surigao del Sur and the two (2) cities of Butuan and Surigao as
Region 13 or CARAGA Administrative Region.Maria Angelica Rosedell M. Amante got
elected as governor in 1995 and served until June 2004.Erlpe John M. Amante got
the post in the 2004 elections and now steers the province to its desired
development.BUENAVISTAIn the year 1887, a group of Manobos from the frontier of
Agusan found an ideal place for a fishing retreat and rendezvous which was
later on named “Tortosa” by Adolfo Calo who visited the village and found the
place abundant with tortoise.Soon, another group of immigrants who were
attracted by the abundance of fish in the place and its good prospects in
agriculture settled in Tortosa, later on renamed Lihaw-an after a white deer
believed sacred by its pagan dwellers. This deer was found dead by the natives
not far from the river bank which encircled the village and its remains placed
on the table and allowed to rot. Because its odor spread over the area of the
village, the place was named Lihaw-an, meaning “baho-an” (bad smell).In the
year 1920, the village known as Lihaw-an was changed to Buenavista meaning
“good view”, a name given to it by an emissary of the Governor-General who was
impressed by the picturesque view of the village.On January 1, 1937, by virtue
of Executive Order No. 65 issued by the Commonwealth President Manuel L.
Quezon, the barrio of Buenavista became a municipality.CABADBARAN“Reunion”, the
former name of Cabadbaran in the late 19th century, was a new settlement
rising along the mouth of the Cabadbaran river. The place was then only a
barrio of the municipality of Tubay. Among its early inhabitants were the
manobos.After a short time, a handful of Christians like the Raras, Jamboys,
Doldols and others came and settled there. Not long after them, came another
group like the Daganis, Cabonces, Curatos, Jongkos and others who also resided
permanently in the place. Together, these people began to clear the area along
the coast while the natives were moving inland to occupy the interior area
which later on became the town site.Later on, the barrio “Reunion” was named
“Tolosa”. There are no records available to indicate the reasons for the change
in name but it is believed that the settlement was named after a town in Spain.
The same name is now retained by a barrio in the municipality, what once was
the town proper. The change of Tolosa to Cabadbaran was believed to be
attributed to an incident where the local chiefs ordered the release of two captives
who were bound by ropes and were then untied. The word Cabadbaran, therefore,
came from the vernacular word “Badbad” meaning to untie. Others, however, said
that it was derived from the phrase “Badbaran sa Kawad-on” which in English
means to “release from want”. Persons who faced hardships and suffered from
want in other places had found solace and comfort in the locality.Under the
leadership of Mayor Dale B. Corvera, the municipality of Cabadbaran became a
component city of Agusan del Norte on July 28, 2007 by virtue of Republic Act
9434. The new city has high hopes of attaining higher levels of progress
in the years to come. CARMENFormerly called “Kabayawa” by the Manobo
natives, Carmen got its present name from the miraculous image of the Virgin of
Mount Carmel, believed to have been instrumental in Killing the leader of the
bandits who used to inhabit the place. A Spanish soldier named Juan Cardoniga
was supposed to have fired his rifle at the leader of the outlaws who possessed
an amulet of some sort. Since his rifle did not work, Cardoniga got the image
of the Virgin from his necklace and placed it inside the hole of the barrel,
after which he succeeded in firing the rifle and in killing the outlaw chief.
It was Father Saturnino Urios, the famous Jesuit priest of Agusan, who
suggested that the name Kabayawa be formally changed to Carmen in honor of the
sacred image.On July 1, 1949, barrio Carmen became a municipality by virtue of
the provisions of Republic Act No. 380 sponsored in the Philippine Congress by
the late Congressman Marcos M. Calo.JABONGAJabonga traces its origin to a
village formerly occupied by Negritoes and a few Christian immigrants. Led by a
Manobo Negrito the mestizo Angelecio Montante, also called Agaras, the village
became known as Celopan, a name derived from the bamboos growing along the bank
of the river that were made into smoking pipes called “celopan”.Sometimes
during the middle part of the nineteenth century, the increasing number of
inhabitants who were joined by other Christian immigrants from other places
transferred to a new settlement which is the present site of Colorado.By this
time, the Spanish government was already sending missionaries to all parts of
the island and the group that went up the Calinawan River reached the
settlement of Colorado, a name derived from the word “colorado” meaning
colored, because of the white-spotted arms of Domingo Monoy, the brave settler
who dared to face the newcomers.Proceeding upstream, the missionaries reached
Celopan and seeing native inside a hut, the floor of which was just one meter
above the water, they asked him what the place was called. Thinking that the
Spaniards were referring to the hut, he answered “Habongan”. Thus, Celopan was
renamed “Habongan” which later became Jabonga.KITCHARAOLegend has it that
Kitcharao was once ruled by two powerful kings, Mangipikan who ruled the north
and Busaylan who ruled the south. A dispute over their respective hunting
territories eventually broke out into an open war wherein each side fought
furiously until the subjects of King Busaylan were driven to the hills. The
victorious King Mangipikan ordered his mighty boars to uproot crops and other
plants on their way, crushing, biting and scattering their stems on the ground
to show their victory. “Kit, Kit ug Isarao,” (Bite and scatter the plants) the
king’s orders, thus, became associated with the name of the embattled plain of
abundance. Time has shortened this famous battle cry to Kitcharao, the name by
which the same place is known today.The municipality of Kitcharao was created
by Republic Act No. 3842 sponsored by Congressman Guillermo R. Sanchez. It was
once a barrio of Jabonga but through the initiative of the then Vice-Mayor
Francisco Tuozo of Jabonga, who sponsored a resolution petitioning Congress for
the creation of the Municipality of Kitcharao, Republic Act 3842 was
passed.Kitcharao is the northernmost town of the province and lies on the
boundary line between Surigao del Norte and Agusan del Norte. It has a land
area of 225 square kilometers and owes its abundant fresh-water fish supply to
the famous Lake Mainit, a top tourist attraction in the area.The inhabitants of
the municipality come from various regions in Luzon and the Visayas, hence, you
can find Ilocanos, Tagalogs, Ilonggos, Warays, Cebuanos, Boholanos, and a few
aborigines called Mamanwas or Kongking, peacefully living side by side in this
coconut-and banana-rich town.LAS NIEVESLas Nieves was formerly named
“Pinana-an,” meaning a place for hunting, by its early inhabitants. The natives
or Manobos with their bows and arrows (pana) went to Pinana-an to catch wild
pigs, birds and other animals.Soon, some people from Butuan and other places of
Mindanao began to settle and establish permanent residence in Pinana-an.At
night time, however, the inhabitants shiver from the intense coldness of the
area. On early mornings, thick fogs and dews blanket the whole place as if ice
were constantly and silently falling upon the inhabitants. Because of this, the
name “Pinana-an” was changed by the new inhabitants into “Las Nieves” means
ice.MAGALLANESThe written history of Magallanes is traceable to a monument with
the Spanish inscription which reads:ALIMMORTALEL PUEBLO DE BUTUAN CON SU PAROCO
Y ESPANIOLESEN EL RESIDENTESPARACOMMEMORARISU ARRIBO Y CELEBRACION DE LAPRIMERA
MISA EN ESTE SITIO EL DIA8 DE ABRIL DE 1521ERIGIDO EN 1872SIENDO GOBERNADOR DEL
DISTRITOD. JOSE MARIA CARAVALLOIt is believed by some writers that the first
Catholic Mass in the island of Mindanao and in the Philippines for that matter
was celebrated in Magallanes. This is disputed by other writers, however, who
assert that such incident happened in Magallanes which is in Cebu.
Nevertheless, a midway point is accepted which states that Magellan was not
with the group that celebrated the mass in Magallanes although his men on an
explatory mission were there.The present site of Magallanes was previously
called Ba-ug meaning “bad-odor” in the Butuan dialect. There are several
explanations why Magallanes was originally called Ba-ug and all explanations
were plausible. One version states that this area was thickly surrounded with
nipa palms and mangrove trees and because of the fermentation of the dead
leaves, roots and branches, bad smell permeated the area, hence, the name
Ba-ug.As time passed, Magallanes emerged as the new name of Ba-ug as it gained
popularity by its assertion that the first Catholic Mass in the Philippines was
celebrated there.During the early times, Magallanes was the poblacion for
settlements along the river bank especially when inhabitants were on the war
path. In peaceful times, the people went to other areas where farming was
better and this led to the neglect of Magallanes.Around the end of the last
century, nine families from Butuan decided to stay in Magallanes permanently.
They were Macario Butil, Juan Plaza, Pedro Duncano, Wulegio Burias, Andoy
Curilan, Jose Dumaplin, Prospero Dumdum, the Sumili Brothers and one known as
Captain Santo, with Macario Butil acting as leader of the group.As time went
on, many residents came back to Magallanes, oftentimes with their families,
relatives or friends and in due time, Magallanes became a permanent barrio of
Butuan.The Municipality of Magallanes became politically independent from
Butuan City by virtue of Republic Act No. 5660 which was passed by Congress on
May 5,1969 and finally approved on June 21, 1969. This Republic Act fixed the
boundaries of this newly-created municipality.NASIPITPerched on a promontory
overlooking the picturesque Nasipit Bay is the progressive industrial town of
Nasipit. From the open sea approaching the town, one would readily notice the
pall of heavy smoke emanating from giant smoke stacks, evidence of industrial
activity within the sprawling compound of the Nasipit Lumber Company and the
Philippine Wallboard Corporation.The shoreline of Nasipit assumes a claw-like
from which the word “Nasip-it” was derived. Until 1929, Nasipit was a barrio of
Butuan. The then Governor Guingona proposed to change the name “Nasipit” to
“Aurora”. Due to the strong opposition of the early inhabitants, however,
the word Na-si-pit was retained.Little is known about the historical events
that took place in this town during its early days. But legend has it that
three women were abducted by marauding moro pirates who occasionally came to
this place to rob and plunder. It was said that the villagers were terrified
whenever the pirates came ashore and they went into hiding for days atop the
thickly-forested hill which they later on settled and developed as the
present-day poblacion. Because of this danger, the early settlers constructed a
watchtower at the site presently occupied by the Catholic Church, to watch out
for and warn the people of an impending pirate raid.The earliest settlers of
this town were immigrants from Bohol. Later, immigrants from Cebu, Leyte and
the different parts of the archipelago threaded their way into this town to
settle permanently.The administration of the late Mayor Catalino Atupan saw the
beginnings of industrial activities in this once sleepy town. During his nine
years in office, Mayor Atupan strove to increase tax collection and encouraged
the establishment of factories on account of the town’s strategic geographical
location and ideal shipping facilities. At the end of his term in 1946, the
Nasipit Lumber Company, Inc. controlled and operated by the Fernandez Hermanos
started its operation. Thus, began Nasipit’s march to progress.REMEDIOS T.
ROMUALDEZThe new town of Remedios T. Romualdez is composed of barangays: Agay,
Tagbongabong, Humilog, Basilisa, Panay-tayon, Balang-balang and San Antonio,
all previously a part of the municipality of Cabadbaran. These barangays were
the principal sources of Real Property Taxes of Cabadbaran and the primary
supplier of Agricultural products, notably rice. They were appropriately named
the rice granary of Cabadbaran.The seven barangays slowly but steadily
progressed as more migrants came and settled permanently to till the fertile
soil. Agriculturally oriented and industrious new comers found the place a productive
haven for an idyllic life. Situated along the Maharlika Highway, the
inhabitants were convinced that their place could become a half-way town
between the city of Butuan and Cabadbaran later.When Atty. Antonio R. Tupaz was
elected Assemblyman of Agusan del Norte in 1978, he brought to the Interim
Batasang Pambansa the proposal to make Agay as a municipal corporation. Acting
on the petitions of the Agayanons and other neighboring barangays to be
separated from its mother municipality, the assemblyman sponsored Parliamentary
Bill No. 1291, an act creating the municipality of Remedios T. Romualdez.Having
qualified with requirements provided under the law, Batas Bilang 336 was passed
making Remedios T. Romualdez the eleventh town of Agusan del Norte. It officially
became a local government unit on January 1, 1984 with Mr. Euquerio A.
Dominise, a former Sangguniang Panlalawigan member, serving as its first
Municipal Mayor.SANTIAGOA group of natives fleeing from the municipality of
Jabonga settled in a new place recognized by the municipality of Cabadbaran as
Barrio Santiago in the latter part of 1898.However, in 1924, the existing Aciga
River swelled its banks, destroying all properties, plants and animals and
forcing the inhabitants of Santiago, Cabadbaran to transfer to barrio Jagupit.
In 1936, the same river brought havoc to the barrio and the barrio folks again
decided to transfer to Sitio Paypay at the foot of the hill. Long before the
migration, the place was inhabited by the Manobos and the Mamanwas, but when
the national government constructed highway cutting through Sitio Paypay, the
influx of people to the place began.In 1936, through a bill in Congress
sponsored by the late Congressman Marcos Calo, Paypay was changed to Santiago
in honor of Saint Santiago.In the latter part of 1964, the barrio officials of
barrio Santiago indicated their desire to become a municipality. Finally, in
1969, a bill sponsored by Ex-Congressman Jose C. Aquino and approved by the
Sixth Congress of the Republic, gave birth to Republic Act 5242, which created
the new municipality of Santiago.TUBAYTubay, which was named after its brave
founder Datu Tabay, lays claim to being the second Spanish settlement in
Agusan. Formerly, the people settled in the wilderness of Ilihan, then
transferred to sitio Malubog and later to tubay-tubay and Sebang near the mouth
of the Jabonga River. However, the danger of constant inundation and Moro
attacks convinced the succeeding leaders of the place to move the pueblo
Daan Lungsod where now survives the massive magkuno posts of a once strongly
built spacious church. And it was here the settlement firmly took roots.Since
1898, Tubay was a prosperous town but when the Americans visited Tubay and
Cabadbaran, they were convinced that the latter was the better seat of
government. Therefore, in 1903, Tubay was reduced to a barrio to give ways its
equally thriving neighbor Cabadbaran. Although reduced to a barrio status, it
still remained a center of commercial activities due to the presence of Chinese
merchants there. Boom in business in Tubay was still noticeable until the early
and fabulous 20’s when the navigable Jabonga River was still the chief artery
of its copra and hemp traffic. However, when the provincial road connecting
Cabadbaran to Butuan and Cabadbaran to Santiago was finished, business in Tubay
began to decline and business through the Jabonga River slowly disappeared.On
October 20, 1947, Tubay regained its township by virtue of Presidential
Proclamation No. 44 of the late President Manuel A. Roxas.
FOLKTALES
1. FARMING Offer pinipig sa tuod. Talk / pray to God of
farming for bountiful harvest
2. YOUNG BAMBOO Planted in the middle of the farm to drive
away pest.
3. BIRTHDAYS Padugo , chicken or pig the blood will be used
to mark the baby’s forehead with a cross in his next birthday if there is
no celebration, the baby will got sick.
4. HEALING Community prayer.
The leader along with two prayer leaders will lead the
community healing ritual with skull like stone rolling inside a cup while
prayer leaders plays music using stick and cup.
5. Medicinal Herbs
During
Holy Week they gather and collect special kinds of plants to make a (Lana)
medicinal oil. They chop it to small pieces and offer rituals to make it
effective.
6. BARANG.Wata will be placed inside the cup it will form an
image. With hair, pictures and other personal belongings of someone
who you want to suffer; will be tied on the doll and do rituals.
7. ENGKANTO / DIWATA
Story 1: A boy was washing dishes and he heard someone
with a sweet beautiful voice called him, so he get out the house and
check who is calling. Her wife saw him going out but he never come back.
So they look for him and on the following day his body was found floating on
the river lifeless. On the night of his wake one healer (Mananambal)
visit and surprised to see a banana tree on the coffin. So she told the
wife that his husband is still alive and he was taken by the engkantos so they
make a noise using kitchen utensils, drum, trumpets around the house. And
they found her husband on a mango tree trunk riding it like a horse.
Story
2: A little girl is playing on the rice fields water pump, she was
happy and laughing, hopping and running. Her mother ask her what is
she doing alone and the little girl answered i'm not alone
I’m with them they are my friends they give me this glittering
stone, opening her hands showing mud and plants to her mother. So her
mother ask a mananambal because her child has high fever engkanto and one
of them like her child. They have to offer a 3 white chicken on the waterpump
and make the blood flow on the water way of the ricefield where the child
was playing, put salt on the window and door of the house so that the
engkanto who like her child could not see her inside the house.
8.
ENGKANTO
In Vamenta Carmen early 80’s a girl was washing cloths for his husband after
she was done on her last wash she just throw the water outside on the
back of their house. One night she started seeing things like a disco
party with so many people dancing, drinking and laughing on their
backyard. She told her husband and his husband told her that it was just your
imagination watching tv she heard car noise on their backyard and she saw
again the crowd and handsome guy looking at her. His husband could not
believe again. And her wife was sick and they went to hospitals but the
doctor could not find something why she was sick. And her wife kept on saying
no no no. so the husband ask the mother in law from cabadbaran for a
help. They brought a mananambal and check her wife. The mananambal told
them that the tree on the back of the wall is the door of the engkanto
and her wife angered someone on the other side she pinch her on her back
that no ordinary eye could see it. So the mananambal started his rituals making
a smoke with dried leaves from his bag chanting a latin words and making
a note on a piece of paper burn it and put it on a glass of water and her
wife drunk it offer the tree with chicken, chicken blood and the husband
and wife move to another place.
