Cagayan de Oro - History

History

See also: Battle of Cagayan de Misamis

The city was first inhabited around 377 C.E. (the late Neolithic period), island natives lived in a settlement then known as Himologan (now known as Huluga), eight kilometers from present day Cagayán de Oro. The natives were polytheistic animists and paid tributes to Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat, the Sultan of Maguindanao.

In 1622, two Spanish Augustinian Recollect missionaries came in contact with the natives of Himologan and in 1626, Fray Agustín de San Pedro persuaded the chief of Himologan, Datu Salangsang, to transfer his settlement down river, to the present-day Gaston Park. De San Pedro later fortified the new settlement against Sultan Kudarat's raiders.

In 1738, Spanish dominance was felt in Cagayán de Oro. When Misamis gained status of province in 1818, one of its four districts was the Partidos de Cagayan. In 1871, the "Partidos" became a town and was made a permanent capital of Misamis.

On February 27, 1872, Governor-General Carlos María de La Torre issued a decree declaring Cagayan the permanent capital of Segundo Distrito de Misamis. During this era, the name of the town was known as Cagayán de Misamis.

In 1883, the town became a seat of the Spanish government in Mindanao for the Provinces of Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Bukidnon and Lanao del Norte.

On January 10, 1899, Cagayán de Misamis joined the government of Emilio Aguinaldo and celebrated its independence from Spain. It was the second time the Aguinaldo government was declared and the new Philippine flag raised on the Mindanao island.

By virtue of the 1898 Treaty of Paris, Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States; this caused friction and resulted in the Philippine–American War. On March 31, 1900, Americans occupied Cagayán de Misamis and on April 7, 1900, battle erupted in the town center led by General Nicolas Capistrano and Filipino resistance fighters. This would later be known as the Battle of Cagayan de Misamis. The Americans won the war, and about forty years later, gave the Philippines its Independence July 4, 1946. The war years in Cagayan de Oro were prompted by the presence of the Americans in 1898. The Americans were initially and successfully repulsed by the Kagay-anons forces led by Mayor Don Apolinar Vélez at the historic Battle of Makahambus on June 4, 1900.

After the troubled years, peace finally brought back the economic activities to normalcy under the guidance of the United States. Consequently, from a purely farming-fishing area, Cagayan de Oro emerged into a booming commerce and trade center.

In 1948 the barrios of El Salvador and Molugan with their sitios known as Sala, Sambulawan, Sinaloc, Lagtang, Talaba, Kalabaylabay and Hinigdaan were separated from Cagayan de Oro to form the town of El Salvador.

In 1950 the barrios of Opol, Igpit, and Lower Iponan were separated from Cagayan de Oro to form the town of Opol.

On June 15, 1950, President Elpidio Quirino signed Republic Act No. 521, which granted the status of a chartered city to the Municipality of Cagayan de Misamis. This was made possible through the efforts of then Cagayan de Oro Congressman Emmanuel Pelaez.

Cagayan de Oro was then declared a highly-urbanized city by the Ministry of Local Government on November 22, 1983.

On December 16, 2011, Tropical Storm Sendong caused widespread flash floods in Northern Mindanao. In Cagayan de Oro, hundreds living near the banks of the Cagayan de Oro River were killed, with hundreds still missing. The total death toll in Northern Mindanao (including Iligan City and nearby regions) is estimated to be at least 500.

Officials said that despite government warning, some people did not evacuate. Five people were killed in a landslide, but all others died in the flash floods. The flash flooding occurred overnight, following 10 hours of rain, compounded by overflowing rivers and tributaries. Most of the victims had been sleeping.

In some areas, up to 20 centimeters of rain fell in 24 hours. More than 2,000 have been rescued, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and at least 20,000 people are staying in 10 evacuation centers in Cagayan de Oro. Officials are also investigating reports that an entire village was swept away.