Surigao City
Component city
City of Surigao
Surigao City Hall
Seal
Nickname:  City of Island Adventures
Map of Surigao del Norte with Surigao City highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Surigao City Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 9°47′23″N 125°29′45″E / 9.7897°N 125.4958°E / 9.7897; 125.4958
Country	Philippines
Region	Caraga
Province	Surigao del Norte
District	2nd district
Founded	June 29, 1655
Cityhood	August 31, 1970
Barangays	54 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Panlungsod
• Mayor	Pablo Yves L. Dumlao II
• Vice Mayor	Alfonso S. Casurra
• Representative	Robert Ace S. Barbers
• City Council	Members Sebastian Ric A. Nagas Cazel R. Azarcon Leonilo A. Aldonza Christopher T. Bonite Joel E. Tinio Joshua Emilio S. Geli Baltazar C. Abian Noel Christian G. Catre Jr. Jose Expeditus B. Bayana Joseph Joey S. Yuipco
• Electorate	108,959 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	245.30 km2 (94.71 sq mi)
Elevation	43 m (141 ft)
Highest elevation	984 m (3,228 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	171,107
• Density	700/km2 (1,800/sq mi)
• Households	41,816
Economy
• Income class	1st city income class
• Poverty incidence	24.70 % (2018)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 983.8 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 2,839 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 982.2 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 302.4 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Surigao del Norte Electric Cooperative (SURNECO)
Time zone	UTC+08:00 (PST)
ZIP code	8400
PSGC	166724000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)86
Native languages	Surigaonon Agusan Cebuano Tagalog
Website	www.surigaocity.gov.ph

Surigao City, officially the City of Surigao (Surigaonon: Siyudad nan Surigao; Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Surigao; Filipino: Lungsod ng Surigao), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Surigao del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 171,107 people.^[3]

The city is located at the north-easternmost tip of Mindanao with a total land area of 245.34 km² which is roughly 1.4% of Caraga region.

The absence of a fort in Surigao belies its significance and sphere of influence during the Spanish period. It was the capital of the expansive province of the same name from 1750 until its dissolution in 1911, covering a third of Mindanao Island's total land area. It is one of the oldest port towns in Mindanao, founded by Spanish colonizers in 1655. It has abundant mineral reserves including gold, iron, manganese, silica, cobalt, copper, chromite and among the world's largest nickel deposits in Nonoc Island. The city has been dubbed the mining capital since 1969 of the then Northern Mindanao region and still today as an economic driver of Caraga region.

Surigao City serves as a jump off point to visitors of nearby Siargao, Dinagat and Bucas Grande islands. It is Mindanao's closest landmass to the Visayas region, separating the two island groups by eleven nautical miles across Surigao Strait. Surigao is the center of politics, commerce, banking, industry and education of Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands as well as parts of neighboring provinces of Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte and Southern Leyte.

Etymology

Many linguists hypothesized differing origins of the name "Surigao". If the root word was taken to be sulig ("sprout" or "spring up"), then Surigao may have derived from suligao ("spring water"), likely referring to the Surigao River (known as "Suligaw" in Mandaya) that empties at the northern tip of the island of Mindanao.^[5][6] Early historical accounts record the name of the river as Suligao, Surigao, or Zurigan.^[7]

Historians also theorized "Surigao" is derived from Visayan surogao or suyogao, meaning "water current". From suyog (also sulog or surog), "current". Other Visayan words derived from the same root include Sinulog, Sulu and Tausug (Suluk).^[8]

Another popular legend tells a story about Visayan fishermen who went adrift at the mouth of today's Surigao River after a storm wrecked their boats. Unable to sail back to sea, they were forced to stay, unaware of the natives nearby. Soon docile villagers found them and took them to their chieftain Solibao. The fishermen were allowed to remain in the village until they could rebuild their boats. After much patience and painstaking work to restore their boats' seaworthiness, they sailed back home with provisions from their generous hosts. The fishermen shared their story with their folks about a beautiful place they now named Solibao, in honor of the village chief. Some of the men eventually returned and settled in the area.

The town was renamed Caraga after its founding, derived from the word calagan, from the Kalagan people, whose name means "people of the spirit". The Italian adventurer Giovanni Francesco Gemelli Careri, who published a book of travel in the country, cited Francisco Combes, S.J. as a source in saying that Calagan is derived from the two Visayan words, kalag for soul and an for people. Today, Caraga is the official name referring to the entire Region XIII, created through Republic Act No. 7901 on February 25, 1995, making it the newest region in the Philippines.

History

Surigao Province 1898

The site around Surigao was settled early on, even before the Spanish conquest. Fishing villages dotted along the coast facing the Hinatuan Passage while Mamanwa tribes inhabited the interior highlands. The confluence of three major bodies of water- Pacific Ocean, Surigao Strait and Mindanao Sea made Surigao a strategic location, although its historical importance waxed and waned as other parts of the archipelago were explored and developed.

Spanish Era

Ferdinand Magellan sailed into the Philippine Archipelago, reaching the island of Homonhon in an epic voyage of discovery and eventual circumnavigation of the world in 1521. Magellan's fleet proceeded to Limasawa through Surigao Strait, a notch north-west of the city's pelagic boundaries, before dropping anchor on the waters off the island of Cebu, ushering the Spanish colonization of the Philippines.

Surigao town as shown on a historical Mindanao map

Present day Surigao originated from a site in the city proper formerly known as Bilang-Bilang where it served as a port of call for inter-island vessels. It was renamed Banahao which became an integral part of the old district of Caraga, a town founded on June 29, 1655. After Caolo, present day Siargao, burned in 1750, Surigao became the capital of the expansive geopolitical, ecclesiastical and military district of Surigao which reached the fringes of Davao and would include today's provinces of Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, parts of Compostela Valley, Misamis Oriental, Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental. It officially became the permanent residence of the Augustinian Recollects on February 1, 1752, when all the canonical books were moved from Caolo to Surigao. The first canonical books bore the signature of Fr. Lucas de la Cruz. Previously, the place was just a "vista" of the parish in Caolo. Its strategic location and new status as the seat of government was costly. Surigao witnessed violent territorial struggles as it suffered ultimately from relentless Moro raids. In 1752, the town was devastated. Most of its 2,000 inhabitants were either killed or taken as slaves by the Moros.

Historical marker of the first flag-raising of the modern Philippine flag in Mindanao

First and Official Flag Raising in Mindanao. Father Alberto Masoliver, S.J., during his stint as the parish priest of Surigao in 1898, kept a compilation of his diaries, entitled Diario de la Casa de Surigao. His diaries are currently stored in the Jesuit archives at Centro Borja, Sant Cugat del Valles, Spain. He thus wrote on December 26, 1898, "Before 10:00 AM, the tri-color was hoisted from Casa Real seat of provincial government) and the Tribunal … without any formalities … without anybody's attention being drawn…..these people have no idea of what it is all about, and if they have… how peaceful and without malice they are.". Surigao then was the cabecera and the seat of government of the province of Caraga which had jurisdiction over Surigao, Butuan and Cagayan de Misamis (Cagayan de Oro). Alejandro (Jantoy) Gonzalez was the president of the Junta Provincial of Surigao during the time of the first flag hoisting.

• Controversy about the location of the First Philippine Flag Raising in Mindanao. The Philippines' National Historical Institute carries the mandate to decide on historical matters and to erect national markers. In a roundtable held in January 2000, the historians decided that the raising of the flag on December 26, 1898, by Alejandro Gonzalez in Surigao was duly sanctioned by Emilio Aguinaldo's government. The installation of the NHI marker in Surigao City followed suit.

American Period

Aerial view of Surigao, circa 1936

At the turn of the century in 1901, the Americans established a civil government in the province of Surigao, keeping the town of Surigao as its capital. Surigao was then among the largest municipalities in land area with a jurisdiction of 949.90 square kilometers, larger than today's Butuan. During this period, there was only one main road, the Old Spanish road. The commercial district, market and plaza (Luneta) were all situated in one small area. In 1930, the Old Spanish road was abandoned and a new provincial road was constructed. The Casa Real was built where municipal administrators would hold their official functions. Surigao's core barrios- Taft and Washington, were named after United States presidents William Howard Taft and George Washington.

World War II

Battle of Surigao Strait Memorial

Surigao featured prominently in World War II's Pacific theater. On May 23, 1942, the Japanese Imperial Army under Colonel Yoshie occupied Surigao after arriving from Butuan. They formally took over on May 28, 1942, under Lieutenant Ichichara, taking control from Mayor Amat. Filipino guerrilla units based in Surigao continued to operate in the hinterlands. Liberation from the Japanese rule dawned on September 9, 1944. American planes started their campaign by bombing the town in the early morning. It was followed by a strafing of all Japanese warships docked at the Surigao wharf, which came to transport fresh troops and supplies to their forces in Leyte. No fewer than fifty warships were sunk by the raiding American bomber planes. After the attack, not a single Japanese ship was seen afloat. The following month, on October 24–25, the famous Battle of Surigao Strait, the final line battle in naval history, was fiercely fought by allied forces against the Japanese fleet. By April 12, 1945, the whole province of Surigao was liberated from Japanese occupation.

One American family who had lived in and near Surigao before the war returned after the Japanese left the area in 1945. Virginia Holmes, a child in 1945, many years later wrote, "We were shocked at the destruction the war years had wrought. Many houses stood empty, and others were mere skeletons. Walls were pockmarked with bullet holes. There were piles of rubble everywhere. The tree-lined streets that used to be so pretty were now full of potholes, and only a few trees were left undamaged."^[9] Holmes said the cemetery had been neglected and at least part of it was overgrown in weeds.^[10]

Post War Reconstruction

Massive reconstruction followed the destruction brought by the war. The Surigao Provincial Capitol was completed in 1946 atop the hill overlooking the city. Other facilities were built including schools, athletic field and municipal jail. In 1948, the first election of municipal officials was held. In the same year, construction of the Surigao Provincial Hospital commenced. Six years later in 1954, construction of the first municipal building started and was completed in 1955. Economic activities continued to flourish with the launching of gold mining operations by Mindanao Mother Lode Mines in Mabuhay, 10 kilometers away from the city. Rapid economic growth and immigration lead to losing some of its fishing and agricultural barrios as they were converted into towns of Malimono (July 31, 1956), Anao-aon (San Francisco) (May 24, 1957) and Sison (September 15, 1959). During the same year, settlements including Capalayan, Libuac, Catadman, Mat-i, Lipata, Dakung Patag, Bunyasan, Cantapoy, Balite, and Bambanon were elevated into barrios, the forerunner of modern-day barangays.^[11] At that time, Surigao was classified as a 1st Class B municipality with an annual income of P160,000.00 and a population of nearly 50,000. It was primarily an agricultural town producing mainly copra and basic staples including rice, corn, bananas and rootcrops. Fishing was also a major source of livelihood. On September 18, 1960, pursuant to the Republic Act 2786 dated June 19, 1960, the province of Surigao was divided into Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur.^[12] The town of Surigao remained as a capital, this time for the province of Surigao del Norte.

Surigao was on a rapid growth path despite the provincial split. Already, it had a domestic airport, three movie houses, three hotels and two hospitals. On November 19, 1964, the town was on the direct path of supertyphoon Ining, internationally code-named Louise-Marge, with peak winds at 240 kilometers per hour, considered among the strongest in the city's recorded history. The city sustained extensive destruction to property and high human casualties. In 1967, Pacific Cement Corporation started commercial operations in Mabuhay, Sison, producing top quality cement in the country. In 1969, Marinduque Mining Industrial Corporation, a Canadian company subsidiary, started commercial operations and export of vast nickel ore deposits in Nonoc Island, with an initial capitalization of Php1.0 billion pesos, ushering a new era of prosperity.

Cityhood

Pursuant to Republic Act No. 6134, Surigao was converted to a chartered city on August 31, 1970, with Pedro Espina as its first city mayor.

Geography

Surigao City is situated at the north-easternmost tip of Mindanao Island. It is bounded by Municipalities of Dinagat and Basilisa to the north, Philippine Sea and the Municipality of Cagdianao to the east, Municipalities of Sison and Tagana-an to the south, Mindanao Sea and the Municipality of San Francisco to the west and the Surigao Strait to the north-west.

Topography

Surigao City is marked by rolling hills that gently buffers its eastern and western boundaries. To the south-west towers the Kabangkaan Ridge which divides the city from the municipality of San Francisco (formerly Anao-aon). Kinabutan River (otherwise known as Surigao River) meanders Surigao valley before it empties to the Surigao tidal basin, a shrinking mangrove marsh due to rapid urban expansion. The city has an average elevation of 19 meters or 65.5 ft. above sea level. The highest elevation on the mainland at the Kabangkaan Ridge has a peak elevation of 465 meters above sea level. Along the border of Tagana-an is Mapawa Peak with an elevation of 245 meters above sea level. Barangays Cabongbongan, Nabago and Capalayan are at the foot of its slopes.

More than two dozen islands and islets make up two fifths of the city's total land area. They are separated from the mainland by Hinatuan Passage, which connects Mindanao Sea to the Pacific Ocean. Nonoc, the largest island, is typically hilly, with its highest elevation at 263 meters above sea level, and can easily be identified through its bare rusty-red weathering mantle of lateritic nickel ore. Hikdop Island, directly across the city proper, is known for the undersea Buenavista cave, with Mount Telegrapo, its highest point at 100.05 meters. Hinatuan Island, has been mined extensively during the later part of the last century, and straddles across Siargao Island. Other notable islands like Hanigad, Sibale, Bayaganan, Sumilon, Danawan, and Awasan are generally flat, and primarily covered with coconut palm trees. Large swaths of mangrove and nipa palm forests are familiar sights around the city's islands and coastal waterways.

Climate

Surigao has a tropical rainforest climate type, Köppen class Af with an average monthly precipitation of 308.66 mm (12.5 inches). It is distinctly wettest between the months of November until March. During the drier season between April and September, brief afternoon showers and thunderstorms locally called sobasco, are commonplace.

Barangays

Surigao City is politically subdivided into 54 barangays, 33 in the mainland and 21 in the islands. Of the 36 coastal barangays, 15 are in the mainland and 20 are in the islands. The urban area covers 15 barangays or approximately 20% of the total land area. These include Taft, Washington, San Juan, Sabang, Canlanipa, Cagniog, Luna, Togbongon, Rizal, Lipata, Punta Bilar, Mabua and Ipil.

The 21 island barangays are Alang-Alang, Alegria, Aurora, Baybay, Bilabid, Bitaugan, Buenavista, Cagutsan, Cantiasay, Catadman, Danawan, Libuac, Lisondra, Manjagao, Nonoc, San Jose, San Pedro, Sidlakan, Sugbay, Talisay, and Zaragoza.