Misamis Oriental is comprised of 23 Municipalities, 2 key component Cities of El Salvador and Gingoog, and 1 Capital – the highly urbanized Cagayan de Oro City. The province is home to some of the biggest industrial, manufacturing and agricultural companies in the world. It is also home to one of the country’s busiest airports - the Laguindingan International Airport towards the West and the 30 -
Hectare Mindanao International Container Port to the East. The province is blessed with fertile soils, natural land and seascapes with abundant biodiversity. Misamis Oriental is a center of convergence for both business and eco-tourism. The earliest known settlers of the territory were the Negritoes. Centuries later, people of Malay descent with various blend of Mongolic characteristics fought against the natives for control of the Cagayan river coastal plains. The struggle for the possession of land went on between different evolving races until the native Visayans, the offshoot of lowland inhabitants, won over the Bukidnons. In the 1500’s, most of the areas in Mindanao had fallen under the Muslim sway and the inhabitants were converted to Islam. Misamis Oriental, however, was only nominally under Muslim rule with an obligation to pay a yearly tribute. NAME OF THE PROVINCE
“Misamis” is derived from the word “MISA” which is the Spanish term of mass. When Christianity was yet new in the Philippines, the work “MISA” was shouted by converts every time priests traveled in areas around the province. Thus, over a period of time, the Spanish Missionaries started calling the province by the name Misamis. Other sources revealed the work “Misamis” is derived from “KUYAMIS”, a variety of sweet coconut, which was the staple food of the earliest known Negrito settlers of the territory. The work “KUYAMIS” was corrupted to Misamis when the Spanish colonizers came. POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS
Misamis used to be a part of the province of Cebu. In 1818 it became a corregimiento comprised of four (4) partidos or divisions: Partido de Misamis, Partido de Dapitan, Partido de Cagayan and Partido de Catarman. During the latter part of the 19th century, Misamis was one of the six (6) districts of Mindanao, and later, one of the seven (7) districts of Mindanao and Sulu at the close of the Spanish era with Cagayan de Misamis, now Cagayan de Oro, as its capital. When it was still a part of the district of Cebu, there were twelve (12) Spaniards and nine (9) Filipinos who successively served as “governadores” with Major Jose Carabillo as the first governor in 1874. Legislative Act No. 3537, approved in November 1929, divided the province of Misamis into two provinces due to lack of geographical continuity: Misamis Oriental and Misamis Occidental. However, it was not until ten years later that the division was implemented by Amendment Act No. 3777, adopted on November 28, 1939. When Misamis Oriental became a separate province, Don Gregorio was its first Governor. Since then there were twenty three (23) gubernatorial terms of office occupied by twenty three (23) governors who were elected and appointed by operation of law. LOCAL GOVERNANCE
Act No 3354, approved in November 30, 1927, divided the province of Misamis into two provinces due to lack of geographical contiguity. The two provinces resulting from this division are Misamis Oriental and Misamis Occidental. However, it was not until twelve (12) years later that the division was implemented by an amendment, Act No. 3777, adopted on November 28, 1939. When Misamis Oriental became a separate province, Don Gregorio Pelaez was its first Governor.Since then, there were twenty seven (27) gubernatorial terms of office occupied by governors who were either electe3d or appointed by operations of law. Emano was the elected governor of the province in the first local election held on January 18, 1988, after the lifting of martial law. He was re-elected to another term of office as the governor of this province in the May 12, 1992 synchronized (national and local) elections. He was re-elected once more as governor of the province, this time for his third term, on May 1995. GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
Misamis Oriental is one of the five provinces of Northern Mindanao. Falling between eight degrees twenty eight minutes thirty eight seconds five hundred sixteen latitude (8028’38”516 Lat.) and one hundred forty two degrees thirty eight minutes thirty five seconds two hundred thirty five Longitude (142038’35”235 Long.), the province is located along the northern coast of the island of Mindanao. The province is bounded on the north by Macajalar Bay, on west by Iligan Bay, on the south and south-west by the provinces of Bukidnon and Lanao de Norte and the east by Agusan del Norte. CLIMATE
Two types of climates in the province are based on rainfall distribution. The first type, which occurs in the eastern municipalities of Kinoguitan to Magsaysay,. has a very pronounced maximum rainfall from November to January and generally wet the whole year. The second type, which occurs in the central and western part of the province, is relatively dry from November to April and wet during the rest of the year. It covers the municipalities of Sugbongcogon, in the east and down to Lugait in the west. The climate is usually pleasant with warmer days and cooler nights. LANGUAGE / DIALECTS
Cebuano, Tagalog, Maranao, Hiligayon, Ilonggo, Waray and English. POLITICAL SUBDIVISION /POPULATION
Misamis Oriental is one of the 22 provinces of Mindanao and one of the 4 provinces of new Region 10. It has two cities, Cagayan de Oro, the capital, and Gingoog City, a component city, Misamis Oriental “Eco Adventure” and twenty four (24) municipalities with three hundred forty nine (349) barangays. The province is divided into districts, comprising the following municipalities with its corresponding 1995 population estimates:
FIRST DISTRICT
1. Balingasag – 43, 172
2. Lagonglong – 32, 552
3. Salay – 18, 180
4. Binuangan – 5, 439
5. Sugbongcogon – 5,141
6. Kinoguitan – 9, 718
7. Balingoan – 6, 736
8. Talisayan – 17, 732
9. Medina – 22, 818
10. Gingoog City – 83, 937
11. Magsaysay – 21, 742
SECOND DISTRICT
1. Claveria – 32, 204
2. Jasaan – 32, 552
3. Villanueva – 20, 542
4. Tagoloan – 42, 095
5. El Salvador – 30, 547
7. Alubijid – 21, 964
8. Laguindingan – 15, 578
9. Gitagum – 11, 578
10. Libertad – 8, 870
11. Initao – 23, 776
12. Naawan – 13, 949
13. Manticao – 23, 877
14. Lugait – 12, 615
