History in Cagayan de Oro

Situated in the central coast of Northern Mindanao, the City of Cagayan de Oro is the second giant of the archipelago of all the mass of the Philippines. The history of the city dates back several hundred of years before the Spaniards came to inhabit the territory. At that time, Cagayan de Oro was called Kalambagohan. Himologan, the main town, was a fortress on top of a hill about 8 kilometers from Poblacion. Cagayan de Oro was already occupied by people by the year 350 AD.

Spanish Missionaries

In 1622, when Spanish missionaries first arrived in Cagayan de Oro, they came to Huluga, which was then called Himologan. During this period in 1622, the people of Cagayan had an offshoot relationship with Kudarat, the Muslim Sultan of the Maguindanao Empire in Cotabato.

In the year 1626, a friar named Fray Agustin de San Pedro arrived in Cagayan. He convinced Datu Salangsang, leader of the Himologan, to move the settlement downriver to an area which today is the Gaston Park and San Agustin Cathedral. It was here that Fray built his church and baptized Datu Salangsang, his wife and later the people of the settlement.

Retaliation

The issue of conversion by the settlement sparked off a series of assaults by the Muslim warriors. It was at this time due to the circumstances that the Catholic priest convinced the people to move from the hilltop to another place which is the current site of the Saint Augustine Cathedral. Here, Fray built a watch tower and wooden fortress to protect the people. This enabled the people to protect and defend themselves from the harassment of Muslim warriors for about 250 years.

In 1730, the fortress was rebuilt using stones. However, in 1875, Col. Jose Carvallo, who was the Spanish politico-military governor of Misamis, had the fortress demolished and the stones used to pave the streets of the town.

Katipunan Revolt

In August 1896, the Katipunan Revolt broke out in Luzon, and a month later on the 29th of September, 1896, a group of Filipino soldiers received instructions and mutinied against the Spanish soldiers. This is the only known Katipunan revolt in the whole of Mindanao. On the 10th of December, 1898, the United States and Spain signed the Treaty of Peace and Jose Roa y Casas was appointed as the First Governor of Misamis, and Totibio Chavez was appointed as the First Filipino Mayor of Cagayan de Misamis.

Independence Day

On the 10th and 11th of January, 1899, Cagayan de Misamis celebrated independence, This was the first time Filipinos declared the Aquinaldo Republic in Mindanao and raised the Philippine Flag on the island.