Dinagat Islands (
Cebuano: ''Mga Pulo sa Dinagat'';
Surigaonon: ''Mga Puyo nan Dinagat'';
Kabalian: ''Mga Puyo san Dinagat'';
Waray: ''Mga Purô han Dinagat'';
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
: ''Mga Islang Dinagat''), officially the Province of Dinagat Islands, is an island
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
in the
Caraga
Caraga, officially the Caraga Administrative Region (or simply known as Caraga Region) and designated as Region XIII, is an Regions of the Philippines, administrative region in the Philippines occupying the northeastern section of Mindanao. Th ...
region of the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
, located on the south side of
Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf is a gulf in the Eastern Visayan region in the Philippines. The bay is part of the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, and is bounded by two islands; Samar in the north and Leyte in the west. On the south of the bay is Mindanao ...
. The island of
Leyte
Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census.
Since the accessibility of land has be ...
is to its west, across
Surigao Strait, and
Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
is to its south. Its main island,
Dinagat, is about from north to south.
History
The province is known as one of the archipelago's holiest sites in the Pre-Christian native religion. It is here where the God of Hurricanes was persuaded to relent his attacks on the islands by Da, the God of Peace. The province in pre-colonial times was much influenced by the
Rajahnate of Butuan
Butuan also called the Butan Rajanate and the Kingdom of Butuan (; Butuanon: ; ; ) was a precolonial Philippine polity centred on the northern Mindanao island in the modern city of Butuan in what is now the southern Philippines. It was known f ...
which was nestled in present-day Agusan del Norte. It was also used as the entry point of the Rahajnate of Ternate, present-day Moluccas of Indonesia, to attack the Rajahnate of Butuan, Rajahnate of Cebu, the indigenous settlements in the Anda Peninsula of Bohol, and the Kingdom of Dapitan (located 'between' Panglao and Bohol), which later moved in northern Zamboanga after the Kingdom of Dapitan was destroyed.
Although one of the newest provinces of the country, settlements in the Dinagat Islands were already present during the Spanish regime as a result of migration of people from nearby provinces of Bohol and Leyte. The so-called mystical province played an important role in the country's history, particularly during World War II.
The municipality of
Dinagat is the oldest community in the province. In the early days, a story was told that a stranger reached the place in search of greener pastures. He approached a native and asked what the inhabitants do for a living. The natives said that they farm and fish to live. The stranger's interest in fishing prompted him to inquire where they fish, and the native replied and pointed to a place saying ''dinhi niini na dagat'' (here from this bountiful waters). Since then, the place was called "Dinagat".
The municipality was formally established in 1855. It occupies the territorial boundaries of the whole island. From 1890 to 1990 its boundaries were gradually reduced giving rise to six municipalities,
Loreto,
Cagdianao,
Libjo,
Basilisa,
Tubajon and
San Jose.
Loreto became a Spanish ''
pueblo
In the Southwestern United States, Pueblo (capitalized) refers to the Native tribes of Puebloans having fixed-location communities with permanent buildings which also are called pueblos (lowercased). The Spanish explorers of northern New Spain ...
'' on September 4, 1890, under the supervision of Governor General Manuel Sanchez by the virtue of ''Direccion General No. 30''. It was originally called ''Mabua'' due to the ever-foaming river that runs right into the center of the community. It was named ''Loreto'' in 1881 by the Spanish priest who frequents the town, in honor of the wife of the ''Alcalde Mayor'' of the Province of Surigao.
The province was the site of the historic
Battle of Surigao Strait
The Battle of Leyte Gulf ( fil, Labanan sa golpo ng Leyte, lit=Battle of Leyte gulf; ) was the largest naval battle of World War II and by some criteria the largest naval battle in history, with over 200,000 naval personnel involved. It was fou ...
during the Second World War. The Municipality of Loreto became the entry point of the American Liberation Forces on October 17, 1944. It was on this shore that the 6th Ranger Battalion of the 6th U.S. Army under Col. Mucci landed at Sitio Campintac of Barangay Panamaon in Loreto. It was during this landing that the first American flag flew on Philippine soil since the Japanese invasion in 1941. The Americans named the place "Black Beach No. 2."
The northern part of the island served as a refuge for the American soldiers, while the western border was held by Japanese forces. Capsized vessel structures are still found today in the waters of Basilisa.
On December 23, 1959,
Cagdianao was created into a municipality under ''Executive Order No. 367''.
Its name came from the Spanish word ''Cada dia linao'' meaning "everyday peaceful and calm". However, some scholars say that its name came from the
Visayan
Visayans ( Visayan: ''mga Bisaya''; ) or Visayan people are a Philippine ethnolinguistic group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, the southernmost islands of Luzon and a significant portion of Mindanao. When taken as a single ethnic group ...
word ''Taga Danaw'' meaning "the lake people".
Libjo was created into a municipality and named ''Albor'' on February 29, 1960, under ''Executive Order No. 381''.
It was taken from the municipalities of
Dinagat and
Loreto. ''Albor'' came from the surname of the mayors of Loreto and Dinagat — Alfaro and Borja. It was renamed as ''Libjo'' on June 17, 1967. The name came from the word ''Liboo'', a kind of mussel clam.
In 1965, Ruben Edera Ecleo Sr. founded the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA) at Sitio Puyange, now Poblacion in San Jose. PBMA is a non-sectarian organization bounded by a strong spirit of brotherhood. Not long after that, members from all over the Philippines migrated to the island to be in constant association with their founder.
Meanwhile,
Basilisa became a municipality on June 17, 1967, under ''
Republic Act
This article contains a partial list of Philippine laws.
Sources of Philippine laws
;Notes
: *Customs may be considered as supplementary source of law, however, customs which are contrary to law, public order or public policy shall not be ...
No. 4986''. It was then named as ''Rizal'', after the country's
national hero.
The municipality was renamed as Basilisa on June 21, 1969, under ''Republic Act. No. 5775''.
Tubajon, which was once a barangay of Loreto, became a municipality on June 21, 1969, under ''Republic Act No. 5643''.
The newest municipality is
San Jose, created on November 15, 1989, under ''Republic Act No. 6769''.
The town was named in honor of Jose Ecleo who was its pioneer and father of then mayor of the municipality of Dinagat, Ruben Edera Ecleo Sr. The town is the seat of the PBMA.
The Dinagat Islands was part of the First District of Surigao del Norte Province until it became a province on December 2, 2006, with the approval of ''Republic Act No. 9355'' (authored by Rep. Glenda B. Ecleo), the Charter of the Province of the Dinagat Islands, in a
plebiscite
A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of ...
.
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...
appointed the province's first set of officials on January 26, 2007.
Provincial officials were first elected a few months later, in the
May 14, 2007 elections; these elected officials took office on July 1, 2007.
On February 11, 2010, the
Supreme Court of the Philippines declared the creation of the Dinagat Islands Province null and void on grounds of failure to meet land area and population requirements for the creation of local government units.
The decision was not yet rendered final and executory before the
May 10, 2010 elections; therefore the
Commission on Elections
An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission, a c ...
still organized the elections for the province's separate
congressional representative and provincial officials.
Although the original decision was made final and executory on May 18, 2010—thereby reverting the Dinagat Islands to Surigao del Norte—the officials elected in 2010 continued to serve the province, even throughout the legal battles that followed, which eventually saw the Supreme Court reverse its position.
On April 12, 2011, the Supreme Court reversed its earlier ruling,
upholding the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 9355 and validating the creation of Dinagat Islands as a province. An Entry of Judgment on October 24, 2012, ended the legal battles surrounding the status of the province, and finalized the separation of Dinagat Islands from Surigao del Norte.
Geography
The province is one of the smallest island provinces in the country with a total land area of . Located to the northeast of
Surigao del Norte, the Dinagat Islands are separated physically from Awasan and Nonoc Islands of
Surigao del Norte by the narrow, long, Gaboc Channel. It takes about 45 minutes to cross
Surigao City
Surigao City, officially the City of Surigao ( Surigaonon: ''Siyudad nan Surigao''; ceb, Dakbayan sa Surigao; fil, Lungsod ng Surigao), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Surigao del Norte, Philippines. According to t ...
Port to San Jose Port by
pump boat.
The province consists of the eponymous
Dinagat Island
Dinagat Island is an island located northeast of Mindanao in the Philippines.
Until December 2006, it was part of the province of Surigao del Norte
Surigao del Norte ( Surigaonon: ''Probinsya nan Surigao del Norte''; ceb, Amihanang Surigao; ...
and surrounding islands and islets, including
Cabilan Island in
Dinagat,
La Isla Aga and
Lalaking Bukid in
Basilisa,
Kisses Islets in
Libjo, and
Hibuson,
Stingray Islet, and
Puyo Islet in Loreto.
Mount Redondo on
Dinagat Island
Dinagat Island is an island located northeast of Mindanao in the Philippines.
Until December 2006, it was part of the province of Surigao del Norte
Surigao del Norte ( Surigaonon: ''Probinsya nan Surigao del Norte''; ceb, Amihanang Surigao; ...
is the highest point of the province reaching above sea level.
Climate change
The Dinagat Islands province is among the top 20 most vulnerable provinces to
climate change in the Philippines.
Administrative divisions
The Dinagat Islands province comprises seven
municipalities, all encompassed by a
single legislative district.
Demographics
The population of the Dinagat Islands in the 2020 census was 128,117 people, with a density of .
The original inhabitants of the province are called "Lumad", while residents of the Dinagat Islands are called "Dinagatnon". The Dinagat Islands is predominantly a
Cebuano-speaking province. However, towns facing the Surigao del Norte maritime border are
Surigaonon-speaking, particularly the municipalities of
Dinagat and
Cagdianao due to their proximity to the province of Surigao del Norte. Barangay Panamaon and the historic
Hibuson Island in
Loreto speak
Waray-Waray. Influences of the Cebuano and
Boholano languages with a
Tausug accent can be traced. Most can also speak various levels of
Tagalog and
English.
Religion
Religious breakdown in the province shows
Roman Catholicism at majority with 53% adherence while
Iglesia Filipina Independiente
, native_name_lang = fil
, icon = Logo of the Philippine Independent Church (Aglipayan Church).svg
, icon_width = 80px
, icon_alt = Coat of arms of the Philippine Independent Church
, image ...
or Aglipayan is the significant minority religion at 23%. Other minority religions are the
Church Body of Christ- Filipinistas (12%),
United Church of Christ in the Philippines
The United Church of Christ in the Philippines (Tagalog: ''Ang Nagkaisang Iglesia ni Cristo sa Pilipinas''; Ilokano: ''Nagkaykaysa nga Iglesia Ni Cristo iti Filipinas'') is a Christian denomination in the Philippines. Established in its present f ...
(4%),
Iglesia ni Cristo (3%) and other smaller Christian groups (Dinagat Island Socio Economic Factbook, 2007).
Recent cultural, religious and socioeconomic changes of the province have allowed the rebound of Roman Catholics (and Aglipayans in some degree) and their numbers have constantly increased; the province had experienced a Catholic decline in several decades (1970s-early 2000s) due to immigration of the members of Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association in the 1960s. There were some decades (1990s-2000s) where Roman Catholics became minority with as low as 37% of the population.
Several religious conflicts were recorded in the province. But at present, religious harmony is relatively observed in most parts of Dinagat Island.
Government
The Governor of the Dinagat Islands is the local chief executive of the province of the Dinagat Islands.
The Representative of the Dinagat Islands is the congressperson of the province of the Dinagat Islands in the House of Representatives.
Economy
Tourism
Dinagat Islands is a young island-province at the northern tip of
Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
. Many describe Dinagat Islands as a hidden gem of the
Caraga Region XIII. The Islands are enriched with great bio-diversity, abundant natural wonders and rich resources. Dinagat Islands has a multitude of fascinating white sandy beaches with arrays of colossal rock formations. These sites and attractions are as diverse as the topography of the islands and islets.
The province is known for its caves, resorts, and beaches. These include Bitaug Beach, Campintac Black Beach No. 2, Linao Spring Resort, and San Juan Cave (all in Loreto), Lake Bababu, Puerto Prinsesa Beach & Hagakhak Cave in Basilisa, Tagberayan Beach, Sayaw Beach, Legaspi Water Falls, Hinabyan and Leandro's Beach Resort in Cagdianao, Talisay Beach in Tubajon, Quano Blue Lagoon and Quano Cave, Ben Paz Mountain Resort and Oasis Islet Resort in Libjo, and the Cab-ilan Beach & Cab-ilan Gamay Beach in Dinagat.
Environment and wildlife
The Dinagat Islands is one of the most environmentally significant provinces in the Philippines, where
endemism
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
of fauna is unique in its region. Animals that are endemic to the province include the critically endangered
Dinagat bushy-tailed cloud rat that was rediscovered in 2012 after decades of disappearance,
the endangered
Dinagat hairy-tailed rat,
Dinagat gymnure that has been declared by the EDGE Species Programme of the
Zoological Society of London as one of the top 100 most evolutionary distinct and globally endangered species in the world, and a strange sub-species of the
Philippine Tarsier that is unusually larger and darker in color than the common Philippine tarsier. The province is highly forested and is considered as a Key Biodiversity Area by
Haribon Foundation
The Haribon Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources, Inc., simply known as Haribon Foundation, is a nature conservation organization in the Philippines. The name "Haribon" ("bird king") is a reference to the Philippine eagle. The gro ...
and the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources ( fil, Kagawaran ng Kapaligiran at Likas na Yaman, DENR or KKLY) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for governing and supervising the exploration, developmen ...
of the Philippines because of its unique fauna and flora, along with its lush rainforests that are classified as primary forests, or forests that have never been fully obliterated since pre-colonial times.
References
External links
*
*
Charter of the Province of Dinagat Islands (Republic Act No. 9355)
{{Authority control
Provinces of the Philippines
Archipelagoes of the Philippines
Archipelagoes of the Pacific Ocean
Islands of Mindanao
Island provinces of the Philippines
States and territories established in 2006
2006 establishments in the Philippines