Dalaguete, officially the Municipality of Dalaguete (; ), is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

in the

province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

Cebu Cebu ( ; ), officially the Province of Cebu (; ), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a ...

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 74,596 people.

History

The dalakit (''

Ficus benjamina ''Ficus benjamina'', commonly known as weeping fig, benjamin fig or ficus tree and often sold in stores as just ficus, is a species of flowering plant in the family Moraceae, native to Asia and Australia. It is the official tree of Bangkok. The ...

'') tree is the foundation of the origin and name of Dalaguete. They highly consider this tree for their belief that it harbors spirits or ''

diwata ''Anito'', also spelled ''anitu'', refers to ancestor spirits, nature spirits, and deities in the Indigenous Philippine folk religions from the precolonial age to the present, although the term itself may have other meanings and associ ...

s'' who could impose sickness if maltreated or hand in fortunes and gifts if placated. When fully grown, the intertwining roots are exposed from the earth and form huge caverns that could house several people. In ancient times, before the coming of the Spaniards, these trees had been used by people as major landmarks. People gathered under the encompassing shades and conduct social and economic activities such as festivities, contest, trading meetings, and other community gatherings. They establish market places under the shades of the dalaket where they sell their products and conduct trade with local roving traders bringing in Chinese and Asiatic goods from the port of Cebu. The place where the church or the poblacion were laid would have been the site of a communal gathering area for the natives. It was also the abode of a huge dalakit tree which provide shade and shelter while people conduct their activities. ''"Adto ta mag-abot sa dalakit". "Adto ta magtigom-tigom sa dalakit"'' et us meet at the dalakit These and other phrases were common among locals of centuries past when coming up with an agreement to meet or conduct an activity specifically at the site where the dalakit is situated. For several generations in pre-Hispanic Dalaguete, the area has always been unofficially called as dalakit. Its accessibility and its reputation as a communal area for community gathering have prompted the Spanish authorities to construct the church and eventually establish the area as part of an encomienda. From this common ground, and from this tree, begun the conception of a larger town which later come to be known as Dalaguete.

Geography

Located south of

Cebu City Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu, is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 964,169 people, making ...

, Dalaguete is bordered to the north by the town of

Argao Argao, officially the Municipality of Argao (; ), is a municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 78,187 people. Geography The municipality of Argao is located in the southeast of the ...

, to the west are the towns of Badian and Alegria, to the east is the

Cebu Strait Cebu Strait (Tagalog language, Tagalog: ''Kipot ng Cebú''; also Bohol Strait) is a strait in the Central Visayas region in the Philippines. Geography The Cebu Strait (and its 3 channels, the Mactan Channel, Mactan, the Olango Island Group, Ol ...

, and to the south is the town of

Alcoy Alcoy (; ; officially: / ) is an industrial and university city, region and municipality located in the Valencian Community, Spain. The Serpis river crosses the municipal boundary of Alcoy. The local authority reported a population of 61,135 r ...

Land characteristics

* Land Area: * Topography: 85% hilly and mountainous with more than 30% slope * Land Use: ** 45% protected area and watersheds ** 30% agriculture (prime area for vegetable production in the province) ** 6% built-up area (proj. 2010: 6 - 15%)

Climate

Tropical climate prevails year round in Dalaguete. The temperature is high and varies little with a difference of about between the coldest month which occurs around January and hottest month around May. The mountain barangays are cold and Mantalongon is considered the "Little

Baguio Baguio ( , , ), officially the City of Baguio (; ; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...

of Cebu". Average daytime temperatures except in mountainous region range from . Humidity is 77%.

Barangays

Dalaguete is politically subdivided into 33 barangays. Each barangay consists of

purok A ''purok'' () is an informal division within a barangay in the Philippines. While not officially considered a local government unit (LGU), a ''purok'' often serves as a unit for delivering services and administration within a barangay. ''Pur ...

s and some have

sitios A ''sitio'' (Spanish language, Spanish for "site") in the Philippines is a territorial enclave that forms part of a barangay. Typically rural, a ''sitios location is usually far from the center of the barangay itself and could be its own bar ...

Demographics

Religions

Economy

Palengke - Dalaguete Public Market 01 by Flypegassus

* Agriculture: farming, fishing * Products: vegetables, fish * Cottage industry: blanket & mat weaving, basket making * Mineral Resources: ice stones, lime red stone, lime pink stones, wood stones, phosphate, coal

Utanon Festival

Dalaguete celebrates its annual town fiesta in honor of its patron saint, San Guillermo, every 9 and 10 February. One of the highlights of the celebration is the street dancing and showdown competition called "Utanon Festival". Utanon Festival is also a form of thanksgiving for all the blessings and graces the Dalaguetenons have received from San Guillermo and for giving them a place so rich in agriculture and music. Utanon Festival is a celebration of good harvest through dance and music. The town is known as the "Vegetable Basket of Cebu" and Mantalongon as the "Summer Capital of Cebu".

Education

The public schools in the town of Dalaguete are administered by two school districts under th
Schools Division of Cebu Province
Elementary schools: * Ablayan Elementary School — Ablayan * Amonsao Elementary School — Sitio Amonsao, Catolohan * Babayongan Elementary School — Babayongan * Balud Elementary School — Balud * Banhigan Elementary School — Banhigan * Bulak Elementary School — Bulak * Caleriohan Elementary School — Caleriohan * Caliongan Elementary School — Caliongan * Cancabalong Elementary School — Sitio Cancabalong, Obo * Canlawilao Elementary School — Sitio Canlawilao, Dumalan * Casay Elementary School — Casay * Catambisan Elementary School — Sitio Catambisan, Mantalongon * Catolohan Elementary School — Catolohan * Cawayan Central Elementary School — Cawayan * Consolacion Elementary School — Consolacion * Coro Elementary School — Coro * Dalaguete Central Elementary School — Osmeña Avenue, Poblacion * Dugyan Elementary School — Dugyan * Dumalan Elementary School — Dumalan * Jolomaynon Elementary School — Jolomaynon * Karatagan Elementary School — Sitio Karatagan, Caliongan * Lanao Elementary School — Lanao * Langkas Elementary School — Langkas * Libo Primary School — Sitio Libo, Catolohan * Lugsangan Elementary School — Sitio Lugsangan, Tabon * Lumbang Elementary School — Lumbang * Malones Elementary School — Malones * Maloray Elementary School — Maloray * Manangal Elementary School — Mananggal * Manlapay Elementary School — Manlapay * Mantalongon Elementary School — Mantalongon * Nalhub Elementary School — Nalhub * Obo Elementary School — Obo * Obong Elementary School — Obong * Panaguikan Elementary School — Sitio Panaguikan, Tapon * Panas Elementary School — Panas * Sacsac Elementary School — Sacsac * Salug Elementary School — Salug * Sampig Elementary School — Sitio Sampig, Mantalongon * Tabon Elementary School — Tabon * Tuba Elementary School — Sitio Amonsao, Catolohan * Tubod Elementary School — Sitio Tubod, Obong High schools: * Caleriohan National High School — Caleriohan * Caliongan National High School — Caliongan * Casay National High School — Casay * Cawayan National High School — Cawayan * Dalaguete National High School — Poblacion * Dumalan National High School — Dumalan * Manlapay National High School — Manlapay * Mantalongon National High School — Mantalongon College/University *

University of the Visayas The University of the Visayas (UV) is a private institution located in Cebu City, Philippines. It is the first school in the province of Cebu to attain university status. History Vicente Gullas (1898–1970) founded the University of the Visa ...

- Dalaguete Campus — Pedro Calungsod Street, Poblacion

References

Sources

External links

Philippine Standard Geographic Code The Philippine Standard Geographic Code (PSGC) is a systematic classification and coding for geographic areas in the Philippines. It classifies areas based on the country's four levels of administrative divisions: regions, provinces, municipalities ...

{{Authority control Municipalities of Cebu