Cagayan de Oro City is known as City of the Golden Friendship way back when Cagayan de Oro is being recognized as a city, because of its people’s beautiful smiles and warm welcome for visitors. Cagayan de Oro City’s history way back from centuries marks a very important role in all Kagay-anons for knowing the roots of the homeland. When the Spaniards came to Cagayan de Oro, the territory was called as Kalambagohan. Cagayan de Oro City was derived from the Malayo-Polynesian term “Kagayan” which means place with a river and “Oro” which means gold in Spanish. The early habitats of the City were believed to have situated in the late Neolithic era. These habitats were island natives that lived in a settlement called “Himologan”. The settlement is located 8km in the present day of Cagayan de Oro City and is known as Huluga of the present time.
The early habitats of Cagayan de Oro City were polytheistic animists who believed and commune with dead and live spirits. The early settlers of Cagayan de Oro also had a tributary relationship to the Sultan of Maguindanao named Kudarat. However, the settlers did not embrace Islam while they were paying tributes to the Sultan.
During these times, early Kagay-anons suffered from great harassment from Sultan Kudarat. Sultan Kudarat’s men took every livelihood of the settlers while they were paying tributes to the sultan. In 1622, two Spanish missionaries came to have contact with the natives of Himologan. These two missionaries persuaded the leader of the settlers named Datu Salangsang to move down river (Gaston Park at the present).
By 1622, Fray Agustin de San Pedro (one of the Spanish missionaries) fortified the new settlement against the men of Sultan Kudarat. Several attacks of the emissaries of Sultan Kudarat were repulsed and then they never came back. This came to a result of Spanish dominance in the year 1738.
In 1818, Misamis gained the status of province; one of the four districts was Partidos de Cagayan. The Partidos later on became the permanent capital of Misamis in 1871. Not much later the town became the seat of the Spanish government in Mindanao in the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Bukidnon and Lanao Del Norte in 1883. The city turned out from being a farming-fishing area to a progressive commerce and trade center in the province.
After sometime, war broke out in the Philippines, leading some of the bravest Kagay-anons to repel against American military forces. One of these brave men was Major Apolinar Velez who successfully won the Battle of Makahambus in July 04, 1900. After years of war and trouble, the city began to rebuild itself.
Former President Elpidio Quirino later on signed Republic Act No. 521 on June 15, 1950 declaring that Cagayan de Oro city is now a chartered city. From then on, developments followed and socio-economic order went to far-reaching changes. These changes allowed the Cagayan de Oro City to become the city we are today. For having a highly-urbanized and fast-progressive city, all thanks should be given to our ancestors.
Be proud Kagay-anons of our history because if it wasn’t for the past, our city wouldn’t be as fortified and progressive as it is today.
