Dapitan city

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Dapitan,  is a  city in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines on the island of Mindanao. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 77,441 inhabitants.

It is historically significant as the place where José Rizal was exiled by the Spaniards for his revolutionary activities. He is considered a national hero, and this is known as the "Shrine City in the Philippines." The city is also home to Fantasyland, the first amusement park in the Visayas-Mindanao region.

History

Dapitan traces its beginnings long before the Spanish conquistadores set foot on the island of Mindanao. Its earliest settlers were the Subanens, a nomadic tribe of Indonesian stock known to have settled and lived along the banks of the river or “suba” out of which their present day tribal identify originated. Fear of pirates taking shelter during foul weather in the natural harbors of Dapitan’s irregular coastlines forced the timid Subanens to move further into the hinterlands.
Early cartographers of the Philippines showed Dapitan’s location in their maps of Mindanao in varying names in which they had known it such as: “Dapito” in Kaerius’ map of 1598, “Dapite” in Dudley’s map of 1646, “Dapyto” in Sanson’s map of 1652, and “Dapitan” in Moll’s map of East Indies 1729 and in Murillo Velarde’s map of 1734.
There are two versions of how Dapitan got its name. One is from Fr. Urdaneta, who called the place “Daquepitan” which was later changed to “Dacpitan” and still later to “Dapitan” because of the difficulty in pronouncing the former. The second version is derived from the word “Dapit” which means “to invite” in the local Cebuano dialect. This refers to the original group of Boholanos from Panglao, Bohol who were invited by Datu Pagbuaya, the acknowleged founder of the city, to go with him to the “Dakung Yuta”, that is Mindanao, and the settlement they established was called Dapitan. This is the traditional version of how Dapitan got its name.
In various historical reports, there are authentic accounts of trading voyages in the early periods and it is hinted that commercial relations may have been established with Dapitan, already a thriving settlement. It is probable that interaction occurred with the traders and there may have been a mingling of culture.
In addition, the divergent cultures brought by the European invaders, the Americans, the Japanese and the different Visayan groups of settlers in Dapitan which caused the emergence of a distinct culture the present crop of Dapitanons have.
Dapitan was already a thriving settlement when Miguel Lopez de Legaspi arrived in 1595. It is believed that with Legaspi in the expedition were some Agustinian friars who converted the natives to Christianity. Foremost of the converts were Pedro Manooc, son of Pagbuaya, and Manooc’s daughter, Maria Uray.
Even long before the Jesuits were expelled from the Philippines in 1768, they had already established mission stations in Zamboanga, Dapitan, Iligan and Butuan. Outside of these strategic beachheads, however, the whole Mindanao hinterlands remained untouched by the Cross. The permanent Dapitan mission was founded in 1629 headed by a Jesuit missionary, Father Pedro Gutierrez.
It was only after the establishment of the Jesuit mission that a strong and stable form of government was finally erected. The Spanish authorities adopted the local form of government that was already existing but placed the officials under the absolute control of the Spanish government. The settlement came to be known as the “pueblo”, and its head variously called either “Datu”, “Capitan” or “Cabeza de Barangay”.
The politico-military commandancia of Dapitan until the end of the Spanish domination in 1898 was still dependent on Misamis. It was only during the revolutionary period that Dapitan became an integral part of the Filipino forces in Zamboanga.
During the American occupation, Dapitan continued to be a part of Zamboanga, one of the two districts comprising the Provincia Mora. Dapitan remained a part of Zamboanga province until 1952 when it was divided into two provinces, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur.
The first election for the Provincial Governor of Zamboanga took place in 1922. Atty. Florentino Saguin, a Dapitanon, won over two opponents who were leading citizens and political veterans of Zamboanga City. In the second regular election in 1925, another Dapitanon, Don Jose Aseniero, was elected governor of the province.
From a small town replete with history, Dapitan took a giant step forward and became a chartered city by virtue of Republic Act No. 3811 which was signed by then President Diosdado Macapagal on 22 June 1963, thus becoming the first city in the Province of Zamboanga del Norte. It is officially known as the “Shrine City of the Philippines”. It is one of the four cities of Region IX (Map 1) these are Zamboanga City, Pagadian City, and Dipolog City. Today, it is at the threshold of finding its rightful place in the global village.
While the Rizal Shrine is continuously attracting both domestic and foreign tourist, the City is an attraction by itself. Concrete and well paved roads, stretching to the coastal barangays in the north and towards the interior barangays have turned it into a showcase of beauty and cleanliness. The Dapitan Bay with its expanse of clean beaches is also a constant attraction to tourists.
Here lies the greatest potential of the City with respect to the Region and the regional economy. Its value in the tourism industry cannot be overstated and with proper support from the national leadership, this potential can still prove to be the triggering device towards development.
This history article is from the Dapitan City Government.

Places of Interest

Dapitan City Plaza (“Liwasan ng Dapitan”) also known as the City Square is the plaza which Dr. Jose P. Rizal beautified and developed during his exile. With the assistance of Spanish Politico-Military Governor of Dapitan, Gov. Ricardo Carnicero, Rizal made the Dapitan City Plaza comparable to the ones he saw in Europe. It has an area of one (1) hectare more or less. This was developed by Dr. Jose P. Rizal with the help of Gov. Ricardo Carnicero, a politico military of Dapitan City.

The site where Rizal disembarked from the steamer "Cebu" in 1565 with the arrival of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi. A 20-foot cross was erected to symbolize the propagation of Christianity in the locality of Dapitan.

This is a major historical landmark of Dapitan City. In August 1892, Dr. Jose P. Rizal together with Gov. Carnicero and a Spaniard living in Dipolog, luckily won a lotto bet which financially enabled Dr. Rizal to buy a 10 hectares piece of land from Lucia Pagbangon. In March 1893, Rizal then transferred to this place in barangay Talisay. Later on, his mother Doña Teodora Alonso, his sisters, and some relatives from Calamba, Laguna came and lived with him in Talisay until 1896. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines affected Republic Act No. 4363 which was approved on June 19, 1965. The Rizal Shrine was then declared as one of the National Shrines through Presidential Decree No. 105 issued by the late president Ferdinand E. Marcos on January 24, 1973.
Casa Real

Casa Real

Dr. Jose P. Rizal stayed here in Casa Real with Governor Ricardo Carnicero from his arrival until he moved to Rizal Shrine at barangay Talisay in March 1893. The looks of Casa Real is the same as the old City Hall with bamboo on each side, the upper portion is made up of woods. A replica of Case Real will soon rise near its marker.

Church

This church was built in 1871 in honor of St. James the Greater, Dapita's patron saint. The design of the interior walls is more or less 1 meter thick and still original except for the furnishing. The altar and the interior hane undergone several renovations. Inside is a historical spot where Dr. Jose P. Rizal, Philippines' National Hero, stood while hearing mass every Sunday. At the mezzanine is the priceless heritage organ that bears a year in the making - year 1827 at the choir loft. It was brought to Dapitan by the Agustinian Recollect fathers. A German made with European pipes. It is a manual pipe organ.

Commerce and Industry

Dapitan City is predominantly agricultural and majority of the populace depend on the land and water resources. Due to its terrain, which are more hilly and mountainous than plain areas, coconut is the main crop utilizing approximately 84 percent of the total land area. Fishing is the second occupation of the people, with more than 26 percent of the City's barangay along coastlines. An agricultural community that lacks of large manufacturing concerns characterizes the economy of Dapitan City. Except for a few small-scale manufacturing venture/industries, sari-sari stores predominate the commerce and industry of the City.

Festivals

Dapitan City has launched a diversified fiesta celebration of its Patron St. James or Señor Santiago for the locals through a three-in-one affair, combining religious, cultural and sports events in its Kinabayo Festival 2009.

The Kinabayo Festival kicks off July 16 and culminates on July 31 with various events taking place within the Shrine City of the Philippines.

Dagupan city

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Dagupan,  is an independent component city in the province of Pangasinan on the Lingayen Gulf  island of Luzon, Dagupan is a major commercial and financial center north of Manila. Also, the city is one of the centers of modern medical services, media and communication in Northern Luzon. Dagupan is situated within the fertile Agno River Valley.

The city is among the top producers of milkfish in the province. From 2001-2003, Dagupan's milkfish production totaled to 35,560.1 metric tons (MT), contributing 16.8 percent to the total provincial production. Of its total production in the past three years, 78.5 percent grew in fish pens/cages while the rest grew in brackish water fishpond.

Etymology

The city's name was derived from the local Pangasinense word pandaragupan, meaning "gathering place" as the city has been a regional market center for centuries.

History

Huangdom of Pangasinan
During the 15th century, Pangasinan had been the site of an ancient kingdom called the Huangdom of Pangasinan (Known as Feng-chia-hsi-lan in Chinese records). A succession of local kings starting from Huang Kamayin set the kingdom up as a trade-center exporting silver, horses and Torquise shells to the ports in Japan, Ryukyu and China which in turn, sold silks and samurai swords to the Kingdom of Pangasinan.

Spanish Occupation

The area that is now known as Dagupan was described as marshland thickly covered with mangrove and nipa palm trees.[8] The natives lived along the shoreline and riverbanks of Calmay, Pantal, and Bonuan. But there were also communities in Malued, Lasip, Pogo, and Bacayao. The natives called the area Bacnotan which would later be incorporated into the encomienda of Lingayen that was established in 1583.

The foreign traders would come to the Lingayen coast to trade gold that was brought down to the area by tribes from the Cordillera Mountains. Aside from traders, Filipinos also had experience with pirates from Japan and China. One of the Chinese corsairs was Lim Feng (in Fukienese, Lim A-hong), who would be known in Philippine history as Limahong.

Limahong sailed down the Ilocos coast with 62 ships and attacked Manila on November 30, 1574. The Spanish, however, under Mexico-born Juan de Salcedo repulsed Limahong's two attacks. The Chinese corsair repaired to Pangasinan to establish a colony at Bacnotan, invading and dissolving the local Kingdom of Pangasinan on December 2, 1574. But the Spanish conquistador Juan de Salcedo laid siege to his fortress for eight months by blocking the river outlets. Limahong purportedly broke through the siege by digging a channel from the Agno River through the Bacnotan marshes to Lingayen Gulf. Thereafter, Pangasinan was incorporated to Spain.

In 1661 a big fire hit Bacnotan during the Malong Revolt, led by Andres Malong of Binalatongan, against the forced labor and mandatory sale of local goods imposed by the Spanish colonial government. The fire broke out after Malong sent 3,000 supporters, most of whom were Zambal tribesmen, to Ilocos and Cagayan to fight the Spaniards. The people of Bacnotan, many of whom joined the Spanish forces in repelling the Zambal marauders, rebuilt the town and renamed it Nandaragupan, meaning where once stood the commercial center, indicating its early importance as a trade, commercial and political center in the region. In 1720, Nandaragupan was chartered as a town but its name was simplified to Dagupan. Malong was eventually beheaded in the city's Pantal bridge in 1661 by Spanish authorities.

Dagupan was also the birthplace of a ladino named Caragay, who led another uprising in 1719 against the provincial governor (alcalde mayor, in Spanish), who had him flogged for what appeared to be a false accusation of smuggling. Governor Antonio del Valle had Caragay arrested in the village of Nantagalan, northeast of San Jacinto and Mangaldan and flogged. Vowing vengeance, Caragay organized a band of men who hounded the governor until they were able to kill him. Historians view Caragay as a "model" of the revolts of Palaris and Diego Silang. In 1762, Dagupan would be one of the first towns to join the Palaris Revolt against Spain.

In 1780 Pantal, originally named Pantalan (port), became a trading center and docking station for merchant ships. At about the same time, the bangus industry thrived and mangrove swamps were converted into fishponds, starting the land conversions that would later have an impact on flooding and earthquake damage in the province. The opening of the Pantalan dock eased the transportation of goods from Pangasinan to other parts of the country, spurring the cultivation of idle lands in the eastern part and the development of fishponds in the western part of the province. The new dock also eased communications between the colonial government, its soldiers and the missionaries, who were tasked to colonize the natives in the Cordillera Mountains and the Cagayan Valley region and exploit its gold deposits.

In July 1787 the Spaniards began to build a road to connect Pangasinan and the Cagayan Valley, the home of several head-hunting tribesmen who refused to submit to Spanish rule. Although it took several years to complete, the road would play a vital role in the colonization of the Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera Mountains.

The Palaris and Silang revolts, which occurred simultaneously with the British Invasion of the Philippines demonstrated to the Spaniards the importance of ports in Pangasinan and Ilocos to the security of the entire island of Luzon. They thus became centers of Spanish governance and acculturation in the 19th century. When the port of Manila was opened to foreign trade in 1830, tobacco from Pangasinan and Cagayan Valley were shipped to the colonial capital via Dagupan and Lingayen. Foreign trading agents also began to make appearances in the two towns, starting a new era of prosperity, especially for the provincial gentry.

The Filipino scholar Maximo Kalaw found the description of the American writer David Barrows as appropriate:

The Filipino had now become embarked upon a new current of intellectual experience—a course of enlightenment which has been so full of unexpected development. Throughout the islands a class was rapidly growing up to which the new industries had brought wealth. Their means enabled them to build spacious and splendid homes of the fine hardwoods of the Philippines, and to surround themselves with such luxuries as the life of the islands permitted. This class was rapidly gaining education.

This was also true of the Dagupan gentry. Trade enriched many families and allowed them to send their scions to study overseas. These young men returned to the Philippines not only with technical knowledge in their chosen fields but also with the intellectual currents of the time, including constitutional republicanism which swept Spain in 1810.

News from the colonial government in Manila also reached Dagupan at a faster pace with the completion of the Manila-Dagupan Railway in 1891. The railway would play a significant role not only in the economic development of Pangasinan but also in the success of the Philippine Revolution.

Under the First Philippine Republic

Not much is known of Dagupeños involvement in the Katipunan and the first and second parts of the Philippine Revolution. But on March 7, 1898, the Dagupeños began a coordinated attack on Spanish forces that appears to have been planned months in advance. It is now known as the Battle of Dagupan (1898)

The Dagupeño leaders of the attack were Juan Solis Galvan, Teodoro Villamil, Pedro de Venecia, Macario Meneses and Daniel Maramba. They were under the overall command of Francisco Macabulos, who had just liberated the provinces of Pampanga and Tarlac. He was assisted by Ramon Manalang, who was based in Alaminos. Communications between Macabulos and Manalang were coordinated by Macario Meneses of Bonuan.

The Spanish forces were commanded by Federico Caballos, who had troops garrisoned at all the towns of Pangasinan. In Dagupan, he had men at the Colegio de San Alberto Magno, which guarded the western approach to the town; at the foot of Quintos Bridge, which guarded the east; and his main force at the Catholic church.

Although the revolutionary forces were ill-equipped (most of them armed only with bolos and lances), they attacked the Spaniards with an ingenious rolling trench. The "trenches" were made of several banana tree trunks, wrapped in sheets of dried nipa palm leaves. The trenches were seven feet in diameter and the revolutionists would roll them toward Spanish positions so they could fight them in close-quarter combat with their bolos and lances.

Galvan led the back at the Colegio de San Alberto Magno while Villamil and De Venecia swooped down on the enemies at Quintos Bridge. The Tagalog forces from Nueva Ecija, who were better armed, joined the Dagupeños who attacked the Spanish position at the church. The Dagupeños held the Spanish troops at bay in Dagupan while other revolutionists liberated other towns in the province. Maramba later joined the battle after fighting in Santa Barbara and Mangaldan.

By July 21, after four months and 16 days, Macabulos unleashed a concerted attack. Spanish and Filipino troops exchanged fire for two nights and a day before Caballos surrendered on July 23, 1898, six weeks after the Declaration of Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898.

After the town returned to normal, President Emilio Aguinaldo named Galvan president of the municipal council. Galvan was a ranking officer of the Katipunan. Galvan Street along which the public market was built was named after him.

Japanese Occupation

The Japanese planes bombed in Dagupan on December 1941 and through the occupying the Japanese forces on 1942. [9]The established of the military garrisons of the Imperial Japanese armed forces stationed in Dagupan. The general headquarters of the Philippine Commonwealth Army from 1942 to 1946 and Philippine Constabulary under the 2nd Infantry Regiment from 1944 to 1946 was active and stationed in Dagupan during the Japanese Occupation. Pangasinese freedom resistance was invaded on Dagupan from 1942 to 1945 and supporting local soldiers under the Philippine Commonwealth Army units and attacking Japanese and aftermath the three year conflicts by the guerrillas were retreating Japanese troops. Before the liberating American troops under the US Sixth Army was landed and invading Japanese troops at Lingayen Gulf on January 9, 1945. Stated the Battle of Pangasinan on 1945 between the Imperial Japanese and the combined United States-Philippine Commonwealth troops.

Allied liberation

On January 8–January 9, 1945, U.S. General Douglas MacArthur landed his amphibious liberation force in the city's "Blue Beach" section along the Lingayen Gulf. From his beachhead in Dagupan, along with those in neighboring towns Lingayen, Binmaley and San Fabian, MacArthur's forces under General Walter Krueger together with the Philippine Commonwealth troops under the Philippine Army and Philippine Constabulary units were able to penetrate Japanese defenses in Luzon island and liberate Filipino and allied prisoners of war near Cabanatuan in the province of Nueva Ecija, and in Manila's University of Sto. Tomas, among others.

Population/Language/Area

Dagupan City has a total population of 163,676. The average annual growth rate of the city is 0.69% and having a population density of 2,931person/square kilometer.
The digitized cadastral maps reveal that the sum of the lands within Dagupan’s boundaries is 4,446 hectares, bounded by the Lingayen Gulf in the north, San Fabian in the northeast, Mangaldan in the east, Calasiao in the south and Binmaley in the west. Land use is primarily for Agriculture with 35.98% of the total land area, fishpond, cropland, residential with 22.88%; others are for commercial, industrial, institutional, government private, parks, and roads.
The city is bounded by the Lingayen Gulf in the north, San Fabian in the northeast, Mangaldan in the east, Calasiao in the south and Binmaley in the west.

Products and Services

Dagupan City’s economic investment comes from cropland or agriculture production such as rice, and livestock/Poultry of swine, cattle, carabao, and goat. Poultry population produces 15,000 heads. There is also the Fishery and Aquatic Resources with the production of Bangus – 2,440 metric tons yearly, Tilapia and Sugpo (prawns).
Dagupan City specializes in the production of sugarcane, corn, rice, copra, salt, and alcoholic liquor produced from the nipa palm. The city is also famous for all sorts of Bangus specialty such as boneless marinated, boneless plain and regular bangus. The City also sells bagoong alamang (composed of salted small shrimp), terong (composed of salted bonnet mouth), Siganids (malaga) and Ipon (goby).

Tourist spots

Remnants of Franklin Bridge – this bridge connects the Downtown area and Calmay and later on sank in Calmay River with San Alberto Magno College during the biggest flood in 1935.
Dagupe Restaurant – this is the oldest establishment in the city located at Angel B. Fernandez Avenue.

Festivals and Celebrations

Bangus Festival – this is celebrated every month of April. This is the city’s way of featuring their bangus products with its unique taste. During the festival there are dancers and performers parading the city streets, all wearing or handling a bangus image with them.
Pigar-Pigar Festival – this festival promotes the city’s tasteful pigar-pigar made from local meat.

Danao city

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Brief History

There is no concrete record to support the story on how Danao got its name. Although in the 1960’s there were circularized copies of a story concerning the early founding of Danao, but the contents and substance were but clear reproduction of an old legendary version which related of a Spanish Captain by the name of Manuel Aniceto del Rosario who, as the story went, was commissioned by the early Spanish authorities in the province of Cebu to establish municipalities starting from what is now Danao City towards the northern part of Cebu as far as what is now presently the municipality of Borbon.
This developed when in compliance with his commission, Capt. Del Rosario went to said places to perform his duties. Riding on a horse on his way to the north after a place called Cotcot, he came upon a few natives who were resting and taking time bathing their carabaos in one of the many lakes in the area. Dismounting from his horse, the Captain took his rest and in a short while struck conversation with the surprised natives. Pointing vertically his forefinger to the ground where they stood, the captain inquired just what was the name of the place, with the impression that the stranger might have asked the name of the small lakes where their carabaos were resting, one of the native instantly replied: "DANAWAN" (a Cebuano dialect for small lake) which, according to the story, on account of the Captain’s defective sense of hearing, only heard and recorded the first syllable DA-NAO. Thus begun the early naming of the place DANAO.

Population/Location

According to the 2010 census, Danao city has a population of 119,252 people.

Danao City is located in the northeastern part of the Cebu province. Danao City is facing the Camotes Islands to the East. It lies in the eastern coast between the municipalities of Carmen – to the North, and Compostela – to the South. It is bounded to the West by the municipalities of Balamban, Asturias and Tuburan.

The Hundred Years of Democratic Government and System of Education in Danao City

The American soldiers came to Danao on August, 1900 with Gen. Lawton as the commanding officer.
They had an encounter with the Danawanon soldiers, but because of their superior weapons the soldiers and the civilians including their families fled to hinterlands to spare their life. Danawanons felt a reign of terror.
The leader of the resistance movement in Danao, Capitan Candelario M. Cuizon fled to Hagnaya in his farm. The American officer ordered to demolish the big residential house of Tan Dayong in the corner of now C.M. Enriquez and B. D. Durano streets.
A wedding in old Danao

His big sugar plantation, his big Camalig Bato or bodega of muscuvado sugar in Taboc and several sugar mills were set on fire by the American soldiers. Because of the destruction of his properties and business he came down to the Poblacion and pledged allegiance to the American government.
Capitan Victorino C. Buot, the Presidente Popular of Danao at that time was captured and put to jail in Fort San Pedro, Cebu City. He was forced to swear allegiance to the American government.

Few days after he was released and appointed as the first President Municipal of Danao on June 10, 1901, according to the Municipal Code of Danao Number 82. This Municipal Code was the establishment of the Democratic municipal government of Danao under the American regime.
Sr Agustin B. Tito, the former Juez de Paz de Danao (under the Spanish Era) was municipal vice-president. Sr Felix G. Batucan, the former maestro of Spanish class (during the Spanish Era) was the municipal treasurer.
Sr Antonio D. Lao was auxiliary municipal treasurer Sr Benito G. Enriquez, the Vice President of the Revolutionary soldiers in Danao was the Municipal Judge.
Sr Tomas G. Lao was chief of Police. Sr Jose Ma. Escalante, Spaniard (the former secretary of Capitan Vito during Spanish era) and his brother in-law was municipal secretary. The municipal councilors were Sr Alejandro B. Derecho, Sr Severo B. Duterte, Sr Catalino G. Buot, Sr Roman B. Gonzales, Sr Manuel Ma. C. Roble, Sr Valentes Mata (Capitan Municipal), Sr Fabian D. Casas (cabeza), Sr Macario Castro (cabeza).
Danawanons who hid in the hinterlands came down to the Poblacion and once again lived in Danao peacefully. The Danao folks were happy and life returned to normal.
On August, 1901, the Thomasites arrived aboard USS Thomas. The old teachers who served during the Spanish era were recruited to teach. They were trained in English by the Thomasites at night and during the daytime they taught English lessons.
The training lasted several months. Those who were trained were the prominent teachers during the last years of Spanish era. A few names were mentioned. They were Sr Felix A. Alvarez, Sr Amando G. Osmena, Sr Aquilino A. Tito, Sr, Alfonso Lao, Srta. Romana A. Alvarez, Sra. Leonarda A. Alvarez, Srta. Anunciacion C. Manipis, Srta. Maria Pasaol, Srta. Tomasa D. Casas, Srta. Canuta Almerez and other names who were no longer remembered. The first principal was an American educator Mr Vimien.
Children of school age were forced and obliged to attend classes. Those who hid and did not attend classes were caught and were sent to the classrooms. By the encouragement of Mr. Vimien, the enrollment increased. The rooms of the old school building built during the Spanish era in the year 1863 (now the City Central School) were not enough for the growing enrollment. The Old Cuartel de Civiles in the street now Bonifacio Street was used as classrooms. Classes were held in this tabique building.
The first graduate of the fourth grade class were made to teach in the barrios. This was the humble beginning of the democratic education in Danao.

Sources: The American Occupation in Cebu – by Jose Quisumbing

Danao gun industry

Danao City is well known for its gun industry. The industry started around 1905–1906. When World War II came, the Danao gunsmiths went underground, joined the guerrilla movement or were inducted into the USAFFE. Their main task was to re-chamber the Japanese Arisaka rifles to fit the US .30 caliber round or to keep the original Japanese rifle in good service.

The industry went on, still underground. In the 1960s, the term paltik was given to the homemade (and illegal) guns.[citation needed] In the early 1990s the industry was legalized by the government, with the creation of two organizations of local gunsmiths. The organization now left with proper permit is Workers League of Danao Multi-purpose Cooperative (World MPC), in Dungguan, Danao City.

Church

The oldest church in Danao and one of the oldest chuches built by the friars in Cebu province is Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Parish. It was built on 1755 by Fr. Manuel de Santa Barbara. It was made of materials that came from sugar cane and rocks from the sea. Very interesting about this church are the bells which are named after saints. The oldest bell is the San Alipio bell which was cast in 1845 and weighs 450 kilos. The Villanueva bell which weighs 630 kilos and the Sagrado Corazon bell which weighs 249 kilos were added in 1917. Most of all, never forget to venerate and ask for guidance to this saint and to Our Creator.

Landmarks/tourist attraction

Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Parish Church & Convent
The Spanish vintage church and convent. The oldest parish which was established in 1671 by the Augustinian Friars and reconstructed in 1981.

Children’s Paradise
Situated in Barangay Poblacion where the kids can enjoy freely its facilities and maintained by the city government.

City Plaza Rizal
It is an elevated plaza located at Poblacion. A place to stroll and jog at dawn.

Replica of Mt. Calvary
It is situated at the hill of Barangay Tuburan Sur. At the base of the hill is the Grotto of the Blessed Virgin of Lourdes.

Garden of Gethsemane
It is situated at Barangay Guinsay along its churchyard of St. Anthony de Padua Parish Church.
Mt. Manghilao
The highest mountain peak of Danao City where the wooden cross stands at the peak. It is ideal for nature lovers and mountain climbers.