Butuan City

Situated at the Northeastern region of Agusan Valley extending across the Agusan River is Butuan City, known for its colorful history and culture. BUTUAN is a term believed to have originated from the sour fruit “Batuan”. Others opined, it came from a certain “Datu Buntuan”, a chieftain who once ruled Butuan. Scholars alleged, it came from the word “But-an”, which factually means a person who has sound and perceptive nature. Whichever concepts come out convincing relies on the class of people residing in Butuan, for whatever is said about them, Butuan continues to live on.

Butuan’s past, culture, arts and people date back to the 4th century as showcased in museums which makes Butuan an exhilarating foundation of cultural artifacts in Mindanao.

In early 10th century, according to the Chinese Song Shi, people from Butuan had already instituted trading interactions with the kingdom of Champa in what is now South Vietnam. By the 11th century, Butuan was the core of business in the Philippines. The preeminent proofs to attest this truth is the sightings of 9 barangays and other archeological finds in the neighborhood of Butuan City, particularly in Ambangan, Libertad near the old EL RIO de BUTUAN and MASAO River.

History

Controversy have been created with regard to the holding of the first masss—whether it was held in Limasawa, Leyte in Masao, Butuan City, in the concealed island made up of barangays Pinamanculan and Bancasi inside Butuan, in the latest exposed spot in between Agusan del Sur and Surigao Sur, the little barangay of Barobo, or elsewhere. It is sure, however, that Ferdinand Magellan did not plunge anchor by the mouth of Agusan River in 1521 and hold mass to remember the event which was held at Mazaua, an island separate from 1521 Butuan which was in the geographical formation of Europeans who wrote about it was a bigger unit than what it is now. Antonio Pigafetta who wrote an eyewitness account of Magellan's voyage portrayed in text and in map a Butuan that extended from today's Surigao up to the top edge of Zamboanga del Norte.

The first public election in Butuan took place on March 1902 in agreement with Public Law No. 82 which matched with the American profession of the place.

During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in World War II, Butuan was destroyed to the ground when the guerrilla forces invaded the adversary garrison during the middle of 1943. In 1945, entered of the Philippine Commonwealth troops in Butuan together with the Allied Filipino guerrillas invaded the Japanese forces during the Battle of Agusan Hill. On October 20, 1948, still recuperating from the war, the whole municipality was wrecked by a fire.

The boom of the logging industry during the 1950s up the middle of 1970s has made Butuan the "Timber City of the South". The outcome of which was the arrival of business and fortune seekers from other provinces. The once sluggish town abruptly turns into an active district. The progressing logging industry stimulated and encouraged Congressman Marcos M. Calo to file a bill transforming Butuan into a city. On August 2, 1950, Butuan became a city by virtue of Republic Act No. 523 otherwise known as the City Charter of Butuan.

From being a chartered city, Butuan was reclassified into a highly urbanized city onFebruary 7, 1995 pursuant to the provision of section 166 and 168 of Local Government code of 1991 and Memorandum circular 83-49 of the ministry of local Government. The re-classification was based on its result and inhabitants as certified by the ministry of finance and national census and statistics office.