Dapitan

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Use Philippine English Template:Template other Dapitan, officially the City of Dapitan (Template:Langx; Subanon: Gembagel G'benwa Dapitan/Bagbenwa Dapitan; Template:Langx), is a component city in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 85,202 people.Template:PH census

It is historically significant as the place where José Rizal was exiled by the Spanish colonial authorities for his threat to start 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 Gloria's Fantasyland, the first amusement park in Mindanao.

History

Precolonial era

The earliest settlers of Dapitan were the Subanens, a nomadic tribe of Austronesian stock known to have settled and lived along the banks of the river or “suba” out of which their present-day tribal identity originated.

In 1564, the people of the Dapitan Kingdom, headed by Pagbuaya, initially based on Bohol, migrated to what is now Dapitan after their territory was subjugated. The polity existed until 1595, when Dapitan was brutally subjugated by the Spanish colonizers.

Spanish colonial era

Early cartographers of the Philippines showed Dapitan's location on their maps of Mindanao in varying names, 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.

Dapitan was already a thriving settlement when Miguel López de Legazpi arrived in 1595. It is believed that some Augustinian friars accompanied Legazpi's expedition, who converted the natives to Christianity. Foremost of the converts were Pedro Manooc, son of Pagbuaya, and Manooc's daughter, Maria Uray. A permanent mission was founded at Dapitan 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 established. 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.

Cityhood

On June 22, 1963, President Diosdado Macapagal signed R.A. 3811 which converted Dapitan into a chartered city. On November 8, 1963, president Macapagal signed Proclamation No. 179 which also converted Dapitan into a city, with him appointing Germanico Carreon and Francisco Hamoy as the city's mayor and vice mayor respectively on November 12. It is officially renowned as the "Shrine City of the Philippines."

Geography

Dapitan is situated at the mouth of the Dapitan River on Dapitan Bay, and is the northernmost point of the Zamboanga Peninsula. It is about south of Metro Manila; to Zamboanga City; and to Dipolog.

Barangays

Dapitan is politically subdivided into 50 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

Currently, there are 8 barangays which considered urban, 27 are interior, 13 are coastal, and 2 are island barangays. In 1955, the sitios of Sipalok, Barcelona, and Potungan were converted into barrios.

Barangays of Dapitan
Administration			Population
Barangay	Class	Barangay Captain	2020Template:PH census	2015Template:PH census	5 year change
Aliguay	Island	Lyn Marie B. Evardo	Template:Change
Antipolo	Interior	Zosimo P. Sygaco	Template:Change
Aseniero	Interior	Elma O. Tacbaya	Template:Change
Ba-ao	Interior	Lucila B. Bagalanon	Template:Change
Bagting	Urban (Poblacion)	Raul B. Carreon	Template:Change
Banbanan	Coastal	Eutemio E. Bulay-og	Template:Change
Banonong	Urban (Poblacion)	Hamilcar F. Tacbaya	Template:Change
Barcelona	Interior	Gregorio A. Jarapan Jr.	Template:Change
Baylimango	Coastal	Zenelo B. Obnimaga	Template:Change
Burgos	Interior	Gil D. Quimiguing	Template:Change
Canlucani	Coastal	Marvin B. Balanay	Template:Change
Carang	Coastal	Merba L. Yabo	Template:Change
Cawa-cawa	Urban (Poblacion)	Delfin A. Malingin	Template:Change
Dampalan	Interior	Alexander D. Villa	Template:Change
Daro	Interior	Diosdada T. Sangual	Template:Change
Dawo	Urban (Poblacion)	Francis Dick R. Dy	Template:Change
Diwa-an	Interior	Dioscoro S. Caermare	Template:Change
Guimputlan	Coastal	Carmelito E. Bulay-og	Template:Change
Hilltop	Interior	Edgardo E. Bulagao	Template:Change
Ilaya	Interior	Predemar D. Quizo	Template:Change
Kauswagan (Talisay)	Interior	Hazel E. Sapalleda	Template:Change
Larayan	Interior	Nerio B. Seripa	Template:Change
Linabo	Urban (Poblacion)	Arsenia D. Adrias	Template:Change
Liyang	Interior	Nicomedes D. Catahay	Template:Change
Maria Cristina	Interior	Narciso A. Jumuad Jr.	Template:Change
Maria Uray	Interior	Marlon B. Aseñas	Template:Change
Masidlakon	Interior	Felix P. Tacbaya	Template:Change
Napo	Coastal	Lilia S. Adasa	Template:Change
Opao	Interior	Ludivico E. Hamoy	Template:Change
Oro	Coastal	Junito S. Tagapan	Template:Change
Owaon	Interior	Meneciano S. Dajuela	Template:Change
Oyan	Interior	Rene G. Senio	Template:Change
Polo	Coastal	Oscar S. Balladares	Template:Change
Potol	Urban (Poblacion)	Clifford D. Hamoy	Template:Change
Potungan	Interior	Dick L. Dangcalan	Template:Change
San Francisco	Interior	Cipriana B. de los Santos	Template:Change
San Nicolas	Interior	Clark C. Carreon	Template:Change
San Pedro	Coastal	Cyrus I. Alipoyo	Template:Change
San Vicente	Coastal	Arniel R. Lacquio	Template:Change
Santa Cruz	Urban (Poblacion)	Miguel B. Gahisan Jr.	Template:Change
Santo Niño	Coastal	Crisologo R. Jumuad	Template:Change
Selinog	Island	Felix B. Tuballa	Template:Change
Sicayab-Bucana	Coastal	Danilo B. Sardane	Template:Change
Sigayan	Interior	Liza S. Lear	Template:Change
Sinonoc	Interior	Maribel A. Petalcorin	Template:Change
Sulangon	Interior	Edwin S. Carreon	Template:Change
Taguilon	Coastal	Rene D. Galleposo Jr.	Template:Change
Tag-ulo	Coastal	Sheila B. Sumalpong	Template:Change
Talisay (Matagobtob Poblacion)Template:Efn	Urban (Poblacion)	Marilyn O. Frankera	Template:Change
Tamion	Interior	Tarcisio G. Bayron	Template:Change
City of Dapitan			Template:Change
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority – Philippine Standard Geographic Code – City of Dapitan – Barangays

Taguilon

File:Dakak Beach Resort.jpg

Dakak Beach Resort

Taguilon is home to the Dakak Park and Beach Resort. It is a producer of coconut and agar (based on sea weed) as well as a fishing port. The pier in Taguilon is a secondary/alternate port to the main passenger/cargo port in Dapitan. Additionally, during severe storms at sea, ferries and other ships find shelter in the Taguilon cove. One can find the mount Lalab overlooking the islets of Silinog and part of Balyangaw.

Talisay

Talisay is a seaside barangay where José Rizal spent four years in exile. A park and shrine honoring the Philippine national hero can be found in the José Rizal Memorial Protected Landscape, a protected area declared in 2000, located in the old Rizal farm site in the barangay.

Government

Mayors of the City of Dapitan

Rodolfo A. Carreon Sr., January 1960 to November 1963

Germanico A. Carreon, November 12, 1963 to April 30, 1986

Buensorceso Carpio, December 1, 1987 to February 2, 1988

James A. Adasa, 1988 to 1998

Joseph Cedrick O. Ruiz, 1998 to 2001

Rodolfo H. Carreon Jr., 2001 to 2004

Dominador G. Jalosjos Jr., 2004 to 2010, December 2010 to May 2012

Patri B. Chan, June to November 2010; May 2012 to January 27, 2013

Agapito J. Cardino, January 28, 2013, to June 30, 2013

Rosalina G. Jalosjos, July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2022

Seth Frederick P. Jalosjos, June 30, 2022 to June 30, 2025

Evelyn T. Uy, June 30, 2025 to present

File:Dapitan Zamboanga del Norte.png

Old seal of the city, NHCP version

Dapitan's seat of government, the City Hall, is located at the Dapitan Government Center in Barangay Dawo. The local government structure is composed of one mayor, one vice mayor and ten councilors all elected through popular vote. Two ex officio members are added to the City Council with one representing Dapitan's 50 Barangay Captains being the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) President, and one representing Dapitan's 50 Barangay Youth Council Presidents being the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation President. Each official, with the exemption of the ABC and SK Presidents, is elected publicly to a 3-year term and can be re-elected up to 3 terms in succession. The day-to-day administration of the city is handled by the city administrator.

Tourism

Liwasan ng Dapitan (Dapitan City Plaza)

Dapitan City Plaza ("Liwasan ng Dapitan"), also known as the City Square, was beautified and developed by Dr. José Rizal during his exile. With the assistance of the Spanish Politico-Military Governor of Dapitan, Gov. Ricardo Carnicero, Rizal made the City Square comparable to those he saw in Europe. It has an area of one hectare, more or less.

Punto del Desembarco de Rizal

Rizal disembarked in Punto del Desembarco de Rizal (Rizal's Point of Disembarking). A 20-foot cross also stands in the place to symbolize the propagation of Christianity in the locality of Dapitan.

Rizal Park and Shrine

Rizal Park and Shrine is a major historical landmark in Dapitan. In August 1892, Rizal, together with Governor Carnicero and Francisco Equilor, a Spaniard living in Dipolog, won a lottery bet which financially enabled Dr. Rizal to buy a 10-hectare piece of land from Lucia Pagbangon. Rizal moved to the area in which the shrine currently stands in March 1893. Later on, his mother, Doña Teodora Alonso Realonda, his sisters, and some relatives from Calamba, Laguna, came and lived with him in Barangay Talisay (which is where the shrine is located) until 1896. Rizal Shrine was declared a national shrine through Presidential Decree No. 105 issued by then-President Ferdinand Marcos on January 24, 1973.

Casa Real

Rizal stayed in Casa Real with Governor Carnicero from his arrival until he moved to the present-day location of Rizal Shrine in Barangay Talisay in March 1893. The appearance of Casa Real is similar to that of the old city hall, with bamboo on each side and the upper portion made up of wood. A replica of Casa Real will soon rise near its marker.

St. James the Greater Church

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

Cotta de Dapitan

Established in 1761, the fort was made to monitor the waters of northern Zamboanga. The fort was made on top of the sacred Ilihan Hill. Currently, the fort is in dire need of conservation.

Festivals

Dapitan has launched a diversified fiesta celebration of its Patron St. James or Señor Santiago, whose memorial is celebrated every July 25, for the locals through a three-in-one affair, combining religious, cultural and sports events in its Kinabayo Festival.

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

Transportation

Sea

File:Dipolog Dapitan ferry port.JPG

Port of Pulauan

Dapitan is served by the Port of Pulauan in barangay San Vicente (albeit ferry schedules often list the destination as Port of Dipolog, a neighboring city). There are daily ferries from/to Dumaguete and from/to Cebu City.

Air

Dapitan is catered by Dipolog Airport through Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific. From Dipolog take a shuttle bus to Dapitan which is 20–30 minutes ride, that's 12 kilometers from the airport to the City proper of Dapitan.

Notable personalities

• José Rizal (b. 1861 - d. 1896) - national hero
• Martha Cecilia (b. 1953 - d. 2014) - Filipino writer of Tagalog romance pocketbook novels
• Gazini Ganados (b. 1995) - Filipino fashion model and beauty pageant titleholder who became Binibining Pilipinas 2019 Universe and part of Top 20 of Miss Universe 2019.
• Theodore Boborol (b. 1979) - A renowned film and television director in the Philippines.

Sister cities

Local

• Template:Flagicon Zamboanga City, Philippines
• Template:Flagicon Dipolog, Philippines
• Template:Flagicon Davao City, Philippines

International

• Template:Flagicon Litoměřice, Czech Republic

External links

• Official website
• [[[:Template:NSCB detail]] Philippine Standard Geographic Code]