Bislig City

Bislig City

Infobox Settlement
official_name = City of Bislig
sealfile =
native_name = "Dakbayan sa Bislig"
"Lungsod ng Bislig"
nickname = Bislig


sealfile =
mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Map of Surigao del Sur showing the location of Bislig City
map_caption1 = Map of Bislig City
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Philippines
subdivision_type1 = Region
subdivision_name1 = CARAGA (Region XIII)
subdivision_type2 = Province
subdivision_name2 = Surigao del Sur
subdivision_type3 = Districts
subdivision_name3 = 2nd district of Surigao del Sur
subdivision_type4 = Barangays
subdivision_name4 = 24
established_title = Incorporated (town)
established_date = 1921
established_title1 = Incorporated (city)
established_date1 = September 18 2000
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Alberto Tan
leader_title1 = Vice Mayor
leader_name1 = Conrad Cejoco
area_total_km2 = 488.86
elevation_m = 25
population_as_of = 2000
population_total = 97,860
population_density_km2 =
timezone = PST
utc_offset = +8
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 8311
area_code = 086
website = http://www.bislig.gov.ph/

Bislig City is a 4th class city in the province of Surigao del Sur, Mindanao Philippines. Bislig is approximately 208 kilometers northeast of Davao City, 152 kilometers south of Tandag (the provincial capital) and 158 southeast of Butuan City. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 97,860 people in 18,269 households.

Currently, the city is developing a sea port at Barangay Lawigan for the convenience of people travelling to other provinces. The concrete runway of the commercial airport can accommodate light commercial planes of the Fokker 50 class, though today the airport is only used for the occasional private plane.

Bislig's main tourist attraction is Tinuy-an Falls, known as the "Niagara Falls" of the Philippines. It is a white water curtain that flows in three levels about 55 meters high. It is one of the best waterfalls in the entire Philippines because of its majestic and unique natural formation. Its colorful picture was once appeared in the International Travel Magazine.

Barangay Mangagoy is the center of trade of the city. It houses national and local banks. Telecommunication is efficient -- Internet, cellular phones, cable televisions and leased data lines are available. There are also good inns and hotels. Motorized tricycles, jeepneys, and buses ply its concrete roads and highways.

Bislig is the home of PICOP Resources, Inc., one of the largest paper mills in the country, and also formerly the largest paper mill in Asia. Its concession is a sanctuary of the Philippine Eagle.

A local dialect, called Kamayo (spelling uncertain), is sometimes used by the residents, though they usually use the more general Visayan language of the region.

In 2000, Bislig was converted into a city. [ [http://www.nscb.gov.ph/factsheet/pdf01/fs1_01.asp NSCB - 2001 Factsheet - 12 New Cities Created] , July-December 2000.]

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History

Bislig in the annals of Philippine historical heritage is rich in her recorded past dating back since the dawn of civilization in this part of Mindanao. It has had its rich, turbulent and bloody, but dynamic transition that had eventually led to its present social, economic, physical and political structure.

The legendary allusions as to how Bislig got its name dates back to the era prior to the coming of the Spanish conquistadors. The town got its name from a forest vine of the rattan family that grew in abundance along the banks of its rivers. This vine was noted for its strength and became known for saving a royal couple who crossed the swollen river in one of their hunting expeditions and who almost died as they were carried downstream by the rushing current. The legend has it that these hunters had already lost hope of surviving until they were able to cling to a vine which was about 1/4 inch in diameter called Bislig. As a sign of thanksgiving, the ruler named this place Bislig.

Historically, Bislig derived its name from the word “bizlin”, a kind of gold, “which is worth two pesos a tael. The weight of a tael is one and one-eight ounces” in the 16th century, which the natives used for trade and barter. Prior to the coming of Spaniards, this terminology was understood in Luzon and in Mindanao. In the report of the Administrator of Royal Properties Andres Mirandaola dated September 8, 1573 sent to King Phillip of Spain that “much gold found in the island of Mindanao, District of Butuan, Surigao …” It is believed that this kind of gold found in the rolling hills and mountains of the southernmost portion of Bislig and Agusan Province.

However, historical records shows that the name has been variously spelled by the Spanish chroniclers. Conquistador Miguel de Loarca, in his extreme exploratory survey trip of the archipelago, first mentioned and spelled it Beslin in his historical accounts “Relacion de los Yslas Filipinas” in 1582, as well as in the Confirmaciones de Encomienda (1616- 1700) which Bislig was under the encomienda of Alferez Juan delas Marianas in 1619. In the “Historia general de los religiosos descalzos del orden de San Agustin” of Fray Andres de San Nicolas in 1664 spelled it Bislin and also in the “Historia general… del Orden de San Agustin” of Fray Luis de Jesus in 1681. A Franciscan writer, Fray Juan de San Francisco de San Antonio spelled it Baslig in his “Cronicas” in 1738. Other Spanish chroniclers spelled it Bislic and Bisliq.

In the first detailed map of the Philippines in 1749, published in “Historia de la Provincia de Philipinas” by a Jesuit, Father Pedro Murillo Velarde spelled it Bislig, as did in the “Historia General …” of Fray Pedro San Francisco de Assis in 1768 and in the “Mapa dela Provincia de Caraga” by Francisco Alegre in 1751. A complete statistical data of District of Caraga compiled in 1750 spelled as Bislig, and also in the document titled “Provincia de San Nicolas de Tolentino de Agustinos descalzos dela Congregacion de España y Indias” in 1879.

From the time on, it is known and spelled as Bislig.

The first inhabitants of Bislig were believed to have come from the Agusan Valley in the hinterlands of Mindanao beyond the Magdiwata Mountains. These people used spears, bows and arrows and lived a semi-nomadic life and were called Manobos.

They were ruled during the later part of the seventeenth century by a native leader called "Bagani", meaning a formidable leader. They were very brave, tough and war-like. They also introduced edible crops such as rice, corn and rootcrops to the area.

At the turn of the century, Spanish Colonizers and Missionaries imposed the rule of Spain and brought with them Tagalogs, Ilongos, and Visayans from the North as members of their expeditionary forces.

Long before it became a town on January 1, 1921 per Executive Order No. 62 issued by Governor General Francis Burton Harrison on December 28, 1920 with Primitivo A. Castillo as its first Municipal President, Vice-President: Sulpicio P. Laurente & Councilors: Ciriaco Alba, Bartolome Alvar, Higino Basañez, Escolastico Carmen, Tomas Masancay, Basilio Dua, Macario Tenchavez. Bislig was already an established political instrumentality or "pueblo" in the Province of Surigao (now Surigao del Sur and Surigao del Norte). Earlier, the province was a part of an even bigger territory stretching from Northeastern Mindanao down to the island's Southeastern "pueblo" of Caraga and Man-ay in Davao Oriental. Caraga was originally the seat of political, military and religious authority.

Since then efforts were made to improve and develop Bislig until the advent of Citihood campaign in 1999 and by virtue of Republic Act No. 8804 Bislig was converted into a component city duly ratified and approved in a plebiscite conducted in September 18, 2000.

Barangays

Bislig City is politically subdivided into 24 barangays.

References

External links

* [http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/default.asp Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
* [http://maps.google.com/?ll=8.184985,126.357536&spn=0.042818,0.058537&t=k&om=1 Bislig City Google Maps Image]


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