Agusan del Norte

Agusan del Norte, officially the Province of Agusan del Norte (Cebuano: Amihanang Agusan; Butuanon: Probinsya hong Agusan del Norte; Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Hilagang Agusan, Lalawigan ng Agusan del Norte), is a province in the Caraga region of the Philippines. Its de jure capital is the city of Cabadbaran with several government offices located in the highly-urbanized city of Butuan, which is the largest city and its de facto capital as well as the regional center of Caraga Region. It is bordered on the northwest by Butuan Bay; northeast by Surigao del Norte; mid-east by Surigao del Sur; southeast by Agusan del Sur, and southwest by Misamis Oriental.

Agusan del Norte
Puting Bato mountains in Cabadbaran Provincial Capitol in Butuan Santiago River
Flag Seal
Location in the Philippines
Coordinates: 9°10′N 125°30′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Caraga
Founded	17 June 1967
Capital	Cabadbaran
Administrative center	Butuan
Largest city	Butuan
Government
• Governor	Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante-Matba (PDP–Laban)
• Vice Governor	Enrico Corvera (PDP–Laban)
• Legislature	Agusan del Norte Provincial Board
Area [1]
• Total	2,730.24 km2 (1,054.15 sq mi)
• Rank	48th out of 81
	(excluding Butuan)
Highest elevation (Mount Hilong-Hilong)	2,012 m (6,601 ft)
Population  (2024 census)[2]
• Total	404,100
• Rank	64th out of 81
• Density	150/km2 (380/sq mi)
• Rank	62nd out of 81
	(excluding Butuan)
Demonym	North Agusanon
Divisions
• Independent cities	1 Butuan (Highly urbanized city)
• Component cities	1 Cabadbaran
• Municipalities	10 Buenavista Carmen Jabonga Kitcharao Las Nieves Magallanes Nasipit Remedios T. Romualdez Santiago Tubay
• Barangays	167 including independent cities: 253
• Districts	Legislative districts of Agusan del Norte (shared with Butuan)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PHT)
IDD : area code	+63 (0)85
ISO 3166 code	PH-AGN
Spoken languages	Cebuano Butuanon Agusan Higaonon Mamanwa Surigaonon Tagalog English
Income classification	3rd class
Website	www.agusandelnorte.gov.ph
‡ As per Republic Act No. 8811, Cabadbaran is the province's official capital. However, the provincial government still holds office in Butuan, pending the actual transfer of provincial offices to the new capital.

History

Spanish colonial era

Further information: Agusan (province)

Map of Agusan province in 1918

Prior to its creation as an independent province, Agusan, as it was once undivided, was under the jurisdiction of Surigao province during the Spanish colonial period.

American colonial era

In 1907, Agusan province was created as a separate province by the Philippine Commission with two sub-provinces — Butuan and Bukidnon.^[3][4]

Japanese occupation

During World War II in 1942, the Japanese Imperial forces landed in Northern Agusan.^{[further explanation needed]}

In 1945, Filipino soldiers of the 6th, 10th, 101st, 102nd, 103rd, 107th and 110th Infantry Divisions of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the 10th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary together with the recognized Agusan guerrilla fighter units began the liberation of Northern Agusan from Japanese forces during World War II.^{[further explanation needed]}

During the war, a unit of the joint Philippine-American defense force were located at Manot, Talacogon, in the interior of the Agusan Valley.

Philippine independence

In 1967, Republic Act 4979 divided Agusan into two independent provinces: Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur.^[5]

Contemporary

On August 16, 2000, the seat of provincial government was transferred from Butuan to Cabadbaran through Republic Act 8811,^[6] although the province is yet to complete the transfer of provincial services and functions to the new capital.

The capital town of Cabadbaran became a component city by virtue of Republic Act No. 9494 which sought to convert the municipality into a city. The law was ratified on July 28, 2007. However, the cityhood status was lost twice in the years 2008 and 2010 after the LCP questioned the validity of the cityhood law. The cityhood status was reaffirmed after the court finalized its ruling on February 15, 2011 which declared the cityhood law constitutional.

Geography

Landscape in Tubay

Agusan del Norte is situated in Mindanao's western section of Caraga. It is bordered on the northwest by Butuan Bay; northeast by Surigao del Norte; mid-east by Surigao del Sur; southeast by Agusan del Sur, and southwest by Misamis Oriental. Agusan del Norte has a total land area of 2,730.24 square kilometres or 1,054.15 square miles. When Butuan is included for geographical purposes, the province's land area is 3,546.86 square kilometres (1,369.45 sq mi).^[7]

The central portion of the province forms the lower basin of the third longest river in the country, the Agusan, its mouth located at Butuan Bay. Consequently, the terrain surrounding the river features flat to rolling lands. Mountainous terrain dominate the northeastern and western areas.^[4]

The country's fourth largest lake, Lake Mainit is situated at the northern border between the province of Surigao del Norte.^[8]

Administrative divisions

Agusan del Norte comprises 10 municipalities and 1 component city. There are 253 barangays (including the independent city of Butuan).

The city of Cabadbaran is the officially designated capital of the province per Republic Act 8811.^[6] The highly urbanized city of Butuan is geographically within but administratively independent from the province.

Political map of Agusan del Norte

	City or municipality [i]		Population			±% p.a.	Area[7]		Density (2020)		Brgy.
			(2020)[9]		(2015)[10]		km2	sq mi	/km2	/sq mi
	Buenavista		17.8%	68,892	61,614	+2.15%	475.61	183.63	140	360	25
	Butuan City∞	‡	—	372,910	337,063	+1.94%	816.62	315.30	460	1,200	86
	Cabadbaran City	†	20.7%	80,354	73,639	+1.68%	214.44	82.80	370	960	31
	Carmen		6.0%	23,172	20,839	+2.04%	311.02	120.09	75	190	8
	Jabonga		6.4%	24,855	23,184	+1.33%	293.00	113.13	85	220	15
	Kitcharao		5.5%	21,278	18,659	+2.53%	171.92	66.38	120	310	11
	Las Nieves		7.8%	30,240	28,414	+1.19%	582.69	224.98	52	130	20
	Magallanes		5.8%	22,293	21,007	+1.14%	44.31	17.11	500	1,300	8
	Nasipit		11.6%	44,822	41,957	+1.27%	144.40	55.75	310	800	19
	Remedios T. Romualdez		4.4%	17,155	16,058	+1.27%	79.15	30.56	220	570	8
	Santiago		7.4%	28,657	24,200	+3.27%	275.61	106.41	100	260	8
	Tubay		6.7%	25,785	24,932	+0.64%	138.09	53.32	190	490	13
	TOTAL [ii]			387,503	354,503	+1.71%	2,730.24	1,054.15	140	360	166
		†  Provincial capital and component city					Municipality
‡  Highly urbanized city (geographically within but independent from the province)
The globe  icon marks the city/town center. Total figures exclude the highly urbanized city of Butuan.

∞ Largest settlement

Demographics

Population census of Agusan del Norte

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1903 13,752 —     1918 24,729 +3.99% 1939 64,121 +4.64% 1948 88,917 +3.70% 1960 177,333 +5.92% 1970 146,959 −1.86%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1975 168,053 +2.73% 1980 192,932 +2.80% 1990 237,629 +2.11% 1995 267,411 +2.24% 2000 285,570 +1.42% 2007 309,338 +1.11%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 2010 332,487 +2.66% 2015 354,503 +1.23% 2020 387,503 +1.89% 2024 404,100 +1.01%
(excluding Butuan) Source: PSA[11][10][12][13][14]

The population of Agusan del Norte in the 2020 census was 387,503 people,^[15] making it the country's 64th most populous province. It had a density of 140 inhabitants per square kilometre or 360 inhabitants per square mile.

When the highly urbanized city of Butuan is included for geographical purposes, the province's population is 691,566 people, with a density of 195 inhabitants per square kilometre (510/sq mi).

Cebuano is the most common language spoken in the province. Tagalog and English are also widely used and understood, often used for administrative functions by the local government and in education and business. Indigenous inhabitants in the province speak their respective languages and dialects fluently in addition to Cebuano. Descendants of other settlers from Luzon and other parts of Visayas speak their own respective ethnic languages to varying degrees by their respective communities within the province.

Religion

Catholicism

Further information: Roman Catholic Diocese of Butuan

In 2013, the Diocese of Butuan (Catholic-Hierarchy) reported that Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion of the province comprising roughly 71% of the population. Significant minority belongs to Iglesia Filipina Independiente with 10% .^{[citation needed]}

Others

The remaining beliefs usually belong to other Christian denominations like Members Church of God International (MCGI)^[16] as well as Islam. Indigenous peoples also practice their ancient beliefs, although many of them have been converted to Christianity in recent years.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Agusan del Norte

10 20 30 40 50 2000 17.96 2006 44.07 2009 45.93 2012 34.67 2015 32.82 2018 24.38 2021 23.50 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[17][18][19][20][21][22][23]

The economy of the province is dominantly agricultural, major crops of which include rice, corn, coconut, abaca, banana and mango.^[24] Agusan del Norte is also home of the 24.9mw Lake Mainit Hydro Power Plant and 8mw Asiga Hydro Power Plant that will serves Agusan del Norte.^[25]

Government

Current Provincial Capitol in Butuan (Left) and unfinished New Provincial Capitol in Cabadbaran (Right)

Agusan del Norte has two congressional districts encompassing its 10 municipalities and 1 component city, as well as the highly urbanized city of Butuan.

District	Representative[26]	City or municipality	District population (2015)
Lone	Jose S. Aquino II	Butuan	365,477
Lone	Dale B. Corvera	Buenavista Cabadbaran Carmen Jabonga Kitcharao Las Nieves Magallanes Nasipit Remedios T. Romualdez Santiago Tubay	326,089

Tourism

The province has many beaches in Cabadbaran and the municipalities of Carmen, Buenavista, Magallanes, Tubay, and Nasipit. Mount Hilong-Hilong, one of the tallest mountain peak in the province, is located within two boundaries in City of Cabadbaran and the Municipality of Remedios T. Romualdez.

From the top of Prayer Mountain (Mount Pongkay), visitors can have a panoramic view of Cabadbaran which includes buildings, churches, rivers and the sea. The Agusan River, the longest in Mindanao and the third longest in the Philippines is in Butuan. Looming southwest of the Agusan Valley is Mount Mayapay, a mountain plateau. The ancient Balangay boats were found in Butuan, excavated in the Balangay Shrine across the Masao River from Bood Promontory. They played a major role because of Butuan being a port city. Since its discovery, the Balangays have become an icon of Butuan. The Kaya ng Pinoy, Inc. recreated the Balangay boats and have sailed it as part of their project, the Balangay Voyage.

Notable personalities

Within the province jurisdiction

• Soledad Duterte - a Filipino teacher and activist, known as the mother of President Rodrigo Duterte (Cabadbaran)
• Edelmiro Amante - former Executive Secretary, Congressman, Assemblyman and Presidential Consultant for Mindanao Flagship Projects (Cabadbaran)
• Erlpe John Amante - former Governor and former Representative. In 2014, he was awarded as Outstanding Filipino Achiever in Public Service by the Golden Globe Annual Awards for Business Excellence (Cabadbaran)
• Maria Angelica Rosedell Amante - current governor and former representative (born in Cabadbaran)
• Sylvia Sanchez - actress (Nasipit)

Outside the province jurisdiction (highly-urbanized city of Butuan)

Main article: Butuan § Notable personalities