HISTORY OF CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY

Cagayan de Oro City, The name "Cagayan" is originated from the Malayo-Polynesian word "ag,"
which means water. "Kagay", where the word ag is present means river, and Kagayan means "a
place with a river." While "de Oro" originated from the Spanish term "Golden”. This City was
previously just colonized by island natives who referred to the area as Himologan. Around 377
C.E., these immigrants came to this area.
In 1622, The two Spanish Augustinian Recollect missionaries came in contact with these natives
of Himologan who then converted them into Christianity. Later in 1626, the Augustinian
Recollect friar " Fray Agustin de San Pedro" arrived in Cagayan, a Portuguese who had studied
mathematics, architecture, gunnery, and military strategy at the University of Salamanca. He then
persuaded Himologan's leader, Datu Salangsang, to transfer his settlement down the river, to the
region of today's Gaston Park and San Agustin Cathedral. Fray Agustin built a church out of
local materials here. He baptized Datu Salangsang and his wife, and then his people.
In 1738, the Spaniards' impact was seen across Cagayan de Oro. Partidos de Cagayan was one of
Misamis' four districts when it was elevated to the level of a province in 1818. The "Partidos"
became a town and the official capital of Misamis in 1871. A year later, Cagayan was designated
as the permanent capital of the Segundo Distrito de Misamis. The town's name was changed to
Cagayan de Misamis.
On June 15, 1950, President Elpidio Quirino signed Republic Act No. 521, which granted the
Municipality of Cagayan de Misamis the status of chartered city. This was made possible by the
efforts of then Cagayan de Oro Congressman Emmanuel Pelaez. And then Cagayan de Oro was
then declared a highly urbanized city by the Ministry of Local Government on November 22,
1983.