Fast Facts on Butuan City

[PeterG]

Butuan City is the heart of the Caraga Region & becoming a strategic location in northern Mindanao. Through its rich past, festivals and other attractions, Butuan City is turning into a fresh travel alternative for tourists.

[PeterG]

Butuan City is becoming one of the highlights of the tourism programs in the Philippines, as more and more people, both local and foreign, are discovering the wonders and secrets of this ancient and beautiful city.

It is customary for any traveler to learn a little bit of history concerning the place that will be visited, and the history of Butuan City is one of the most fascinating. Unlike other lands whose development only began during the Spanish colonization, Butuan was already a progressive and full fledge city centuries before the arrival of the Spaniards.

Historical records show that as early as the 10th century, the local people were already engaged in trade and commerce with other nations and cultures, like the Champa (now Vietnam) and the Srivajaya peoples of Java, Indonesia. This is confirmed by the unearthing of several artifacts such as boats used for plying their trade.

During the Spanish and American occupation, Butuan conintued to make progress and the number of people who were settling increased steadily. A large number of its inhabitants were converted to Christianity, and in fact one of the issues is whether the first mass was actually held in the city.

World War II saw the almost complete destruction of the city. Already devastated by bombings, the place was totally scorched in 1943 following the uprising by Filipino rebels against the occupying forces. In 1945 the city was liberated.

The economic growth of Butuan City began during the early 1960s, mainly due to the production and shipping wood to neighboring cities. This spurned on economic activity, and today the city is recognized as one of the most urbanized places in Mindanao.

As with other emerging cities in Mindanao, tourism plays an important role in the evolution and progress of Butuan City. One of the sights not to be missed is the Balangay Shrine Museum. The top attraction here are the nine wooden boats that have recovered by archaeologists, which are said to be over a thousand years old. They are more than 30 ft in length and some 7 feet wide.

The storied past of Butuan is further highlighted in the Butuan Regional Museum. The museum is divided into several sections, showcasing the crafts and works of the ancient inhabitants of the land, from pottery to wood, metal and gold relics. The resemblance between the relics here and those of the java peoples prove the interaction that took place between the two civilizations.

The Agusan River, the longest in the island of Mindanao, is one of the most popular spots in Butuan, and touring it gives one a sense of the history of the city. The Abayan Festival for the patroness of the river, Senora Sta. Ana, is held yearly and involves a procession on the river itself.

Other festivals in the city include the Kahimunan Festival (every January) in honor of the Sto, Nino (the Infant Jesus). The Feast of St. Joseph is commemorated every May 19. while the Adlaw Hong Butuan is a month long festivity (beginning July) celebrating the foundation of the city.