Iligan, officially the City of Iligan (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Iligan; Maranao: Bandar a Iligan; Filipino: Lungsod ng Iligan), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the region of Northern Mindanao, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 363,115 people making it the second most populous city in Northern Mindanao after Cagayan de Oro.[3]
It is the largest city in the province of Lanao del Norte both in population and land area wherein it is geographically situated and grouped under the province by the Philippine Statistics Authority, but administered independently from the province. It was once part of Central Mindanao (Region 12) until the province was moved under Northern Mindanao (Region 10) in 2001.[7] Iligan is approximately 90 kilometers away from the capital of the province, Tubod, and approximately 800 kilometers from the capital of the Philippines, Manila.
Iligan has a total land area of 813.37 square kilometres (314.04 sq mi), making it one of the 10 largest cities in the Philippines in terms of land area. Among the 33 highly urbanized cities of the Philippines, Iligan is the third-least dense, with a population density of 421 inhabitants per square kilometer, just behind Butuan and Puerto Princesa.[8]
Etymology
The name Iligan is from the Higaunon (Lumad/Native of Iligan) word "Ilig" which means "to go downstream".[9] However, some also claim that the name of Iligan was taken and inspired by the Higaunon term "iligan" or "ilijan", which means "fortress of defense", an appropriate term due to frequent attacks incurred by pirates as well as other Mindanao tribes.[10]
History
Higaonon Manobo settlement of Bayug
Iligan was first settled by Higaonon Manobos on Bayug island, now in Barangay Hinaplanon, four kilometres north of the present city centre. It was a settlement of sea dwellers.
In Dapitan, Datu Pagbuaya of Panglao received the Spaniard Miguel Lopez de Legazpi's agents in 1565. Later, Pagbuaya's son Manooc was baptized as Don Pedro Manuel Manooc. Sometime afterward by the end of the 16th century, Manooc subdued the Higaonon Manobo settlement of Bayug and turned it into one of the earliest Christian settlements in the Philippines.[11]
Spanish rule
Although Bayug survived other raids from other enemies, especially Muslims from Lanao, the early settlers and Christian converts moved their settlement from Bayug to Iligan, which the Augustinian Recollects founded in 1609.[12] During Christianization, the Spaniards in Iligan received a hundred Spanish soldiers.[13]
The Jesuits replaced the Recollects in 1639. Iligan was the Spaniards' base of operations in attempting to conquer and Christianize the Lake Lanao area throughout its history. A stone fort called Fort St. Francis Xavier was built in 1642 where Iliganons sought refuge during raids by bandits. But the fort sank due to floods. Another fort was built and this was named Fort Victoria or Cota de Iligan.[citation needed]
In 1850, because of floods, Don Remigio Cabili, then Iligan's gobernadorcillo, built another fort and moved the poblacion of the old Iligan located at the mouth of Tubod River west of the old market to its present site.[citation needed]
Being the oldest town in Northern Mindanao, Iligan was already a part of the once undivided Misamis Province by the year 1832. However, it did not have an independent religious administration because its diocese by then was based at Misamis, the provincial capital. It was one of the biggest municipalities of Misamis Province.[citation needed]
The Spaniards abandoned Iligan in 1899, paving the way for the landing of the American forces in 1900.[citation needed]
American rule
U.S. army camp Overton in Iligan in 1900Iligan, c. 1903-1913
In 1903, the Moro Province was created. Iligan, because of its Moro residents, was taken away from the Misamis Province. Then, Iligan became the capital of the Lanao District and the seat of the government where the American officials lived and held office. Later in 1907, the capital of the Lanao District has transferred to Dansalan.[14]
In 1914, under the restructuring of Moroland after the end of the Moro Province (1903–1913), Iligan became a municipality composed of eight barrios together with the municipal district of Mandulog. After enjoying peace and prosperity for about 40 years, Iligan was invaded by Japanese forces in 1942.[citation needed]
The liberation of Iligan by the Philippine Commonwealth forces attacked by the Japanese held sway in the city until 1944 to 1945 when the war ended. On November 15, 1944, the city held a Commonwealth Day parade to celebrate the end of Japanese atrocities and occupation.[15]
This section needs expansion with: a discussion of the impact of the steel industry on the local industry of Iligan. You can help by adding to it. (December 2023)
The Iligan Steel Mill was established in 1952 as a government-initiated project of the National Shipyards and Steel Corporation (NASSCO).[16] After NASSCO applied for a $62.3 million loan from the United States–based Eximbank to fund projects, the latter suggested a transfer of the facilities' management to the private entity. The company was sold in 1963 to Iligan Integrated Steel Mills, Inc. of the Jacinto family.[16]
Using the same territorial definition as a municipality, Iligan became a chartered city of Lanao del Norte on June 16, 1950.[17] It was declared a first-class city in 1969 and was reclassified as First Class City "A" on July 1, 1977, by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 465. In 1983, Iligan was again reclassified as a highly urbanized city.
The election of Ferdinand Marcos as President of the Philippines saw a large influx of Christian groups settling in Mindanao, displacing many locals and resulting in numerous land ownership conflicts.[18][19] The Marcos administration encouraged these new settlers to form militias, which were eventually nicknamed the Ilaga. The Ilaga were often associated with committed human rights abuses targeted at the Moro and Lumad people. This resulted in a lingering animosity and a cycle of violence between Moro and Christian communities which still persists today.[20][21] Despite this local violence, prominent Moro thought leaders were mostly not politically active until the news of the 1968 Jabidah massacre ignited the Moro insurgency. Reports of Moro men being recruited into the Philippine Army and then being massacred when they had a dispute with their commanding officers led to the conviction that Moros were being treated as second class citizens. Ethnic tensions arising from this led to the formation of secessionist political movements,[22] such as Cotabato Governor Datu Udtog Matalam's Muslim Independence Movement and Lanao del Sur congressman Haroun al-Rashid Lucman's Bangsamoro Liberation Organization.[21]
Additionally, the 1969 Philippine balance of payments crisis led to social unrest throughout the country, and violent crackdowns on protests led to the radicalization of many students,[23] with some joining the New People's Army, bringing the New People's Army rebellion to Mindanao for the first time.[24]
Iligan during martial law and Marcos administration
Towards the end of the last term allowed to him by the Philippine Constitution, Marcos placed the Philippines under Martial Law in 1972, which had the effect of further increasing tensions in Mindanao.[21] It marked the beginning of a 14-year period of one-man rule, historically remembered for its human rights abuses[25][26][27] In Iligan, one incident documented by a 1975 fact finding mission of Amnesty International documented the killing of twelve detainees, which was staged the incident to make it look like a prison break.[28]: "31" The witness was himself detained without a warrant at the time, and was regularly being subjected to torture and forced labor.[28]
The proclamation of Martial law also helped escalate the moro secessionist situation by banning political parties and organizations.[21] The formal establishment of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) one month after Marcos' proclamation of Martial Law thus marked a shift to a more military phase of the Moro conflict, taking in the members of the former BMLO, and attracting members who had become dissatisfied with the MIM.[21] Lanao del Sur and Iligan itself were deeply affected by the conflict, with the Armed Forces of the Philippines' conflicts with MNLF and its later splinter group the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) affecting combatants and civilians alike.[21]
Aside from political groups, Marcos' proclamation of Martial law also shuttered press outlets - television stations, national newspapers, weekly magazines, community newspapers, and radio stations - throughout the country, including in Iligan and Lanao del Sur.[29] The 14 years of the Marcos dictatorship saw the killings of many Mindanao journalists,[30] with prominent examples being Bulletin Today Lanao provincial correspondent Demosthenes Dingcong, [31][32] Philippine Post Iligan correspondent and radio commentator Geoffrey Siao,[33][34] and DXWG Iligan commentator Charlie Aberilla.[33][35]
Numerous activists arose from Iligan during the 1970s, despite significant personal risks. These included Iligan natives such as prominent Nurse empowerment advocate Minda Luz Quesada (who would later be invited to the Philippines' 1987 Constitutional Convention);[36] Electrical workers' union leader David S. Borja;[37] religious youth organizer Edwin Laguerder;[38] activist professor and writer Ester Kintanar of the MSU Iligan Institute of Technology;[39] and even activist politicians such as Masiding Alonto Sr. who was a prominent supporter of opposition leader Ninoy Aquino.[40] Some of these activists were eventually killed in the pursuit of their beliefs, including farm workers organizers James Orbe[41] and Herbert Cayunda.[42]
Dingcong, Quezada, Borja, Kintanar, Laguerder, Alonto Sr., Orbe, and Cayunda were all later recognized by having their names inscribed on the Wall of Remembrance of the Philippines' Bantayog ng mga Bayani, which honors those who fought for the restoration of democracy and against the authoritarian regime of the time.[43]
Contemporary history
Asian Financial Crisis and recovery
This section needs expansion with: further details of the economic recovery after the reopening of the National Steel Corporation. You can help by adding to it. (December 2023)
During the 1997 Asian financial crisis Iligan City experienced a severe economic slowdown. A number of industrial plants were closed, most notably the National Steel Corporation. [44]
The city began to see some economic recovery with the reopening of the National Steel Corporation, which was renamed Global Steelworks Infrastructures, Inc. (GSII) in 2004. [45] This reopening marked a critical turning point for Iligan, as it restored a significant number of jobs and revitalized the local economy. The re-establishment of steel production brought renewed hope and stability to the community, encouraging further investments and business activities in the region.
In October 2005, GSII officially took a new corporate name: Global Steel Philippines (SPV-AMC), Inc.[46] This rebranding was part of a broader strategy to rejuvenate the company’s operations and re-establish its presence in the steel industry both locally and internationally. The transition signified not only a change in name but also a commitment to modernizing the plant's facilities and improving production processes to compete effectively in the global market.
Lone District
Republic Act No. 9724, an Act separating the City of Iligan from the First Legislative District of the Province of Lanao del Nortewas approved, by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on October 20, 2009. This legislative change elevated Iligan to the status of a lone congressional district, providing it with greater political autonomy and representation. The creation of a separate legislative district allowed Iligan to have its own representative in the Philippine Congress, ensuring that the city's specific needs and interests were more effectively addressed at the national level.
This move was seen as a step towards fostering greater local governance and development. It enabled the city to receive more focused attention and resources from the national government, which in turn could help drive further economic recovery and growth. By having its own legislative district, Iligan could better advocate for policies and programs tailored to its unique economic and social landscape, promoting sustainable development and improved quality of life for its residents.
To the west, Iligan Bay provides ferry and container ship transportation. East of the city, flat cultivated coastal land gives way to steep volcanic hills and mountains providing the waterfalls and cold springs for which the area is well known.
Iligan falls within the third type of climate wherein the seasons are not very pronounced. Rain is more or less evenly distributed throughout the year. Because of its tropical location, the city does not experience cold weather. Neither does it experience strong weather disturbances due to its geographical location (being outside the typhoon belt) And also because of the mountains that are surrounding the city.
Barangays
Lluch StreetEchiverri Street
Iligan is politically subdivided into 44 barangays.[49]. Depending on the barangay, it is subdivided to puroks or zones.
Iliganons are composed of a Cebuano-speaking majority and local minorities, mainly Maranaos, and other cultural minorities and immigrants. It is not only rich in natural resources and industries but it is also the home of a mix of cultures: the Maranaos of Lanao, the Higaonon of Bukidnon, and many settlers and migrants from other parts of the country. It is known for its diverse culture.
Language
Cebuano is the most spoken language in the city, with 92.27% reporting it as their first language. Minor languages include Maranao, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Chavacano, and Waray. The majority of the population can speak and understand Tagalog (Filipino) and English, the official languages of the country.[56] Tagalog (Filipino) and English are taught in the city's schools.
Religion
Interior of Saint Michael Cathedral in Iligan
The majority of Iligan citizens are Christians (mainly Roman Catholics). The city is also the center of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Iligan which has 25 parishes in Iligan City and twelve municipalities of Lanao del Norte (Linamon, Kauswagan, Bacolod, Maigo, Kolambugan, Tubod, Baroy, Lala, Kapatagan, Sapad, Salvador, and Magsaysay). It covers an area of 3,092 square kilometers with a population of 1,551,000, which 65.5% of the population are Roman Catholics.[57]
Muslims are the largest minority, comprising 11.48% of the population. They are mainly Sunnites.[58]
Iligan is known as the Industrial Center of the South as its economy is largely based on heavy industries. It produces hydroelectric power for the Mindanao region through the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR), the site of the Mindanao Regional Center (MRC) housing Agus V, VI, and VII hydroelectric plants. Moreover, Holcim Philippines' largest Mindanao cement plant is located in the city. It also houses industries like steel, tinplate, cement, and flour mills.[citation needed]
After the construction of Maria Cristina (Agus VI) Hydroelectric Plant by National Power Corporation (NPC, NAPOCOR) in 1950, the city experienced rapid industrialization and continued until the late 1980s. The largest steel plant in the country, National Steel Corporation (NSC), was also established in 1962.[66]
During the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the city experienced a severe economic slowdown. A number of industrial plants were closed, notably the National Steel Corporation.[67]
The city saw its economic revival with the reopening of the National Steel Corporation, renamed Global Steelworks Infrastructures, Inc. (GSII) in 2004.[68] In October 2005, GSII officially took a new corporate name: Global Steel Philippines (SPV-AMC), Inc.[69]
Agro-Industry
Gazpachos, a homegrown local restaurant in Iligan
Aside from heavy industries, Iligan is also a major exporter and producer of various plants and crops.[citation needed]
As of the fiscal year 2018, Iligan has a current operating income of ₱2,052.89 million. The income grew by 8% compared to the fiscal year of 2017 in which Iligan's operating income was ₱1,900 million. According to the 2017 Financial Report by the Commission on Audit, Iligan's total assets amounted to ₱10.27 billion.[citation needed]
Iligan is commonly known as the "City of Majestic Waterfalls" because of the numerous waterfalls located within its area. The many waterfalls in the area attract tourists from all over the world with their beauty and power. There are about 24 waterfalls in the city. The most well-known is the Maria Cristina Falls. It is also the primary source of electric power of the city, harnessed by the Agus VI Hydroelectric Plant.
Other waterfalls in the city are Tinago Falls, accessible through a 300-step staircase in Barangay Ditucalan. Mimbalut Falls in Barangay Buru-un, Abaga Falls in Barangay Suarez, and Dodiongan Falls in Barangay Bonbonon.[citation needed]
Limunsudan Falls in Barangay Rogongon about 50 kilometers from the city proper of Iligan. These are the highest waterfalls in the Philippines, at 265 m (870 feet).[citation needed]
Iligan is home to the famous San Miguel of Iligan. It is an image of Saint Michael the archangel that dons a Native American Headdress especially when he goes to battle against Satan.[70] The animist Lumad, the Muslim Moro and the Christian Visayans, Chavacanos, and Latinos who live together peacefully in Iligan all celebrate this festival dedicated to San Miguel and they have Eskrima dances dedicated to him.[71] The Eskrima martial art called San Miguel Eskrima is related to this Saint.
Government
Iligan City Hall
Iligan is a highly urbanized city and is politically independent of the province of Lanao del Norte. Registered voters of the city no longer vote for provincial candidates such as the Governor and Vice Governor, unlike its nearby towns that make up the provinces as a result of its charter as a city in the 1950s.[citation needed]
Iligan's seat of government, the city hall, is located at Buhanginan Hills in Barangay Pala-o. The local government structure is composed of one mayor, one vice mayor, and twelve councilors. Each official 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.[citation needed]
Passenger and cargo shipping lines operating in the Port of Iligan serve the cities of Manila, Cebu City, and Ozamiz.
There are around seven private seaports in Iligan operated by their respective heavy industry companies. These private seaports can be found in Barangays Maria Cristina, Suarez, Tomas L. Cabili, Santa Filomena, and Kiwalan.
Airports
Laguindingan Airport serves the City of Iligan and the rest of Northern Mindanao
Maria Cristina Airport is located in Balo-i, Lanao del Norte and was the main airport of Iligan in the late 1980s. Aerolift Philippines, a now-defunct regional airline, ceased its services when its passenger plane crashed into some structures at the end of the runway of the Manila Domestic Airport in 1990 which resulted to its bankruptcy.[75][76] Thus, it ended its service to Iligan's airport at Balo-i which also resulted in the closure of the airport. Philippine Airlines served the city for many years before ending flights in 1998 due to the Asian financial crisis.
Rural Transit (RTMI) and Super 5 Land Transport and Services Inc. are the dominant public bus companies with daily trips from and to Iligan. Passenger vans and jeeps also service various municipalities in Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Misamis Oriental.
City transportation
The public modes of transportation within the city are jeepneys (both traditional and modern) and pedicabs. Tartanillas service main roads in Barangay Pala-o and Barangay Tambacan.
Education
The City of Iligan has one state university and seven private colleges specializing in Engineering and Information Technology, Health Services, Maritime Science, Business and Administration, Primary and Secondary Education, and Arts and Social Sciences.
With a total of 181 schools (106 public; 75 private; 17 madaris) including vocational and technical schools, Iligan has an average literacy rate of 94.71, one of the highest in the whole Philippines.
Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology
The Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) is one of the few autonomous external campuses of the Mindanao State University (MSU) and "the light-bearer of the several campuses of the MSU System."[77] It is considered one of the best universities in the Philippines with excellence in Science and Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Information Technology, and Natural Sciences.[78] The institution has also produced many topnotchers and rankers in multiple board exams.
Colleges
St. Michael's College, Iligan City, is known as the oldest school in the Lanao area, founded as a catechetical center way back in 1914 by Fr. Felix Cordova, S.J. It was formally established in 1915 as Escuela de San Miguel in honor of the patron saint, St. Michael the Archangel. Now on its active bid to become the city's first private Catholic university, Saint Michael's College of Iligan currently offers 8 disciplines: Business Administration, Accountancy, Hotel, and Restaurant Management, Engineering and Computer Studies, Nursing, Criminology, Education, Arts and Sciences and the Basic Education. It also offers the TESDA Ladderized Courses and the education-related Graduate Studies Program.[79]
Capitol College of Iligan Inc., more popularly known as Iligan Capitol College (ICC), is a private, non-sectarian, coeducational institution of learning which was established in 1963 by the late Engr. Sesenio S. Rosales and Madame Laureana San Pedro Rosales. It was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 12, 1964.[79] In 1997, Iligan Capitol College established Lyceum Foundation of Iligan which is to become its sister college beside Corpus Christi Parish in Tubod, Iligan City.
Adventist Medical Center College – Iligan, formerly Mindanao Sanitarium and Hospital College, is one of the colleges of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is a medical school that focuses on healthcare courses like Nursing, Nutrition and Dietetics, Medical Technology, Physical Therapy, Pharmacy, and Radiology.
The Lyceum of Iligan Foundation, focuses on maritime and engineering courses. It also offers courses on Hotel and Restaurant Management, Nursing, Business Administration, and other allied Health Services.
Other notable colleges and technical schools are Iligan Computer Institute (ICI), Santa Monica Institute of Technology (SMIT), STI College, Picardal Institute of Technology (PISTEch), Saint Lawrence Institute of Technology, Masters Technological Institute of Mindanao, and ICTI Polytechnic College Inc. (formerly Iligan City Technical Institute (ICTI)).
Basic education
Iligan City National High School, the largest high school campus in Iligan.
Lanao Chung Hua School, the first and only Chinese school in Iligan which was founded on November 12, 1938.
La Salle Academy is a Lasallian school. It is the first of the third generation of La Salle schools founded by the De La Salle Brothers in the country.
Corpus Christi Parochial School of Iligan is a catholic private school that was founded in 1964,by Father Sean J. Mcgrath and its former principal Inocencia L. Tapic.
Iligan City East National High School, formerly known as Regional Science High School for Region XII but was then transferred to Cagayan de Oro and was changed into Iligan City East National High School. The School was founded in February 1986. Specializes in research, sciences, mathematics, technology education, and others.
Integrated Developmental School, founded as Iligan High School, was established in 1946. On July 12, 1968, the school was annexed to Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology under R.A. No. 5363.
The Macapagal-Macaraeg Heritage House and Historical MarkerFormer Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo briefly resided in Iligan, the hometown of her maternal grandparents
^George, T. J. S. (1980). Revolt in Mindanao: The Rise of Islam in Philippine Politics. Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press. ISBN0-19-580429-5. OCLC6569089.
^Miclat, Gus (2002). "Our Lives Were Never the Same Again". In Arguillas, Carolyn O. (ed.). Turning Rage Into Courage: Mindanao Under Martial Law. MindaNews Publications, Mindanao News and Information Cooperative Center. OCLC644320116.
^Abinales, P.N.; Amoroso, Donna J. (2005). State and society in the Philippines. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. ISBN978-0742510234. OCLC57452454.
^Maslog, Crispin C. (1993). The rise and fall of Philippine community newspapers. Intramuros, Manila: Published by the Philippine Press Institute with funding from Konrad Adenauer Foundation. ISBN971-8703-09-8. OCLC29830136.
^"Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo". Current Biography International Yearbook 2004. The H. W. Wilson Company. Archived from the original on April 18, 2007. Retrieved June 4, 2007.
^Spaeth, Anthony (January 29, 2001). "Glory, Gloria!". Time. Archived from the original on June 5, 2001. Retrieved June 4, 2007.
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