What is Bacuag !!

Edited October 28, 2012

The Historical Background of Bacuag, and its meaning ….

Bacuag was established and believed founded in 16^th century. The  Christianization of the natives was attributed by the deeds of a good Purtuguese Captain Francisco de Castro who first led the Christian evangelization of the natives in 1538.

The name of the place have usually gotten from where the known activity happened or as a reference point and became a by-word. It was handed down by word of mouth during the years. Like sitio Bitaog, it was said that big birds were hopping during early nights in the big bitaog tree. The story goes until the origin of the word Bacuag. To etymologize, the word Bacuag-derived from two words “Bacao” in Surigaonon dialect means Mangrove tree, or "Bacaoan"- a dense place where Mangrove trees are found, and “ Hauag” means much space, wide or large. In the "Compilation Notes" on the most important tree species of Philippine Islands, page 10 of the report of Captain George Patrick Ahern-1859-1942 of the Ninth United State Infantry, Incharge of Forestry Bureau in the Philippines during the "Age of Imperialism", listed was Bacaoan or Bacao with scientific name Rhizophora Apiculata/Conjugata L., a local name for Asiatic mangrove tree. Therefore as it said, Bacuag is a combination of two words  Bacao+Hauag (Bacauag) or Bacuag as presently called, meaning plenty of mangroves. We know the old name of the town Bacuag as the word evolves, was Pueblo de Pahuntungan.

The place was noted for its swampy area, rich in nipa  and mangrove trees. The original town or community was established in “Pueblo de Pahuntungan”. But as years drifted by, the bulk  of  the  people including their leaders/the center of administrative functions  were transferred in “lungsod daan”-meaning Old Town, the eastern side of the present location of the Poblacion. This community was  for unknown reasons changed its name but probably for the good and welfare of the people, one was to forget the social stigma, the off-shoot of the bloody revolt that took place in 1631 where the church was destroyed and  as a consequence it entailed the lives of the Spanish priests and soldiers.  All in all 16 Spaniards were killed, of whom three were missionaries not to mention the Caragan casualties.

It was told that Bacuag was hit by strong typhoon in 1851 thus the community  was also flooded because Sabang river ( near Bansilay tree) overflowed and the people suffered loses with great risk of their lives when the sea surged due to its high tide and the people find it nowhere to go as the river almost encircled the community. With this kind of calamity experienced by the people of Bacuag, the group of Kapitanes, the founding elders  petitioned the authorities in Manila to transfer the settlement to a safer place. This petition dated March 2, 1853 was signed by a group of Kapitanes, namely; Simon Efren, Antonio Odjinar, Agustin Opalia de los Santos, Juan Ugay Mariano and Cipriano Orquina Francisco. This document was offficially endorsed by Fr. Gregorio Logronio, then parish priest of Gigaquit. It was approved hence, Bacuag was transferred to its present site in 1855.

During the American Colonial government of the Philippines, under Public Act No. 947, they reorgnized the local government system and many towns were converted into barrios in 1904. The Province of Surigao retained only the municipalities of Surigao, Placer, Dinagat and Dapa. This could have terminated the corporate existence of many Pueblos – Sapao, Numancia, Cabontog, Tagana-an, Mainit and Claver. (Source:surigaodelnorte.gov.ph) It could be adduced that although Pueblo de Pahuntungan was not mentioned here, as it happened this town ceased to exist as Pueblo and was reverted back as barrio under the Municipality of Gigaquit until in 1918 when an Executive order No. 61 was issued ordering Bacuag as a separate Municipality from Gigaquit again. On January 1, 1919 an Executive Order No. 61 signed by Governor-General Charles Emmett Yeater  was very significant to Bacuag when Lucas Patiño was appointed as the first Municipal President at that time and Bacuag regained its identity as another town completely waning the shackle of authority from the mother town Gigaquit. Every new year's day is also supposedly a celebration for "Araw ng Bacuag" or Bacuag Day.

References:
-surigaodelnorte.gov.ph
-George Patrick Ahern, report Forestry Bureau, p10, V- group-1859-1942
-Part of the History of Bacuag, The Caraga Antigua 1521-1910