Agusan (province)

Agusan was a province of the Philippines. It existed from 1907 to 1967, when it was divided into the present-day provinces of Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur.^[1]

Agusan
Province of the Philippines
1907-1967
Location of the historical province of Agusan.
Capital	Butuan
History
• Established	20 August 1907
• Placed under Department of Mindanao and Sulu	December 20, 1913
• Bukidnon sub-province separated from Agusan	September 1, 1914
• Disestablished	14 November 1967
Political subdivisions	2 Sub-provinces (1907-1914) Bukidnon Butuan
Preceded by Succeeded by Misamis Surigao Bukidnon Agusan del Norte Agusan del Sur
Today part of	· Agusan del Norte  · Agusan del Sur  · Bukidnon

History

Map of Agusan in 1907

Prior to its creation as an independent province, Agusan was divided between the provinces/districts of Misamis, and Surigao during the Spanish colonial period. On August 20, 1907, Agusan was separated from Misamis and Surigao, composed of the sub-provinces of Bukidnon and Butuan, by virtue of Act No. 1693. The law became effective when the province's first governor was appointed.^[2]

The sub-province of Bukidnon became an independent province on July 23, 1914 through Act No. 2408 and Butuan sub-province assumed the name of Agusan.^[3] Both Agusan and Bukidnon were put under the Department of Mindanao and Sulu from 1913 to 1920.^[4]

During World War II and the Japanese occupation of the Philippines in 1942, Japanese forces landed in Agusan and occupied the area until they were defeated by combined American and Philippine Commonwealth troops, along with recognized guerrilla units, in 1945. Filipino soldiers from several infantry divisions of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and the Philippine Constabulary played key roles in liberating Agusan from Japanese control. A unit of the joint Philippine-American defense force was stationed at Manot, Talacogon, in the interior of the Agusan Valley, to engage in military operations against the occupying forces.^[5]

On June 17, 1967, Agusan was dissolved and was split into the two provinces of Agusan del Norte, and Agusan del Sur, through Republic Act No. 4979. The law was ratified through a plebiscite held on November 14, 1967, dissolving the old province.^[6]

Geography

Map of Agusan in 1918

Agusan was located on the northeast portion of Mindanao island. By the time of its dissolution in 1967, Agusan comprised 18 municipalities and 1 city:

• Bayugan
• Buenavista
• Bunawan
• Butuan (capital city)
• Cabadbaran
• Carmen
• Esperanza
• Jabonga
• Kitcharao
• La Paz
• Las Nieves
• Loreto
• Nasipit
• Prosperidad
• San Francisco
• Santa Josefa
• Talacogon
• Tubay
• Veruela

Government

The Agusan Provincial Capitol in Butuan served as the final provincial seat of government for Agusan before becoming the seat for Agusan del Norte.

Agusan's provincial government was last headed by the governor.^[7]

Agusan was initially under the Bureau of Non-Christian Tribes and unrepresented in the Philippine Assembly that existed until 1916.^[8] In 1913, it was placed under the Department of Mindanao and Sulu, with its legislative representative appointed by the Governor-General. It was later represented in national legislatures through the 12th senatorial district from 1916 to 1935 and the province's at-large congressional district beginning in 1935.^[9]

List of governors of Agusan

No.	Term	Portrait	Name	Remarks
	1913		Frank W. Carpenter	First civil governor of Department of Mindanao and Sulu, which encompassed Agusan[10]
1	1914–1921		Teofisto Guingona, Sr.	First Filipino governor of Agusan
2	1923–1931		Apolonio D. Curato, Sr.
3	1932–1937		Jose A. Rosales
4	1938–1940		Mariano C. Atega
5	1941–1944		Agustin O. Casiñas
6	1948–1951		Servano S. Jongko
7	1952–1959		Felixberto C. Dagani, Sr.
8	1960–1963		Democrito O. Plaza
9	1964–1965		Jose C. Aquino
10	1966–1967		Consuelo V. Calo	Last governor of Agusan, later became the first Governor of Agusan del Norte (1968–1986)

See also

• Agusan del Norte
• Agusan del Sur
• Bukidnon

References

1. Republic Act No. 4979 (June 17, 1967), "An Act Creating the Provinces of Agusan Del Norte and Agusan Del Sur", Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines, retrieved May 18, 2021
2. Act No. 1693 (August 20, 1907), An Act Creating the Province of Agusan and the Sub-provinces of Butuan, Bukidnon and Batanes, Empowering the Provincial Board of Cagayan to Apply the Provisions of "the Township Government Act" to the Municipalities and Settlements of the Babuyanes Islands, and Providing That the Salaries of the Lieutenant-governor of the Sub-province of Apayao and of Any Duly Authorized Employees of Said Sub-province Shall Be Payable From Insular Funds
3. Act No. 2408 (July 23, 1914), An Act Providing a Temporary Form of Government for the Territory Known as the Department of Mindanao and Sulu, Making Applicable Thereto, With Certain Exceptions, the Provisions of General Laws Now in Force in the Philippine Islands, and for Other Purposes, retrieved October 21, 2024
4. Act No. 2309 (December 20, 1913), An Act Changing the Name of the Moro Province to the Department of Mindanao and Sulu, Placing the Province of Agusan Under the Jurisdiction and Control of the Governor of the Said Department, and for Other Purposes, retrieved February 25, 2021
5. "The Province". The Province of Agusan del Sur. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
6. Republic Act No. 4979 (June 17, 1967), "An Act Creating the Provinces of Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur", The LawPhil Project, retrieved December 4, 2015, Section 1. The Province of Agusan is hereby divided into two provinces, to be known as Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur.
7. "Historical background". Province of Agusan del Norte. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
8. "Roster of Philippine legislators". House of Representatives of the Philippines. Archived from the original on March 16, 2017. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
9. "The 1935 Constitution". Official Gazette (Philippines). Retrieved February 25, 2021.
10. "Province of Agusan del Norte". Province of Agusan del Norte. Retrieved March 14, 2022.