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HISTORY
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BUTUAN CITY [pronounced: 'Bootwan'] is a first class, highly urbanized city in southern Philippines. It is the regional frontier and premier city of the Caraga Region, located particularly in the Northeastern portion in the island of Mindanao. It is the third largest city in Mindanao in terms of land area after the citie
s of Davao and Zamboanga, one of the Philippines' oldest cities, and one of Mindanao's ever progressive cities. BUTUAN is also one of the most peaceful and livable cities in the Philippines. BUTUAN likewise stands as the commercial and financial capital of Northeastern Mindanao because of its business-friendliness and its being a 'de facto' investment haven in the region, making it one of the Philippines' richest cities. BUTUAN is also one of the cities in the Philippines with a significant American population. What makes Butuan City interesting and fascinating is that it was once an Ancient Kingdom that had trade agreements with Chinese and Vietnamese empires across Southeast Asia. This was proven by artifacts such as porcelain and golden ornaments which were excavated from the grounds where Butuan City stands at present. Butuan City is home to the Balangay boat or the Butuan boat, a water transport used by ancient navigators to carry goods and barter from Butuan throughout the Southeast Asian region. The most famous gold ornament is the Golden Tara, a miniature statue of a female goddess or deity made from pure gold, discovered by a Manobo tribeswoman somewhere along the banks of the Wa-wa River. Ferdinand Magellan, a Portugese navigator and explorer who was later killed by Cebuano hero Lapu-Lapu, was able to land in Butuan in the year 1521 according to his own chronicler, Antonio Pigafetta, specifically in the beach-flung barangay Masao. A hill in Masao which now forms part of present Barangay Pinamanculan was the anchorage site of Magellan and the site of the First Easter Mass in Philippine Soil, this historical event marked the birth of Roman Catholicism in the Philippines. A monument was erected by the City Government to commemorate the event. In 2021, the Philippines will commemorate the 500th year of its Christianization which began in Butuan. Butuan became a chartered city on August 2, 1950 through the efforts of Congressman Marcos Calo who was the principal author of the City's Charter known as Republic Act No. 523 as amended. From there onwards, Butuan progressed as the logging industry boomed, investments were poured, and business establishments flourished. In 2015, population in the city is estimated to be more or less 400,000. Butuanons speak Cebuano and Tagalog fluently. Butuanons are literate in English as well, even though the language isn't an "everyday" language. There are also a number of Butuanons who can speak Butuanon and Surigaonon. Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion of the city, and of the country. Catholic churches and parishes are located everywhere in the city. The Saint Joseph Cathedral Diocesan Shrine is the central church and the seat of the Diocese of Butuan headed by Most Rev. Other religions such as the Iglesia ni Cristo, Bible Baptist, United Church of Christ in the Philippines, etc. also have their own churches in the city.
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ACCESSIBILITY
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To get to the city, you have three (3) options: land, air or sea. On land, buses from Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Tandag, Bislig, Tagum and Surigao are available 24/7. The terminal is located at Langihan. Butuan City is the bus hub of Northern Mindanao. Buses depart every minute. You can also hop on vans from San Francisco, Bayugan and neighboring municipalities. On air, the Butuan National Airport is a class 1 trunkline, major/principal domestic airport. It is the busiest in the region, and the busiest domestic airport in Mindanao. It is the only airport in the region which is capable of handling night flights and jet aircraft. Flag carrier PAL Express and budget airline Cebu Pacific have daily flights to and from Manila and Cebu. From the airport, hire a van, taxi or multicab to take you to the city proper. At sea, you can take a ferry via 2GO or Cokaliong from Cebu and Manila and then you'll have to stop at the port of Nasipit, a municipality which is 45 minutes away from the city proper of Butuan. You'll have to commute for land transport that will take you to the city. In the city, there are 3 modes of transportation: tricycles (motorized/non-motorized), PUJs and taxis. Tricycles are the most ubiquitous.
