Ozamiz

History

Colonial period

Spanish period

The city of Ozamiz grew out of an old Spanish town called Misamis—a name believed to have been derived from the Subanon word kuyamis, a variety of coconut that was a staple food of the Subanon people. Other unverified historical sources, however, suggest that the name Misamis came from the Spanish word Misa (Catholic Mass).

Misamis was originally settled by the Subanon people, and were heavily targeted by marauding pirates coming from Lanao. The Spanish government created a flotilla to counter the pirates, with Spanish Jesuit missionary José Ducos assigned as its commander. After several victories, the Fuerte de la Concepcion y del Triunfo was constructed at the mouth of Panguil Bay sometime in 1756 as a form of protection from future attacks.

The town of Misamis grew in size due to the presence of the stone fort. In 1850, the town of Misamis became the capital of the District of Misamis, when Mindanao was originally divided into five districts, until February 27, 1872, when the Spanish Governor General Carlos María de la Torre y Navacerrada issued a decree declaring Cagayan de Misamis the permanent capital.

American period and World War II

During the American occupation, the territory of Misamis was reduced. In 1920, Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison issued Executive Order (EO) No. 61; the barrios, which were once part of the former municipality of Loculan, were separated and organized into the new municipalities of Clarin and Tudela.

In 1929, Governor-General Dwight F. Davis issued EO No. 220 that organized the municipality of Regidor (now Tangub; also included the present-day territory of Bonifacio), which took effect in 1930 as the province of Occidental Misamis was established following the split of Misamis.

In October 1942, Wendell Fertig established the command headquarters of the growing guerrilla resistance to the Japanese occupation of Mindanao in the Spanish fort in the town. His headquarters was abandoned on June 26, 1943 due to a large Japanese attack. During the Japanese occupation of Misamis in World War II, the fort was garrisoned by a Japanese contingent until the end of the war, who dug foxholes near or under the walls. This undermining of the walls later led to the destruction of the southwest bastion in the 1955 Lanao earthquake.

Contemporary Period

After the war, Misamis became a chartered city by virtue of Republic Act 321 on July 16, 1948. This also renamed Misamis to Ozamiz, after the hero José Ozámiz who hailed from the province of Misamis Occidental and who at one time also served as its first governor, congressional representative of the Lone District of Misamis Occidental, and a delegate to the 1935 Constitutional Convention that resulted in the creation of the 1935 Constitution for the Philippine Commonwealth Government. José Ozámiz was also elected to the Philippine Senate in 1941. This made Ozamiz the 4th city in Mindanao, after Zamboanga, Davao, and Marawi.

On April 1, 1955, Ozamiz was struck by the 1955 Lanao earthquake, at 2:17 am. The 7.4-magnitude earthquake caused the destruction of the city's parish church and the southwest bastion of the Fuerte de la Concepcion y del Triunfo. Major cracks were also present in the city's roads. President Ramon Magsaysay declared a state of calamity in Ozamiz, as well as in the provinces of Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Lanao, and Surigao.

On February 25, 2000, three Super Five Transport buses aboard the M/V Our Lady of Mediatrix ferry exploded while the ferry was traveling from Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte to the Port of Ozamiz. The reason for the explosion was the use of large incendiary bombs, resulting in 44 deaths and more than 100 passengers wounded.

On July 30, 2017, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Ozamiz City Police raided the house of incumbent Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. where guns were allegedly stored, resulting in the deaths of 16 people, including Mayor Parojinog, his wife Susan, and two of his siblings. The raid also ended with the mayor's children, incumbent Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog-Echavez and Reynaldo Parojinog Jr., being arrested. This incident was part of the war on drugs campaign during President Rodrigo Duterte's administration.

Geography

Ozamiz is located on the southeast coast of Misamis Occidental. It is nearby the Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte provinces to the west, and Lanao del Norte is across the Panguil Bay.

It is bordered by Tangub to the south and Clarin to the north. Ozamiz is 52 km from Maria Cristina Falls, the main source of hydroelectric power in Mindanao.

Climate

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Economy

Ozamiz is agricultural in terms of natural resources, but the city has become the center for commerce, health, transportation, and education, considering its strategic location. Its location makes for a good harbor, as its local port is the principal outlet of mineral deposits and agricultural and forest products of the provinces of Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, parts of Lanao del Norte, and Lanao del Sur.

Demographics

In the , Ozamiz had a population of 143,620 people, with a density of {{sigfig|143,620/169.95|2}} PD/km2.

Government

As of 2025, these are the current elected officials:

• Mayor: Atty. Sam Norman G. Fuentes (Asenso Pinoy)
• Vice Mayor: Simplicia “Bebie” O. Neri (Asenso Pinoy)
• Congressman: Sancho Fernando “Ando” F. Oaminal (Lakas)
• Councilors:
  • Lorlie Fuentes-Cipres (Asenso Pinoy)
  • Katherine “Kat-Kat” C. Lim (Asenso Pinoy)
  • Cecille Y. Co (Asenso Pinoy)
  • Marcelo Archie S. Romero II (Asenso Pinoy)
  • Roland “Dinky” B. Suizo Jr. (Asenso Pinoy)
  • Atty. Daniel C. Lao (Asenso Pinoy)
  • Juanito “Junjun” B. Saquin Jr. (Asenso Pinoy)
  • Atty. Marcelian “Mars” C. Tapayan (Asenso Pinoy)
  • Sancho “Sunny” S. Oaminal (Asenso Pinoy)
  • Saulo B. Salvador (Asenso Pinoy)
  • John Fel D. Duhaylungsod (SK Federation President)
  • Jun Carlo Murallon (ABC President)
  • Relinda A. Bation (IPMR)

Barangays

Ozamiz is politically subdivided into 51 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

Culture

Notable events and festivals

The city celebrates the Sinulog Festival, dedicated to the Santo Niño de Cebu, every 4th Sunday of January, wherein a pilgrim image of the Santo Niño will arrive from Cebu City and will visit Ozamiz and other cities and towns in the province for a week.

Ozamiz's Charter Day anniversary, the feast of Nuestra Señora dela Inmaculada Concepcion y del Triunfo dela Cruz de Migpangi, and the Perangat Ozamiz Festival (formerly known as the Subayan Keg Subanen Festival) are celebrated on July 16. The Perangat Festival is a celebration dedicated to the Subanon people, the original inhabitants of the province. The festival includes day-long street dancing, as well as a ritual showdown that features the various rituals practiced by the Subanon people, such as weddings and healing rituals. "Perangat" means "to prosper" in the Subanen language.

On December 8, the Feast of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated. Firework displays are held at the City Hall.

Tourism

Fuerte de la Concepcion y del Triunfo, locally known as the Cotta Fort, is a fort built in 1756 by Father José Ducos to serve as a Spanish outpost in the area. On the outside wall of the fort is an outdoor shrine dedicated to the Nuestra Señora de la Immaculada Concepción y del Triunfo de la Cruz de Migpangi, locally known as the Birhen sa Cotta (). The bas relief of the Virgin is believed to be miraculous and is a pilgrimage destination. In 2002, the fort was renovated and restored to its original design.

The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception was built from the ruins of the parish church destroyed in the 1955 earthquake. The cathedral is one of the earliest designs of National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin. His simple style of squares, circles, and half circles are evident throughout the external and internal designs of the church. Alterations to the façade of the cathedral were performed later. The cathedral is home to the wooden image of the Birhen sa Cotta.

The Immaculate Conception Pipe Organ, found in the choir loft of the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, is the only existing pipe organ in Mindanao, and one of only a few anywhere in the Philippines. It was Father Sean Lavery, an Irish-Columbian priest in charge of music at the cathedral, who first thought of the idea of an organ at Immaculate Conception. Funds were raised through donations and a musical extravaganza, organized by the parish, to buy the pipe organ. Father Lavery requested the aid of a German priest, Father Herman Schablitzki S.V.D., in designing the organ. Father Schatblitzki visited Ozamiz to take measurements to give to the organ builders back in Germany. Father Schablitzki himself, assisted by one carpenter and one electrician, assembled the organ in six weeks, and it was completed on May 31, 1967. It was inaugurated on July 16, 1967, the feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Birhen sa Cotta.

Bukagan Hill is located in Barangay Malaubang. There are four great bells at the top of Bukagan Hill, named "St. Peter", "St. Marien", "St. Joseph", and "St. Michael". They were originally purchased by Bishop-Prelate Patrick Cronin, D.D. for the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. However, the bells weigh 7 tons and were found to be too heavy and too large for the cathedral's belfry. Given the recent costs of installing an organ at the cathedral, it was commonly thought that the installation of the bells would prove too expensive but, through the efforts of then Mayor Fernando T. Bernad and Jesus Y. Varela, the bells were finally given a place at Bukagan Hill, and were officially inaugurated on July 16, 1948.

Timfanel Garden Ornamental Plant Farm, formerly known as Naomi's Botanical Garden and Tourist's Inn, sits on a 12-hectare property. The garden features a variety local and imported tropical flowers, plants, and fruit trees. The hotel has fully air-conditioned private rooms, and is home to a variety of amenities, including function halls, a tennis court, a ceramics shop, and swimming pools.

Mt. Malindang Golf and Country Club is a pre-war army facility converted into a golf course located in Barangay Bagakay, at the foot of Mount Malindang.

Transportation

Air

Main article: Labo Airport

Ozamiz Airport, also known as Labo Airport, was reopened on July 5, 2007, 9 years after Philippine Airlines (PAL) stopped their original Fokker 50 and Sunriser plane operation at the airport. The inability of the airport to accommodate jet planes due to its short runway led to its closure. Air Philippines (a subsidiary airline of PAL) was the first airline that used Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, using a B737-200, the first jet plane to land at the airport. PAL Express, another PAL subsidiary, then made direct flights to Mactan–Cebu International Airport again using their Bombardier Q400.

PAL's competitor, Cebu Pacific Air, later started serving Ozamiz with their first flight to Cebu on November 10, 2008, using their brand-new ATR72-500. Due to high passenger and cargo demand, Cebu Pacific launched its Manila route with their Airbus A319, while PAL took over Air Philippine's service to Manila using their Airbus A319s on June 16, 2009.

When Air Philippines rebranded as Airphil Express (now PAL Express), it relaunched its Ozamiz to Manila service on August 18, 2011, using their Airbus A320. It then forced Cebu Pacific to change its aircraft that had previously served Ozamiz Airport, replacing all of their ATR72-500s with Airbus A319s and Airbus A320s. Despite fierce competition between PAL and Cebu Pacific, PAL ended their operations in Ozamiz on March 25, 2012, leaving their affiliate PAL Express to compete with Cebu Pacific. Since then, the competition between PAL Express and Cebu Pacific became a duopoly serving the airport.

Ozamiz Airport will undergo a P300 million expansion and development project. The project will consist of the installation of runway lights, the extension of runway from its current of length 1.9 km to 2.1 km, and the construction of a new passenger terminal building.

Sea

Main article: Port of Ozamiz

The Port of Ozamiz serves the city with routes connecting Ozamiz to Cebu City, Manila, and Iligan.

Local shipping lines like Daima have trips from Ozamiz to Mukas, Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte routes through roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ferries that transport passengers, vehicles, and goods across Panguil Bay. However, following the opening of the Panguil Bay Bridge in 2024, ferry operations have been greatly reduced, with limited or occasional trips remaining primarily for cargo and vehicle transport as most travelers now use the bridge.

Land

Most transportation within the city is done by trisikad/pedicab and motorized tricycle. For interprovincial transportation, Rural Transit, Super Five, UV Express, and public utility jeepneys like Lotradisco are predominantly used.

Healthcare

Ozamiz City currently has seven hospitals and healthcare facilities:

• Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Sr. Medical Center (MHARS MC): a 1000-bed capacity tertiary hospital owned by the Department of Health
• Misamis University Medical Center (MUMC): a tertiary hospital located at Barangay Bagakay
• Medina General Hospital: a 200-bed capacity tertiary hospital located at Barangay Carmen Annex
• Tobias-Feliciano Faith General Hospital, Inc.
• S.M. Lao Memorial City General Hospital
• St. Joseph General Hospital, formerly St. Mary General Hospital
• St. Padre Pio Medical Clinic: located at JEM bldg., Medina Avenue, Barangay Carmen Annex

Education

There are two universities in Ozamiz: La Salle University and Misamis University. A significant number of students coming from Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, and Misamis Occidental come to Ozamiz to pursue their college education. Additional schools and institutions include:

• Immaculate Conception School of Technology of Ozamiz City (ICST)
• La Salle University
• Lighthouse Christian Academy
• Medina College
• Misamis Institute of Technology
• Misamis University
• Northwestern Mindanao School of Technology (NMST)
• Our Lady of Triumph Institute of Technology (OLT)
• Ozamiz City Institute of Technology
• Vocational Institute of the Philippines and Maritime Training Center

Secondary schools

The secondary schools of Ozamiz are:

• Capucao Integrated School
• Cogon Integrated School
• Domingo A. Barloa Integrated School
• FMC MA School and Tutorial Services, Inc.
• Gala National High School
• Guingona Integrated School
• Jacinto Nemeño Integrated School
• Jose Lim Ho National High School
• Labinay National High School
• Labo National High School
• Malaubang Integrated School
• Marcelino C. Regis Integrated School
• Misamis Annex Integrated School
• Misamis Union Educational Foundation, Inc.
• Montol National High School
• Ozamis Cathedral School of Immaculate Conception Inc.
• Ozamiz City National High School
• Ozamiz City School of Arts and Trades (OCSAT)
• Pulot National High School
• San Antonio National High School
• Sancho V. Capa Integrated School
• Sangay Integrated School
• Sinusa Integrated School
• Stimpson Abordo National High School
• Tabid National High School
• Western Mindanao Adventist Academy - Ozamiz City

Sister cities

Domestic

• Tangub
• Oroquieta
• Iligan
• Cotabato City
• Dipolog
• General Santos
• Cebu City
• Iloilo City
• Pagadian
• Marawi
• Cagayan de Oro
• Laoag

International

• US Jersey City, New Jersey (1995)

Notable people

• Cherry Lou - actress
• Sofronio Vasquez - singer
• Earl Agustin - singer-songwriter

References

References

1. "City of Ozamis (Ozamiz)". Ozamizcity.com.
2. {{DILG detail
3. (June 17, 2020). "COMELEC Region X Field Offices". Commission on Elections, Republic of the Philippines.
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5. https://www.cagayandeoro.gov.ph/index.php/item/303-history-of-cagayan-de-oro-city.html
6. (1921). "Executive orders and proclamations (1920)". Bureau of Printing.
7. (1930). "Executive Orders and Proclamations, 1929". Bureau of Printing.
8. (1932). "Annual Report of the Governor General of the Philippine Islands, 1930". [[U.S. Government Printing Office]].
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14. (August 10, 2017). "2 Ozamiz judges plan to inhibit from Parojinog trials".
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16. "How An Entire City Built An Organ", by Bernad, Miguel S.J., Manila: Solidaridad Publishing House, 1968
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21. "Sister City Agreements - Jersey City Open Data". Jersey City Open Data.
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