On the northern waters of the
Province of Dinagat Islands lies the
Municipality of Loreto. Although Dinagat Islands is quite large, yet many years
ago, there was but one municipality, Dinagat.
Before the sixth decade of this
country, the present municipality of Loreto was separated from Dinagat, thus
Dinagat then had already two municipalities, Dinagat in the south and Loreto in
the north, which is the subsequent years Dinagat became the mother municipality
of Cagdianao, Rizal and San Jose, while under Loreto, the new municipalities of
Albor and Tubajon were created.
Loreto as it is now is situated in
the most northern tip of Dinagat Islands. On the eastern side, it is bounded by
the Pacific Ocean; on the western side, by Surigao Strait, where the greatest
naval battle in history during Second World War was fought between Americans
and the Japanese; on the South by the boundary line from Payaw Point on the
east that cuts across the island to Roxas Cove on the west and on the north by
the sea that separates Dinagat and Homonhon Islands.
Loreto was formerly called
"Mabua". It was first established by the Boholanos, the Leyteños, and
by the Samareños, as early as 1847. With the overfoaming river that until these
years, its rapids keep cascading right into the heart of the town proper down
to the sea which since nobody knows when, hence, the early settlers called the
place "Mabua" meaning foamy.
However in 1881, it metamorphosed
into its present name, Loreto in honor of the daughter of the provincial
governor at that time.
The municipality was created for the
first time in 1898. With the blood of Tamblot and Dagohoy still engrained among
the Boholano settlers; of Bangkaw among the Leyteños, and of Sumoroy among the
Samareños, the few settlers of the former Mabua hated to be ruled again by
foreigners as the Americans as they did not want repetition as how they were
ruled by the Spaniards. So that when few Americans patrolled their place during
the early part of the Americans occupation, this conglomeration of settlers
refused to cooperate with the new invaders by fleeing to the hills upon arrival
of the visitors, thus with the settlement without inhabitants, the houses were
razed to the ground by the American soldiers and was, in 1902, reduced to a
barrio. However, through the untiring efforts of its civic spirited citizens,
led by Constantino B. Gupana, Tomas A. Caduan, and Arcadio P. Galido, Loreto
regained its status as a municipality in 1919. As told and retold by and to the
aged people, the induction of a new set of officers on the early created
municipality was administered and graced by the Provincial Governor during the
vesper day of the Patron Saint Isidore, the Farmer. So that because the town
fiesta of Loreto is May 15, until to date, it has been established that the
present Loreto was created on May 14, 1919. The original set of municipal
officials were Constantino B. Gupana, as President and with Tomas A. Caduan,
Arcadio P. Galido and Bernardo C. Odron, as Councilors. Again, during the
Japanese occupation, with the reluctance of the local guerilla men led by Lieut.
Agaton Mellorin to submit to the invaders, almost all the houses in the
poblacion were again burnt by the Japanese soldiers.
Since then the Loretoños resisted to
the occupation of the Japanese soldiers. Some of the local soldiers were Lieut.
Agaton Mellorin, Lieut. Primo C. de Jesus, and Capt. Leopoldo D. Bakit, with
other genuine World War II soldiers who did not surrender and managed to come
home and joined in the guerilla activities. Some of the local guerilla who were
not fortunate to see Philippines Liberation were Japanese strugglers in the
battle at Sinaungag, on October 30, 1944 formerly a secluded sitio of Loreto
but now with the new municipality of Tubajon, Dinagat Islands.
Today Loreto has 10 barangays,
namely: Panamaon, Esperanza (formerly Cansim-ong), Santiago, Sta. Cruz, Carmen,
San Juan, Ferdinand (formerly Masigwil), Liberty (formerly Barangay Tinago),
Helene (formerly Sitio Dahican), and Magsaysay (formerly Sitio Cabiton-an). The
former barrio of Libjo was created as a new municipality by virtue of Executive
Order No. 381, issued by the former President Carlos O. Garcia on February 12,
1960, so that Albor was inaugurated as new municipality on April 23, 1960.
The inauguration was graced with the
presence of the former Congressman Reynaldo P. Honrado and the members of the
two (2) municipal councils of Loreto and Dinagat led by Mayor Moises J. Alfaro
and Mayor Prospero L. Borja, respectively. Eleven years after, in 1971, the
former barrio of Tubajon separated also from Loreto as a new municipality.
Loreto also embraces the islands of
Puyo, Kayasa, Gibusong (Dako), and Gibusong (Gamay), with the total population
of 7,340, excluding some employees of the eight (8) mining firms and some
small-scale miners who are transients.
With the towering Redondo Mountain
that runs from Desolution Point on the northern tip of Dinagat Islands to
Bongkawit, a sitio at the mouth of Malinao Inlet on the south, oftentimes
Loreto is fortunate to be partly from the depressions that originate from the
Pacific.
In the lowlands of the territorial
jurisdiction of this municipality grow the tikog grasses which are utilized by
the women-folk as materials in making mats which are in demand for their fine
workmanship and durability.
Along the stiff rocky slope of
Redondo Mountain, which is difficult to ascend, is still thick forest so much
so that with the latitude, the lush vegetation, and the cool cascading
Capitugohan and Hinubasan Falls all conspire to make the climate dissermingly
balmy and invigorating.
Variety and well-known species of
orchids, the so-called "Aristocrats of the Woodland", such as the
mariposa or butterfly orchids, the tiger, denrubium anespum, denrubium, and
many others species abundantly thrive on the lofty arms of the lauan, lapnisan,
yakal, molato, and kolipapa trees which are often spotted by Redondo climbers.
Pitcher plants and other high-latitude flora that may interest biologists and
students are in abundance along the untouched forest areas.
Capitugohan Falls, which is the
source of the drinking water of Loreto and Hinubasan Falls which water is the
source of the NIA irrigation for the rice fields on the lowlands of the former
hantotoknaw dry lands of Cambinliw are a twin of pristine beauty only nature
can make.
On the rocky mountain side facing the
Pacific, from as far as Omasdang near Desolution Point to the southern boundary
of Tubajon are found much minerals as chromite, manganese, copper, coal, and
gold. It is for this hidden wealth underneath Mother Nature that mining
companies are now operating, as : Oriental Vision Mining Phils. Corp. (OVMPC),
Oriental Synergy Mining Corporation (OSMC), Sinosteel Phils H-Y Mining Corp
(SPHYMC), Century Peak Corporation (CPC), Wellex Mining Corp. (WMC), AAMPHIL
Mining Corporation, and Krominco, Inc. and soon to operate Green Mountain
Mining Company and Comet Mining Corporation. However, with Presidential
Proclamation 295, the lowlands of Loreto was recently surveyed to release the A
& D Mineral Reservation for agricultural utilization by the farmers of the
released areas.
The Loreto Central Elementary School
ground provides an easy, relaxing mood for the early morning joggers and the
late afternoon promenaders. Located in the heart of town, the campus gives one
an unobstructed sight of the mist-covered Redondo Mountain and a good view of
Loreto Bay oftentimes dotted with tiny sailboats of local fishermen during the
"katuigan" or when the sea does not have swift current, thus, a
season for fishing.
With its people different from the
other inhabitants of the other municipalities of Dinagat, 75% of the people of
Loreto speak the Cebuano and Boholano dialects with 25% speaking the
Waraywaray, most spoken by the people of the island-barangays of Liberty,
Helene, and Magsaysay and of those of barangay Panamaon whose ancestorial
origin came from Homonhon Island of Samar.
One of the historic tourist spots of
Loreto is Black Beach No. 2 in Sitio Campintac, the very isolated place where
the first landing of the American Liberation did happen on October 17, 1944. On
this memorable spot now stands as was erected by the late Mayor Alfonso A.
Ompod, a simple monumental marker with only a helmet and a bayonet on top of
the marker and engraved in such marker the names of Lieut. Henry A. Mucci and
Maj. Robert W. Garret of the 6th Ranger Batallion, the first to step on the
"Black Beach" as the Americans called Campintac, "The First to
Mark the Return of the Americans", with the US battleship having assembled
first in Loreto Bay for two (2) days, before the liberation landed Leyte on
October 20, 1944.
In education, Loreto has four (4)
secondary schools with complete basic education curriculum. One, the Liberty
National High School in Gibusong Island, Two, the Panamaon National High School
and the two- the Loreto National High School and Loreto Academy a private
non-sectarian institution in the poblacion proper. All barangays have
elementary schools even the sitio of Busay which faces the Pacific has a primary
school.
In religious, the divergence of the
religious character of the people of Loreto is reflected visibly in the number
of churches in town. The Roman Catholic (RC) and the Iglesia Filipina
Independiente (IFI) followers are still the greatest in number. But there are
other religious sects that are slowly gaining adherents. The UCCP, the INC, the
Adventist, the Body of Christ, the Grace Gospel, to mention some, have provided
the contemporary religious complexion of the townspeople a wide sectarian
variation. Such a divergence, however, not only emphasizes that the extent of
freedom of worship is exercised but, in a way, it adds to the intensity of
divine worship and a baffling quality of cosmopolitanism.
In the late 1800's, the title
"Captain" was changed to "president" as the country entered
a new of colonization under the Americans. With the establishment of the
Commonwealth the mode of determining leaders shifted to a new procedure and
Loreto experienced its first engagement with a democratic process elections.
The title of the town chief executive also suffered a change. From
"President" it became "Mayor".
The list below records the transition
of leadership from the first "President to the incumbent "Mayor"
President Constantino B.
Gupana 1919 – 1922
President Juan U. Sayson 1923 – 1925
President Emeliano B. Gupana 1926 – 1931
President Alejo B. Ayo 1932 – 1935
President Wenceslao Gallito 1936 – 1937
Mayor Andres F. Olaco 1938 – 1942
Mayor Fausto Makinano 1943 – 1944
Mayor Tomas A. Caduan 1944 – 1945
Mayor Artemio E. Lomarda 1945 – 1947
Mayor Jovito M. Legaspi 1948 – 1955
Mayor Moises J. Alfaro 1956 – 1963
Mayor Damiano O. Bagalay Sr. 1964 – 1967
Mayor Alfonso A. Ompod 1968 – 1978
Mayor Mariano R. Espina 1978 – 1985
Mayor Servillano I. Ladaga 1986 – 1998
Mayor Andres I. Ladaga, Jr. 1998 – February 2006
Mayor Dario G. Pelismino March 2006 - June 2007
Mayor Doandre Bill A. Ladaga 2007 – 2013
Mayor Nena I. Ladaga-Quijano 2013-2018
Mayor Erwin D. San Juan 2018-2019 May
Mayor Doandre Bill A. Ladaga 2019-present
Loreto as of Today is a blend of the
heritage of the past and the advances of a modern town. Still the foamy rapids
of Mabua River continues cascading down to Loreto Bay which since nobody knowns
when. But Loreto has already moved forward to the frontiers of modernization.
Imposing permanent structures have
already sprouted along the main avenues of the poblacion. The newly inaugurated
Municipal Wharf (Port of Loreto), The Loreto Rooftop Lodge, the Maximo L.
Omandam Sports & Training Center, the Municipal Library, the Municipal Building,
the Tennis Court, the Health Center, the Loreto District Hospital, and the
Municipal Hall of Justice, are some of the new structures, while the Bureau of
Fire Protection, Municipal Birthing Home of Rural Health Unit, Municipal Fish
Landing, Philippine National Police and the Loreto Multi-purpose Gym (e.g.
Evacuation Center and Function Hall) Buildings
is about to be constructed and the on-going reblocking and
reconcretating of the Municipal road in the poblacion area.
Moving around, the mode of transportation
within the poblacion is by tricycles or pedicabs. The pedal-powered kind is
called “traisikol”, while the motor-powered type is called “ habal-habal” .
Fare can range (within the poblacion) from Php 5-10 depending on your location.
Residents normally have motorbikes of their own.
Business is growing in the area to
support the increasing mobility of discriminating travellers.
Telecommunications such as Globe, Smart and some commercial establishments are
teeming in the municipality.
The growth of the community is not a
product of chance. It came about because there were men who labored to
translate the dream of their leaders as common vision and toiled for its
realization just the same.
Today, Loreto has a local attraction
like Beaches, Caves, Resort, Parks and Landmarks, Food House, Accommodation
like Inns, Pensionne and Guest Houses.
as of March, 2015
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