History
Cagwait is a fourth class municipality in the province of Surigao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 18,899 people.
Cagwait is about 32 kilometres (20 mi) southeast of Tandag, the capital town of Surigao del Sur. It is bounded by the towns of Bayabas on the north, Marihatag on the south, the Diwata mountains on the west and the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has a total land area of 21,410 hectares (52,900 acres). Cagwait is a coastal town located in the central part of the province of Surigao del Sur. It straddles along the coast of Pacific Ocean and Mount Diwata. It has a total land area of 21,410 hectares and a population of 19,899 (NSO, 2007) scattered among its eleven (11) barangays.
Cagwait is politically subdivided into 11 barangays.
- Aras-asan
- Bacolod
- Bitaugan East
- Bitaugan West
- La Purisima (Palhe)
- Lactudan
- Mat-e
- Poblacion
- Tawagan
- Tubo-tubo
- Unidad
Cagwait has an all-weather port at Barangay Bitaugan West (named Aras-asan Port by the Philippine Ports Authority) secured by the natural protection of Arangasa Islands. It has also an abandoned aerodome made and used by the private planes of Aras-asan Timber Company, Inc. (ARTIMCO) during its peak of timber operation in the late 1970s.
Barangay Poblacion is the seat of governance while the center of trade of the municipality is in Barangay Aras-asan. It houses three (3) rural banks, two (2) pawnshops, three (3) bakeshops, a radio station, a public terminal and public market. Telecommunication is at par with other neighboring municipalities using cellular phones, internet via GPRS, and cable television are available. There are also good tourist inns, beach resorts and homestay (bread and breakfast). Motorized tricycles, jeepneys, and buses ply its roads and concrete highways.
Cagwait is the home of the now defunct company ARTIMCO, Inc., which happened to be one of the largest suppliers of timber in the country. Its concession is a sanctuary of the Philippine Eagle as validated by Charles Lindbergh during his wildlife campaign visit that made him also discovered the beautiful white-sand beach cove of Cagwait which he called similar to that of Waikiki Beach in Hawaii.
Historical Origin of Cagwait
Young sailors from Leyte, who escaped from enslaving hands of Spaniards, sailed southward in 1840 in a boat called “veloz” and noticed they were passing into a bay resembling a human mouth, which in vernacular, it is called “mao rag wait.” The bay looked like an open mouth and the peninsula resembling the esophagus. The settlers later on called the place “Cagwait.”
Thus in July 1840, when Father Juan Engrova first baptized the people in the new settlement, wrote the name Cagwait in his record entitled, “Libros de Bautismos,” 1845-1860.
The diversity of the marine and forest ecosystem facing the bay and the land along it are fertile. It favors for growing crops that attracted more and more settlers from other and nearby places.
The Founding of Cagwait
The town was founded on January 20, 1953 of which then Hon. Rafael Consuegra was the first appointed Municipal Mayor.
The following are the Mayors and OICs who served the Municipality in the past years:
| Rafael Consuegra | January 1953 – December 1955 |
| Egidio C. Lozada | January 1956 – December 1967 |
| Adelfo C. Luengas | January 1968 – January 1986 |
| Ernesto M. Camino | February 1986 – November 1987 |
| Clenio L. Ondona, Sr. | December 1987 – January 1988 |
| Johnny Lozada | February 1988 – June 1998 |
| Lilian Y. Lozada | July 1998 – June 2007 |
| Bonifacio G. Ondona | July 2007 – June 2013 |
| Lilian Y. Lozada | July 2013 –Present |
Present-Day Cagwait
Cagwait was once a barrio of Tandag, the capital town of the province of Surigao del Sur in 1869. Cagwait was proposed as an independent Municipality in 1903 through the influence of an American who argued the distance of Cagwait from the mother town.
In 1918, Tago, another barrio of Tandag, was created as separate Municipality due to its rapid growth and progress. Cagwait became a barrio of Tago.
As a barrio of Tago, Cagwait had greatly contributed to the economic development of the town.
After 35 years, on January 20, 1953, Cagwait became a new Municipality separating itself to the Municipality of Tago. It was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 559 signed by then President Elpidio Quirino, making Hon. Rafael Consuegra as the first appointed Municipal Mayor. The inauguration was held on April 18, 1953. Consuegra served from the said date to year 1955 until Hon. Egidio C. Lozada became the first elected Mayor who served for three (3) terms from 1956-1959, 1960-1963, and 1964-1967.
Originally, five (5) barangays comprised the town, namely: Poblacion, Aras-asan, Bacolod, Bayabas and Bitaugan.
Barely eight (8) years passed after its establishment, Bayabas chose to split from Cagwait and became a separate town in 1961. The town has since increased to its present eleven (11) barangays. Added barangays are Lactudan, La Purisima, Mat-e, Tawagan, Tubo-tubo, Unidad and with the division of Barangay Bitaugan into two: Bitaugan East and Bitaugan West.
Present-day Cagwait comprises about 21,410 hectares, about 23.3% or two fifths which are flat areas of coastal plain and 76.7% or three fifths rolling, hilly and mountainous. The eleven (11) barangays are distributed into eight (8) homogenous ecological units as follows:
- Urban barangays: Aras-asan, La Purisima, Poblacion, Tubo-tubo, Unidad
- Rural barangays: Bacolod, Bitaugan East,
- Bitaugan West, Lactudan, Mat-e, Tawagan
- Coastal barangays: Aras-asan, Bacolod, Bitaugan East, Bitaugan West, Lactudan, La Purisima, Poblacion, Tawagan, Unidad
- Upland barangays: Mat-e, Tubo-tubo
- Riverine barangays: Bacolod, Mat-e, Tubo-tubo
- Estuarine barangays: Aras-asan, BItaugan East, Bitaugan West, Lactudan, La Purisima, Poblacion, Tawagan, Unidad
- Agricultural plain: Aras-asan, Bitaugan East, Lactudan, Poblacion, Tawagan, Unidad
- Mountain barangays: Bacolod, Bitaugan West, La Purisima, Mat-e, Tubo-tubo
The Beauty of Cagwait
We have Boracay, we have Palawan, we have Puerto Galera, now introducing CAGWAIT pronounced as “” syllabicated or abbreviated as “KAGandahang WAlang ITutumbas”, a fresh soothing beach that will catch every tourists best ever scenic views in the Philippines.
This new wonder of the Philippines has its distinct attraction that other beaches in the country don’t have.
The waves that invites every wakeboarders or even surfers will give them more fun and unforgettable experience. Adventurers who wants to discover the beauty of deep below this sea will amazingly entice every single moments of your discovery. Sands, beaches, corals, rock formations, and green environment that surrounds the area only shows that Cagwait is blessed by God. The warm hospitality of every residents is one thing that every tourist who loved new discoveries to consider.
KALIGUAN FLUVIAL FESTIVAL (June 21-25)
