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Apolinar Velez y Ramos was the Mayor of Cagayan de Misamis from 1928 to 1931, and also the Governor of the Misamis Provinces from 1906 to 1909. He is a notable figure of the invasion of the American Colonists in Cagayan de Misamis, where he led the Filipinos in the victorious Battle of Makahambus.

Born on the 23rd of January 1865, in Cagayan, Misamis; Apolinar Velez was the son of Blas Velez and Saturnina Ramos. During his early years, Apolinar first schooled at Fra. R. Zueco’s private school of Attorney Leoncio Roa. Later, he proceeded to study at S. Jis de Ortega’s college and became clerk in the office of the court of first instance of Misamis. As his career took flight, he held the positions of official de mesa, interpreter, and defensor depresos pobres. Prior to that time, Velez held the position of second lieutenant of infantry of the Spanish army and was garnished with the Medalla de Mindanao.

In 1898, Apolinar Velez was assigned to become the chief of the division of justice of the provincial council of the Revolutionary Government. Velez was promoted to chief of the battalion “El Mindanao” and was promoted to the rank of major of the revolutionary army.

It was during that time when the Americans invaded Misamis. Former Mayor Apolinar Velez led the momentous battle of Makahambus on the 4th of June 1900. The battle is remembered as the Philippines’ first victory over the American forces through guerilla tactics vs. advance military technology. Eventually, the Americans would successfully defeat the Velez forces. However, the Americans agreed to peace and soon Cagayan was back to her usual economic activities under the guidance of the foreigners.

From 1901 to 1906, Don Apolinar Velez held the post of provincial secretary. Afterwards, he was voted governor of Misamis for two terms. During the 1928 election, in reaction to the insistence of his supporters, Apolinar Velez ran for the post of municipal president of Cagayan, and was voted with no trouble.

Aside from his numerous success and achievement in both politics and military, Don Apolinar spent his spare time playing chess and pool, or reading books. He also played the piano, like everyone else in his family. He wed Leona Chaves y Roa on the 10th of May 1887, thus joining two of the principal families of Misamis.

by Mark Daposala

It’s amazing how most of us Kagay-anons know little about our ethnic history. Here’s something you don’t hear every day, though: the legend of Bae Lawanen, the Maranao princess whose beauty totally changed the Manobo prince Bagani’s mind to go to war against the Maranaos. When the two nobles wed, the Manobos cursed their land “Kagayhaan,” which means the place of shame.

Here is another story, this time about a different legend. In 1622, two Spanish Recollect missionaries, Fray Juan de San Nicolas and Fray Francisco de la Madre de Dios, missionaries who resided in Caraga, heard of a peaceful community of natives in Mindanao who resided in Cagaiang. The two priests embarked from Butuan to Camiguin.
They sent a message to Datu Salangsang, the chief of Cagaiang, appealing for permission to enter his land. At first, the chief turned down the request, but the priests approached the chief’s grandmother, Doña Magdalena, and asked her to persuade her grandson. The negotiation was successful.

Another appealing fact that we have to think about is that Salangsang’s grandmother was a Bol-anon — of Visayan descent! So if you’re a Kagay-anon and wondering about your origin, you better think about the possibility that we can be Visayans. Another possibility we have to consider is that there were intermarriages between the lumads and the Visayans long before our Spanish conquerors stepped on our shores.

In the one of the Fray’s accounts, Cronicas de Recolletos, he stated that the community of Cagaiang differed from the people from Caraga and Butuan, for they were more passive than the other dwellers of Mindanao. They also noted that these people dressed and talked like the Visayans as compared to the other tribes in the island. They were also well developed in their social organization skills, including their material items. Afterwards, Himologan would be deserted and the people moved to a new settlement called Cagaiang, which is now our city of golden friendship, Cagayan de Oro. Now how about that?

-by Mark Anthony Daposala

What’s new?? Well this isn’t up-to-the-minute; perhaps this becomes an “In” thing here in CDO. Mind looking at the Provincial Capitol Building where such a nice recreational place is found. Before, this is formerly named MacArthur Park in honor of General Douglas MacArthur who landed in Cagayan after escaping from Corregidor enroute to Australia. The park is located in front of the Provincial Capitol Building and is now named after a Provincial Governor, Vicente de Lara.
The Vicente de Lara Park where different people here in CDO use up their time most specially weekends for families and lovers , also some are those aged man who finds this place advantageous where they could play “CHESS” as observed. Well, what chess actually really is? Define Chess? Chess is a recreational and competitive board game played on a square chequered chessboard with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight square between two players who each control sixteen pieces. Practically this day, it’s not just the aged man that plays chess here, there are also students who were actually enticed to come and spend their time after class together with the other students from different schools close to the premises of the park playing the said game as their past time as well as a variably human thought process as considered. This is just one of the things that people does here. Eventually people living near the park jog here every morning, and some are just having fun sitting on the benches watching the vehicles passing or chitchatting with friends or with people they have just met there. There are also young girls and boys who prefer to practice their dance here for school activities. You can also see happy faces of children running at its wide area. Despite the busy life of people passing the premises of the park, still as observed many of them are enticed to drop by and spend least of their time sitting and looking at the scenery of the park.
“If you haven’t felt the moment sitting at this park, try to go and you’ll appreciate one of Cagayan’s applausive attractions within the city proper.” CDO wow!! Cdokay.!

Contributor:
-KrisheE D.-

To get in CDO you can choose which way you are well situated. You can choose via Air, Land and Sea transportation. By air trip, you can go to LUMBIA AIRPORT – It is located in Barangay Lumbia in Cagayan de Oro. Lumbia Airport is said to be substituted by the bigger Laguindingan International Airport, presently under construction. By sea trip, the port is situated in Barangay Macabalan in front of the Macajalar Bay. It serves as a major transport link both for domestic and foreign delivery, as well as an export channel of the enormous agricultural products from Bukidnon. By land trip, the city has three bus and jeep terminals with regular land trips. The Eastbound-Gusa Jeep Terminal, Agora Integrated Bus Terminal and Westbound-Bulua Integrated Bus Terminal. The City is plenty of jeep with different routes, taxi, tricycle, and buses which make getting around the city pretty easier. You can also take a ride in any vehicles at their dispatching areas or by simply waving your hand in the city sidewalks.

       There is also a collection of other entertainment attractions assembled for the purpose of entertaining a large group of people providing attractions both caters adults, teenagers, and all for all ages.Gaston Park and Saint Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral. The park is known for its water fountain, is a preferred place to relax and family day during Sundays. Mapawa Nature Park is ideal for horseback riding, biking, zip line and nature trekking. Gardens of Malasag Eco-Tourism Village are located in Malasag Hill good for unwinding and it gives a lucid view of Macajalar Bay.Vicente de Lara Park is in facade of the Provincial Capital of Misamis Oriental with longstanding mahogany trees good for jogging and strolling area during the morning. Plaza Divisoria and Bonifacio Park is also a good place to meet people with new faces at all ages.
  

      For Museums and Historical Places in the city there are a lot of museums that exhibits both tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and environment from the past, for the purposes of education, study, and enjoyment. There are various institutions that collect, safeguard and make accessible artifacts and specimens, which they hold in trust for city history which are left untold. Macahambus Cave is known and very historic for its historic Battle in Makahambus Hill between local and American soldiers during the Philippine-American War. It is a subversive cave with a 130 foot (40 m) circular ravine. The gorge is chunky with different kind of plants and huge trees. A range of Museums with various historical stories are scattered along the city the Museum of Three Cultures, La Castilla, Museo de Oro, Huluga and Plaza de Los Heroes.
  

      The most exciting along the city is the night life. The Bar hopping every Friday and Saturday nights in Divisoria, mall hopping, and “tiangge shopping” along city sidewalks when dusk is approaching. The City is acknowledged to be the shopping capital of the Northern Mindanao region. People in nearby provinces even foreigners abroad visit the city to shop and enjoy the mall amenities and quality services; the city has copious department stores with low cost garment items. Malls are situated everywhere, restobars , and movie houses. One of the most visited malls in the city is the Limketkai Center, located in Barangay Lapasan, near the National Highway. Other malls are Robinsons Cagayan de Oro is located behind the Limketkai Mall, Gaisano City Mall, SM City Cagayan de Oro and MAKRO Cagayan de Oro shopping center. Indeed ,the city is CDO okay!!!!

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