Misamis Occidental: History
=== Spanish colonial era ===
The area of now Misamis Occidental was first occupied by the Subanen people, who were followed by the Maranao, and later the Visayans, who settled in the coastal areas. During the 1750s, coastal villages in southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao suffered attacks from bands of Muslim pirates, who burned houses and crops, and captured people to be sold as slaves in Maguindanao, Sulu, Borneo, or the islands now known as Indonesia. In response, the colonial government in Manila created a flotilla and appointed a Spanish Jesuit missionary, José Ducos, as its commander.
After several successful battles against the pirates and when some peace had been restored, it was decided to build a stone fort at the mouth of Panguil Bay, at a place called Misamis, and Ducos was put in charge of the construction. The construction began in 1756. It was officially called “Fuerte de la Concepción y del Triunfo”.
In 1818, Mindanao was organized into five politico-military districts, one of which was the Segundo Distrito de Misamis, the largest district in Mindanao. This area was composed of today's Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, and the northern parts of Zamboanga del Sur and Cotabato.
In 1850, the town of Misamis became the capital of the district of Misamis until February 27, 1872, when the Spanish Governor General Carlos María de la Torre y Navacerrada issued a decree declaring Cagayan the permanent capital of Segundo Distrito de Misamis. During this era, the name of the town was Cagayan de Misamis. Undivided Misamis had three pure Spanish-Filipino civilian families and 35 mixed Spanish-Filipino Mestizo civilian families. It was also fortified and colonized by 100 Spanish soldiers.
On November 2, 1929, Legislative Act No. 3537 passed, dividing the old province of Misamis into Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental, which took effect on January 1, 1930. Misamis Occidental comprised the original nine towns of Baliangao, Lopez Jaena, Tudela, Clarin, Plaridel, Oroquieta, Aloran, Jimenez, and Misamis. Don José Ozámiz y Fortich became the first governor.
On January 6, 1930, the provincial council of Misamis Occidental selected Oroquieta to become the capital town (cabecera) of the province.
In 1935, the Provincial Capitol Building, commonly called as the Capitolio, begun construction and became the seat of executive and legislative power of the province in the town of Oroquieta. …