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Welcome to the weekly feature article series of the book Surigao Across the Years —an initiative of the Surigao Historical Society (SHS) dedicated to bringing the province’s vibrant past to a wider audience. Each week, we spotlight a compelling story from the seminal work of Dr. Fernando A. Almeda Jr., D. Litt., whose book offers a richly woven narrative of Surigao’s historical, cultural, and social evolution. Through carefully curated excerpts and summaries, this series invites readers to rediscover Surigao—from its ancient geological origins and indigenous heritage to its colonial transformations, wartime trials, and postwar recovery. Grounded in archival records, oral histories, and local lore, Surigao Across the Years unveils pivotal events such as the 1924 Colorum Uprising, precolonial maritime trade, and the rise of public education under the Americans. With each article, we open a window into the soul of a province too often left at the margins of national memory—offering all Surigaonons, and all who are curious, a chance to reconnect with the stories that shaped our land and people.
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December 3, 2025 The Pipers Arrive: Establishing the American Education System in Surigao
The arrival of the Americans signaled an immediate shift from the Spanish system, which provided little development and education beyond the Cartilla. The Americans almost immediately sought to establish a public education system, with the first teachers arriving in 1901-1902. These pioneer American educators were popularly, though indiscriminately, known as "Thomasites," named after the troop-ship USS Thomas. They found an educational void, with makeshift schools run by elderly locals who knew only the local dialect, prompting the Americans to replace them with young people who had "absolutely no previous preparation" and had to be taught a "strange and foreign language".
COMING SOON
December 10, 2025 Evangelists of Culture: The Thomasite Mission and Early Resistance
The American teachers, exemplified by figures like George N. Briggs, Carl M. Moore, and Carrie J. Briggs, were driven by a missionary zeal to spread the American way of life and culture, acting as "new evangelists" in the predominantly Catholic province. Despite this dedication, attendance was initially poor due to several factors, including outright "Church opposition" in three towns where Catholic schools had already been opened by the local priest. Compounding this difficulty were epidemics of cholera and smallpox, and the fact that troops fighting nationalist resistance forces (labeled by the Americans as ladrones—thieves—but who were actually the forces of Sison and Concepcion) occupied many school buildings, disrupting instruction.
December 17, 2025 The Turning Point: Forging the Filipino Teaching Corps and the Provincial High School
A critical turning point in the American educational program was the establishment of training facilities for locals, known as the Summer Normal Institute. The first successful session in 1903 enrolled 96 participants, representing 21 towns of the province, 77 of whom were prospective teachers. This development enabled better teaching work in towns without American instructors. Furthermore, the Provincial High School was established on June 29, 1903. Although housed in a rented building due to the poverty of the province, the Americans pursued this initiative, convinced that training the natives would ultimately form the backbone of the teaching corps.
December 24, 2025 Pied Pipers and Prosperity: The American Dream Takes Root in Surigao T
he secret of the Americans' success in the rural communities stemmed from their unique policy of operating primarily as "supervisors," rather than autocratic rulers. Unlike the Spanish, who held a contemptuous opinion of the natives' intelligence, the Americans recognized that the Filipinos had "tremendous potentials" and sought to cultivate friendly relations. This approach proved effective, as the new education offered Surigaonons "deliverance from the bondage of poverty" and provided a path for social and economic upliftment. As a result, the innocent folks "followed the Pied Pipers of the American dream".
December 31, 2025 From Pensionados to the Pipers’ Limit: The Thomasites and the Unconquered Tribes
The American commitment to advancement was exemplified by the pensionado program, which awarded scholarships to the "best and brightest" students to study in the United States. Surigaonons such as Pilar Elumba and Lino Arreza were among the first batch of scholars in 1904-1905, later devoting their careers to education in the province. However, the American educational push, while welcomed by lowlanders, faced resistance from the indigenous Mamanwa and Manobo tribes. Despite efforts to teach them and even establishing a Mamanwa reservation in Mainit, these "Indigenous People" proved "tenacious in eluding the cold embrace of an alien culture". Notably, one Thomasite, John M. Garvan, stopped teaching altogether to live among the Manobos, choosing to learn from them rather than attempt to Americanize them, thereby providing the world with the first kind and authoritative writings about the tribes.
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November 5, 2025 - 1631: When Caragans Wiped Out Spanish Power at Fort San Jose
Detailing the Caragan rebellion that led to the complete overrun and destruction of the formidable Fort of San Jose in Tandag, an event Spanish historians called "one of the darkest pages in the history of the province of Caraga".
November 12, 2025 - The Sandugo of Mangabo: A Ritual Oath Between Warrior and Friar
Examining the bizarre oath-taking ritual (Sandugo) performed by Chief Mangabo, the "crocodile of Tago," who swore inviolate friendship to Fr. Lorenzo by mixing his own drawn blood with wine and drinking it.
November 19, 2025 - ‘Infernal Idea’: The Forced Relocation of the Butuan-Agusan Natives
An account of the government-ordered movement known as the "Reunion of Cabadbaran," which compelled inhabitants from inland areas like Talacogon and Bunawan to relocate to the coast, an act denounced by some missionaries who noted that the native population had proprietary rights to the lands where they lived.
November 26, 2025 - Beachheads of Change: The Dual Reality of the Spanish Reducciones
Discussing the Spanish strategy of creating reducciones (Christianized settlements) along the coast to gather natives "under the church bells", contrasting the settled Christians with the Cimarrones (wild people), such as the Mamanwa, who resisted colonization and fled to tree houses.
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2025 October 29 - Treaty with Linampas; the "Adelantado" prevails
The establishment of Spanish control in northern Mindanao commenced in 1565 when Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the Adelantado, dispatched a scouting party to Butuan, having been informed that Surigao and Butuan were the two flourishing settlements in the region. This party, which included Fr. Martin de Rada and Rodrigo de las Islas, successfully concluded a peace treaty with Linampas (also known as Lumampaon), the chieftain recognized as the local "Rey". This treaty avoided immediate conflict and secured a diplomatic foothold, intended to pave the way for the eventual beachhead of Christianity in the province. However, this diplomatic victory swiftly reduced the indigenous Rajahship to a state of vassalage, if not captivity, effectively dismantling its authority, and led to the formal imposition of Spanish rule by 1571, when the Crown appointed Pedro Navarro and Garcia Sierras Chacon as the first governors of Surigao, designating the district as an encomienda (tribute-collection grant).
2025 October 22 - Conversion of Datu Silongan
A pivotal moment in the history of Caraga—the conversion of Datu Silongan near the turn of the 17th century—remains a potent symbol of indigenous transformation amidst the tide of European colonization. This event, heralded by Spanish missionaries as a spiritual triumph, was a complex political and personal decision that fundamentally shaped Spain's initial, tenuous claim to the eastern coast of Mindanao.
2025 October 15 – Fort of Tandag and the other royal outposts
The Fort of Tandag (also known as Fort San Jose) was a pivotal Spanish colonial outpost and capital of Caraga, built using native forced labor into a triangular structure to defend against Moro raiders and subjugate the local Visayas population. The fort was highly contested: it was wiped out by Caragans in 1631 and fell again in 1754 after a devastating siege by Caragan, Maguindanawan, and Iranun allies. Tandag served as the center of an encomienda and hosted the first Recollect convent in the province. This fort, along with inland garrisons like Linao (built to contain "infidels" and harass Moros) and mission centers like Butuan and Surigao, formed a network of reducciones. However, indigenous groups often violently resisted the forced relocation policies of the reducciones because they strongly valued their proprietary rights over their ancestral lands. Tandag's importance ultimately declined, and the fort was abandoned by 1898.
2025 October 8 – Mazaua: Masao or Limawasa or elsewhere?
Was the first Catholic mass in the Philippines really held on Limasawa Island—or have we been looking in the wrong place all along? Mazaua: Masao or Limasawa or Elsewhere? dives deep into the centuries-old mystery surrounding Magellan’s historic landfall in 1521. Drawing from Surigao Across the Years, this feature reopens the case for Butuan’s Masao as the true site of Mazaua, challenging long-held national narratives and shedding new light on Surigao’s overlooked role in Philippine history.
2025 October 1 – The Fearsome Caragans: Cannibalism and Conflict in Early Surigao
The Caragans were characterized by Spanish chroniclers, such as Fr. Francisco Colin, as fierce and warlike people, reputed to practice cannibalism, specifically consuming the raw liver of enemies to gain power or longevity. These belligerent natives, found in the region of Caraga (which included Surigao), possessed golden crowns and used formidable weapons like poisoned blowguns. However, the blood-curdling image of the Caragans conflicts with later missionary accounts which found the natives to be shy, and none of the priests who ventured inland were devoured by the supposed cannibals. Despite their frightening reputation—which may have been a psychological tactic against enemies—missionaries successfully converted prominent chiefs, indicating a complex reality beneath the violent descriptions.
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2025 September 24 - The King, The Healer, and the Crucible of 1924: Unraveling the Legend of Lantayug
In 1924, Bucas Grande Island witnessed the Colorum Uprising, sparked by the destruction of a sacred bathing tank built by faith healer Felix “Lantayug” Bernales. Though absent from the revolt, he was condemned as its leader, tried for murder, and sentenced to life, leaving behind a legacy as both rogue and symbol of suppressed peasant resistance in Surigao’s history.
2025 September 17 – Magellan’s Fraudulent Claim: How Spain Stole the Philippines Using Fake Coordinates
Ferdinand Magellan's 1521 claim of the Philippine islands for Spain was deemed fraudulent because, based on the 15th-century Papal division of the world between Spain and Portugal (Treaty of Tordesillas), the archipelago fell within the Portuguese domain. Magellan proceeded regardless, planting the Spanish cross, an act supported by chronicler Antonio Pigafetta, who recorded a longitudinal location for Homonhon that artificially placed the islands in the Spanish sphere, a deception labeled "chicanery" and a "fraudulent attempt to support the Spanish contention" by historians.
2025 September 10 – Surigao Before Spain: The Maritime Crossroads of the Ancient Pacific
Uncover the hidden maritime legacy of Surigao in Surigao Before Spain: The Maritime Crossroads of the Ancient Pacific—a new web story that explores Surigao’s pivotal role in precolonial trade with Asia, the Middle East, and possibly even the Mediterranean. Drawing from Surigao Across the Years, this feature traces ancient sea routes, gold and porcelain exchanges, and the remarkable Balangay era, revealing a Surigao that once sailed boldly at the heart of early global commerce.
2025 September 3 – Surigao’s Forgotten Kingdom: The Rajahship Before Magellan
Before Spanish colonization, Surigao—then known as Calagan—was already a thriving center of maritime trade, political organization, and cultural exchange, as documented in Surigao Across the Years. Rich in gold, pearls, and native textiles like sinamay, the region actively participated in Asian trade routes that reached as far as Mecca and the Mediterranean. With seafaring technology akin to the Balanghai boats of nearby Butuan and evidence of early political structures resembling a rajahship, Surigao challenges colonial narratives that portray it as a passive backwater. Instead, it emerges as a strategic and autonomous polity whose legacy invites us to reimagine our understanding of Philippine history.
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Web Story Series: Ashes and Awakening: Surigao’s Struggle Toward Modernity
As we close out History Month (Buwan ng Kasaysayan), the final week of our 31-day storytelling journey explores the birth of modern Surigao through revolution, resistance, disaster, and reconstruction.
From hidden exiles to misunderstood uprisings, from gold booms to guerilla valor, and finally to the struggles of a people finding light after liberation—this week’s features bring us face to face with Surigao’s unyielding spirit in the 20th century.
Each day uncovers a critical moment that shaped the modern identity of the province and invites us to reflect on how the past continues to echo in the present.
August 22: The River Remembers – Waterways as Witness to Surigao's History
Theme Focus: Explore the rivers of Surigao not just as natural features, but as historical corridors—routes for trade, migration, warfare, and resistance. Highlight rivers like the Surigao River, Agusan tributaries, and the Jabonga waterways that connected interior tribes, lowland settlers, and colonial authorities. Discuss how rivers served as lifelines, boundaries, and battlegrounds.
Hook: Long before roads, rivers connected Surigao’s people. They carried salt and stories, priests and rebels, memories and mourning.
August 23: From Bamboo to Bandila – The Evolution of Surigao’s Local Symbols
Theme Focus: Examine the symbols and insignias used across different eras in Surigao—from tribal markers and ancient tattoo motifs, to Spanish-era flags, municipal seals, school emblems, and even modern political iconography. Analyze how visual identity evolved to reflect power, pride, and place.
Hook: What does a tattooed chest, a colonial banner, and a municipal logo have in common? All tell the story of Surigao through symbols carved, sewn, or stamped into time.
August 24: Whispers from the Hills – The Hidden Role of Women in Surigao’s Past
Theme Focus: Unearth the underrepresented stories of Surigaonon women—from precolonial healers and midwives, to resistance informants, cultural custodians, and educators. While male figures dominate written history, oral memory reveals women's roles as the backbone of community life, spirituality, and survival.
Hook: They didn’t march into battles or sit in council halls—but they carried the wounded, guarded the old stories, and raised the next rebels. This is history through the eyes of Surigao’s silent strength—its women.
August 25: The Forgotten Fortress – The Comandancia of Surigao
Once a symbol of colonial military power and local governance, the Comandancia stood as Surigao’s most prominent structure during the Spanish era. It housed governors, held prisoners, and bore witness to changing regimes—from Spanish to American to postwar Philippine administration. But in 1964, Typhoon Louis brought the fortress down. Today, little remains of this historic bastion, yet its story endures as a reminder of how power is built, repurposed, and eventually reclaimed by time.
Based on: Chapter 10 – Huracan: Wind of Terror
August 26: Filibusteros of Gigaquit – The Gonzalez Brothers
Discover the untold story of the Gonzalez brothers of Gigaquit—early patriots exiled for their revolutionary beliefs. Though Surigao saw no major battles during the revolution, this feature reveals a silent but significant resistance often left out of the national narrative.
Based on: Chapter 12 – Presion: Tale of Two Brothers
August 27: Colorumism and the Fire on Bucas Grande
1924. Bucas Island. A forgotten uprising. Labeled as fanatics, the Colorums of Pamosaingan were brutally suppressed after a confrontation with Constabulary forces. This article reexamines the Colorum Uprising with nuance and historical depth.
Based on: Chapter 15 – “Colorumism”: No Uprising Ever Fails
August 28: Gold, Greed, and Glory – Surigao’s Mining Boom
Revisit the dazzling 1930s, when gold turned Surigao into a mining powerhouse. From Chinese pioneers to American mining firms, this was a time of sudden wealth and societal shifts, leaving both glitter and scars on the land.
Based on: Chapter 16 – Gold Rush: Boom Before the Storm
August 29: WWII in Surigao – They Fought Alone
Siargao, 1941. Japanese planes crash-land. Locals offer mercy, then endure suspicion. This wartime account weaves heroism, mistaken allegiances, and haunting memories that still linger in post-war Surigao.
Based on: Chapter 17 – Wartime: They Fought Alone
August 30: A Nation Reborn – Surigao After Liberation
The war is over. But peace brings no quick comfort. With no electricity, ruined towns, and no functioning government, the people of Surigao must rebuild from ashes. This article traces the hardship and hope in the aftermath of WWII.
Based on: Chapter 18 – Epilogue: A New Day Too Far
August 31: A Salute – The Nation’s History, Each One’s Story
As History Month closes, we reflect on the entire journey—prehistoric echoes, colonial encounters, resistance and renewal. This final feature is a tribute to the resilience of Surigaonons, the stewards of a heritage that continues to live and inspire.
Based on: All chapters of Surigao Across the Years
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Web Story Series: Cross, Crown, and Catastrophe: Surigao in the Age of Empire
As History Month (Buwan ng Kasaysayan) continues, the third week of our 31-day story marathon (August 15–21, 2025) delves deeper into Surigao’s encounters with Europe’s empires, its lost islands, holy wars, typhoons, and the resilience of its people under colonial rule.
If the first half of August traced Surigao’s fiery geological birth, prehistoric artifacts, and ancient trade, this week captures the turning point, when Surigao entered the global stage as a royal outpost, endured missionary zeal and military conquest, and faced nature’s wrath.
Each day’s feature uncovers a pivotal episode from Dr. Fernando A. Almeda Jr.’s Surigao Across the Years, bringing to life the survival, faith, and struggles of Surigaonons in the age of empires.
Based on: Chapter 5 – Surigao: Royal Outpost in the Pacific
Focus: The first European arrivals—Francisco Serrano’s earlier landing in 1512 and Magellan’s fateful 1521 passage through Surigao Strait. The clash of Portuguese and Spanish claims under papal decrees.
Hook: Before Magellan’s cross, Serrano’s wreck already marked Surigao’s place in Europe’s age of conquest.
Based on: Chapter 6 – Caraga: River of Blood
Focus: The Recollect missionaries, their first convents, and the intertwining of spiritual mission with Spanish military garrisons. The encomiendas and the natives’ burden of tribute.
Hook: To plant the cross, they first built forts. Faith and empire converged on Caraga’s rivers.
August 17: Carved in Stone – The Lost Burial Art of Surigao
Based on: Chapter 4 – Burial Practices and Artifacts (not yet featured independently)
Focus: Reconstruct ancient Surigaonon beliefs through burial jars, stone tools, and grave goods found in Placer and Jabonga. This story brings together archaeology, spirituality, and social class, revealing how the dead were honored with beads, blades, and ritual care.
Hook: In clay jars and cave tombs, they buried more than the dead. They buried belief, identity, and a civilization’s soul.
August 18: Salt and Sovereignty – Surigao’s Hidden Wealth
Based on: Chapter 13 – Salt Making in Surigao
Focus: Delve into the centuries-old craft of salt-making in Surigao, tracing its precolonial economic role, its ties to maritime trade, and its symbolism of local industry and resistance to imported goods. Discuss how this humble commodity was a vital pillar of Surigaonon life—from barter systems to rituals.
Hook: Before gold and galleons, there was salt. The story of Surigao’s white gold—carried on waves and backs alike.
Based on: Chapter 9 – Evangelization: Triumph of the Cross
Focus: The 300-year struggle of missionaries against Moro resistance, culminating in widespread Christianization by the late 19th century.
Hook: Through blood and prayer, the friars endured. Long after Spain fell, the cross remained rooted in Surigao.
Based on: Chapter 10 – Huracan: Wind of Terror
Focus: Jesuit letters documenting typhoons and epidemics—like the devastating 1883 Huracan that uprooted trees and flattened churches.
Hook: Nature struck harder than armies. Storms and plagues shaped the destiny of Surigao’s people.
Based on: Chapter 11 – Cartilla: Blessed Are the Ignorant
Focus: Education and forced labor under Spanish rule; tribute, epidemics, and the politico-military government that kept Surigao in hardship until 1898.
Hook: They were taught little but made to give much—how Surigao endured centuries under the burden of the Crown.
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In celebration of History Month (Buwan ng Kasaysayan) this August in the Philippines, we are launching a 31-day web story marathon to honor and rediscover the rich heritage of Surigao del Norte.
For the second week (August 8–14, 2025), we highlight formative chapters from Surigao Across the Years by Dr. Fernando A. Almeda Jr.—tracing the province’s geological birth, prehistoric roots, ancient trade, indigenous peoples, missionary encounters, and early colonial entanglements.
Each daily feature revives a unique facet of Surigao’s layered history—its legends, people, landscapes, and forgotten stories—placing them in fresh dialogue with the present.
Based on: Chapter 2 – Bayagnan: Ashes from a Fiery Past
Focus: A vivid retelling of the geological upheavals that formed the Philippine Trench and the Surigao mountain range. Includes Fr. Sanchez's early scientific expedition to Bayagnan and rare fauna accounts.
Hook: A volcano-born province—how Surigao’s foundation tells a story 50 million years in the making.
Based on: Chapter 2
Focus: The arrival of Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez and his 1887 scientific and zoological survey of Surigao, touching on his ties to Jose Rizal.
Hook: What did a Jesuit and former teacher of Rizal find so fascinating about Surigao that he sailed from Manila to study it?
Based on: Chapter 3
Focus: The discovery of volcanic tektites in Placer and Bagasinan, theorized to be used by prehistoric humans. Connects early scientific finds to deeper questions of human origin in Surigao.
Hook: Were these glassy black stones once prehistoric charms? What Surigao’s ancient minerals tell us about early inhabitants.
Based on: Chapter 3a
Focus: The unique genetic study by Japanese anthropologists that questioned the traditional Negrito classification of the Mamanwa. Includes cultural persistence amid marginalization.
Hook: They may be older than the Aetas, how Surigao’s “Kongkings” may redefine Filipino ancestry.
Based on: Chapter 4
Focus: Surigao’s links to Mecca, Egypt, and Rome through trade; Balanghai-era maritime culture; porcelain and earthenware as trade evidence.
Hook: Long before Spain, Surigao’s gold sailed across Asia—how a forgotten province traded with the world.
Based on: Chapter 6
Focus: The arrival of the Recollect missionaries and establishment of mission stations from Tandag to Siargao, alongside early military control.
Hook: Missionaries came with holy books—and muskets. How faith and force carved the first Christian path into Surigao.
Based on: Chapter 6
Focus: The encomienda system in Caraga, the socio-political structure under Spanish rule, and the resistance it provoked.
Hook: Before the revolution, came taxation and control—how tribute collection shaped life (and death) in early Surigao.
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Web Story Series: Deep Roots and Distant Shores: Surigao’s Earliest Foundations
In celebration of History Month (Buwan ng Kasaysayan) this August in the Philippines, we are launching a 31-day web story marathon to honor and rediscover the rich heritage of Surigao del Norte.
For the first 7 days (August 1–7, 2025), we spotlight key themes from earlier chapters of the book Surigao Across the Years—tracing the geological origins, ancient civilizations, early trade routes, and cultural foundations that shaped the province.
Each daily feature will bring to life a unique facet of Surigao’s past, from legends and landscapes to early global linkages.
August 1: The Galatea Deep - Gateway to the Abyss Unveil the mystery beneath the Philippine Trench as we introduce the Galatea Deep—one of Earth's greatest oceanic depths located just off Siargao. Learn why geologists consider Surigao part of the most geologically unstable zones in the world, and how this has shaped its past and future.
August 2: The Escalon Man - Glimpse of a Prehistoric Past Uncover one of the most significant anthropological clues in Surigao's early history: the discovery of the so-called "Escalon Man." Though details remain sparse, this find—cited in local historical accounts—suggests early human habitation in the region. Named after the site where skeletal remains were reportedly unearthed, the Escalon Man offers a rare look at the possible prehistoric roots of the Surigaonon people. While not officially dated or widely studied, it has fueled interest in deeper archaeological exploration.
August 3: Echoes of the Ancients - Tools, Pots, and the Mamanwa Travel back thousands of years through artifacts such as burial jars, polished stone tools, and shell ornaments. Explore the enduring culture of the Mamanwa, Surigao's first people, who still live in remote forested areas preserving ancestral practices.
August 4: Trade Winds and Foreign Shores Did you know that Surigao was part of ancient maritime trade networks? Discover how early Surigaonons exchanged gold and other goods with Chinese, Arab, and even Indian traders, long before Spanish colonization.
August 5: The Name "Surigao" - A Word with Currents Decode the origins of "Surigao" through linguistic analysis. Was it derived from "surogan" or "surgir"? Learn how the swift rivers and sea currents may have inspired the name of the province.
August 6: Myths of Gold and Mystery Legends abound in Surigao, from tales of an enchanted golden boat to spirits guarding hidden treasure. These stories, passed down orally, offer a glimpse into the Surigaonon psyche and spiritual geography.
August 7: Mountains, Rivers, and Quakes - The Surigao Landscape Explore Surigao’s dramatic physical features, from its volcanic origins to the restless faults beneath its soil. Understand how geography has not only defined its beauty but also its vulnerability to natural disasters.
Stay tuned each day from August 1 to 7, 2025 as we dive into Surigao's deep past and timeless spirit. #GalateaDeepSeries #SurigaoAcrossTheYears
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2025 July 16 – The Moro Attacks
This week’s feature article delves into Chapter 8 of Surigao Across the Years, titled "Moro Attacks: Jihad or Piracy?", which reexamines the long-standing conflict between Muslim seafaring warriors and Spanish colonial forces in Mindanao, particularly in Surigao. Author Dr. Fernando A. Almeda Jr. contextualizes the Moro resistance as more than mere piracy, citing historian Cesar Adib Majul’s perspective that the conflict was a Jihad—a defensive war rooted in faith and sovereignty. From the earliest clash with Legazpi’s fleet in 1563 to the devastating raids that captured hundreds annually, this chapter explores how Surigao was repeatedly embroiled in a broader geopolitical struggle. Spanish forts in Tandag and elsewhere were both strategic bulwarks and flashpoints of resistance. This feature highlights the complexity of the Moro-Spanish conflict in Surigao, revealing its dual identity as both a religious crusade and a power struggle over influence, tribute, and survival in colonial Mindanao.
2025 July 23 – Presion: Tale of Two Brothers
This week, the Surigao Historical Society highlights Chapter 12 of Surigao Across the Years, titled “Presion: Tale of Two Brothers”, which revisits Surigao’s quiet but significant involvement in the Philippine Revolution against Spain. Unlike the dramatic uprisings in Luzon, Surigao’s revolutionary movement was less visible—marked not by open warfare but by a network of dissent and political awakening. At the center of this chapter are Simon and Wenceslao Gonzalez of Gigaquit, exiled to Jolo in 1892 for their subversive activities and later recognized for their patriotic fervor. Simon Gonzalez, later appointed Brigadier General by President Emilio Aguinaldo, symbolizes the unrecorded heroism of provincial revolutionaries. This article examines how these brothers—nurtured by education, faith, and quiet defiance—came to embody Surigao’s contribution to the national struggle for independence. Dr. Almeda’s work restores their rightful place in the historical narrative, shedding light on how the seeds of nationalism were sown even in the remote corners of the archipelago.
2025 July 30 – San Juan: Intimation of Atlantis
This week’s feature from Surigao Across the Years, presented by the Surigao Historical Society, uncovers the mystery of San Juan Island, as chronicled in Chapter 7: "San Juan: Intimation of Atlantis." Once vividly described by 17th-century explorers like Captain Charles Swan and William Dampier, San Juan was said to lie off the coast of Surigao, near Dinagat and Bucas Grande. Early maps depicted it as a sizable island teeming with forests and signs of habitation, yet it has since vanished from modern cartography—sparking speculation of it being a “lost island” akin to a Philippine Atlantis. Friars Buzeta and Bravo also referenced San Juan as a place of feral beasts and thick jungle, adding to its lore. Through historical accounts, maritime records, and maps that once marked its presence, Dr. Almeda invites readers into one of Surigao’s enduring enigmas. Was San Juan a mischarted land, a cartographic error, or a real island swallowed by time and tide? This feature invites you to reflect on how myth and memory shape our understanding of place.
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Foreword written by Dr. Leslie E. Bauzon on Dr. Fernando A. Almeda Jr.’s Lifelong Cultural Mission. Read HERE.
Dr. Leslie E. Bauzon is a distinguished Filipino historian, scholar, and academic whose work has significantly contributed to the study of Philippine history, particularly in the fields of local and regional histories, precolonial political systems, and ethnohistory. With a career spanning decades, he has served as professor and administrator at institutions such as the University of the Philippines and has been recognized for his leadership within scholarly organizations like the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the Philippine Historical Association. Dr. Bauzon is known not only for his rigorous archival research but also for championing history from the margins—highlighting the voices of regions, ethno-linguistic groups, and underrepresented communities in Philippine historiography. His intellectual mentorship and contributions continue to shape generations of historians and cultural advocates.
Dr. Fernando A. Almeda Jr., D. Litt., is a revered scholar, cultural advocate, and author whose life’s work has been dedicated to preserving and chronicling the rich history and heritage of Surigao and the Caraga Region. As the founding president of the Surigaonon Heritage Center and the visionary behind the landmark historical volume Surigao Across the Years, Dr. Almeda has brought national attention to the depth and complexity of Surigao’s past—from its geological origins and indigenous cultures to its pivotal role in colonial and postcolonial transformations. Honored with a Doctor of Letters honoris causa by St. Paul University Surigao in 2016, he is celebrated for his meticulous research, narrative eloquence, and tireless leadership in cultural preservation. His work bridges academic rigor with community engagement, ensuring that Surigaonon identity is both remembered and revitalized across generations.
Copyright and Authorized Digital Use Statement
The book Surigao Across the Years by Dr. Fernando A. Almeda Jr., D. Litt., is protected under Philippine copyright law, with rights jointly held by the author and VICARISH Publication and Trading, Inc., as indicated in the 2017 edition (ISBN: 978-621-8030-39-8). All rights are reserved, and no part of the book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without prior written permission from the publisher.
With the full permission of Dr. Fernando A. Almeda Jr., and under his direct leadership, a digital knowledge initiative has been established to extend access to the historical and cultural wealth contained in Surigao Across the Years. As part of this effort, selected feature articles drawn from the book have been carefully curated and made available through digital platforms to promote historical awareness, civic education, and cultural pride among Surigaonons and the broader academic public. To support this mission, Dr. Almeda has also authorized the development and supervised deployment of a dedicated AI assistant—a digital research tool designed to help readers, educators, students, and researchers navigate the contents of the book with accuracy and efficiency. This AI operates strictly within the boundaries of the original work, drawing exclusively from the 18 chapters of the published volume. It is engineered to reflect the author’s intellectual intent and uphold the historical fidelity of the material, avoiding any extrapolation, speculation, or external referencing.
The 2025 Editorial Team- composed of Zimmbodilion Mosende, Woolsey Lonzon, and Lawrence Ferol of the Surigao Historical Society (SHS) - works in close collaboration with Dr. Almeda in overseeing the responsible implementation of this digital initiative. Together, they affirm their shared commitment to the ethical stewardship, scholarly integrity, and wide accessibility of Surigao’s documented past.
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