Misamis Occidental 81st Years : 1st Pas’ungko Festival 2010

Photo above is the official poster design of the Misamis Occidental first ever cultural festival, The Pas'ungko S'g Mis Occ is a Subanen Term meaning the province had showed thanks to the high Almighty.

by PJTremedal,BNDMisOC-CIB/OCM

Oroquieta City – In the Subanen word, Pas’ungko means great Thanks to the Almighty. It is the time of good tidings especially after harvest or “pasasalamat” to all what had God given to the community.

Today as it celebrates its 81^st Founding years, Governor Herminia D. Ramiro who led the provincial government with her, GO! HERMIE agenda, Misamis Occidental and beyond has to go a long way to achieve its dream and aspiration.

Like any tribe, Misamis Occidental wants to be in the map of Economics, Trade and Industry, Tourism, Agriculture, protection of the Environment, Peace and Order and other development for a province to be progressive and well develop.

With the celebration of the 1^st ever Pas’ungko Festival, Misamis Occidental focuses on its tourism potential and destination, promotion of its One Town, One Product program, a government initiative to promote farm produce, food and delicacies, native products of a place, a town or a province is one way to achieve its progress.

This, the Provincial Tourism Council was re-organized and re-activated to work for the implementation of such project and hopes to be known not only in Northern Mindanao but to the whole country or in the international community. With the PTC now in its prime year of service to the province, the 1^st Pas’ungko Festival will be the name of the game.

With the participation of the three cities and its 14 towns, Misamis Occidental with its new innovation, modern technology adaptation, and economy triggered development and good governance to achieve peace and order will be in the map again of progressive and develop provinces of the country.

The festival will also focus on the search for the Mutia ng Misamis Occidental were 17 beautiful ladies will vie for the next ambassadress of goodwill of the province. A Agri-trade fair that will showcase the province One Town,One Product, and a cultural presentation defecting the Subanen People and the tri-people of Misamis Occidental. Said activites will be on November 4-8 with the Secretary of DOT,DOST,and other dignitaries and local officials led by the Governor.

The revival of the Provincial Tourism Council is another agneda of the GO HERMIE to promote the province thru active participations of the town's tourism officers led by Mr. Gerard Hilarion Ramiro, as the Provincial Chairman.

Historically, Misamis Occidental is a province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital city is Oroquieta. The province borders Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur to the west and is separated from Lanao del Norte by Panguil Bay to the south and from Misamis Oriental by Iligan Bay to the east.

The province of Misamis was originally inhabited by Subanens who’s an easy target by the sea pirates from Lanao. Misamis is taken from the early settlement of the Spaniards at the entrance to the Panguil Bay.

The name "Misamis" is believed to have been derived from the Subanen word "Kuyamis" which is a variety of sweeto coconut - the staple food of the early settlers in this place. During the years the name persisted as an inference of the geographical location and upon the advent of the Spanish settlers, the word "kuyamis" easily gave way to the more convenient pronounceable but corrupted word "Misamis”.

Misamis Occidental comprised the original nine towns of Baliangao, Lopez Jaena, Tudela, Clarin, Plaridel, Oroquieta, Aloran, Jimenez, and Misamis. The original nine municipalities of the province of Misamis Occidental grew into the present three cities of Ozamiz, Oroquieta, and Tangub and the 14 municipalities of Aloran, Baliangao, Bonifacio, Calamba, Clarin, Concepcion, Don Victoriano, Jimenez, Lopez Jaena, Pana-on, Plaridel, Sapang Dalaga, Sinacaban, and Tudela

Misamis Occidental is located near the narrow strip of land linking Northwestern Mindanao, to the North-central part of the island. Shaped like a collapsible fan it is bounded on the northeast by the Mindanao Sea, east by the Iligan Bay, southeast by the Panguil Bay, and the west by the Zamboanga del Norte and Sur. The fact that three of its boundaries are bodies of water gives away water life as one of its natural resources and fishing as one of its main industries. Except along the coastal area, hilly and rolling land characterized the provincial terrain. Towards the western border, the terrain is particularly rugged.

The dense population along the coast consists mainly of migrants from Cebu, Siquijor and Bohol, thus the major dialects are Cebuano and Boholano. The native Subanens live in the interior uplands.

The province economy depends firstly on fishing, secondly on coconuts, thirdly on rice. The province has 169 kilometers of coastline fronting the rich fishing grounds of Panguil and Iligan bays. It also has the biggest area of brackish-water fishponds in the region.

Tangub City is a fishing port on Panguil Bay famous for seafood’s. Coconut is the chief crop. This is processed into oil, desiccated coconut, and coir, most of which are shipped to Cebu. Coconut processing is one of the main industry in Oroquieta City. Other crops grown are rice, corn, abaca, coffee, cacao and rubber. Meanwhile, Ozamiz City is the commercial center of Misamis Occidental.

With Governor Herminia Ramiro’s leadership, Misamis Occidental is not far from over, with her agenda and the support of its people, the Misamisnons, the second largest province of Northern Mindanao is the next economic tiger of Mindanao.