St. Joseph Cathedral, Now a Diocesan Shrine

Reverend Father Siegfred Dosdos read the Decree of Establishment of St. Joseph Cathedral as a Diocesan Shrine during the May 19 Pontifical Fiesta Mass.

Such declaration was approved by His Excellency Juan de Dios Pueblos, Catholic Bishop of Butuan and Parish Priest of the Cathedral.

To many catholic devotees of Butuan City, this is another history in the making, aside from the fact that the church in Butuan was the first church that was established in Mindanao.

Also, during the Pontifical Fiesta Mass, Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos handed over the cane of St. Joseph, which symbolises the naming of Congressman Jose Aquino II and wife Salome as the new Hermano and Hermana Mayor of the Diocesan Shrine.

Historically, the Parish Church of St. Joseph in Butuan already has its milestones to include: First Easter Mass in 1521, Mission founded by the Jesuits in 1596, Blessing First church in Mindanao in 1597, St. Joseph as Titular Patron in 1622, St. Francis de Sales as Second patron in 1792, Blessing of the old parish church in 1883, consecration of the present church in 1954, elevated cathedral by Pope Paul VI in 1967, appointed church for the great jubilee in year 2000, dedicated cathedral by Ricardo Cardinal Vidal in 2007 and now as Diocesan Shrine.

Sharmaine Alisa Basinang Crowned Mutya Hong Butuan 2009

Sharmaine Alisa Basinang, 16 years old, just graduated from Agusan National Highschool was this years’ Mutya Hong Butuan, she also bagged 5 special awards; Ms. Bayantel Communication, Ms. Quadtech, Ms. Baby Cologne, Ms. Black Beauty Shampoo and Ms. Kutis Placenta.

Mutya Hong Butuan 2009 Miss Basinang was also chosen as Ms. Swimwear, Ms. Casual Attire and Ms. Evening Gown.

The judges headed by Priscilla Osin-Ariola also chose the 5 prettiest among the 9 candidates namely: Sharmaine Alisa Basinang, Aries Castillo, Sheena Grace Cubillas, Shahani Mongaya, and Catherine Rose Lim, who was awarded with 10 thousand pesos cash.

The 5 prettiest were given one common question given by City Tourism Officer Ayeth Guno, who was read by the Master of Ceremony Glenn Allona that says: “If you were to choose, what country in Asia would you to like to live?”

The majority of the girls answered Philippines, except candidate number 6, Miss Catherine Rose Lim who answered Hongkong.

Other awards are the following: Miss Photogenic, Aries Castillo; Miss Friendship, Lou Jaye Bongato, Best in Artistic Performance, Catherine Rose Lim, and the Best in Asian Attire, Shahani Mongaya.

BALANGAY FESTIVAL 2009

Calendar of Activities (May 1-31, 2009)

May 1 – 31
1st DAISY B. PLAZA GARDEN SHOW
Venue: Butuan Historical Park
TRADE FAIR
Venue: AD Curato Street
CARNIVAL FAIR
Venue: VGP Area, JC Aquino Avenue

May 9-10
KALIWAT HONG CALO AFFAIRS
May 9 – Thanksgiving Mass
9:30 am Bood Promontory
May 10- Grand Reunion, FSUU Libertad

May 10
PHILIPPINE BOXING FEDERATION BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP
7:00 pm FSUU Gym

May 12
RICHARD POON SERENADES BUTUAN
7:00 pm Almont Inland

May 12-13
MEGA JOBS FAIR
8:00 am City Hall

May 13
BALIKBUTUAN DINNER RECEPTION
7:00 pm Balanghai Hotel
STORY TELING FOR CHILDREN
2:00pm Butuan City Library
HOTSHOTS ’09 ALL STAR CELEBRITY
BASKETBALL CARAVAN
7:00 pm FSUU Gym

May 14
REPORT TO THE CITY
MAYOR DEMOCRITO D. PLAZA II
1:00 pm Almont Inland Resort


May 16
GRAND ALUMNI HOMECOMING
ANHS – 8:00 AM FSUU Gym
FSUU-HS- 7:00pm Morelos Campos, Libertad

May 17
BALIKBUTUAN RIVER CRUISE & CITY TOUR
8:00 am PPA Grounds
6th MAYOR & 3RD CONGRESSIONAL INTER CARAGA
MOTORCROSS COMPETITION8:00 am City Sports Complex, Libertad

May 18
MUTYA HONG BUTUAN CORONATION PAGEANT
7:00 pm FSUU Gym

May 19
BALANGAY FESTIVAL GRAND PARADE
7:00 AM Montilla Boulevard

May 20
INTER BARANGAY BALAK & HARANA FINALS
5:00 pm Rizal Park

May 23
TIMBER CITY ACADEMY ALUMNI HOMECOMING
7:00 pm Almont Inland

May 26-27
KASALAN SA ALMONT
8:00 am Almont Inland

May 29
BALANGAY GRAND SANTACRUZAN
5:00 pm Thanksgiving Mass St. Joseph Cathedral
6:00 pm Procession of Sagalas
TESDA-13 JOBS BRIDGING & SKILLS
RE-TRAINING CARAVAN
8:00 am Gym, FSUU Morelos Campus. Libertad

May 29-31
1st ALIM PANGANDAMAN SHOOTING COMPETITION
8:00 am Bancasi Shooting Range

Bonbon Eco Park, mountain resort in Butuan

A breath taking view of the mountainous area of Barangay Bonbon can be seen along the way. If you want a little adventure then this is for you. Travelers can take their ride through a single motorcycle for 25 pesos per passenger from Bonbon proper to Eco-Park. The road to the eco park is not yet developed so be prepared of the dust and your encounter of those big trucks hauling gravel as you pass by a quarry site, few kilometers before reaching the eco-park.

The eco-park has a receiving area where one has to pay P100 that includes a free jeepney ride in going further down to the resort. If you want to view Butuan City, don’t miss the opportunity to take the right route and go up the mountain at the seminar house.

The eco-park do have a canteen but it’s not yet operational, so better bring own provisions. It has two swimming pools, for the adults and kids. The water is clean, sourced out from within the area which flows from the big pool, down to the kids’ pool, the pond and the brook from the entrance area.

Church Ruins

The BANZA CHURCH RUINS located at the oldest poblacion of the city is the oldest ruin of a stone church in the entire island of Mindanao.

The church was built in 1625 by the recollect friars but was reduced to ashes in 1753by Moro pirates.

What was left of the church is part of the bell tower, enveloped by a “Banyan” – balete tree.

The place is located at the inner portion of Lilo in Barangay Banza, with the breathtaking view of the Agusan River.

Butuan Regional Museum, Doongan

Sundial, inaugurated by then President Fidel V. Ramos on September 11, 1983. A project of the United Architects of the Philippines-Butuan Chapter







Mahogany Tree




Batuan Tree


Repository of historical and cultural materials and artefacts that showcased Butuan’s pride and proves its pre-hispanic existence as well as its rich cultural heritage.

The museum has two galleries namely, the pre-historic and the Archaeological Hall which exhibits specimens of stone crafts metal crafts, potteries, gold smithing, burial coffins, different artifacts recovered at different stages/periods of man’s existence, the Golden Tara that signifies Butuan’s relation with Indonesia as well as other ceramic wares found in association with beautiful guild ornaments and beads among burial coffins. It also has on exhibit a bronze pestle (a foreign object in its time) dug up in March 2001 in Pinamanculan- a place believe to be an isle so obviously its brought by foreigners trading with the locals.

The Ethnology Hall features the cultural communities of the Manobo, Mamanwa, Higaonon and the lowland Butuanons, a showcase of the rich cultural heritage of Butuan.

Butuan Regional Museum is a branch of the National Museum entrusted by law as the repository & guardian of the Philippines’ national & cultural heritage particularly the historical materials and artefacts that proves Butuan’s prehistoric existence and rich culture. It also enhances the preservation and maintenance of archaeological finds that could be useful to scholars, students and researchers on Mindanao culture. It promotes public consciousness and awareness of the origin of the provinces and cities of the region.

The Regional Museum in Butuan City will soon undergo renovation. Recently, the Sangguniang Panglunsod approved a resolution authorizing Mayor Democrito D. Plaza II to enter a memorandum of agreement with the National Museum who will be tasked to conduct cultural mapping, to be able to identify Butuan City’s cultural and historical interests.

The cultural mapping will be made in all 86 barangays to include in identifying their culture, food, games, and events that could trace back the history of Butuan.

It has a budget of more or less 2.6 million pesos, part of which will be allocated to renovate the now dilapidated building of the Butuan Regional Museum, putting at risk the artifacts put on display.

City Councilor Ramon Carampatana, Chairman of the Committee on Tourism also revealed that the National Museum already approved the construction of one additional gallery for the Butuan Regional Museum.

A plan is also in progress, between members of the Butuan Global Foundation, Inc and the Butuan Regional Museum to restore the labels of each tree around the museum that contains the date it was planted, and its scientific name, among those are Narra Tree, Batuan Tree, and Mahogany Tree.

Bonbon Shell Midden

Reaching the area can be made in either from the fully cemented circumferential road that traverses from Diosdado Macapagal Bridge or from Libertad, national highway. The shortest way though is to ride the motorized trisikad, parked at the corner of Libertad national highway-Bonbon road just adjacent to the City Sports complex, and turning left from the Bonbon proper, you have to go across a bad road; the distance from the national highway is more or less 3-kilometers.











In archaeology, the term shell midden analysis refers to the study of marine shell valves that were once used as food by prehistoric peoples. Once the meat was extracted, the remaining shells were sometimes used to make ornaments such as beads or carved into fishhooks. However, most of the shell was simply thrown away as waste. It was not uncommon for prehistoric peoples to discard unwanted refuse at centralized trash sites. Over many hundreds of years, shell refuse and soil would build up at these trash sites, resulting in the formation of mounds on what was once level ground.

Discovered in Purok 2A-Tuway, Barangay Bonbon is a mound of shells running up to two meters deep occupying an area of about half a hectare and what is now an additional historical sites, named as “Bonbon Shell Midden”

The materials found in the site underwent radiocarbon dating analysis in Japan. But National Museum archaeologists who made an in-depth study of the site in February 2009 have its prognosis that the materials go back to late Stone Age. That effectively pushes back in time the cultural chronology of Butuan's early settlement, and eventually alters data on Philippine history.

Aside from freshwater and brackish shells, the excavations yielded stone flake tools that bore traces of human interventions, including deposits of human and animal bones. At the moment, two human tibiae (long bones of the arms) and parts of the hand are in Japan for C-14 analysis.