Gingoog, officially the City of Gingoog , is a 1st class component city in the province of Misamis Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 136,698 people. Like other municipalities in the Philippines that retained Spanish-based orthography, the city name is spelled as Gingoog but is pronounced as or since it originated as a Binukid word.

History

The term Gingoog originally came from the word "Hingoog", which means "Goodluck", from a Lumad tribe of Manobo who settled in the area. The word implies good fortune, thus Gingoog means the "City of Good Luck". The natives of this place are the ones with the family names of "Gingco", and "Gingoyon". Gingoog was founded as a mission by Spanish missionaries in 1750. It was one of the oldest localities in Misamis Oriental Province, older than the province's capital and economic hub, Cagayan de Oro which was founded in 1871. The territory of then-independent Gingoog was made part of Talisayan for a while, since the passage of Act No. 951, issued by the Philippine Commission on October 21, 1903, which reduced the number of municipalities in the then-undivided Misamis province from 24 to 10, until becoming the first former municipality to be reconstituted thereafter through Act No. 1618, enacted on March 20, 1907 and took effect on August 10. During the early 20th century, with its abundant natural resources, Gingoog slowly continued to edge forward their economic progress, attracting migrants from Luzon and Visayas to settle in the area as their new home. After the World War II, the fast and vast production output of agriculture (specifically coconut & coffee) and logging industry created a momentum of progress that led to the initiation of Gingoog’s early independence from the Province of Misamis Oriental. In 1957, the sitio of Binuangan was converted into a barrio known as Talisay.

Cityhood

Gingoog was turned into a city via Republic Act No. 2668 signed by President Carlos P. Garcia circa June 18, 1960.

Geography

Gingoog is located in the Province of Misamis Oriental in the Northern Mindanao Region on Mindanao island. The city is approximately 122 km east of Cagayan de Oro and 74 km west of Butuan. It is bounded on the east by the Municipality of Magsaysay; on the west by the Municipality of Medina; on the south by the Municipality of Claveria; and on the north by Gingoog Bay. Its total land area is 56844 ha.

Barangays

Gingoog is politically subdivided into 79 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios. In 1957, the sitio of Malibod was converted into a barrio. The 79 barangays are the following:

Climate

Demographics

The majority of Gingoog's population speak Cebuano (spoken with Northern Mindanao variant), although the early inhabitants of the city are mostly Higaonons, who still inhabit the mountains to avoid contact with migrants from Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor and Negros Oriental who came to the area and occupied the coastal parts of the area long before Spanish presence in the area. There is also a sizeable speakers of Boholano dialect of Cebuano in Gingoog. Higaonon is also spoken by the city's indigenous people of the same name who live in the mountains. Tagalog/Filipino and English are widely understood and often used for administrative functions by the local government and in education, with the former is also varyingly spoken with Batangas dialect due to ethnic Tagalog residents who came from Batangas in various numbers. Other languages also spoken varyingly in Gingoog are Bicolano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Waray, Butuanon, Surigaonon, as well as Maranao, Maguindanaon and Tausug.

Economy

The city's total income during year 2000 reached P296,731.65, of which 292,077.262.40 or 98.43% accrued in the General Fund while P4,653,809.25 or 1.5% accrued in the Special Education Fund. Comparatively, the 1999 income level of P250.64 Million has increased by P46.09 Million or 18.39%. The biggest bulk of the city's income was derived from tax revenues complementing around 95.5% of the total earnings of the year. One major component of this income class is the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) which contributed a total amount of P259.69 Million or 93.04%. Said IRA has increased by P37.43 Million or 16.83% against that of 1999. Local revenue contributed only 10.04% of the city's total annual income. Total expenditure incurred by the city for the whole year reached to about P243.54 Million, of which P239.66 Million was spent from the General Fund and P3.88 Million was spent from the Special Education Fund. Comparatively, an increase of about P9.76 Million or 4.17% over 1999. By expense class, personal services absorbed as much as P161.74 Million or 66.41%. That includes the services of the devolved employees, newly created positions as mandated by R.A. 7160 and project engaged workers. Maintenance and other operating expenses followed with P45.35 Million, or 18.62%, then Capital Outlay with P36.46 Million, or 14.97%.