Bunawan, Agusan del sur
In 18th century, Bunawan was a small settlement inhabited by Manobos, a tribe found all over the central and eastern portion of Mindanao.
The term “Bunawan” came about when visitors, Spanish Missionaries asked a woman along their way the name of the place. The woman who was fixing her gold jewelry misunderstood the question thinking that the visitors would want to know what she was holding, told the visitors that is Bulawan, the local term for gold. Not contended, the missionaries asked the husband for a clarification; if indeed this is Bunawan and the husband said yes. Since then, the settlement has been known as Bunawan.
During the Spanish regime, Bunawan has its barangay government under the stewardship of a Cabesa de Barangay. Headed then by the late Petronilo Chamen who was eventually appointed Municipal District Mayor when Bunawan was declared as Municipal District during the American regime. Followed by Eleuterio Lara, Primitivo Asis and Raymundo Cordova in that order until the local elections in 1959.
From a Municipal District for almost two decades, Bunawan became a regular municipality on January 26, 1959 by virtue of Republic Act No. 2517 authored by Congressmen Daniel Romualdez.
Mayor Zotico C. Moday was elected as the first Municipal Mayor of Bunawan, Agusan Province.
In the 1967 election Mayor Zotico C. Moday ran for a third term against Mr. Raymundo M. Curato but lost. It was during the incumbency of Mayor Raymundo M. Curato that the municipal building in Bunawan Poblacion was gutted by fire. Living no room to house the operation of the municipal government.
Consequently, the municipal council passed a resolution transferring the set of local government from Bunawan Poblacion to Dakotan, now known as San Teodoro, across Simulao River, where a block tienda building of the municipal government was then located. This was used as the temporary municipal building of the municipality of Bunawan.
In the election of 1972 Mayor Zotico C. Moday regained the position of the Municipal Mayor against Mayor Raymundo M. Curato who lost in the election. However, Mayor Zotico C. Moday lost to Mr. Leonardo A. Barrios in the mayoralty election in 1980. Mayor Leonardo A. Barrios served as Municipal Mayor of Bunawan for a period of six years until it was overtaken by the EDSA revolution in February 1986.
The term “Bunawan” came about when visitors, Spanish Missionaries asked a woman along their way the name of the place. The woman who was fixing her gold jewelry misunderstood the question thinking that the visitors would want to know what she was holding, told the visitors that is Bulawan, the local term for gold. Not contended, the missionaries asked the husband for a clarification; if indeed this is Bunawan and the husband said yes. Since then, the settlement has been known as Bunawan.
During the Spanish regime, Bunawan has its barangay government under the stewardship of a Cabesa de Barangay. Headed then by the late Petronilo Chamen who was eventually appointed Municipal District Mayor when Bunawan was declared as Municipal District during the American regime. Followed by Eleuterio Lara, Primitivo Asis and Raymundo Cordova in that order until the local elections in 1959.
From a Municipal District for almost two decades, Bunawan became a regular municipality on January 26, 1959 by virtue of Republic Act No. 2517 authored by Congressmen Daniel Romualdez.
Mayor Zotico C. Moday was elected as the first Municipal Mayor of Bunawan, Agusan Province.
In the 1967 election Mayor Zotico C. Moday ran for a third term against Mr. Raymundo M. Curato but lost. It was during the incumbency of Mayor Raymundo M. Curato that the municipal building in Bunawan Poblacion was gutted by fire. Living no room to house the operation of the municipal government.
Consequently, the municipal council passed a resolution transferring the set of local government from Bunawan Poblacion to Dakotan, now known as San Teodoro, across Simulao River, where a block tienda building of the municipal government was then located. This was used as the temporary municipal building of the municipality of Bunawan.
In the election of 1972 Mayor Zotico C. Moday regained the position of the Municipal Mayor against Mayor Raymundo M. Curato who lost in the election. However, Mayor Zotico C. Moday lost to Mr. Leonardo A. Barrios in the mayoralty election in 1980. Mayor Leonardo A. Barrios served as Municipal Mayor of Bunawan for a period of six years until it was overtaken by the EDSA revolution in February 1986.
