Municipality of General Luna

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Area : 59.98 sq. km.

Population : 13, 385 as of 2007 (NSCB)

HISTORY

Many legends have been attached to the reason why this town had been known as Cabuntog in ancient times. Foremost is legend of huge bell in the local church that when it rings it can be heard as far as the mainland of Mindanao. Its sound allegedly summon the Muslin raiders to its shores. To protect itself against this depreciation it was decided to get rid of the bell. They did so by dumping the same at Campujong river. Dumping is “Buntog” in the local dialect hence, the name.

Records however tell a different tale. General Luna then known as Cabuntog in ancient times, enjoyed a peaceful as well as a bloody era. The original inhabitants of the place belong to the group of people known as the “Caragans” or people from the region known as Caraga. They subsist on fishing and farming. They live a life that was relatively tranquil and peaceful until the arrival of the Spanish Colonizes sometime in late 15th century. The arrival of theses colonizers and their harsh treatment of the people caused resentment and misgivings amongst its populace that in the year 1631, the Caragan’s revolted in the mainland and attacked and leveled Cabuntog to the ground. The parish priest’s life was spared due to his earlier departure to Bacuag but his assistant was captured and was beheaded in a swampy area, now believed to be the swampland between Barangay Malinao of General Luna and Barangay Union of the Municipality of Dapa.

The years between 1631 to 1749 was a century of peace. The Christianization of   the area went on smoothly and the people were persuaded to abandon their tree dwellings and inhabit the surroundings of what is now General Luna. This tranquil atmosphere was again broken when Muslim raiders came and again leveled “EL Parokya de Cabuntog.”

They did it again five years later in 1756 and again in 1856. The in between years that lasted almost a century, between the burnings with its attendant atrocities, General Luna, lived a humdrum, idyllic life that its people live simply for the sake of living, never minding its past nor looking forward towards the future. Its forest and verdant hills and teeming white shores contained so many game animals, and fish and its land produced abundant food for its people. The life was easy.

The advent of American Colonization reduced the “pueblo” to a “barangay” of the Municipality of Dapa. It however bounced black to its present status two decades later thru the efforts of the local political stalwarts of the time like Silvestre C. Plaza, Agosto E. Espejon, Montano Minglana, Mauricio A. Comandante, Fabian E. etc. who in time, served the town either as a Mayor or a Councilor.

August 1, 1929 marked as the official day of the formal entry of General Luna as an organized unit of government in the modern Philippine Governmental System. The succeeding years saw the peaceful change of government thru the electoral processes except during the Japanese Occupation and EDSA “Revolution”.

POCKET PROFILE

Area                                             : 59.98 sq. km.

Population                                     : 13, 385 as of 2007 (NSCB)

No. of Barangays                            : 19; 15 Mainland and 4 island

No. of Congresssional District            :  1

Classification                                   :  1st class; partially urban

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION

The Municipality of General Luna is one of the twenty- seven (27) municipalities of Surigao del Norte under the first Congressional District of the Province, which is part of Caraga Region XIII on the Northeastern part of Mindanao. It is sixteen (16) kilometers away from the Municipality of Dapa and approximately forty (40) nautical miles from Surigao City.

General Luna is situated at the southern side of Siargao Island. It is bounded on the North by the Municipality of Pilar, on the South by the small islands of Daku and La Januza on the West by the Municipality of Dapa and on the East by the Philippine Sea. It is located  within the Protected Area known as Siargao Islands Protected  Landscapes and Seascapes (SIPLAS) under Republic Act 7586 or known as the NIPAS Act.

The Municipality has a total area of 5,998 hectares based on Cadastal No. 789-09 DENR Memoramdum dated November 19,1998. The Municipal seawater of General Luna is approximately 31,400 hectares. Its expanse is situated within grid coordinates of 9°47’ to 9°50’ North Latitude and 126°9’ to 126°10’ East Longitude.

It has nineteen (19) Barangays, fifteen (15) are located in the mainland while the four (4) other are in the Islands.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

International / National Surfing Competitions

These events are held yearly usually during the months of September and October.

This is the time when surfing aficionados coming from around the world and converge at General Luna, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte, to try their luck against the strong waves coming from the Pacific Sea.

This is why the province of Surigao del Norte is dubbed as the “Surfing Capital of the Philippines.”

Natural Attractions

Sugar Fine White Beaches

World class Surfing break

Cloud 9 is one of the fastest, swiftest, trickiest, strongest and most dangerous surfing spots in the world.

Guyam islet which is surrounded by powdery white sand with a little cluster of coconut trees providing shelter from the elements. The islet can be reach by Pumpboat in less than 10 minutes from the Poblacion.

Kayaking and sailing are some of the past time of guests who probe the inlets and hidden coves.

Rock Island – an excellent right hand break. The swell wraps around the base of a small rock island about 1.5 kilometers off shores, located at Sta. Fe, Malimono and Suyangan barangays.

Daku – a wonderful island barangay adjacent to Guyam island which is about 5 minutes pumpboat ride from the Poblacion. It is an ideal location for swimming, snorkeling and sunbathing.

Pansukian Reef – Open ocean right hand break located at Brgy. Malimono, just twenty minutes by banca south of General Luna. This reef needs a swell of two meters or more to work and is not as intense as most waves in the area. When it is big, it has a great inside barrel section. However, one has to keep watch of strong currents

La Januza Island – This is one of the island barangays of General Luna. There are some fun left and some poweful left on the East Coast.

Antokon (Magontoc) Island – Located at Brgy. Suyangan, the island produces a perfect-left wrap of about 180 degrees, Large swells are needed before it breaks cleanly. There is also right hand break on the opposite side of Antokon Island.

Blue Cathedral – Newly discovered cathedral-like structure underneath the ocean. It is surrounded with flower-like plants that resemble a garden. This new discovery may yet be another tourist destination among foreign scuba divers.

National Mountain Bike Competition

This event is usually held in the month of April every year.

Pansukian Tropical Resort -  This is located at Sitio Lisob, Brgy Malimono,

General Luna, Surigao del Norte. Accommodation of this resort cost dollars. This resort is owned by a Frenchman Nicolas Rambeau .  That is why only

high luminaries, like, the Ayalas, Zobels, foreigner and others who are financially sound could afford to check-in this resort.

^{Article Source: Municipality of General Luna}