Sindangan is very boostful, with a heaven blessing of seas surrounds it, a bountiful fresh of fishes catches, the green mountains that planted rices and corns. Hindi takaga magugutom sa sindangan. Ibang iba talaga sa city – Fhonee Ordeniza 🔗
Sindangan is a first-class municipality located in Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. It is the second most populous (second to the provincial capital that is Dipolog) and the fastest-growing municipality in the province, which has placed it under consideration to be given the status of a city, with economic growth enough to become one.
As to how Sindangan got its name, several stories have been told. The first version narrates that a native fisherman carrying a basket full of fish was on his way home met a Guardia Civil, military guards during the Spanish regime, who asked this question, “Que es el nombre de este lugar, amigo?” And the Subanon 🔗 fisherman who did not understand the Spanish language answered “indangan”, believing he asked on the kind of fish he caught. The stranger heard this as “Sindangan”, thinking that was the exact answer to his inquiry to the fisherman about the name of the fish. From then on, the natives used Sindangan to name the place until it became into a municipality on 1936. Legend has it that the word “Sindangan” comes from the Spanish preposition “sin”, meaning without and the local dialect word “dangan” meaning pest/s. Literally, Sindangan means “without pests”.
Sindangan is known for having some old Churches, with the most popular being the Saint Joseph The Worker Church, which became a parish in 1935 under the Archdiocese of Zamboanga. Its first church building was constructed at the Saint Joseph College before it was moved to its current location. Aside from its churches, the place is also known for having great beaches, including the Pitogo Beach, Sevilleno Beach Resort and the Winschin Pool Resort.
The People of Sindangan celebrate several festivals all year round, and one of them is the Saint Joseph the Worker Town Fiesta, which happens on the first day of May each year. During the event, the townspeople honors Saint Joseph the Worker, who is their primary patron saint, serving as a role model for all fathers and laborers. He is considered fit as such, considering that the people of Sindangan are known as hard workers since the time before World War II.
Another event to watch here is Siari’s Fiest Day, which happens every 3rd Sunday of January to honor Sto. Nino de Cebu, where there is a grand fluvial procession at the eve of the feast. During the culmination of the event, there will be a procession of street dancers who compete for a certain prize. Other festivals are the Pasidungog Festival and the Linggo ng Sindangan, which is the municipality’s charter day that is observed from December 17 to 22.
As for the food here, it is said that Sindangan people offers the best seafood that will rock your appetite. One of the popular meals here is the kinilaw, which is prepared with raw fish fillets that are tender-soaked in the subtle sour sauce or the local coconut vinegar, making it so delicious. While there are different versions of kinilaw in the Philippines, you might find the one in this municipality the best of them all.
🎞️ Sindangan — Zamboanga Del Norte, A Video By Cyrell Jones 🎞️
History of Sindangan – This town sets back its origin during the pre-Spanish colonization of the Philippines. Subanon people or tribe was its first inhabitants. The Subanens, a nomadic tribe of Indo-Malayan stock, were the earliest known settlers who lived along river banks or “suba”, from which word they received their present tribal identity as Subanen. They built houses and sanctuaries for their shelter and formed their own ‘government’ ruled by the Datu.
Over the years the Moros settled also in this place and preached the Islam religion.
During the Spanish reign in the archipelago where towns had already been established, Sindangan became a part of the jurisdiction of then the municipality of Dapitan as early as 1598 to 1729 and slowly people from the Visayas islands flocked to Mindanao to find greener pasture. Christianity also propagated on this area through the effort of those Catholic missionaries like the Society of Jesus or the Jesuits, the Augustinians and the Dominicans. One of its great missionaries was Padre Francesco Palliola, a Jesuit missionary from Nola, Italy who tirelessly preached the Christian message, perform baptisms and sacraments and helped the tribal people in this area of Zamboanga Peninsula. He was assigned in Dapitan and Katipunan, and met his martyrdom in the barrio of Ponot now Jose Dalman where he was killed by the subanen people through the leadership of their chieftain. Later on, Sindangan became part of a far town Lubungan now Katipunan since the 19th Century.
On December 23, 1936, by virtue of Executive Order No. 77 issued by President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, Manuel L. Quezon, the municipalities of Sindangan, Siocon, Margosatubig, Pagadian and Kabasalan were created out of the muninicipal districts of Sindangan, Panganuran, Labangan, Dinas, Sibuko, Sirawai, Margosatubig,Malangas, Kabasalan and Bangaan. The Municipality of Sindangan covered the area of Sindangan and Panganuran.
Bartolome Lira Sr. was appointed to organize the Municipality of Sindangan and was its first Municipal President. As his appointive tenure expired, he was elected as the first Municipal Mayor of Sindangan until 1941.
In 1955, four barrios were created: Dicoyong – sitios of Labakid, Layawan, Morob, Gusani, Domalogdog, Maoal, Nato, Diongan, Makasing, Dipolo and Dicoyong Proper; Bacungan – sitios of Palandok, Rison, Bogabongan, Manil, Gusao, Talinga and Bacungan Proper; Lagag – sitios of Milaub, Mangalop, Gopit, Pase, Lipaga, Mianib, Siayan, Litolit, Balok, and Lagag Proper; and Bitoon – sitios of Misok, Hagonoy, Lico, Guban, Makinong, and Bitoon Proper Binuangan- sitios of Taguicon, Upper Binuangan, and Gusapong Proper. In 1959, the sitios of Gonayen, Gowayan, Domogok, Dinoyak, Mangilay, Pange, Balak, Laclac, Siriac, Macasing and Diongan were constituted into the barrio of Gonayen.
Since its elevation to a municipality in 1936, people from Luzon and Visayas continued migrating to Sindangan to settle together with their families and built businesses. That is why aside from the Subanens, there are Sindanganons whose origin are from Bohol, Cebu, Samar, Leyte, Negros, Bicol, Pampanga and Manila.
Census – According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 80,133 people in 15,651 households.
Barangays – Sindangan is politically subdivided into 52 barangays.
CREDIT: WIKIPILIPINAS, TRIP THE ISLANDS, WIKIPEDIA, CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE