Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental

Laguindingan used to be called "Daligdigan" coined from the words "daligdig", meaning trickling water from Soloan Creek, and "digan", a buri plant, which was used by the early settlers as roofing and walling materials. The name later evolved into "Laguindingan" because it is easier to pronounce and has a melodious sound.

The presence of an old Spanish port "Moog" at Punta Sulawan manifest the claim that before the settlers came to Laguindingan, the place was the hideout of robbers, pirates and bandoleros because of the once thick forest cover of the municipality. A brave man named Calixto Caseres together with his family moved in from Alubijid and settled for good. Other settlers followed and soon the place became a thriving community. A number of Cagayan de Oro civilians and government officials hide in Laguindingan during the second world war. Blocking force was established in Laguindingan that let Japanese soldiers to use boat instead going to Iligan. The Philippine Independent Church was the first religious order established in the early community. The religious presence was evidenced by the Chapel erected on the highest promontory now known as Salcedo's Hill. The cross still stand today. The silent witness of the establishment of the now growing town.

Laguindingan, was a sitio of Alubijid under the municipality of Cagayan de Oro. The first Barrio Teniente was Mariano Salcedo (from Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro) which was appointed by the Alcalde de Cagayan. When Alubijid became a municipality, Proceso Pacana became the first Barrio Lieutenant until the end of World War II. Later a move to make Laguindingan a municipality was spearheaded by Glicerio Salcedo (Teniente del Barrio) who became the first Municipal Mayor of the town. The barangays that joined the move for township was known as the Sulawan Block namely: Kibaghot, Sinai, Mauswagon, Moog, Gasi, Aromahon, Tubajon, Sambulawan, Lapad and Liberty. On June 23, 1963 through House Bill No. 5612, President Diosdado Macapagal signed RA 3824, creating the municipality of Laguindingan.

Sambulawan derived from the word "Sulawan" because the place is situated on a hill or in Bisaya "ilaya" going up where the sun rises its bright lights is glaring to the eye, thus "Sulaw" in bisaya. The place is also known as a place of "sabungan" or where cock fights are held.

Laguindingan is politically subdivided into 11 barangays.

• Aromahon
• Gasi
• Kibaghot (San Isidro)
• Lapad
• Liberty
• Mauswagon
• Moog
• Poblacion
• Sambulawan
• Sinai
• Tubajon

In the 2015 census, the population of Laguindingan was 24,405 people,[3] with a density of 550 inhabitants per square kilometre or 1,400 inhabitants per square mile.

Laguindingan Misamis Oriental is now the new gateway to Northern Mindanao. It is where the new Laguindingan Airport is located replacing the old Lumbia Airport of Cagayan de Oro. The Cooperative that has a mission or Rural Electrification sits here which is MORESCO-1 Head Office. It has a power distribution franchise for the west part of Misamis Oriental from the towns of Opol to Lugait . It operates in 15 barrios of Cagayan de Oro City and the whole town and barangays of Talakag, Bukidnon and portions of barangays in Iligan City. Other production plants located here is the MINDOACO (Mindanao Oxygen Acetylene Corporation). Another growing industry is the hand crafted silk. The Mindanao silk which is woven by members of Ayala Beneficiaries Association Inc., based in Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental affected by the construction of the airport.

Laguindingan is also well known for its famous sea food every Saturday Market also known as "Tabu" in bisaya. Here you can buy and eat sea urchins in bottles, sea weeds, sea clams and snails, and the famous cure for arthritis the sea cucumber with the barbecue fish on sticks also known in bisaya as "Tinap-an" and the delicious fish rich in Omega 3 oil also known as " Pinyahun". Fishes from neighboring towns are also brought here for trading.

The common agricultural produce aside from corn or Maize, cassava and copra is the "Finest Tobacco".This has driven the town to progress and its neighboring towns for decades. The tobacco industry before the Airport is also an attraction for Businessmen.

The Saturday market had also made the town famous for the lives stock industry were cows, pigs, chickens and goats were traded. Neighboring towns Alubijid, Elsalvador and Libertad had benefited from this trading as well as Cagayan de Oro City, where here the Lechonero's get those young pork here.

Today another flourishing industry for Beach tourism being developed is also the scuba diving where the rich exotic sea creatures are found in the sea of Tubajon Laguindingan Misamis Oriental.

• Binitinan Islet located at Mauswagon it is a rock formation which form like the head of a snake(bitin) with soil and trees where it is surrounded by sea.
• Tagbabanga Spring a place in Sinai where you walk distance from the National Highway. This spring is the source of potable water that is the source of drinking water not only in Barangay Sinai but to some neighboring barangays as well.
• Balete Hill also known as'Hill Top' (Buntod) a place where the old Iglesia Pilipina Independente Church site before it transferred. It is visible to everybody during Holy Week season where the people will walk towards the Holy Cruz.
• My Relaxing Terrace site in Tubajon a beach where many mangrove trees cited, the sand like Boracay sand.
• Berhen Milagrosa a place in Moog where it miracles it is site beside the sea, many people will Church there during Sunday it also become a tourist spot.
• La Cueva Con Agua Locally known as "Liyang", site in Mauswagon nearby the Barangay Hall, it is known as a place of enchanto, a cave that has water and being protected by Municipality of Laguindingan due to some superstitious belief.
• Tubajon Mang Groves
• Laguindingan Watchtower, an 18th-century watchtower built by the Spanish during the colonial era.
• Sambulawan Sinai Tagbabanga Spring and Water fall located in a river from Gitagum Misamis Oriental towards Aromahon Laguindingan Misamis Oriental.
• Our Lady of Fatima- Located in baranggay Sambulawan Laguindingan Misamis Oriental a 50 foot tall statue facing the east side to the Divine Mercy in El Salvador City.

Laguindingan does not have sea transportation facilities. Nearby Cagayan de Oro City is the main entry point to Misamis Oriental. From there, one would then take a bus or jeepneys from the Westbound-Bulua Integrated Bus and Jeepney Terminal.

By land

• Habal-habal is the most popular land transportation in town.
• Laguindingan Integrated Bus Terminal will be rise soon as it was proposed to the public in town but it is now operational since June 15, 2016 known as Laguindingan Transport Terminal since it was recently inaugurated.

By air

• Laguindingan Airport is the air transportation in town.[9] The new airport is in barangay Moog, Laguindingan, and is expected to become a major hub for export of agricultural and trade products, and for the import of tourists to the areas around Cagayan De Oro and Iligan City. There are plans by the Philippine National Railways to connect Laguindingan to Cagayan de Oro city.

Public schools:

Elementary

Secondary

• Laguindingan National High School
• Kibaghot National High School

• Metro Cagayan de Oro, fourth largest metropolitan area in the Philippines.

• Laguindingan Profile at PhilAtlas.com
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System