Sindangan

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, "Cuál es el nombre de este lugar, amigo?" (English: What is the name of this place, friend?) 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 in 1936. A more popular version says Sindangan is derivative of the word “Indangan”, a species of fish abundant in the Sindangan Bay.

President Quezon declared the charter day 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 Islam.

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 municipal districts of Sindangan, Panganuran, Labangan, Dinas, Sibuko, Sirawai, Margosatubig, Malangas, Kabasalan and Bangaan. The Municipality of Sindangan covered the area of Sindangan and Panganuran.[5]

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[6]

In 1959, the sitios of Gonayen, Gowayan, Domogok, Dinoyak, Mangilay, Pange, Balak, Laclac, Siriac, Macasing and Diongan were constituted into the barrio of Gonayen.[7]

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.

Sindangan lies on the northwest corridor of Zamboanga del Norte. Its diverse geography ranges from Sulu Sea on the west and southwest, the Municipality of Leon Postigo on the south, the Municipality of Siayan on the east, the Municipality of Bayug, Zamboanga del Sur on the southeast, and the Municipality of Jose Dalman on the north. Ranging from plain, slightly rolling, hilly to mountainous terrains, the Municipality of Sindangan embraces 45,100 hectares of land. Of its 52 barangays, 22 are situated along the seacoast, bountifully blessed with marine resources which gained Sindangan the title “the fishing capital of Zamboanga del Norte.”

It is approximately 86 kilometers away from Dipolog City and 234 kilometers away from Zamboanga City. Hence, the municipality is identified as the trading hub of the province considering, this is a major terminal point for links to Dipolog City down to Ipil and further down south to Zamboanga City.

Sindangan is populated by tri-people – the Subanens, Muslims and the Christian migrants coming from Luzon and Visayan islands.

Community-Based Monitoring System puts the number of Subanens as 24,640 or 27.5 percent with the greater number of these indigenous peoples living in the interior barangays. The Muslims – Maranao and Tausug merchants live and ply their trades in Poblacion and its adjoining barangays.

It has a stronghold of 59,205 registered voters (COMELEC Records as of 2016).

Roman Catholicism strongly dominates Sindangan as shown by their religious festivities and fiestas. Famous to these Catholic Devotionx is the Diocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Barangay Siari, Sindangan where thousands of pilgrims flocked from all over the region to pray and visit to this shrine. Other Christian denominations are also present in Sindangan as well as Islam.

The Internal Revenue Allotment of the municipality for Year 2014 is P161,572, 290.00. For the past five years, the IRA has been varying and increasing except for the year 2012 which has decreased by 2.8% from the previous year. This year's IRA has an increase of 12% compared to last year which is P 141,862,067.00.

Income from local sources for 2012 amounted to P 17,457,998.60 which has an increase of about 14.5% from the previous year. In 2009, the local income recorded is P 9,548,248.00 and has an increase of 20% by the following year which amounted to P13,080,838.79. Its major income relies on fishing and agriculture. There is also significant growth in the town's business firms as it rises on the past years.

In 2015, the Gross Sales of registered firms in Sindangan amounted to 1,062,872,781.00 PHP and expects to rise significantly in the next following years. Financial institutions are also growing in the town, as of 2015, it has 42 institutions and banks catering the Sindanganons financially.

The health capacity and services of Sindangan is significantly improving as health workers such as Doctors, Nurses, Midwives, etc., are growing. On 2014, there are 90 health servers in the town both in public and in private.

Source :http://www.competitive.org.ph/cmcindex/pages/profile/?lgu=Sindangan

Sindangan's local government structure is composed of one mayor, one vice mayor and eight councilors, named as Sangguniang Bayan members, all elected through popular vote. Two ex officio members are added to the Sangguniang Bayan with one representing Sindangan's 52 Barangay Captains being the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) President, and one representing Sindangan's 52 Barangay Youth Council Presidents being the Sangunniang Kabataan (SK) Federation President. Each official, with the exemption of the ABC and SK Presidents, is elected publicly to a 3-year term and can be re-elected up to 3 terms in succession.

Tricycles, 'trisikads' and 'habal-habal' are the common public transport in the town center, both uptown and downtown. Racal Motorcycles are also emerging as public transportation in the town.

Sports life and social recreation are active in the life of the Sindanganons. They have a lot of sports activities to offer. The town was also energized as its Sports and Cultural complex, one of the biggest in the province was made into a reality. Today, the Sports Complex can already be used for big events such as Provincial Meet, Regional Meet and during Linggo ng Sindangan. Each barangay has a covered court that is capable of handling barangay events.

These are only some of its places of interest and recreation.

Education is widely distributed in Sindangan.

Sindangan has two college institutions, both religious, the St. Joseph College of Sindangan Incorporated and the Philippine Advent College (PAC). Both offer courses in education, liberal arts, and computer sciences. PAC consistently produces nurses passing the board.

The town has fifty-seven (57) elementary schools, ten (10) secondary schools. Five are situated in the outlying barangays and four (4) in the urban barangays.

A TESDA training center in Barangay Goleo offers technical courses and training to qualified students.

In 2021, an extension campus of the Mindanao State University was formally opened in Sindangan.

In June 2011, Junrey Balawing joined the list of Guinness World Records as the shortest man on earth. He was born on April 15, 1993, in Sindangan. He is the son of a poor blacksmith and measures 23.6 inches (60 cm) tall.[20]

In February 2012, Chandra Bahadur Dangi of Nepal, who stands 54.6 centimetres (21.5 in) tall was declared the world's shortest living man. As a result, Junrey held the record for less than a year.

Following the death of Chandra Bahadur Dangi on September 3, 2015, Balawing now holds the title of the shortest living man.

General Alexander B. Yano was appointed on May 12, 2008, as the 38th Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines during the Arroyo administration, the highest position in the AFP hierarchy. He served with love, honesty and integrity in his term. His Vice Chief of Staff was Lt. Gen. Cardozo M. Luna and his Deputy Chief of Staff was Lt. Gen. Rodrigo F. Maclang. Alexander Yano also served as the commander of the Philippine Army and Southern Luzon Command. He is also the first general born from Mindanao. He retired early on May 1, 2009, and was appointed by Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as an ambassador to Brunei Darussalam.

• Sindangan Profile at PhilAtlas.com
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Sindanganon website