Cabadbaran celebrates 120th Dagkot Festival

By BEN SERRANO,
Correspondent

Cabadabaran City — This city––which is one of the oldest settlements in the province of Agusan del Norte––if not in the entire northeastern Mindanao––Cabadbaran celebrated its 120th town fiesta on Tuesday. Founded by groups of settlers who applied for township and approved by the Spanish colonial government in Jan. 31, 1894, Cabadbaran traces its roots back to 1200 AD.

Its heritage can still be seen today in the 12th century villages along an ancient waterway dissecting the area now called Cabadbaran.

The city’s economy leans on its fishing sector owing its vast fishing grounds, its agricultural sector’s palay production, its booming small-scale gold and copper mining, its abundance in raw materials like abaca hemp, and a host to several banana plantations.

Cabadbaran became a city on April 14, 2007 when Congress approved Rep. Maria Angelica Rossdell Amante-Matba’s Republic Act No. 9434, or the “Act converting the Municipality of Cabadbaran into a component city of Agusan del Norte.”

Earlier, Rep. Roan Ibay Libarios authored an Act (RA 8811) that declared Cabadbaran as the capital town of Agusan del Norte.

The fiesta’s festival moniker, Dagkot Festival––means lighting a candle––is the city’s homage to its patron saint Nuestra Seniora de Candelaria.

The week-long festival features socio-civic activities, sporting events, trade fairs, and capped with the grand street dancing parade.

This year’s Miss Cabadbaran City is Krysthia Laureen M. Ortega; First Runner Up, Marrie Cris Delos Reyes; Second Runner Up, Laureline Oclarit; 3rd runner up, Miss Aiken Real; and 4th runner up, Sheena Ann Canto.