Ozamiz


Ozamiz, officially the City of Ozamiz, is a component city in the province of Misamis Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 143,620 people making it the most populous city in Misamis Occidental.
Although occasionally spelled as Ozamis in official sources like COMELEC, it is spelled as Ozamiz in Republic Act No. 321, also known as the Ozamiz City Charter Act. In 2005, City Resolution 251-05 was passed to reiterate that it is officially spelled Ozamiz, not Ozamis.

History

Colonial period

Spanish period

The city of Ozamiz grew out of an old Spanish town called Misamis—a name believed to have been derived from the Subanon word kuyamis, a variety of coconut that was a staple food of the Subanon people. Other unverified historical sources, however, suggest that the name Misamis came from the Spanish word Misa.
Misamis was originally settled by the Subanon people, and were heavily targeted by marauding pirates coming from Lanao. The Spanish government created a flotilla to counter the pirates, with Spanish Jesuit missionary José Ducos assigned as its commander. After several victories, the Fuerte de la Concepcion y del Triunfo was constructed at the mouth of Panguil Bay sometime in 1756 as a form of protection from future attacks.
The town of Misamis grew in size due to the presence of the stone fort. In 1850, the town of Misamis became the capital of the District of Misamis, when Mindanao was originally divided into five districts, until February 27, 1872, when the Spanish Governor General Carlos María de la Torre y Navacerrada issued a decree declaring Cagayan de Misamis the permanent capital.

American period and World War II

During the American occupation, the territory of Misamis was reduced. In 1920, Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison issued Executive Order No. 61; the barrios, which were once part of the former municipality of Loculan, were separated and organized into the new municipalities of Clarin and Tudela.
In 1929, Governor-General Dwight F. Davis issued EO No. 220 that organized the municipality of Regidor, which took effect in 1930 as the province of Occidental Misamis was established following the split of Misamis.
In October 1942, Wendell Fertig established the command headquarters of the growing guerrilla resistance to the Japanese occupation of Mindanao in the Spanish fort in the town. His headquarters was abandoned on June 26, 1943 due to a large Japanese attack. During the Japanese occupation of Misamis in World War II, the fort was garrisoned by a Japanese contingent until the end of the war, who dug foxholes near or under the walls. This undermining of the walls later led to the destruction of the southwest bastion in the 1955 Lanao earthquake.

Contemporary Period

After the war, Misamis became a chartered city by virtue of Republic Act 321 on July 16, 1948. This also renamed Misamis to Ozamiz, after the hero José Ozámiz who hailed from the province of Misamis Occidental and who at one time also served as its first governor, congressional representative of the Lone District of Misamis Occidental, and a delegate to the 1935 Constitutional Convention that resulted in the creation of the 1935 Constitution for the Philippine Commonwealth Government. José Ozámiz was also elected to the Philippine Senate in 1941. This made Ozamiz the 4th city in Mindanao, after Zamboanga, Davao, and Marawi.
On April 1, 1955, Ozamiz was struck by the 1955 Lanao earthquake, at 2:17 am. The 7.4-magnitude earthquake caused the destruction of the city's parish church and the southwest bastion of the Fuerte de la Concepcion y del Triunfo. Major cracks were also present in the city's roads. President Ramon Magsaysay declared a state of calamity in Ozamiz, as well as in the provinces of Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Lanao, and Surigao.
On February 25, 2000, three Super Five Transport buses aboard the M/V Our Lady of Mediatrix ferry exploded while the ferry was traveling from Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte to the Port of Ozamiz. The reason for the explosion was the use of large incendiary bombs, resulting in 44 deaths and more than 100 passengers wounded.
On July 30, 2017, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the Ozamiz City Police raided the house of incumbent Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. where guns were allegedly stored, resulting in the deaths of 16 people, including Mayor Parojinog, his wife Susan, and two of his siblings. The raid also ended with the mayor's children, incumbent Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinog-Echavez and Reynaldo Parojinog Jr., being arrested. This incident was part of the war on drugs campaign during President Rodrigo Duterte's administration.

Geography

Ozamiz is located on the southeast coast of Misamis Occidental. It is nearby the Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte provinces to the west, and Lanao del Norte is across the Panguil Bay.
It is bordered by Tangub to the south and Clarin to the north. Ozamiz is from Maria Cristina Falls, the main source of hydroelectric power in Mindanao.

Climate

Economy

Ozamiz is agricultural in terms of natural resources, but the city has become the center for commerce, health, transportation, and education, considering its strategic location. Its location makes for a good harbor, as its local port is the principal outlet of mineral deposits and agricultural and forest products of the provinces of Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, parts of Lanao del Norte, and Lanao del Sur.

Demographics

In the, Ozamiz had a population of 143,620 people, with a density of.

Government

Local officials are elected every 3 years. The city local government is composed of the mayor, vice mayor, ten councilors, one Sangguniang Kabataan representative, one indigenous people representative, and an Association of Barangay Captains representative.
As of 2025, these are the current elected officials:
  • Mayor: Atty. Sam Norman G. Fuentes
  • Vice Mayor: Simplicia “Bebie” O. Neri
  • Congressman: Sancho Fernando “Ando” F. Oaminal
  • Councilors:
  • * Lorlie Fuentes-Cipres
  • * Katherine “Kat-Kat” C. Lim
  • * Cecille Y. Co
  • * Marcelo Archie S. Romero II
  • * Roland “Dinky” B. Suizo Jr.
  • * Atty. Daniel C. Lao
  • * Juanito “Junjun” B. Saquin Jr.
  • * Atty. Marcelian “Mars” C. Tapayan
  • * Sancho “Sunny” S. Oaminal
  • * Saulo B. Salvador
  • * John Fel D. Duhaylungsod
  • * Jun Carlo Murallon
  • * Relinda A. Bation

    Barangays

Ozamiz is politically subdivided into 51 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.
NamePopulation
50th District 581104210051
Aguada 7,113104210001
Bacolod1,783104210003
Bagakay5,110104210004
Balintawak684104210005
Bañadero7,692104210002
Baybay San Roque3,398104210043
Baybay Santa Cruz1,589104210006
Baybay Triunfo2,520104210007
Bongbong3,097104210008
Calabayan4,029104210009
Capucao C.649104210010
Capucao P.1,183104210011
Carangan5,160104210012
Carmen6,135104210037
Catadman-Manabay5,887104210013
Cavinte686104210014
Cogon1,733104210015
Dalapang770104210016
Diguan1,530104210017
Dimaluna3,242104210018
Doña Consuelo4,371104210052
Embargo1,079104210019
Gala959104210020
Gango6,648104210021
Gotokan Daku508104210022
Gotokan Diot610104210023
Guimad615104210024
Guingona586104210025
Kinuman Norte1,705104210026
Kinuman Sur1,332104210027
Labinay1,211104210028
Labo4,023104210029
Lam-an2,620104210030
Liposong1,207104210031
Litapan1,012104210032
Malaubang9,421104210033
Manaka817104210034
Maningcol7,027104210035
Mentering377104210036
Molicay4,149104210038
Pantaon1,215104210040
Pulot4,116104210041
San Antonio4,392104210042
Sangay Daku909104210044
Sangay Diot529104210045
Sinuza1,373104210046
Stimson Abordo 2,315104210039
Tabid4,208104210047
Tinago9,662104210048
Trigos893104210049

Culture

Notable events and festivals

The city celebrates the Sinulog Festival, dedicated to the Santo Niño de Cebu, every 4th Sunday of January, wherein a pilgrim image of the Santo Niño will arrive from Cebu City and will visit Ozamiz and other cities and towns in the province for a week.
Ozamiz's Charter Day anniversary, the feast of Nuestra Señora dela Inmaculada Concepcion y del Triunfo dela Cruz de Migpangi, and the Perangat Ozamiz Festival are celebrated on July 16. The Perangat Festival is a celebration dedicated to the Subanon people, the original inhabitants of the province. The festival includes day-long street dancing, as well as a ritual showdown that features the various rituals practiced by the Subanon people, such as weddings and healing rituals. "Perangat" means "to prosper" in the Subanen language.
On December 8, the Feast of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated. Firework displays are held at the City Hall.