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Dapitan City Government Center.jpg Photo by Iamjepoi –

Top 10 Remarkable Facts About Dapitan

Dapitan is officially known as the City of Dapitan. It is a 3rd class component city in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. According to the census that took place in 2020, it has a population of 85,202 people.

Dapitan is historically significant as the place where Jose Rizal was exiled by the Spanish colonial authorities. It is known as the Shrine City in the Philippines and is often considered the capital of Mindanao Island.

Dapitan was already a thriving settlement when Miguel Lopez de Legazpi arrived in 1595. Some believe that some Augustinian friars who accompanied Legazpi’s expedition converted the natives to Christianity.

The Spanish authorities adopted the local form of government that was already existing but placed the officials only under the complete control of the Spanish government.

Only till the revolutionary period did Depitan become an integral part of the Filipino forces in Zamboanga.

Transportation in Dapitan is shared between the sea and air. Dapitan is served by the Port of Palauan in barangay San Vicente. There are daily ferries from and to Dumaguete and from/to Cebu City.

Dapitan is catered by Dipolog Airport through Philippines Airlines and Cebu pacific. From the airport, tourists take a shuttle bus to Dapitan which only lasts 20- 30 minutes.

1. Depitan Converted Into A City

City Hall, Dapitan City.JPG Photo by Iamjepoi –

On June 22, 1963, president Diosdado Macapagal signed R.A 3811, which meant that Dapitan was converted into a chartered city. It is officially renowned as the “Shrine City of the Philippines”

2. Areas Surrounding Dapitan

Dapitan city is situated at the mouth of the Dapitan river on Dapitan Bay. It is the northernmost point of the Zamboanga Peninsula. Dapitan is about 404 nautical miles south of Metro Manila which is 156 nautical miles to Zamboanga city.

It is also 14 kilometers from Dipolog.

3. Charcteristics of Dapitan

Dapitan city is politically subdivided into 50 barangays: 8 barangays are urban, 27 are interior, 13 are costal, and 2 are island barangays.

The area faces an average high of 84 to 86 Fahrenheit which is 29 to 30 celsius. The average low is 23 to 25 celsius which can also be read as 73 to 75 Fahrenheit. The average rainy days are 14.7 to 18.2 depending on the month.

4. Taguilon City In Dapitan

Port of Dapitan before docking.jpg Photo by Xander Wu –

Taguilon is home to the famous Dakak Park and Beach resort, it is the producer of coconut and agar as well as a fishing port. Taguilon is a secondary port to the main passenger port in Dapitan City.

During the severe storms at sea. ferries and other ships find shelter in the Taguilon cove. 

5. Talisay Barangay 

It is a seaside barangay where Rizal spent four years in exile. A park and shrine that honor the Philippine national hero can be found in the Jose Rizal Memorial Protected Landscape.

It was declared in 2000 and is located in the old Rizal farm site in the barangay.

6. The Government of Dapitan

Dapitan Ancestral House 02.JPG Photo by Iamjepoi –

The sear of government. the city hall is located at the Dapitan City government center in Barangay.

The local government structure is composed of one mayor, one vice mayor, and ten councilors. They are all elected through popular vote except for when two ex officio members are added to the city council. 

One represents the 50 Barangay captains in the association of Barangay councils while the other represents 50 barangay youth council presidents.

Each official is elected publicly to a 3-year term and can be re-elected up to 3 terms in succession. This of course doesn’t apply to the ABC and SK Presidents.

Day-to-day administration is normally handled by the city administrator and the schedule is changed only when the administrator is unavailable or has passed on.

7. Tourism in Dapitan

Dapitan city plaza is also known as the City Square which was developed by Dr. Jose Rizal during his exile. He had the assistance of the Spanish Politico-Military Governor of Dapitan. 

Rizal made the City Square comparable to those he saw in Europe, it has an area of one hectare, more or less. This is one of the first places tourists are taken to, of course with the guidance of their designated tour guides.

 Casa Real was where Rizal stayed with Governor Carnicero from his arrival until he moved to the Rizal shrine location. The appearance of the case is similar to the old city hall.

The casa has bamboo on each side, the upper portion is made up of wood. The replica of the casa will soon rise near its marker.

In 1761 Cotta de Dapitan was established. The fort was made to monitor the waters of northern Zamboanga, it was made on top of the sacred Lillian hill.

Tourists are also reminded of the many notable personalities that came from the area. Some of them are Martha Cecilia a Filipino writer, Gazini Ganados Filipino fashion model, Theodore Boborol a renowned film director and so many more.

8. Rizal Park and Shrine

Jose Rizal Shrine, Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte.JPG Photo by Ric Canizares –

The Rizal park and shrine is a major historical landmark in Dapitan. Rizal was financially enabled to buy a 10- hectare piece of land from Lucia Pagbangon. He moved to the area in which the shrine currently stands in March 1893. 

After some time his family and close relatives from Calamba, Laguna came to live with him in Barangay until 1896. Rizal Shrine was declared a national shrine through a Presidential decree.

9. St. James the Greater Church

Dapitan Church facade.jpg Photo by Project Kisame –

The church was built in 1871 to honor St. James the Greater, Dapitan’s patron saint. The design of the interior walls is more or less one meter thick and still original except for the furnishing.

The altar underwent several renovations. The most historical spot where Rizal stood hearing mass every Sunday is a major tourist attraction in the area. 

10. Festivals In Dapitan

The city has launched a diversified fiesta celebration of its Patron St. James. His memorial is celebrated every July 25. The locals have a three-in-one affair that combines religious, cultural, and sports events in the Kinabayo Festival. 

The Kinabayo festival kicks off on July 16 and culminates on July 31. The festival always has various events that take place within the Shrine City of the Philippines.