|
During
the Spanish era there was only the province of Misamis which
included the present provinces of Misamis Oriental and Misamis
Occidental, and was handled by the civil government from Cebu.
The Recollect Missionaries came down from Cebu and started a
mission in the province. Civil government of its own started
only in 1901. And because one part of it was separated from the
main by Iligan Bay, the government decided to divide the
province into two. Misamis Oriental is the bigger portion.
The province of Misamis Oriental is strategically situated in
the center of the northern part of Mindanao, bounded on the
north by the Mindanao Sea, on the south by the borders of
Bukidnon and Lanao del Norte, on the east by Agusan del Norte,
and on the west by Iligan Bay. Because of its geographical
position Cagayan de Oro, the capital, has extensive port
facilities that have made it a major export outlet for local and
export products from its neighboring provinces, particularly
Bukidnon where Del Monte Pineapple is Grown. There are other
large manufacturing establishments in the province, among them
the Paper Industries Corporation of the Philippines
manufacturing newsprint paper, and Resins Incorporated which
produces glues for the plywood industry. All these have made the
province economically well off. |
