This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Dapitan" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (August 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Dapitan
Component city
City of Dapitan
Saint James the Greater Church Dakak Park and Beach Resort Liwasan ng Dapitan José Rizal Memorial Protected Landscape City Hall of Dapitan Port of Dapitan
Flag
Nicknames:  Shrine City of the Philippines Historic City of the South Rizal City of the South
Motto:  Abante Kaayo Dapitanon (Forward More Dapitanon)
Map of Zamboanga del Norte with Dapitan highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Dapitan Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 8°39′18″N 123°25′27″E / 8.6549°N 123.4243°E / 8.6549; 123.4243
Country	Philippines
Region	Zamboanga Peninsula
Province	Zamboanga del Norte
District	1st district
Founded	1629
Cityhood	June 22, 1963
Barangays	50 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Panlungsod
• Mayor	Seth Frederick P. Jalosjos (NP)
• Vice Mayor	Alfredo "Al" A. Sy (APP)
• Representative	Roberto T. Uy Jr.
• City Council	Members Jezebel A. Balisado Divine G. Patilano Mitzie A. Dulawan Modesta H. Malayao Ronie M. Jarapan Joseph Ryan A. Agolong Noel B. Sardane Claver A. Pajaren Ludivico E. Hamoy Chembeelyn A. Balucan Felix P. Tacbaya (ABC Federation) Mary Ann C. Rendon (Sangguniang Kabataan Federation
• Electorate	15,672 voters (2022)
Area [2]
• Total	390.53 km2 (150.78 sq mi)
Elevation	33 m (108 ft)
Highest elevation	590 m (1,940 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	85,202
• Density	220/km2 (570/sq mi)
• Households	19,828
Demonym	Dapitanon
Economy
• Income class	3rd city income class
• Poverty incidence	27.12 % (2018)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 890.5 million (2020)
• Assets	₱ 1,482 million (2020)
• Expenditure	₱ 786.5 million (2020)
• Liabilities	₱ 294.1 million (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Zamboanga del Norte Electric Cooperative (ZANECO)
• Water	Dapitan City Water District (DapCWD)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	7101
PSGC	097201000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)65
Native languages	Subanon Cebuano Chavacano Tagalog
Catholic diocese	Roman Catholic Diocese of Dipolog
Patron saint	Saint James the Great
Website	dapitancity.gov.ph

Dapitan, officially the City of Dapitan (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Dapitan; Subanon: Gembagel G'benwa Dapitan/Bagbenwa Dapitan; Filipino: Lungsod ng Dapitan), is a 3rd class component city in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 85,202 people.^[3]

It is historically significant as the place where José Rizal was exiled by the Spanish colonial authorities for his threat to start revolutionary activities. He is considered a national hero, and this is known as the "Shrine City in the Philippines." The city is also home to Gloria's Fantasyland, the first amusement park in Mindanao.

History

The earliest settlers of Dapitan were the Subanens, a nomadic tribe of Austronesian stock known to have settled and lived along the banks of the river or “suba” out of which their present-day tribal identity originated.^[5]

Early cartographers of the Philippines showed Dapitan's location on their maps of Mindanao in varying names, such as "Dapito" in Kaerius' map of 1598, "Dapite" in Dudley's map of 1646, "Dapyto" in Sanson's map of 1652, and "Dapitan" in Moll's map of East Indies 1729 and in Murillo Velarde's map of 1734.^[5]

Dapitan was already a thriving settlement when Miguel López de Legazpi arrived in 1595. It is believed that some Augustinian friars accompanied Legazpi's expedition, who converted the natives to Christianity. Foremost of the converts were Pedro Manooc, son of Pagbuaya, and Manooc's daughter, Maria Uray. A permanent mission was founded at Dapitan in 1629 headed by a Jesuit missionary, Father Pedro Gutierrez.^[5]

It was only after the establishment of the Jesuit mission that a strong and stable form of government was finally established. The Spanish authorities adopted the local form of government that was already existing but placed the officials under the absolute control of the Spanish government. The settlement came to be known as the "pueblo", and its head variously called either "Datu", "Capitan" or "Cabeza de Barangay". The politico-military commandancia of Dapitan until the end of the Spanish domination in 1898 was still dependent on Misamis. It was only during the revolutionary period that Dapitan became an integral part of the Filipino forces in Zamboanga.^[5]

Cityhood

On June 22, 1963, President Diosdado Macapagal signed R.A. 3811 which converted Dapitan into a chartered city.^[6] It is officially renowned as the “Shrine City of the Philippines.”

Geography

Dapitan is situated at the mouth of the Dapitan River on Dapitan Bay, and is the northernmost point of the Zamboanga Peninsula. It is about 404 nautical miles (748 km; 465 mi) south of Metro Manila; 156 nautical miles (289 km; 180 mi) to Zamboanga City; and 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) to Dipolog.^[7]

Climate

Barangays

Dapitan is politically subdivided into 50 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

Currently, there are 8 barangays which considered urban, 27 are interior, 13 are coastal, and 2 are island barangays.^[9] In 1955, the sitios of Sipalok, Barcelona, and Potungan were converted into barrios.^[10]