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Agusan River is the biggest and longest navigable river in Mindanao,
it is 220 kilometers long and originates from the mountains
of Davao del Norte
passing Agusan del Sur and finally emptying in
Masao of Butuan City. Agusan River is main outlet
of water in Agusan River basin which has an area of
approximately 11,___ square kilometers. As early as ninth and tenth centuries AD, the mouth of Agusan River was already an ideal and important sanctuary for the seafarers. Eventually settlement existed along the inlet's shoreline. When the Spanish Colonialists came, the River became their highway for further penetration of the hinterlands of Caraga. Spanish religious missionaries traversed this fluvial road on rafts and canoes to reach out to the settlements along its coast. At the time of Filipino-American War, the Filipino Revolutionaries sunk big rocks in the passage right at the islet of Pungtod to prevent American aggressors from reaching Butuan via the River. A cruise along the river Barangays reveals so much of Butuan's history, culture, arts, and people. As a tribute to the Patroness of the Agusan River Senora Sta. Ana, the ABAYAN Festival was born - a day long celebration of Baroto races and fluvial procession at the Agusan River.
Sources and References:
Historical/Cultural Significance of Bitaog Tree
DOT Brochure
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