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Calapan was
formerly a small village before the establishment of the first
Religious District in Baco. The District convent was transferred
to Calapan in 1733 and began its jurisdiction over the Northern
Mindoro Ecclesiastical Area.
In the early 18th
century, the town occupied only a strip of land stretching from
Ibaba to Ilaya in a cross – formed facing the present church and
cut-off by a river. In the course of the century, succeeding
barrios were founded.
In 1837, the
capital of the province was moved from Puerto Galera to Calapan.
When Mindoro became a part of Marinduque on June 13, 1902, under
Act. No. 423, the capital of Mindoro was transferred to Puerto
Galera under the Law. It was re-transferred to Calapan in 1903
for geographical and transportation purposes.
When Mindoro
was detached from Marinduque on November 10, 1902, Baco, Puerto
Galera and San Teodoro were annexed to Calapan in 1905 under Act.
1280, adding a total area of 843 sq. km. of land. In 1902, under
Act 2824, the three (3) municipalities gained their independence.
In 1919, the
boundary dispute between Calapan and Naujan was adjudicated by
Presidentes Agustin Quijano of Calapan and Agustin Garong of
Naujan over a portion of the territory of what is now known as the
present boundary. The portion of agricultural area was awarded to
Naujan, thus, making the area of Calapan much smaller as compared
to that of Naujan which is now considered as the biggest
municipality of the province.
At
present, Calapan has an area of only 250.06 sq. km (according to
LMB). It has also jurisdiction over the three (3) Baco Islets on
the Calapan Bay and the two (2) Silonay Islets.
The City of
Calapan has been transformed as a component city on March 21,
1998. Its conversion was based on Republic Act 8475, enacted by
Congress and signed into law by President Fidel V. Ramos on
February 2, 1998. In a plebiscite held on March 21, 1998, majority
of Calapeños ratified the conversion of Calapan into a city. It is
the first and only city in the province of Oriental Mindoro.
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