“The City of Golden Harvest”

The City of Valencia is a 2nd class component city in the province of Bukidnon, Philippines. It is the most populous among all cities and municipalities,and the 6th largest in terms of area, in the whole province of Bukidnon.

History

The territory that now comprises the city of Valencia were the former thirteen barangays of the City of Malaybalay, Bukidnon.

The earliest inhabitants in the area presently comprising part of the Poblacion were Bukidnon natives who founded a settlement along the banks of Pulangi River and the confluence of the Panglibatuhan River. The pioneers were led by Datu Sebastian Manangkila together with the families of the Binalhays, Laugas, Dongogans, Gua-ans, Lanayans, and the Arenzos. The first site of the settlement was a sitio named “Panglibatuhan” because the area was thickly forested by tree species called by the natives as “Malibato trees”. In 1911, on-room barrio school was opened, and its first teacher was the late Leon Galorport. That school site is approximately the present location of the Poblacion Barangay High School. Galorport, who came from his hometown, Valencia, Bohol named the school “Valencia School”. When the sitio became a barrio of Malaybalay, the resident agreed to name it “Valencia”. Finally, when the southern portion of Malaybalay was separated as a new municipality, the petitioners agreed to name the municipality as “Valencia”. The barrio which was Valencia is now Barangay Poblacion and is the seat of the city government of Valencia.

The rich natural resources found in the territory eventually attracted Christian settlers from the highly populated coastal areas of Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon islands. Immigration of Christian settlers to the area started in the middle 1930’s. During the Second World War, the continued migration of Christian settlers further increased the population of the area from 13,898 in 1960 to 64,541 in 1975. The population grew to 181,556, according to the latest census conducted by the National Statistics Office in 2010.

Population/ Language/ Area

Valencia City has a total land area of 607.13 km² (234.41 sq mi) with a total population of 181,556 (2010 population census). The city is located in the central part of the Province of Bukidnon. It is bounded on the north by the municipality of Lantapan and Malaybalay City; on the east by the municipality of San Fernando; on the west and southwest by the municipalities of Pangantucan and Talakag; and on the south by the municipalities of Maramag and Quezon.

From its core, which is the Poblacion, the city is 27 kilometers from the provincial capital of Malaybalay City and 118 kilometers from the regional center of Cagayan de Oro City. The means of transportation is by bus and private vehicles and covers approximately two to three hours ride.

The relative distance of the barangay from the city proper varies: four barangays are more or less 5 kilometers away, 20 barangays are 6 – 15 kilometers away, while the remaining 7 barangays considered as the most interior, are situated 16 kilometers or more from the city proper.

There are no seaports or airports in the city, but the nearest are in Cagayan de Oro City.

Most of the people speak Cebuano. There are some who speak Ilonggo and Ilocano. English and Tagalog are widely used in schools, business and government offices.

Products and Services

Farming is the main economic activity in the city of Valencia. Rice, corn, banana, root crops, and vegatables are the main farm products. Wholesale and retail are the dominant commercial establishment in the city center. Cottage industries produce wood articles, processed food, and handicrafts.

Business Opportunity

Valencia City is the center of trade and commerce in Bukidnon because of its central location in the heart of Mindanao, and of its fast economic growth. The city is noted for its Valencia Rice, a variety of rice.

Tourist Attraction

• Lake Apo – a crater lake in Barangay Guinoyoran, located at the hilly area, about 640 meters (2,100 ft.) in elevation, about 11 kilometers (6.8 mi) west southwest of the Barangay Poblacion, the city proper. The lake was awarded as the cleanest inland body of water in Northern Mindanao Region late 1990s. The green body of water has a estimated area of 24 hectares (59 acres) with maximum depths reaching up to 26 m (85 ft.).
• Kasanayan Cave – located six kilometers from Sition Tungan-tungan, Barangay San Vicente. The cave has several huge stalactites and are found 400 meters deep from the cave’s mouth. The cave also has a river inside it.