Dipolog is a city in the Philippines on the island of Mindanao. Capital of the province of North Zamboanga. Population – 108,080 inhabitants (2007). Population density – 733 people. per sq. km.

Geography
On the land, the city is surrounded by hills, and in the north it is washed by the Sulu Sea. Known as the “City of Orchids” as the area is home to a large number of wild orchids. Fisheries are highly developed in coastal waters, which is why it is also called the “Fish Canning Capital of the Philippines”, as well as the “Gateway of Northern Mindanao”.
The city is located in the northwestern part of the province. From the north it adjoins the city of Dapitan, to the east – the municipality of Polanco, to the south – the municipality of Katipunan. In 1914, its area was 248,587 hectares. In 1951, it was reduced to 13,628 hectares, part of the neighborhoods was transformed into the municipalities of Polanco and Pinan, according to a state decree.

It can be reached by air through the local airport, or by sea, through the port of Pulauan in Dapitan.

History
The most ancient inhabitants in the vicinity of the present Dipolog, as well as on the entire Zamboanga Peninsula, were immigrants from Southeast Asia, the Malays. They entered here 30,000 years ago, as science suggests, over a land bridge between Asia and the future Philippine archipelago. Subsequent waves of settlers reached the islands already by sea. More recently, the Zamboanga peninsula was settled and settled by one of the ethnic groups of Malay (Austronesian) origin, the Subanons, around the 12th century. The city of Dipolog was formerly known as Tulvalan, in the local language of the ancient settlers – “a place by the river.”
In the 15th century, settlers from the neighboring islands of Negros and Bohol also appeared here. Their coastal settlements subsequently grew, now these are the cities of Dapitan and Pulanko neighboring Dipolog. These places were often visited by Chinese pirates, this area in history has repeatedly turned out to be the site of bloody conflicts.
In 1565, after the expedition of Lopez de Legaspi and his colleague, Andres de Urdaneta, the first Christian (Spanish) settlements appeared on this coast. Augustinian monks arrived here, who visited the village of the Bohol leader Datu Pagbuai and found it prosperous. In the chronicle of Urdaneta this place is called Dakepitan. Then, on European maps, it was designated as Dapito by Peter Kerius (1598), Dapit (in Robert Dadley, 1646), Dapito (in Sanson, 1652), and Dapitan (on Moll’s Map of the East Indies, 1729, and Murillo Velarde, 1732).

In the 16th century, evangelism was officially started by the Augustinians, then by the Jesuits. In 1598, the Jesuits established the Bishopric of Cebu, which included both the Visayas and Fr. Mindanao. The city of Dapitan becomes the center of evangelism. In 1609, a battle took place in the Dapitan region with local Muslims from the Maguindanao Sultanate. The Spaniards are trying to increase their influence in neighboring areas by organizing Jesuit missions. All this time, in the 17th and 18th centuries, they were opposed by Muslims.

Spanish Period
The early political history of Dipologus actually begins in 1834 during a period of reorganization of the civil Spanish government. Tulvalan was then part of the municipality of Dapitan, and its head was Captain Don Domingo Ruiz, a native by origin. When the Spanish missionaries arrived one day here, they met the locals and asked: “Where is the captain?” In the local dialect, they were answered: “Dee-pag”, which means “beyond the river.” Then, having crossed the river with a guide of their locals, the missionaries founded a village, calling it Dipag. So the legend tells. It is believed that the old name of Dipologa is Tulvalan, although in fact they were two different neighboring settlements.
At the end of the 19th century, the Jesuits took a strong position in the city, built a cathedral and organized a permanent parish.

American Period
In 1897, power in the Philippines passed from the Spaniards to the Americans. The local government system was slightly changed, the local government was headed not by a captain, but by a municipal president. The first such president (since 1900) was Martin Fernandez. At the beginning of the 20th century, Dipolog was a thriving commercial center. The number of migrants from other provinces has increased. In 1912 Dipolog was separated from Dapitan by government decree. In 1913, Dipolog was given the rank of municipality. Then, during the period of World War II, World War II, Japanese occupation followed. In 1945, the province and its capital were liberated by the joint efforts of American and Philippine troops.

Republic of the Philippines
Later, under President Marcos, Ferdinand Ferdinand Marcos, in 1969 Dipolog received the status of a certified cities. Felicimo Herrera – the last municipal mayor (1963-1970) and the first mayor of the city (1970-1978).

Tourism
The most popular holiday destination among Filipinos and foreign tourists is Linabo Peak. It offers a picturesque view of the cities of Dipolog and Dapitan.
Sungkilau waterfall is located in the vicinity of the Kogon microdistrict. Here in 1958 a reserve with an area of ​​344 hectares was established. It attracts many tourists with its rich flora and fauna. The species composition of the vegetation growing here is very diverse. There are many types of valuable tree species in the park, such as mahogany, teak and others. Tourists can meet here many wild animals, birds, reptiles.

Santa Cruz (Punta Corro) – the area where the settlers from Bohol founded their settlement. In 1905, a monument in the form of a cross was erected here. Earlier, in 1895, a temple was erected on this site by the Spaniards, instead of the old church.
Dipolog Hall is a monument built in 1913 in honor of three local figures. They are Pascual Martinez, the city’s first mayor from 1913-1918, Nicasio Patangan, Mindanao’s first Filipino priest, and Eugenio Margate, a farmer. The latter is known for having created the “Margate system” in rice cultivation. Fountain of the Blessed, a monument dedicated to the solidarity of three peoples, more precisely, representatives of three different types of culture settled on the same land.