HISTORY OF CAGWAIT
Discovered in 1840 by young sailors from Leyte who escaped from slavery of Spaniards that sailed southward in a boat called “veloz”, they named the place “Mao-rag-wait” in vernacular after passing through the bay that resembled the human mouth.
The settlers later on called the place CAGWAIT. Thus, in July 1840, when Father Juan Engrova first baptized the people in the settlement, wrote the name Cagwait in his record entitled “Libros de Bautismos”, 1845-1860.
The diversity of marine and forest ecosystem discovered facing the bay and the land along it are fertile. It favors for growing crops that attracted more and more settlers from other and nearby places.
Cagwait once become a Barrio (now called Barangay) of Tandag the capital town of the province in 1869. When Tago was created in 1969 as a permanent municipality in 1918, Cagwait became the biggest southern Barrio of Tago. These attachment of Cagwait as a Barrio of Tago contributed much to the development of the town.
Originally, four (4) barangays composed the town, namely; Cagwait (Poblacion), Aras-asan, Bacolod, Bayabas and Bitaugan. Barely Eight (8) years passed, in 1961, Bayabas chose to cleave from her mother town. Albeit the split of Bayabas, the town at present has 11 barangays with the total land area of 21,410 hectares. Added barangays are Lactudan, Tawagan, Mat-e, La Purisima, Unidad, Tubo-tubo and with the division of barangay Bitaugan into two; Bitaugan East and Bitaugan West.
Until 35 years after through the efforts of Vice mayor of Tago Hon. Rafael Consuegra, on January 20, 1953 Cagwait was created as separate Municipality from Tago. The executive order no. 559 was signed by then President Elpedio Quirino, making Hon. Rafael Consuegra, the first appointed town mayor of Cagwait. The inauguration was held on April 18, 1953.
A number of prosecutors polled in their efforts and supported consuegra in the realization of Cagwait into what it is now. The late Miguel Climaco was the chairman procurator with Cipriano L. Garcia, Sr. Gregorio Cabrea, Panfilo L. Ondona and Rodrigo Espinoza who had past away where the people who in one way or another, helped Cagwait become a town. The later four (4) mentioned procurator where also the first appointed municipal councilors while Hilario Murillo was the appointed Vice Mayor.
Two years after the incumbency of the appointed town officials, a set of local officials for 1955-1958 were elected and properly installed into office. They were honorable Egidio C. Lozada, Mayor; Hon. Luminoso V. Dumalagan, Vice Mayor; Hons. Jesus Samblingo, Rufino Delegero, Isaac Silagan and Alfredo Pascual as councilors. Mayor Lozada served the Municipality for 3 terms until 1967.
In 1968, Hon. Adelfo C. Luengas, a native of Carrascal, Surigao del Sur was elected mayor along with Hon. Diego C. Climaco as Vice-Mayor. Mayor Luengas served for 20 years until February 1987, during the Edsa Revolution.
As a result of EDSA Revolt, then President Corazon C. Aquino appointed a complete set of local officials with Hon. Ernesto M.Camino as OIC Municipal Mayor, Ho. Egidio C. Lozada as Vice Mayor along with Eight (8) Sangguniang Bayan Members.
Mayor Camino barely reign a town executive for one (1) year and again was replaced by another OIC Mayor, Clenio L. Ondona, Sr., because of the filing of his certificate of candidacy on January 12, 1988 election.
OIC Mayor Ondona also served shortly until February 1988 when replaced by former Mayor Johnny Lozada who won the 1988 election.
Victorious with Mayor Lozada where Hon. Eustaqio L. Ondona, Vice Mayor; Hons. Mariano R. Atacador, Guardiano C. Lozada, Diego C. Climaco, Miguel T. Tugbo, Romeo M. Varela, Cipriano C. Garcia, Jr,. , Noe A. Quinonez, Sr., Isabelo A. Cuarez and Carlosito C. Avila as Sangguniang Bayan Members who were called the “forefathers” of the Cagwait White Beach Tourism-Kaliguan Festival and Municipal Park Development, the birth of the Provincial AGRI-INDUSTRIAL CENTER or (PAIC)and alliance of MaCaSALTaBayaMi municipalities.
Mayor Lozada served and complete his three terms until 1998 and then replaced by his own wife, Hon. Lillian Yu-Lozada, CPA who completed her 2 terms. Then after her, Hon. Mayor Bonifacio G. Ondona served Cagwait and its people for years. For another three terms, Hon. Mayor Lillian Yu-Lozada took her seat again and completed it.
QUICK FACTS ABOUT CAGWAIT
Historical Origin of Cagwait
Young sailors from Leyte, who escaped from enslaving hands of Spaniards, sailed southward in 1840 in a boat called “veloz” and noticed they were passing into a bay resembling a human mouth, which in vernacular, it is called “mao rag wait.” The bay looked like an open mouth and the peninsula resembling the esophagus. The settlers later on called the place “Cagwait.”
Thus in July 1840, when Father Juan Engrova first baptized the people in the new settlement, wrote the name Cagwait in his record entitled, “Libros de Bautismos,” 1845-1860.
The diversity of the marine and forest ecosystem facing the bay and the land along it are fertile. It favors for growing crops that +attracted more and more settlers from other and nearby places.
The Founding of Cagwait
The town was founded on January 20, 1953 by which then Hon. Rafael Consuegra as the first appointed Municipal Mayor.
Table 1. Municipal Mayors and OICs Cagwait, Surigao del Sur
| Terms of Office | Names |
| January 1953 – December 1955 | Rafael Consuegra |
| January 1956 – December 1967 | Egidio C. Lozada |
| January 1968 – January 1986 | Adelfo C. Luengas |
| February 1986 – November 1987 | Ernesto M. Camino |
| December 1987 – January 1988 | Clenio L. Ondona, Sr. |
| February 1988 – June 1998 | Johnny Lozada |
| July 1998 – June 2007 | Lillian Y. Lozada, CPA |
| July 2007 – June 2013 | Bonifacio G. Ondona |
| July 2013 – June 2022 | Lillian Yu Lozada, CPA |
| July 2022 to present | Glenn G. Batiancila, REE |
Present-Day Cagwait
Cagwait was once a barrio of Tandag, the capital town of the province of Surigao del Sur in 1869. Cagwait was proposed as an independent Municipality in 1903 through the influence of an American who argued the distance of Cagwait from the mother town.
In 1918, Tago, another barrio of Tandag, was created as separated Municipality due to its rapid growth and progress. Cagwait became a barrio of Tago.
As a barrio of Tago. Cagwait had greatly contributed to the economic development of the town.
After 35 years, on January 20, 1953, Cagwait became a new Municipality separating itself to the Municipality of Tago. It was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 559 signed by then President Elpidio Quirino, making Hon. Rafael Consuegra as the first appointed Municipal Mayor. The inauguration was held on April 18, 1953. Consuegra served from the said date to year 1955 until Hon. Egidio C. Lozada became the first elected Mayor who served for three (3) terms from 1956-1959, 1960-1963, and 1964-1967.
Originally, five (5) barangays comprised the town, namely: Poblacion, Aras-asan, Bacolod, Bayabas and Bitaugan.
Barely eight (8) years passed after its establishment, Bayabas chose to split from Cagwait and became a separate town in 1961. The town has since increased at present to eleven (11) barangays. Added barangays are Lactudan, La Purisima, Mat-e, Tawagan, Tubo-tubo, Unidad and with the division of Barangay Bitaugan into two: Bitaugan East and Bitaugan West.
Present-day Cagwait comprises about 21,410 hectares, about 23.3% or two fifths which are flat areas of coastal plain and 76.7% or three fifths rolling, hilly and mountainous. The eleven (11) barangays are distributed into eight (8) homogenous ecological units as follows:
- Urban barangays: Aras-asan, La Purisima, Poblacion, Tubo-tubo, Unidad.
- Rural barangays: Bacolod, Bitaugan East, Bitaugan West, Lactudan, Mat-e, Tawagan.
- Coastal barangays: Aras-asan, Bacolod, Bitaugan East, Bitaugan West, Lactudan, La Purisima, Poblacion, Tawagan, Unidad.
- Upland barangays: Mat-e, Tubo-tubo.
- Riverine barangays: Bacolod, Mat-e, Tubo-tubo.
- Estuarine barangays: Aras-asan, BItaugan East, Bitaugan West, Lactudan, La Purisima, Poblacion, Tawagan, Unidad.
- Agricultural plain: Aras-asan, Bitaugan East, Lactudan, Poblacion, Tawagan, Unidad.
- Mountain barangays: Bacolod, Bitaugan West, La Purisima, Mat-e, Tubo-tubo.