Maramag | |
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Municipality | |
Municipality of Maramag | |
Motto: "Maramag for all, All for Maramag!" | |
Map of Philippines with Maramag highlighted |
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Location within the Philippines | |
Coordinates: 7°46′N 125°00′E / 7.77°N 125°ECoordinates: 7°46′N 125°00′E / 7.77°N 125°E | |
Country | Philippines |
Region | Northern Mindanao (Region X) |
Province | Bukidnon |
District | 3rd district of Bukidnon |
Founded | July 1, 1956 |
Barangays | 20 |
Government | |
• Mayor | Jose V. Obedencio |
Area | |
• Total | 447.26 km2 (172.69 sq mi) |
Population (2015 census) | |
• Total | 102,089 |
• Density | 230/km2 (590/sq mi) |
Time zone | PST (UTC+8) |
ZIP code | 8714 |
IDD : area code | +63 (0)88 |
Income class | 1st municipal income class |
101315000 | |
Electorate | 51,772 voters as of 2016 |
Website | maramag |
Maramag is a first class municipality in the province of Bukidnon, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 102,089 people.
Maramag from “Ag Ramag”, a contracted Manobo term for “Ag Ramag Ki Dini”, which as freely translated, means “Let us eat our breakfast here.” The story as officially published by the late Prescioso Velez Abellanosa Sr. (a former municipal mayor) goes that the Manobos were constantly in conflict with the Maranaos for supremacy over the locality. Each time they set out for the battle they would stop on the bank of Pulangi River where flat stones that serve as their tables abound the area. Atop of these, they would draw their plans and eat their breakfast. This habit becomes their practice that even in times of peace and as a sign of good faith, these “Lumads”, the natives or early settlers invite others who happen to pass by to partake meals with them. Maramag then was a picnic ground were one can rest and take his meal as a short respite either from travel, trekking, hunting and trapping or from battle.
Through the years, even Christians (referred to as "Dumagats", literally 'seaborne/coming from beyond the sea') started to come and settle near the place. They too would stop and eat their meals on these big flat stones during hunting trips or as they travel on foot from one valley to another. As more and more Christian settlers occupied the surrounding places, Ag Ramag became more commonly called as Maramag – a homonym or a contraction of the original Manobo term “Ag Ramag”.
The political history of the municipality traces back in 1916 when the late Deputy Governor Cenon R. Paulican positively declared that people from different parts of the country began settling in the area. Years later, the people informally elected a leader among them as the incipient local government started to take form. They called their leaders “Captain”. These leaders normally remained in office for as long as their political abilities and faithfulness to duty would allow; Monarchial in so many ways although an election process is in place. This system prevailed up to the Second World War.
In 1945, the first appointed Mayor was put in place to head the municipal government followed by two others. The first election for the position of the Municipal Mayor was held in 1951. The election for the members of the Barrio Council was held in 1955. From then on, ten other Municipal Mayors were either appointed or elected in the past 56 years up to the present.