Where it all begun
In 1538, Francisco de Castro, a Portuguese-born Spaniard, in an expedition from Ternate in search of Loasia, landed on what presently is Surigao del Norte province and baptized the inhabitants to Christianity.
The Jesuit missionaries in 1597 tried to evangelize the people of Butuan and Caraga (Surigao) with much difficulty and intermittent success. They were followed in 1622 by the Augustinian Recollects who established parishes in Tandag and Bislig in 1642. The Recollects stayed until 1875, then secular priests took over, followed by the Benedictine Monks from 1893 to 1908.
In 1860, six military districts were established in Mindanao. Surigao and Agusan, including the territory lying between Butuan and Caraga bays, formed the third district, called the east district, or province-wide Caraga, which was changed in 1870 to Distrito de Surigao.
The Battle of Surigao Strait in 1944, which occurred simultaneously with the great naval engagement at the Leyte Gulf, was the turning point in favor of the Allied American Forces. The Japanese fleet steaming east into Surigao Strait towards the American beachhead was destroyed by Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf’s Seventh Fleet in a night and day torpedo and surface bombardment action.
It was on June 1960, through Republic Act 2766, that Surigao province was divided to form Surigao del Sur and Surigao del Norte.
The Jesuit missionaries in 1597 tried to evangelize the people of Butuan and Caraga (Surigao) with much difficulty and intermittent success. They were followed in 1622 by the Augustinian Recollects who established parishes in Tandag and Bislig in 1642. The Recollects stayed until 1875, then secular priests took over, followed by the Benedictine Monks from 1893 to 1908.
In 1860, six military districts were established in Mindanao. Surigao and Agusan, including the territory lying between Butuan and Caraga bays, formed the third district, called the east district, or province-wide Caraga, which was changed in 1870 to Distrito de Surigao.
The Battle of Surigao Strait in 1944, which occurred simultaneously with the great naval engagement at the Leyte Gulf, was the turning point in favor of the Allied American Forces. The Japanese fleet steaming east into Surigao Strait towards the American beachhead was destroyed by Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf’s Seventh Fleet in a night and day torpedo and surface bombardment action.
It was on June 1960, through Republic Act 2766, that Surigao province was divided to form Surigao del Sur and Surigao del Norte.
Source: http://info.philtravelcenter.com/surigaosur-history.php