Oldest Tree in Butuan

One of the major attractions in Butuan is the country’s oldest tree. The Department of Tourism has constructed a tourist center near the Bitaog Tree (Calophyllum inophyllum) in Magalannes Agusan del Norte. The tree is 500 years old and is the oldest tree in the Philippines. More or less 200 visitors daily flock to the site to take pictures and see the tree which has stood for centuries, a silent witness to 500 years of Philippine growth. In June 1998, the tree was officially declared as Philippine Centennial Tree.

But that is not the only tourist destination in Butuan. The place is home to almost 300,000 people. The etymology for the name Butuan were said to come from “Datu Buntuan” while some believe that it originally came from a fruit named “Batuan”. During the 1950’s, Butuan was named the “Timber City of the South”. If you want to see Butuan at its finest, you might want to time your visit during their festival, the Kahimunan Festival which is celebrated every third Sunday of January for the city patron, Sr. Sto. Niño. May 19 is a celebration of Butuan’s annual fiesta in honor of St. Joseph. While enjoying the sites and sounds, you might also want to try a special delicacy they call “Palagsing”.

Other tourist attractions include the Agusan River, Butuan Regional Museum and Balangay Shrine Museum. Agusan River is the widest and deepest river in Mindanao. If you take a cruise around the river, you’ll start getting a feel for Butuan’s rich background and culture. The he Balangay Shrine Museum houses some of the oldest Balangays in the country. Balangay’s were said to be the root word for the word “Barangay” which is used to depict a small unit of community. These wooden boats were discovered, a veritable evidence to Philippine’s rich culture.

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