Casiguran, Aurora

**Casiguran**, officially the _Municipality of Casiguran_, is a  coastal municipality in the province of Aurora, Philippines, and its most urbanized town. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 26,564 people. Its namesake is Casiguran, Sorsogon in the Bicol Region.

## Etymology

The name, Casiguran, is conjectured to derive from _Gugurang_, after the deity of the indigenous _Ibalon_ peoples of Southern Luzon, from the provinces vulnerable to the turbulences of Mayon Volcano. The Ibalon were Christianized by Augustinian missionaries in the 1570s. Before being colonized, the southern regions had an ancient religious system of deities. Gugurang, the "god of Good" who dwells inside of Mount Mayon is the guardian and protector of the sacred fire — which _Asuang_, his brother, tries to steal. When displeased, Gugurang would cause Mayon Volcano to erupt, but the lava also made the surrounding lands fertile.

## History

Casiguran was founded by Spanish missionaries on June 13, 1609. Prior to their arrival, early inhabitants  were the _Dumagat_, _Aeta_ and _Bugkalot_ followed by settlers from other parts of the Philippines. These migrants spoke different languages such as Ilocano, _Visayan languages_, Tagalog, _Bikol languages_, _Kapampangan_, _Gaddang_, _Itawis_ and _Ibanag_ — and from these a composite _Kasiguranin language_ evolved.

### Highlights

- 1818
- In 1818, the province of Nueva Ecija annexed the town of Casiguran from _Tayabas_ (later renamed _Quezon_) province.
- 1839
- Casiguran was separated from Tayabas and became part of _Nueva Vizcaya_ when the province was created in 1839,
- 1856
- and then separated once again and became part of the _El Príncipe_ district of the province of _Nueva Ecija_.
- 1902
- In 1902, Casiguran was moved back as part of the province of Tayabas.

### Casiguran, Aurora

When the Philippines regained sovereignty in 1946 — after World War II — the settlement of Aurora remained a lone northern town of Tayabas (present-day **Quezon**) province. Casiguran's political jurisdiction was bounded by the provinces of Isabela on the north, by Quirino province on the west, and by Tayabas itself at the southwest.

Aurora was recognized as a _"sub-province"_ in 1951, and finally attained its own provincial status on August 13, 1979. The province of Aurora today is politically divided into 8 municipalities, subdivided into 151 barangays (_barrios_), encompassed by a lone legislative district, with **Casiguran, Aurora** as one of its municipalities.

## Casiguran Port

**Casiguran Seaport**, or _"Port of Casiguran"_, in the municipality of Casiguran, Aurora Province, is designed to be a freeport zone. The port is owned and managed by _Philippine Ports Authority_.

## Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport

The **Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport** is a _Special Economic Zone_ managed by the _Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority_ — as an initiative of the _Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation_ regional economic forum, or APEC. Indigenous peoples of Casiguran claim approximately 11,500 hectares of the zone as part of their ancestral domain.

## Other websites

- _Aurora history_
- _Casiguran (AU)_)
- _APECO in talks with US, DND to put up Casiguran seaport_

## Infobox (mapframe)

- **frame-width**: 250


## Infobox (settlement)

- **image skyline**: Casapsapan beach aurora.jpg
- **image caption**: Casapsapan Beach
- **image flag**: Flag_of_Casiguran,_Aurora.png
- **flag size**: 120x80px
- **image map**: Ph_locator_aurora_casiguran.png
- **map caption**: Map of Aurora with Casiguran highlighted
- **pushpin map**: Philippines
- **pushpin label position**: right
- **pushpin map caption**: Location within the
- **subdivision type**: List of sovereign states, Country
- **subdivision name**: Philippines
- **subdivision type1**: Regions of the Philippines, Region
- **subdivision type2**: Provinces of the Philippines, Province
- **subdivision type3**: District
- **subdivision name3**: Legislative district
- **established title**: Date of establishment, Founded
- **established date**: June 13, 1609
- **established title2**: Annexation to Baler, Aurora, Baler
- **established date2**: October 24, 1906
- **established title3**: Chartered
- **established date3**: September 20, 1907
- **parts type**: Barangays
- **parts style**: para
- **timezone**: Philippine Standard Time, PST
- **utc offset**: +8
- **postal code type**: ZIP code
- **postal code**: 3204
- **area code type**: IDD
- **area code**: +63 (0)42
- **website**: https://www.casiguran-aurora.gov.ph