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. 

## References
## Other websites
* *Aurora history*
* [*Casiguran (AU)*](https://cmci.dti.gov.ph/lgu-profile.php?lgu=Casiguran_(AU))
* *APECO in talks with US, DND to put up Casiguran seaport*