Historical Timeline of Danao City

From a simple fishing village and farming settlement during pre-Spanish period, to one of the most progressive municipalities in the whole Island of Cebu during the Spanish period and with a giant leap of development in the 1960s, Danao then evolved as a premier city in the northern part of Cebu with its people willing to evolve in modern society hoping to uplift themselves socially, economically, and spiritually.

TIME	H  I  S  T  O  R  I  C  A  L     E  V  E  N  T  S
1400s	Sri Lumay became king of Cebu and years later divided Cebu Island into three kingdoms namely: Kingdom of  Sugbo – the central Cebu, Kingdom of Sialo – the southern Cebu and Kingdom of Nahalin – the northern Cebu.  King Lumay ruled the Kingdom of Sugbo and assigned the rest of the kingdoms to his sons. He assigned Sri Alho  to rule the Kingdom of Sialo and Sri Ukob to rule the Kingdom of Nahalin of which Danao is located.
1405	King Ukob made the area now we called Danao as the center of his kingdom.
1568	The conflict between Legazpi of Spain and Captain Pereira of Portugal heightened to the extent of killing the  natives and inhabitants by the Portuguese by sacking, bombarding and burning of the villages without exempting  even women and children in Danao and other places in Cebu.
1570s	Danao, like other places in the Philippines was made an “encomienda” by the Spaniards.
1621	The Augustinian authorities in Cebu decided to turn the oversight of Danao over to the Recollects.
	The Recollects helped established Danao as a parish and not yet as an organized town with its civilian government.
1742	The spiritual administration of Danao was turned over to the Recollect friars and the territorial domain of Danao  parish then was finally defined. Its territory was from what is now Compostela to Catmon.
1755	Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Church in Danao was constructed and its construction was credited to Fr. Manuel de  Santa Barbara, a Recollect friar and the then Vicario Prior of Danao.
1773	The municipality of Danao was established with poblacion (at present site) as the seat of its civilian government.
	Don Guillermo Sayson was chosen as the first Gobernadorcillo of Danao because of the important part he  played of creating the poblacion.
1800s	The Recollect fathers made Danao the headquarters of their missionary activities in northeastern Cebu,  making Danao then as a major political and religious jurisdiction in the Spanish colonial system. Danao evolved  and functioned as the ecclesiastical and commercial center of the northeast of Cebu.
	Different infrastructures started to exist in Danao.
1820s	Padre Miguel Y Lafuente de Jesus, a Recollect friar assigned in Danao as parish priest introduced to Danawanons the knowledge  and skill of white cheese-making. White cheese (Kiseo) which is coming from carabao's milk was the earliest popular delicacy in Danao.
1847	The construction of the old Convent fronting the Rizal plaza was completed.
1850s	Padre Ambrosio Itturiaga del Carmen constructed the road to Sta. Rosa near Camansi where coal mines were located.
1863	Padre Manuel Fernandez de la Virgin del Rosario, a Recollect friar, built two schools of thick solid stone walls for boys and girls now the  Danao City Central School.
1898	Danao parish was placed under the administration of Filipino priests and Rev. Fr. Cecilio Sanchez succeeded the last Spanish Recollect friar.
1901	The Americans completely controlled Danao and Spanish domination in Danao ended.
1902	The primary school in Danao was opened. Danao Elementary School now Danao City Central School started its operation.
1905	Pottery began to mark as a good industry in Danao
	Gun industry started to draw attention to Danawanons that later became a means of livelihood.
1907	The railway from Cebu to Danao was operational.
1908	Alejandro B. Derecho was the first elected Municipal President (mayor of today) in Danao under American regime.
1940s	Danao became active in coal mining business because of its coal deposits
1942	Alcalde Municipal’s office was transferred to Guinacot school when Japanese soldiers occupied Danao during World War II
	During Second World War the church was destroyed by fire and only the facade, walls and belfry of the church remained intact.
	Danao Elementary School building located in front of where the city hall stands today was burnt by the Japanese forces occupying Danao  during World War II.
1945	American Liberation Forces arrived in Danao  (77th Division)
1946	Jovenal D. Almendras, the son of Don Paulo Almendras was elected as congressman of the then first district  of Cebu. He is considered as the first Danawanon elected representative to national position.
	The year the church was rebuilt and Masses were temporarily held in the old convent located of what is today  Sto. Tomas College in Danao City. The rebuilding of the church was completed in 1960 by Rev. Fr. Cesar Jose Alcoseba.
	Danao Elementary School building which was destroyed by fire during World War II was rebuilt and was funded by the  United States of America.
1948	Danao Visayan Institute (now UV – Danao Branch) was established and is considered as the first secondary school in Danao.
1949	Ramon M. Durano Sr. was elected Congressman of the First District of Cebu.
	Danao Provincial High School (now CTU - Danao) was established by the authority of Danao Municipal Resolution during the  incumbency of then Mayor Pedro Sepulveda
1951	Alejandro D. Almendras, a Danawanon and a nephew of Manong Amon, was elected as governor of the undivided Davao.  He was re-elected in 1955. The first Danawanon to become a governor.
1956	Beatriz D. Durano (Manang Ati) was elected as the first lady mayor of Danao.
1958	St. Joseph The Worker church in Lawaan, Danao City was constructed by Manong Amon.
1959	The first City Hall was constructed during the incumbency of mayor Beatriz D. Durano.
	Republic Acts 2386 and 2384 were approved into law. RA 2386 authorized the Durano and Company and the Universal  Cement Company Incorporated to widen and concrete the national highway and the municipal streets of Danao. RA 2384  granted to Dancar Electric Company a franchise to construct, operate and maintain electric light, heat and power systems and an  ice plant in Danao.
	Alejandro D. Almendras, a Danawanon and a nephew of Manong Amon, was appointed by Pres. Carlos Garcia as Secretary of the Department  of General Services. He was considered as the first Danawanon to become a cabinet secretary to the President of the Phils.
	Alejandro D. Almendras resigned as secretary and was elected senator of the Republic of the Philippines.
	Atty. Vicente G. Duterte, a Danawanon, was elected as governor of the undivided Davao succeeding his friend and ally Senator Almendras.
1960s	Danao became an industrial city in the northern part of Cebu when the Durano Industrial Complex with its Universal Cement  Company that produced an output of 20,000 bags of cement per day and Durano Sugar Mill with 2,000-ton daily capacity, was in full operation.
1961	Manong Amon drafted the City Charter of Danao.
	Danao became a chartered city and Beatriz D. Durano became the first city mayor.
	St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Lawaan was established and is considered as the second parish established in Danao.
1962	Division of Danao City was created and started its operation of overseeing the educational institutions of the city.
1963	Priscillano D. Almendras, the son of Paulo Almendras and Elisea Durano was elected vice-governor of Cebu Province.  He is considered as the first Danawanon elected as vice-governor of Cebu.
1964	Sto. Tomas School (now Sto. Tomas College) was established. It is a private sectarian school run by the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of  Consolation.
1964	President Diosdado Macapagal inaugurated the P125,000 Sub-port in Danao on July 27, 1964. The event was attended  by Cebu Province Gov. Rene Espina, Congressmen Ramon M. Durano Sr., Manuel Zosa and Tereso Dumon and Danao  City officials headed by mayor Beatriz D. Durano.
1965	Vicente G. Duterte was appointed by President Marcos as Secretary of the Department of General Services. He was  considered as the second Danawanon to become a cabinet secretary to the President of the Phils.
1971	The third centennial anniversary of the creation of the parish of Danao was celebrated. This year the new convent was completed through the effort of Rev. Fr. Cesar Alcoseba.
	This year the new convent located beside the church was completed through the effort of Rev. Fr. Cesar Alcoseba.
	Ramon “Boy” D. Durano Jr. assumed as mayor when his mother as mayor resigned from office to run for gubernatorial election.
1973	The church of San Antonio de Padua in Guinsay which was constructed by Manong Amon in 1970 was completed and inaugurated on July 23 1973.
	Division of Danao City was dissolved after 10 years of operation due to the number of teachers that could not met the DepEd’s minimum requirement of 500.
1974	Lawaan Barangay High School, the first barangay high school in Danao, was established.
	The church of San Antonio de Padua was granted “Chaplaincy” on Sept. 1, 1974.
1975	Danao finally has a college institution when Danao Vocational School (formerly Danao Provincial High School) offered the two – year technical curriculum.
1979	Arnulfo "Arnie" Tuadles, a Danawanon, joined Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) by playing Toyota Tamaraw team.  He became PBA Rockie of the year (1979) and member of the PBA Mythical Five (1979). His name is enlisted in the PBA's Hall of Fame.
1980	Danao City Karansa Festival started. It is a street dancing and showdown competition which is held every 3rd Sunday of September, a day before the city fiesta.
	Ramon”Nito” D. Durano III was elected vice-governor of Cebu Province.
	Bernardo “Ber” Hermoso, a great Danawanon artist, won his first Grand Prize in a National Art Competition for the “International Year of the Child”. (Manila Peninsula)
1981	The year the renovation of the Sto. Tomas de Villanueva church started which was initiated by Msgr. Santos de La Serna and funded byManong Amon. The renovation was completed in 1985. The architecture of the renovated church was designed by Roll Durano.
1984	Ramon”Nito” D. Durano III was elected Assemblyman of the Batasang Pambansa (Legislative Assembly)
1985	St. Francis of Assissi Parish in Maslog was established.
1986	The construction of St. Peter the Apostle Church in Taytay, Danao City was completed and inaugurated on June 29 1986. This church was also constructed by Manong Amon.
	Ramon”Nito” D. Durano III was elected Representative of the 5th District of Cebu to the newly restored Phil. Congress after its abolition when Martial Law was declared in 1972.
1987	San Antonio de Padua church, its rectory and land was donated by Manong Amon to the Archdiocese of Cebu. The church is located in Guinsay, Danao City.
1988	The year Manong Amon, the newly elected city mayor died (on October 3) at the age of 82. He is considered in the history of Danao as “The Father of Danao City”.
	Vice-mayor Jesus “Don” D. Durano assumed as mayor in effect of Manong Amon’s death.
1994	Danao City Public Market was donated during the administration of Mayor Jesus “Don” D. Durano, by the Government of Japan with technical cooperation of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
1998	Joseph “Ace” H. Durano was elected Representative of the 5th District of Cebu following his father.
2001	Ramon ‘Nito” D. Durano III was elected as mayor of Danao with Ramon D. Durano Jr. as vice-mayor.
2003	Division of Danao City was restored after formally declared by DepEd Secretary Edilberto S. de Jesus on January 22 (2003) during his speech at the Danao City Sports Complex (now Danao Civic Center).
2004	Joseph “Ace” H. Durano was appointed (November 30, 2004) as Secretary of Tourism by Pres. Gloria Arroyo. He is another Danawanon to become a Cabinet Member of the Phil. President.
	Ramon M. Durano Sr. Memorial Sports Complex was the venue for the Southeast Asian Mountain Bike Championship.
2005	Ramon”Red” H. Durano VI was elected Representative of the 5th District of Cebu replacing his younger brother Ace Durano who did not happen to end his term due to appointment as Secretary of Tourism by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
	Ramon M. Durano Sr. Memorial Sports Complex was one of the venues for the 2005 SEA GAMES specifically, the mountain biking event of which the Philippines won two golds.
2006	The Danao Civic Center was constructed during the administration of City Mayor Ramon “Nito” D. Durano III and was inaugurated on September 7 (2006) by Governor Gwendolyn F. Garcia.
	The Plaza Rizal was reconstructed during the administration of City Mayor Ramon “Nito” D. Durano III and was inaugurated on September 9 (2006) by Tourism Secretary Ace Durano.
	The Danao City Terminal was constructed during the administration of City Mayor Ramon “Nito” D. Durano III and was inaugurated on October 13 (2006) by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
2008	Bishop Emilio L. Bataclan, was the first bishop assigned as parish priest of Sto. Tomas de Villanueva.
	The Fish Port was constructed during the administration of City Mayor Ramon “Nito” D. Durano III and was inaugurated on October 22 (2008) by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
2010	The Board Walk (Diosdado Macapagal Memorial Park Complex) was constructed during the administration of City Mayor Ramon “Nito” D. Durano III and was inaugurated on June 29 by Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
	Jose Rene Almendras was appointed (June 30,) as Secretary of Energy by Pres. Benigno Aquino III. He is another Danawanon to become a Cabinet Member of the President of the Phils.
	San Antonio de Padua Parish in Guinsay, Danao City was formally declared a parish on Dec. 15, 2010.
2012	Agnes A. Magpale, a Danawanon, assumed as Governor of Cebu replacing Gwendolyn F. Garcia.
	Ber Hermoso won the Grand Prize for the first PAGCOR National Art Competition (Prof. Category)
2013	Agnes A Magpale elected vice-governor. The second Danawanon to become elected as vice-governor of Cebu province.
	Ramon ‘Nito” D. Durano III again elected as mayor of Danao after 3 consecutive terms that ended in 2010.
	Ramon “Red” H. Durano VI elected as vice-mayor of Danao.
	Joseph “Ace” H. Durano again elected as congressman of the 5th District of Cebu.
	The construction of Deped Division of Danao City Office building was finished and inaugurated on August 9, 2013. The office building is located beside D.T. Durano Mem. Elementary School.
	Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Ibo was established as a quasi-parish in June 27.
2014	San Pedro Calungsod in Masaba was established as a quasi-parish in Oct. 21.
2016	Rodrigo "Rody" R. Duterte, a Danawanon, elected as the 16th President of the Republic of the Philippines.
	Ramon “Red” H. Durano VI elected as Congressman of the 5th District of Cebu.
	Agnes A. Magpale re-elected vice-governor of Cebu.
	Ramon “Nito” D. Durano III re-elected as mayor of Danao
	Mix H. Durano elected as vice-mayor of Danao
2018	Narciso C. Almerez, a retired teacher and Danawanon historian died in January 4 at the age of 81.