The town of my late father, Dumanjug, is the most progressive town in the 7th District. It is the home of three governors and two fantastic contractors. Today and tomorrow, the Dumanjuganons celebrate the solemnity of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi led by Mayor Gungun Gica and Vice Mayor Wado Gica. Shoutout to my relatives especially the great clan of the Quirantes, especially engineers Alan and Jonathan.
Dumanjug is the home of Cebu’s fourth governor, Dionisio Jakosalem, born on December 24, 1859 and who served as governor from 1907 to 1912 and became a Cabinet member thereafter. The twenty-fourth governor was Pablo Garcia who served from 1995 to 2004. The twenty-fifth and the twenty-seventh was Gwendolyn Garcia who served first from 2004 to 2012. She was elected and served again from 2019 to 2025.
Dumanjug is also the home of Engr. Alan Quirante who has become famous these last few weeks because, by his amazing entrepreneurial prowess and effective connections, he transformed a small single proprietorship into a multi-million conglomerate which has been able to win many public biddings and amass billions worth of public works, including a number of flood-control projects. His nephew also put up Quirante Construction Corp., under his tutelage and mentorship and this company was able to get many multi-million government projects, including Lapu-Lapu where the former mayor and now congressman, Ahong Chan, is also related by blood to the Quirantes.
Dumanjug Mayor Gungun Gica is the son of the brilliant Ateneo-trained lawyer Edgar Gica and a beauteous and regal lady, Marna Zozobrado. Gungun is also the grandson of former Dumanjug mayor Guntrano “Noy Ano” Gica. Gungun, like his dad and granddad, is a strict disciplinarian, and a stickler for public order and safety. He was able to eradicate the previously-rampant drug problem in the town. He defeated the brother of former governor Gwen Garcia in a hotly-contested election. Today, he is virtually invincible. No one would dare run against him, except a token and symbolic run by a lawyer relative whom Gungun handily defeated twice already.
Today, Dumanjug is a very progressive town, which Gungun raised from a fourth-class municipality into a third class, soon to be second class. Its annual revenue as of 2022 was ?273.1 million, its assets were valued at ?1.034 billion, its expenditure was ?238.7 million and its liabilities amounted to ?365.6 million. The only problem is that its poverty incidence was measured at 37.87%. More than one-third of its residents are living below the poverty line. The economy is largely based on agriculture and small-scale and medium-scale industries. The Dumanjug Agora Complex, constructed under the Gica administration, is the center of the town’s trade and commercial activities.
Dumanjug hosts the headquarters of CEBECO 1 that distributes power to its neighboring municipalities. The town has a number of resorts and restaurants and some poultry establishments that contribute to its economy and give employment opportunities to its growing labor force. It has a RO/RO wharf in its Barangay Tangil, which provides sea transport to and from the city of Guihulngan in Negros Oriental. Food items, vegetables and livestock are regularly transported between the Negros Island and Cebu and vice-versa. Dumanjug also offers a number of beautiful tourist sites.
Education is a priority focus area in Dumanjug as it operates no less than 30 public and private basic education centers, as well as six secondary schools and two tertiary educational institutions. One of its oldest institutions is the Little Flower School, which was established in 1946 as the Dumanjug branch of the old Colegio de San Carlos (now the University of San Carlos). It was later renamed Dumanjug Catholic High School. Currently, it is being administered by the sisters belonging to the Oblates of Notre Dame. The town’s biggest educational institution based on student population is the Bitoon National Vocational School. In the same location is a satellite campus of the Cebu Technological University.
The Parish Church of Saint Francis of Assisi is one of the oldest churches in the entire country. More than 95% of Dumanjug residents are Catholic. Today, we shall witness the famous Bisnok Festival as we salute the town’s officials led by Mayor Gungun and Vice Mayor Wado, with Councilors Arthur Famor Rene Asentista, Erick Gica, Elie Luage, Belinda Quirante, Cardo Condes, Kevin Pan, and Isaac Cambalon. Happy fiesta celebration to all Dumanjuganons from all over the world.