Located in the northern part of Cebu is the bustling city of Danao. It is situated in the eastern coast between Compostela (7.80 km to the South) and Carmen (8.20 km to the North). It is bounded on the west by the municipalities of Balamban, Asturias, and Tuburan. It is approximately 33.1 km from Cebu City.
Danao City is a 3rd class city in the province of Cebu. It is politically subdivided into 42 barangays, namely: Baliang, Bayabas. Binaliw, Cabungahan, Cagat-Lamac, Cahumayan, Cambanay, Cambubho, Cogon-Cruz, Danasan, Dungga, Dunggoan, Guinacot, Guinsay, Ibo, Langosig, Lawaan, Licos, Looc, Magtagobtob, Malapoc, Manlayag, Mantija, Masaba, Maslog, Nangka, Oguis, Pili, Poblacion, Quisol, Sabang, Sacsac, Sandayong Norte, Sandayong Sur, Santa Rosa, Santican, Sibacan, Suba, Taboc, Taytay, Togonon, and Tuburan Sur.
The city is about 3.43 meters above the main area level. Generally, it has flat to rolling terrain with slopes ranging from 0% to 65%. Most of the flat or nearly level areas are found along the narrow coastal plains running from north to south and estimated to be 36% of the total land area. These narrow areas extend to a width of approximately less than five km. These flat areas are now planted with sugarcane to serve as raw materials for the sugar mills located at Dunggo-an. Rolling hills, which ranged in elevation from 250 meters to 500 meters, with slope ranging from 15% to 45% is estimated to be 21% of the total land area. The mountainous portion which rise up to 700 meters, with slope range of 45% to 65% above, is estimated to be 43% of the total land area.
According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 109,534 people.
History
No concrete record was able to support the story on how Danao go its name. In 1960’s, there were copies of a story about the beginning of Danao: however, the contents of the said story were said to be only a clear reproduction of an old legendary version which related of a Spanish Captain.
The name of the captain was Manuel Aniceto del Rosario who, as the story went, was commissioned by the early Spanish authorities in the province of Cebu to establish municipalities from what is now Danao City towards the northern part of Cebu.
In compliance with his mission, Captain del Rosario went to the places to perform his duties. When he arrived on a place called Cotcot, he came upon a few natives who were resting and taking time bathing their carabaos in one of the many lakes in the area.
Dismounting his horse, the captain took a little rest. After a short while, he made conversation with the natives. He inquired them what was the name of the place and at the same time pointing his forefinger vertically to the ground where they stood.
The natives thought that the stranger was asking for the name of the small lake where their carabaos were resting and instantly replied: “DANAWAN” (which actually means “small lake” in Cebuano dialect).
According to the story, on account of the Captain’s defective sense of hearing, only heard and recorded the first two syllables DA-NAO. Thus begun the early naming of the place DANAO.
Industry
To let Danao City the leader in industry of GUNS in the north and the municipalities of San Fernando and Carcar down south was Metro Cebu’s definition last 2005.
Danao City is popular for its gun industry. The industry started at around 1905-1906.
When World War II came, the Danao gunsmiths went underground and joined the guerrilla movement. Their main task was to re-chamber the Japanese rifles to fit the US .30 caliber round or to keep the original Japanese rifle in good service. The industry went on, however, still underground. In the 1960s, the term paltik was given to the homemade (and illegal) guns. The industry was legalized by the government, with the creation of two organizations of local gunsmiths in the early 1990s. The organization, now left with proper permit, is called Workers League of Danao Multi-purpose Cooperative (World MPC) in Dungguan, Danao City.
Aside from the gun industry, there are also other industries in the city of Danao. Among them are the cottage industries such as ceramics, fiber-crafts, shell crafts, woodcrafts and metal crafts. Pot making (ceramics) in the city dates back several hundred years ago. The skills in this industry have been handed down from generation to generation.
Means of Transportation
Motorized tricycles and pedicabs are the means of transportation within the city. Public transports coming in and out of Danao City are mostly passenger jeepneys with the route Danao-Cebu. There are also passenger busses that also pass by Danao on the way to the northern towns from Cebu City and vice-versa.
