26/08/2026
Butuan City, the regional center of Caraga (Region XIII), is the former capital of Agusan del Norte. For statistical and geographical purposes by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Butuan is grouped with Agusan del Norte, however, it is governed administratively independent from the province. Agusan del Norte's new capital is Cabadbaran.
Butuan became a chartered city on August 2, 1950, but despite its reputation of one of the oldest cities in the country and being categorised as a highly-urbanised area, surprisingly, you won't see much development in the city. Looks like they didn't evolve or make an effort to become a modern place.
Their mode of transportation in the city center remains tricycles. Imagine a highly-urbanised city still utilising tricycles as mode of transportation instead of jeepneys or multicabs. It's weird! You will end up getting stress negotiating a fare ride from the bus terminal to the city center because the drivers have different rates!
And their bus terminal at the back of Puregold is so old, and without clean and decent comfort rooms (despite collecting 5pesos per entry). Butuan is already lagging behind other new cities in Mindanao.
While most cities in the Philippines have already banned tricycles in the city center due to the issue of safety, Butuan City is still practicing it. When they will switch to jeepneys? When they will modernise their bus terminal (the one at the back of Puregold) and have clean comfort rooms? 🤔
