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Oroquieta City Oroquieta City is the capital city of Misamis Occidental. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 59,843 people in 12,417 households. The word Oroquieta came from the Spanish words 'Oro' which means gold and 'Quieta' which means found. Historical Information: Oroquieta City became the war-time capital of the Philippines during World War II. Oroquieta was not a city during the Pacific war of WWII. During that time then Philippines President Manuel L. Quezon on his way to the USA via Australia, arrived in Oroquieta and set up the war-capital government before he was picked up by USAFFE and Commonwealth officials and sailed by submarine to Australia. After the declaration of surrender by Japan and the establishment of the Republic of Philippines, the government changed the status of Oroquieta from municipality to City as recognition during the war period. Topography and Location: Oroquieta City is bounded on the south by Aloran and the north of Lopez Jaena. On the eastern side is Iligan Bay, with Concepcion on the southwest and Sapang Dalaga on the northwest. Lowland plains and coastal lowlands are located in the City’s eastern side while highlands and mountains tower over its western side. 
The City occupies roughly 26,393 hectares, the majority of which comprises the mountain barangays of Mialen, Toliyok and Sebucal, averaging less than a thousand hectares per Barangay, the 34 barangays of the City outsize its urbanized counterparts.
Land Use: Agricultural lands dominate the terrain embracing about 96 percent of the total area or an estimated 14,470 hectares (refer to Table 40). Of these, coconut lands are a major feature stretching about 10,295 hectares, the size of which confirms the raw materials base exploitable for coco-based industries. Upland ricelands rank second in agricultural use (18.0%) followed by cornlands (5.6%). Transportation: Roads in Oroquieta City extend 205.10 kilometers (kms), 74 % of which are Barangay roads and only 29.18 kms (14%) are National roads (refer to Table 41). Of the total, however, only 1.30 percent or barely 3.0 kms are concreted while as much as 71.0 percent are of gravel type (refer to Table 42).
The City has 21 bridges with a combined length of 721.14 meters (refer to Table 43). Of these, 7 are composite bridges and only 1 is made of Steel. Power and Electrification: Misamis Occidental Electric Cooperative (MOELCI – I) serviced 6247 households in 1991 or about 75 percent of targeted households in Oroquieta City
Water Supply: Domestic water supply is assumed by the Misamis Occidental Water District (MOWD) which in 1991 served 2575 domestic connections, 172 commercial/industrial establishments and 49 institutions/government institutions (refer to Table 44). With an estimated per capita daily consumption of 0.45 cubic meters (cu.m.), monthly consumption has pegged at 37,580 cu.m. Communications: Located in the City are 4 Communication Services namely Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT), GLOBE Cellphones, BayanTel Telephone Service, Philippine Telephone & Telegraph. On the other hand, postal communication is handled by the Postal Service Office while messengerial /delivery functions are taken chare by the LBC and the JRS Express. The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) solely provides telephone services in the locality. Of 300 open service lines 207 subscribers where about 64 percent industrial customers.
Total Population as of May 2000
Misamis Occidental
1. ALORAN 23,127
2. BALIANGAO 14,552
3. BONIFACIO 27,810
4. CALAMBA 17,594
5. CLARIN 29,712
6. CONCEPCION 6,900
7. DON VICTORIANO 9,319
8. JIMENEZ 23,212
9. LOPEZ JAENA 20,948
10. OROQUIETA CITY 59,843 47 barangays
11. OZAMIZ CITY 110,420
12. PANAON 7,441
13. PLARIDEL 29,279
14. SAPANG DALAGA 17,794
15. SINACABAN 16,030
16. TANGUB CITY 49,695
17. TUDELA 23,047
Source: NSO, 2000 Census of Population and Housing
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