Cavite City History, Philippines

Resting on a curled cape that stretches out to the Manila Bay, Cavite City has had modest events in the past that allowed its potentials to be out into the open.

The Tagalogs were the first dwellers to arrive in Cavite. They used to call the place “tangway”, a Tagalog term that means peninsula. The Tagalogs were into fishing and trading with Chinese travelers. Cavite’s name evolved especially when after the Spanish colonizers uttered “kawit” which means a “hook” that resembles the peninsula’s shape. Kawit used to be called Tangway where Spanish rulers established a garrison from where Cavite surfaced. The Spaniards maximized the advantages of the location and started to construct a nautical station and sea port. They named the place as Puerto de Cavite.

Historical accounts also revealed that water areas in Cavite were settled by the natives of Borneo. In 17th century, the Spanish Royalty land ownerships were granted in Cavite and Maragondon. The Jesuit scholars phased in inhabitants from Mollucas who later settled in Maragondon and Ternate. Settlement increased as the century was close to an end. Towns in Cavite were transacting businesses among each other. While Manila was blossoming, firms and establishments started to rise in Cavite.

In 1872, Filipinos set up a revolution against the Spaniards. The country’s Filipino martyr priests, Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora or known as GOMBURZA were linked to the uprising in Cavite that was staged by 200 Filipinos inside the barracks of the Spanish rulers. When another revolution turned up on August 28, 2896, Cavite had its struggling moments, but with the bravery of revolutionist Emilio Aguinaldo, the Caviteños succeeded in the end. Spain soon liberated the country on June 12, 1898 specifically in Kawit, Cavite.

When the Americans arrived in Cavite, they constructed a naval station and used it as the center of naval activities for US Asiatic. When World War II occurred in the Pacific, the town of Cavite along with Sangley Point were both conquered and damaged by bombers from Japan. When it was Japan’s turn to rule Cavite in 1942, they transformed the naval headquarters and made use of it as office.

When war was finally over, Cavite caught its breath. It started to elevate in terms of economy and politics. It was on September 7, 1940 when it was announced to be a city contracted under the Commonwealth of the Philippines. At present, Cavite surfaces as a city with a victorious past.