Region XIII
Caraga: Region XIII of Mindanao
Caraga, designated Region XIII, occupies the northeastern corner of Mindanao. Its territory spans the Agusan River basin in the interior, the Pacific-facing Surigao coastline, the island chain of Dinagat, and the surf area of Siargao in Surigao del Norte. The region covers five provinces: Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Dinagat Islands, plus the highly urbanized city of Butuan.
With a 2020 census population of 2,804,788 across 21,121 km², Caraga is Mindanao's least densely populated region. The 2024 POPCEN raised the regional count to 2,865,196, still keeping Caraga among the country's least populous regions. Its economy runs on nickel mining, coconut, timber, river agriculture, and an expanding surf tourism sector centered on Siargao. Those industries frequently intersect with ancestral domain claims, environmental concerns, and disaster risk along the Pacific coast.
Butuan City is the regional center and the oldest recorded settlement in the Philippines with documented precolonial maritime trade, evidenced by the balangay boats recovered along the Agusan River banks since 1976.
These industries overlap in practice. The Agusan River that carries the balangay boat heritage also passes through active floodplains, farming communities, and contested ancestral domain areas. Siargao's tourism growth runs inside a region managing active nickel mine operations, Pacific typhoon paths, and ongoing recovery in upland communities still rebuilding after Typhoon Odette in December 2021.
Mining is the region's largest export industry. Caraga produces about 60 percent of the Philippines' national nickel output from 26 operating metallic mines, of which 23 target nickel. More than 92 percent of nickel ore exports go to China. Dinagat Islands alone has 10 active mines covering 24,221 hectares. Surigao del Norte has additional mines near Claver and Tagana-an. Environmental research from 2025 documented consequences including river siltation during rainy season, loss of coastal mangroves in Tubajon and Dinagat, and declining fish resources in mining-adjacent coastal areas. Local municipalities receive a small fraction of the revenues despite bearing the infrastructure and environmental costs.
Butuan City sits at low elevation near the confluence of the Agusan River and Butuan Bay, making it one of the more flood-prone regional capitals in Mindanao. Typhoons Tino and Uwan in November 2025 displaced 2,900 families from 21 barangays and caused the national highway in Ampayon to flood. Butuan declared a state of calamity. DPWH has ongoing infrastructure investments in the area, but the city's delta geography means flood risk is structural.
Siargao Island has largely recovered from the destruction Typhoon Odette caused in December 2021. Most resorts in General Luna reopened by 2022 and Siargao reappeared on international travel lists by 2023 and 2024. The local government of General Luna adopted a five-year Sustainable Local Tourism Development Plan covering 2023 to 2027, incorporating disaster resilience and environmental protections. Livelihoods in upland communities that depend on coconut and forest resources recovered more slowly than the commercial tourism sector.
Caraga is located in northeastern Mindanao on the Philippine Sea, Surigao Strait, and Bohol Sea; it borders Davao Region and Northern Mindanao.
Quick Answer
Caraga is Region XIII in northeastern Mindanao, linking Butuan's balangay archaeology, the Agusan River and Marsh, Surigao ports, Siargao tourism, Dinagat Islands, and Pacific storm exposure. Its coverage needs mining, ancestral domain, river basin, disaster risk, and tourism context, not just a Siargao travel frame.
Frequently Asked Questions
What provinces are in Caraga?
Caraga has five provinces: Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Dinagat Islands. Butuan City is the regional center and its only highly urbanized city.
Is Siargao part of Caraga?
Yes. Siargao is an island municipality within Surigao del Norte province, which is one of Caraga's five provinces. It is administratively part of Region XIII.
What is Caraga known for?
Caraga is known for Butuan City's precolonial balangay boat excavations, Siargao Island as a world-ranked surf destination, the Agusan River as one of the longest rivers in the Philippines, Dinagat Islands as a separate island province, and nickel mining that makes up about 60 percent of Philippine national nickel output. Surigao City is the main port and commercial city for the northern half of the region, connecting the mainland to Dinagat and to Leyte via the Surigao Strait ferry route.
What is the Agusan River?
The Agusan River runs approximately 350 kilometers from the Davao Region highlands through Agusan del Sur and Agusan del Norte before draining into Butuan Bay. The Agusan Marsh in Agusan del Sur is a RAMSAR listed wetland and one of the largest freshwater swamp forests in Southeast Asia.
What is the significance of Butuan in Philippine history?
Butuan is the site of balangay boat excavations that began in 1976 along the banks of the Agusan River in Libertad district. Archaeologists recovered 13 boats over subsequent decades. Carbon dating placed the oldest at around the 4th century CE, and the most studied boats at the 9th to 10th century CE, establishing Butuan as a documented precolonial trading settlement with connections across maritime Southeast Asia. The Balangay Shrine Museum in Libertad preserves several of the original excavated boats under climate-controlled shelter. It is the only in-situ boat excavation museum in the Philippines. The National Museum has an additional collection of Butuan artifacts including gold ornaments recovered from the same area.
What is the main industry in Caraga?
Nickel mining is Caraga's largest industry. The region produces about 60 percent of the Philippines' national nickel output, with 26 operating metallic mines of which 23 target nickel. Dinagat Islands has 10 active mines covering 24,221 hectares. Surigao del Norte has additional mines near Claver and Tagana-an. Major operators include San Roque Metals, Oriental Vision Mining, Marcventures, and Krominco, which mines chromite in Loreto. More than 92 percent of Caraga's nickel ore exports go to China. Coconut farming, timber, and river basin agriculture are significant in the interior provinces. Surf tourism in Siargao has grown since the 2010s but remains smaller in economic scale than mining and agriculture.
Why is Caraga considered a high disaster risk region?
Caraga's eastern provinces face the Philippine Sea and Pacific-sourced typhoons directly. Surigao City was heavily damaged by Typhoon Odette in December 2021, which caused widespread destruction across Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands. Butuan City faces a separate flood risk from the Agusan River basin: the city sits at low elevation near the river delta, and upstream rainfall from Agusan del Sur and neighboring provinces pushes floodwater through the city when multiple tributaries run high simultaneously. Typhoons Tino and Uwan in November 2025 displaced 2,900 families in Butuan and caused parts of the national highway in Ampayon to flood. Butuan declared a state of calamity. Island routes and coastal towns face extended recovery windows after major storm events, and livelihoods tied to coconut, banana, and forest resources recover more slowly than commercial and tourism sectors.
What happened to Dinagat Islands as a province?
Dinagat Islands was carved out of Surigao del Norte and became a separate province in 2006. Its status was challenged legally but upheld, and it remains an independent province within Caraga. It is one of the smallest provinces in the Philippines by population.
What languages are spoken in Caraga?
Cebuano is the dominant language across most of Caraga. Surigaonon is spoken in the Surigao provinces, Butuanon is a distinct language historically tied to Butuan City, and various Manobo languages are spoken by Indigenous communities in the Agusan interior.
How is Siargao recovering since Typhoon Odette and what is the situation now?
Typhoon Odette struck in December 2021 and caused widespread damage across Siargao, including resorts, roads, schools, and homes in General Luna and other municipalities. Recovery moved faster than expected on the tourism side. Most resorts reopened by 2022, and Siargao appeared again on international travel lists by 2023 and 2024. The local government of General Luna adopted a five-year Sustainable Local Tourism Development Plan covering 2023 to 2027, emphasizing disaster resilience, environmental standards, and sustainable operations. Post-Odette construction in parts of the island used more resilient materials, solar power, and water treatment systems. Surf conditions at Cloud 9 are fully operational; entrance is ₱100 per person, with surfboard rental available for ₱200 per hour or ₱500 per day. Livelihoods in upland communities tied to coconut, banana, and forest resources recovered more slowly than the commercial and tourism economy.
Why does Butuan City flood regularly and what is being done?
Butuan City sits near the confluence of the Agusan River and Butuan Bay at low elevation, making it vulnerable when heavy rain falls upstream in Agusan del Sur and neighboring provinces. The river system drains a large watershed, and when multiple tributaries run high at the same time, the accumulated water backs up in the low-lying urban areas. Typhoons Tino and Uwan in November 2025 displaced 2,900 families from 21 barangays and flooded parts of the national highway in Ampayon, prompting the city to declare a state of calamity. DPWH has ongoing road and bypass projects in the area. Butuan's domestic airport has daily Manila and Cebu flights from Cebu Pacific, PAL, and Cebgo, recording about 434 monthly flight movements in 2025.
Provinces in Caraga
Caraga is one of the six administrative regions of Mindanao. Its province and coverage list includes Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Butuan.
- Agusan del Norte
- Agusan del Sur
- Dinagat Islands
- Surigao del Norte
- Surigao del Sur
- Butuan