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One of the largest territories in Cebu, Argao is a first class municipality and is also considered a
primary center of commerce and culture in the south. Even before the Augustinian Friars
established a ministry in 1598, Argao was already a thriving estuarine community. Farming,
fishing and trading of forest products were the principal economic activities. Artifacts dating to
that period around 1500s were accidentally recovered which include clay jars, celadon’s,
jewelries and a dug-out wood coffin. These archaeological objects reflected a community with
the sophistication, traits and norms similar to that of Sugbu, the ancient kingdom in Cebu. So
even in the 1500s, Argao was already a flourishing community in contact with other towns and
cities in the Visayas.

In 1608 when the Christian mission began, there were 1,468 individuals accounted for the new
pueblo parroco. The town center or cabecera was put-up south of the Argao River. The street
followed a grid plan or blocks of street called eskina, commencing from the church plaza to the
main town square. This pattern of colonial settlements was called reducionnes and was employed
by the Spaniards following their experience in South America where all residents live within
hearing distance of the bell, under the bajo de la campana or “sound of the bell”. In this
townscape evolved the N principalia - the local elite, composed mostly of mestizo families of
Chinese and Spanish intermarriage.

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