Oroquieta, (formerly/originally known as Layawan), officially the City of Oroquieta (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Oroquieta; Tagalog: Lungsod ng Oroquieta), is a 4th class component city and capital of the province of Misamis Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 72,301 people.

Some sources reveal that the town got its name from the barrio in Spain where Father Tomás Casado, the first parish priest, and General Domingo Moriones y Murillo, a hero in the Battle of Oroquieta, were born.

Another version is that Oroquieta had derived its name from the words oro (gold) and quita or kita (to find), in reference to the early inhabitants who had found gold along the river.

Layawan was the original name of Oroquieta, which was a barrio in the province of Misamis since 1861 until 1879. The early settlers then of the barrio were Boholanos. They found so many stray animals along the river, thus they named the place Layawan, which means a place of stray animals. A little later, Misamis was divided into two provinces, Misamis Occidental and Oriental. Then in 1880, Layawan changed its name to Oroquieta when it became a town.

At the time of the American occupation, the territory was retained by 1903 when the number of municipalities in the then-undivided Misamis decreased through Act No. 951, issued on October 21; but was reduced by Executive Order No. 67, series of 1916, issued by Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison, where four barrios were organized into the new municipality of Aloran.

Oroquieta became the capital (cabecera) on January 6, 1930. As capital town, people of various neighboring provinces came and inhabited in the place where they earn their living through fishing, farming, merchandising and other forms of businesses. Soon afterwards its income increased simultaneously with increase in population, resulting from southward migration from Luzon and Visayas to the area.

In 1942, Oroquieta was made the capital of the free Philippines by the recognized guerrillas and later the ongoing troops of the Philippine Commonwealth Army. (Personal interview with the late Atty. Vicente Blanco, Municipal Mayor during the Japanese Occupation) During this time, President Manuel L. Quezon, together with Sergio Osmeña Sr., a bodyguard and Major Manuel Nieto Sr., landed in Oroquieta after their evacuation from Corregidor to Australia.

The seat of government of the Free Philippines then was the Capitol. The Free Philippine Government was then issuing Misamis Occidental emergency notes. President Quezon, upon knowing that Oroquieta was made a capital of the Free Philippines and that the town was issuing emergency notes, authorized the Printing of the Mindanao emergency note.

Oroquieta was created a city under Republic Act 5518 and inaugurated as a chartered city on January 1, 1970. The charter converting the municipality of Oroquieta into a city were signed by President Marcos on June 25, 1969, in the presence of the then City Mayor Ciriaco C. Pastrano, with the newly elected councilors and other city officials.

Oroquieta City is bounded on the south by Aloran and the north by 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 (65,220 acres), the majority of which comprises the mountain barangays of Mialen, Toliyok, and Sebucal, averaging less than a thousand hectares per Barangay, the 47 barangays of the City outsize its urbanized counterparts.

Oroquieta City is politically subdivided into 47 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.

Population census of Oroquieta

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1903 15,156 —     1918 18,014 +1.16% 1939 21,523 +0.85% 1948 22,837 +0.66% 1960 29,477 +2.15%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1970 38,575 +2.72% 1975 42,497 +1.96% 1980 47,328 +2.18% 1990 52,500 +1.04% 1995 56,012 +1.22%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 2000 59,843 +1.43% 2007 65,349 +1.22% 2010 68,945 +1.97% 2015 70,757 +0.50% 2020 72,301 +0.43%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 72,301 people, with a density of 300 inhabitants per square kilometre or 780 inhabitants per square mile.

Poverty incidence of Oroquieta

10 20 30 40 2006 33.50 2009 30.65 2012 22.24 2015 20.92 2018 15.55 2021 20.48 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

The groundbreaking ceremony and construction of the first mall in Oroquieta City was started in April 2024. The mall is located in Purok 1, Villaflor.

Also Starlite Ferries, a maritime company under the Chelsea Logistics Groups marked its 4th route when it officially opened the new route connecting Oroquieta City to Larena, Tagbilaran, and Cebu, and vice versa on April 28. The Starlite Ferries are stationed at the San Vicente Bajo Port in Oroquieta City.

Oroquieta City Council (2022-2025):

• Mayor: Lemuel Meyrick M. Acosta, IE
• Vice Mayor and Sanggunian Presiding Officer: Aurora Virginia “Jie-jie” M. Almonte
• Representative, Misamis Occidental 1st District: Jason P. Almonte
• Councilors:
  • Vincent J. Guantero
  • Joel B. Aclao
  • Sol Jude D. Gamalinda, CE
  • Ret. Col. Isaias “Jun” U. Claros Jr., PA
  • Joel A. Fernandez
  • Jessie “Jecjec” S. Amboang
  • Aileen “Ai-ai” M. Taladua, RPh
  • Arthur Q. Enanoria, DMD
  • Noel B. Undag Sr.
  • Diosibel M. Maghinay
• ABC President: Nanieth Maerl S. Bandala-Acosta
• SK Federation President: James Anthony N. Sy
• IPMR: Jolly T. Gumolon

Hospitals and healthcare facilities:

• Misamis Occidental Provincial Hospital
• St. Therese Hospital
• Dignum Foundation Hospital
• Oroquieta Community Hospital
• Tamola-Tan Medical Center

Students coming from neighboring provinces of Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, and neighboring cities and municipalities within the Province of Misamis Occidental come to Oroquieta to pursue their college and education. Also students coming from Far-flung and Urban Barangays of Oroquieta come to the city proper to pursue education.

Universities and colleges:

• Misamis University (MU) - Ozamis St., Poblacion 1
• University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP) - Rizal St., Mobod Highway
• Southeast Asian Institute Oroquieta City Campus - National Highway, Upper Rizal
• Dr. Solomon U. Molina College (DSUMC) - Independence St., Villaflor
• Oroquieta Agro Industrial School (OAIS) - Villaflor
• Southern Capital College (SCC) - Juan Luna St., Poblacion 2
• Misamis Occidental Technological Institute (MOTI) - Pastrano St., Poblacion 1
• Deor 'N Dune Academe School of Technology - Rizal Highway, Canubay
• National Institute for Technical Excellence, Inc. (NITEX) - De Barras Building, Barrientos St., Poblacion 2

Secondary schools:

• Misamis Occidental National High School
• Talairon National High School
• Oroquieta City National High School
• Mobod Integrated School
• Misamis Occidental Science and Technology High School
• Senote National High School
• Rizal National High School
• Bunga National High School
• Holy Rosary School (formerly Stella Maris College)

• Allen Dizon, actor

• Cagayan de Oro

• Official website
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Local Governance Performance Management System