Churches Conversión de San Pablo Parish (est.1850) History The fact that Pitogo is built on a promontory of rolling hills has a great rationale behind.

Historical records show that this site was selected by the town's founders in 1766 because its lofty elevation provided them with good look out points for the marauding vintas of Muslim pirates who were then threatening the safety of the natives.

In 1754, a band of Christian settlers led by Juan Mauricio founded the town farther inland, a few miles up the Mayubok River, (now Pinagbayanan), to be safe from Moro depredations.

The place was chosen because from its summit, where a native watchtower (Castillo) could be found, the approaching Moro Vintas could easily be detected while still afar.

The founding of Pitogo became very sure when a strong ruler in the person of Geronimo Santiago took care of the poblacion.

According to legend, this was the time when St. Paul the Apostle was found under a big Pitogo tree on the promontory of Maaliw Hill.

For two centuries, Pitogo had survived Muslim raids, epidemic conflagrations and two major wars to emerge as a thriving, pulsating community that has seen some progress during the past decades.