A string of administrators breezed through the illustrious paths of leaderships followed: Paciano Ortega (1922 Ad Interim), Gaudencio Bendijo (1922-3 months only), Isabelo Echavez (1922 Ad Interim), Geronimo Gonzales (1926-1927), Felipe Lacaya (1928-Ad Interim), Fermin Kagatan (1929-1930; 1946-1955), Geronimo Lailay y Zorilla (1931-1935; 1936-1937), Vicente Calibo (1938-1946) Pastor Bajamunde (1956-1959), Virginio Lacaya (1960-1963) and Felicisimo Herrera (1963-1969).

Mayor Pastor R. Bajamunde
1956-59

Mayor Felicisimo L. Herrera
1963-78 (First City Mayor)

Through former Congressman Alberto Q. Ubay, President Ferdinand F. Marcos on June 21, 1969 signed into law, the Dipolog City Charter (Rep. Act 5520) making Dipolog a chartered city effective January 1, 1970. The signing was both historic and significant for it was also the launching of Apollo 11 that carried the first men to the moon. This development made Mayor Felicisimo Herrera as the last Municipal Mayor (1963-1970) and the first City Mayor of Dipolog (1970-1978). The first set of City officials were: Mayor Felicisimo Herrera, Vice Mayor Roseller I. Barinaga, Councilors Gamelin Sevilleno, Fortunato Manogura, Deogracias Hamac, Jr., Jose Villarinte, Jr. Alejandro Alferez, Jacobo Amatong, Narciso Barbaso and Pelagio Lachica.

Congressman Alberto Q. Ubay

On June 1, 1978 then Vice-Mayor Roseller I. Barinaga assumed office as the 13^th Mayor of Dipolog after he was appointed by President Ferdinand E. Marcos, in a major turning point in a career he thought was a bolt from the blue. In two years he wrapped up with = a sterling performance that made City Hall a development partner of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, presiding over strategy and goal-setting meetings that chartered the course of the city's growth.

In 1980, he sought electoral confirmation for a pro-development agenda he had drafted in 1979 and won over political veteran Felipe "Buffalo" Azcuna by a margin of 6,000 votes. Between 1981 and 1985 he presided over the implementation of strategies that brought comparable better infrastructure, social services and fiscal management in a bureaucracy of 750 executives and subordinates. He emerged as an indispensable fixture in the city's political landscape, obtaining P450 million in national government assistance for local projects and enlisting international support.

The sudden winds of politics swept him out of office in the aftermath of the civilian-hacked military uprising in February 1986 that drove President Marcos into exile and catapulted Corazon Aquino into power and made Dario Lacaya, then Vice-Mayor the 14^th City Mayor.

Luis Paloma then OIC Vice Mayor became the 15^th= Mayor of Dipolog after he was appointed following the filing of candidacy of OIC Mayor Dario Lacaya for the 1988 polls.

While Mayor Roseller I. Barinaga to date earns the record as the longest serving City Mayor of Dipolog, Pascual Bajamunde, then City DILG Local Government Officer, holds the shortest record as the 16^th City Mayor (January 8, 1988) and (February 1, 1988) in a Caretaker Capacity.

Barinaga staged a spectacular come-back in January 1988 in a two-way contest with OIC Mayor Dario Lacaya that appeared for most people more of a choice between a conservative leader and a progressive one, piling up more than 5,000 margin to prove he had better programs and assure vision for the city.

Seeking another confirmation of his development programs, he breezed through the 1992 local polls on a development continuity platform and chalked up 6,211 votes margin over 35 year-old Joseph Herrera, son of Dipolog's first City Mayor.

To leave a legacy for other politicians to emulate,  Barinaga started off with a P21 million public market facility construction on a Build-Operate and Transfer scheme (BOT), earning for himself and his constituency the distinction of being one of three mayors who pushed for local government initiatives. As if on cue thereafter, up to P225 million in national government aid flowed in for key roads and bridges construction projects in the city, aside from P15 million in school buildings, water systems and health centers for its 21 barangays and irrigation facilities.

From one initiative to the other after completing one more building for the Central Market facility in the heart of the city, he went to explore long-term investment areas outside of the commercial  district and picked Barangay Galas host of another market facility.

An apparently bullish business community matched Barinaga's vision with one of their own in tune with the city's investment promotions program, building up to P125 million in new commercial edifices and taking a P75 million expansionist binge that somehow speed up the transformation of the city=92s skyline. The real estate industry and its P115 million in fresh capital whipped up a storm over a need for land, at a time City Hall promoted Dipolog as a sound investment haven.

Misunderstood by critics and under fire from political oppositions. Barinaga emerged a tougher nut to crack under pressure and weathered a juggernaut most people thought would unmake all gains he has had after 12 years in the reins of mayorship. He made off with a clean breast for himself in May 1995 local elections running again... this time unopposed for the first time in the political history of Dipolog.

With his motto: "SERVICE WITH A HEART", Mayor Roseller Barinaga looks back with pride to 20 years as a politician and the city's chief development architect who transformed Dipolog from a mere satellite trading center of Dumaguete, Cebu and Ozamis into a growing hub of trade and commerce at the threshold of the 21^st century saying "I share the people's pains and joys on a personal level. I help them solve problems not because helping was something I think was the most logical thing to do for a politician. I help them because I feel I should and feel good about it."