Diocese of Bacolod Philippines at San Juan - Rizal Streets, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental 6100 PH - South Vicariates
| South Vicariates |
BAGO PARISH
Distance from Bacolod 21.5 kilometers
Land Area 37,014.7750 has.
Population 141,721 (as of May 1, 2000)
No. of Barangays 24 barangays
Points of Interest Historical Sites
Arts, Culture and Religious
Natural Scenery
Festival Babaylan Festival
Parade of Canons (November 5)
St. John the Baptist Parish
BRIEF HISTORY:
Bago was founded by an Agustinian priest, Fr. Geronimo Marin on June 24,1575 which coincides with the feast day of St. John the Baptist. According to the manuscript of a Spanish Historian Diego de Povedano, the community was named after a large tree called "Bago" under which a native prince Mapagic died. Another version indicates however, that the place got its name from the shrubs called "bago-bago" which grew abundantly at the riverbanks during the olden times. Around 17th and 18th century, a group of settlers from Molo in Iloilo formed a little village at the mouth of Bago River, presently a rich source of sand and gravel. The village grew into a large settlement prompting its elders to pass a petition for its conversion into a town or "pueblo", which was eventually granted in 1800.
Bago finally became a city on February 19,1966 by virtue of Republic Act No. 4382 with Hon. Manuel Y. Torres as hold-over Mayor from his election in 1959.
Bago City is bounded in the north by Bacolod City and Murcia, on the northwest by Guimaras Strait, on the Southwest by the town of Pulupandan and Valladolid, on the east by the cities of San Carlos and Canla-on and on the south by La Carlota City.
CENTRAL MA-AO PARISH
BRGY MA-AO CHAPLAINCY
LA CARLOTA PARISH
Distance from Bacolod via San Enrique - 45.9 kilometers via Ma-ao, Bago - 43.2 kilometers
Land Area 12,727.39 has.
Population 56,408 (as of May 1, 2000)
No. of Barangays 14 barangays
Points of Interest Arts, Culture and Religious
Natural Scenery Festival Pasalamat Festival
Feast of Our Lady of Peace & Good Voyage (Jan. 24)
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (May 1)
Christmas Festival of Lights and Music (Dec. 16-31)
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish
BRIEF HISTORY:
La Carlota was once a thriving settlement known as Mangcas, the name of a brave and noble warrior of Negrito inhabitants who lived in a quiet and idyllic place along the portion of Canman-ug Creek. Because he was kind and reverred by his people, Mangcas’ name was also given to their children, and soon after, with so many Mangcas around, the settlement was known as such by the natives.
The paradise life of the natives came to an end with the arrival of the Spaniards. Though skilled hunters with their spears and blow darts and bows and arrows, their weapons were no match against the invader who were armed with what were then modern weapons. The inhabitants were thus driven to the hills, their pride dented. But some remained in their homes and quickly assimilated into the new life.
A number of years later, kindness returned to the place in the person of Carlota, wife of Spanish official Capitan Enrique, who showed compassion to the natives, cared for the sick and the poor and generall filled the vacuum left by the warrior Mangcas.
The settlement started as a barrio of San Enrique under Carlota’s husband and got its full status as a town during the last part of the Spanish era. To perpetuate her deeds, the natives named the pueblo after her. During that time, the Spaniards were used to preceding proper nouns with the appropriate article "La" so the place has been known as "La Carlota".
On June 19, 1965 by virtue of Republic Act No. 4585, the town of La Carlota was converted into a city.
La Carlota City is bounded in the north by the municipality of San Enrique, in the west by the town of Pontevedra, and in the south by the town of La Castellana.
CENTRAL LA CARLOTA PARISH
LA GRAJA PARISH
HINIGARAN PARISH
PROFILE:
Distance from Bacolod 54 kilometers
Land Area 15,339.26 has.
Population 74,997 (as of May 1, 2000)
No. of Barangays 24 barangays
Points of Interest Arts, Culture and Religious
Natural Scenery
Festival Hinugyaw Festival
Feast of St. Mary Magdalene
St. Mary Magdalene Church
HISTORY:
The early inhabitants of this town were the semi-primitive people called "Mundos" and "Ambaks". When traders and settlers from Panay started moving in, the natives were driven to the mountains. The new settlers were called "Tagahigad" and when the Spaniards came the place was called "Ginigaran" from the word "higad" but it was later spelled and pronounced as Hinigaran.
The town was founded in 1765 and Capitan Basilio Mongcal was appointed as the first president in 1806. Among its first settlers were the families of Mongcal, Lagtapon, Cosio, Sario, David, Orin, Pido, Pabalinas, Lontayao, Javier, Vargas, Lucasan, and Grijaldo--some of whom were fugitives from Panay.
The Spaniards established the seat of the "pueblo" in Jacinto and Zamora Streets, and the town was governed by "Capitanes Municipales", Tenientes Absolato" and Cabeza de Barangays". When revolt against the Spanish Government broke out, Capitan Bibiano Galvosa and his followers fought bravely against the Spaniards. He was the last "Capitan Municipal" when the Americans arrived.
VALLADOLID PARISH
PROFILE:
Distance from Bacolod 31.3 kilometers
Land Area 3,803 has.
Population 32,576 (as of May 1, 2000)
No. of Barangays 16 barangays
Points of Interest Arts, Culture and Religious
Festival Pasundayag Festival
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church
BRIEF HISTORY:
Valladolid was named after the first capital of Spain by the Spanish leaders, one of whom was a native of Valladolid, Spain. Church authorities during those days were the most powerful in running the affairs of the government, thus, Valladolid’s claim to be among the province most progressive pueblos during the Spanish era.
In 1851, the Recollect Missionaries laid the foundation of the Valladolid church, said to be the biggest in the province at that time. Considering the power of the church as they run the affairs of the government then, the size of its church and convent is proof that Valladolid was among the province's most progressive pueblos during the Spanish era.
Valladolid was established in the year 1860. The settlers made Valladolid a landing area in coming to Negros. This brought about the introduction of sugar in Negros that resulted in the economic growth and prosperity of the island.
The town is known as the Rice Granary of Negros Occidental with 90 percent of its arable land planted to palay. It produce more than half a million cavans of rice every year.
PULUPANDAN PARISH
PROFILE:
Distance from Bacolod 31.1 kilometers
Land Area 2,301.01 has.
Population 25,849 (as of May 1, 2000)
No. of Barangays 20 barangays
Festival Feast of St. Filomena
Point of Interest Jewels Restaurant
Puesta del Sol Beach Resort
Sea Port
Asian Alcohol Distillery Plant
St. Filomena Church
BRIEF HISTORY:
Pulupandan derived its name from the vernacular phrase "pulo sang pandan", meaning "isle of pandan", due to the wild forest of palms in the town during the early days before it became a bustling seaport.
Formerly a barrio of Valladolid, Pulupandan was organized into an independent pueblo or temporary town together with Sum-ag, Ma-ao and Dancalan among others in 1899 under the Republic of Negros when it was created after the successful revolution of Negrenses against Spain.
In 1903, after the shortlived existence of the Negros Cantonal Government, a Re-organization Committee was created in consonance with the re-organization of the government during the American Occupation. Ironically however, the municipality of Pulupandan was again incorporated as barrio of Valladolid pursuant to the re-organization. Pulupandan remained as such until 1916 when it was again segregated from Valladolid and re-organized into an independent municipality.
Pulupandan was officially created into a town pursuant to the mandate of the Governor General Francis Burton Harrison as contained in his Executive Order No. 95 dated December 23, 1916. This creation took effect on January 1, 1917 and was implemented by Resolution No. 36 dated January 12, 1917 of the Provincial Board of Negros Occidental with the late Gov. Matias Hilado.
PONTEVEDRA PARISH
PROFILE:
Distance from Bacolod 48.5 kilometers
Land Area 10,801.77 has.
Population 42,089 (as of May 1, 2000)
No. of Barangays 20 barangays
Points of Interest Arts, Culture and Religious
Festival Feast of St. Micheal the Archangel
Annual Fiesta
St. Micheal the Archangel Church
BRIEF HISTORY:
There are two versions about how Pontevedra got to be called Marayo. One is that the name was derived from a bean-like exotic plant called Marayo which blanketed the place, growing on subsoil abounding with seashells for which Pontevedra is known for until today. The other story was that Marayo was a grafting of the names of the settlement’s chief, Iyo and his wife Mara at the time of the barangays.
Before the 18th century, Marayo was inhabited by primitive people who led a hard life in the still swampy lands. Gradually, natives from nearby Panay came over to hunt and to settle down, while some pushed through inland and up to the mountains in search of agricultural sites.
When the Spaniards came, they found a well-populated Marayo. To show their authority, they renamed the place "PontePiedra" or "Stone Point", after a big stone jutting at the mouth of the river. But the natives found it more convenient to pronounce "Pontevedra", and that is how it stayed until now.
ANTIPOLO PARISH
MIRANDA CHAPLAINCY
ARANDA CHAPLAINCY
SAN ENRIQUE PARISH
PROFILE:
Distance from Bacolod 37.3 kilometers
Land Area 2,751.58 has.
Population 22,091 (as of May1, 2000)
No. of Barangays 10 barangays
Points of Interest Natural Scenery
Festival Kalipayan sa Tinobagan Festival
Feast of Our Lady of Candelaria
Our Lady of Candelaria Church
BRIEF HISTORY:
Around 1840, San Enrique was known as "Pueblo de Tinobagan". It was ruled by Spanish friars headed by Fr. Eustaquio who appointed Juan Espinosa and Benigno Aguirre as cabezas to head two sections of the pueblo. Both were charged to collect taxes for the Spanish friars.
In 1882, a Spanish general visited the pueblo and re-christened Pueblo de Tinobagan to San Enrique. The year saw improvements for the town -- the construction of a church, a convent and roads connecting Pueblo of Marayo (now Pontevedra) and Pueblo of Dolid (now Valladolid).
After about 50 years, the townsfolk staged an insurrection against the imposition of high taxes by the Spanish friars. A group led by Titong Custodio arrested all the Spaniards and brought them to the Pueblo of Buklod (now Bacolod) and this eventually ended the Spanish rule in the municipality.
In 1898, six sailboats of American soldiers anchored at Sitio Utod of the town and proceeded to the town of La Carlota where they stayed for almost three months. When the Americans returned to San Enrique, they appointed Victoriano Rodriguez as the first president.
The convent in the town was temporarily used as municipal hall. In 1904, San Enrique was annexed to the town of La Carlota for almost three years. The townspeople petitioned in 1907 that they be separated from La Carlota, and Angel Ledesma was appointed president afterwards.