Bacolod City

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City of Bacolod

Image:Ph seal negros occidental bacolod.png
Location
Map of Negros Occidental showing the location of Bacolod City.
Government
Region	Western Visayas (Region VI)
Province	Negros Occidental
District	Lone District of Bacolod City
Barangays	61
Income class:	1st class city; highly urbanized
Mayor	Evelio R. Leonardia (NPC)
Founded	1770
Cityhood	June 18, 1938
Official Website	www.bacolodcity.gov.ph
Physical characteristics
Area	161.45 km²
Population      Total (2000)      Density	429,076 2,657.6/km²
Coordinates	10°40' N, 122°57' E

For the municipality in Lanao del Norte, see Bacolod, Lanao del Norte.

Bacolod City is a city in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. It is the capital and largest city of Negros Occidental. It is best known for its Masskara Festival, held during the month of October. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 429,076 people in 87,441 households. It is classified as a highly urbanized city. The city is nicknamed the "City of Smiles".

Bacolod is a major seaport and has daily ferry trips to Iloilo City. Bacolod is 20 hours from Manila by boat and 7 hours from Cebu City by boat. Bacolod City Domestic Airport is located 4 kilometers away from the city's downtown area. Bacolod is 50 minutes from Manila by plane and 30 minutes from Cebu City by plane.

It serves as the entrance of the sugar-rich cities and towns of the province. Visitor's facilities abound; modern means of in-land transport can take guests for business or leisure to any point on Negros Island.

Bacolod City is home the Panaad Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 15,500, but holds around 20,000 people with standing areas. Equipped with an Olympic-size swimming pool,a rubberized oval field and a "Eucalyptic atmosphere" because it is shaded by a forest of Eucalyptus trees. Beside the Panaad Stadium is the Panaad Park, home of "Panaad sa Negros" the mother of all festivities in Negros Occidental province. It is a recreational mini forest park that showcases the life, culture, trade, tourism, and foods of the Negrense.

Along its highways, sugarcane plantations are a typical scene; coconut and rice are also grown. The people are engaged in livestock, fishing and pottery.

The majority of the people speak Hiligaynon and the rest speak Cebuano.

[edit] History

The city's name was derived from the Hiligaynon word "bakolod" – meaning "stonehill" – since the settlement was founded in 1770 on a stonehill area, now the district of Granada and the former site of the Bacolod Murcia Milling Company.

Due to Muslim raids in 1787, Bacolod was transferred towards the shoreline. The old site was called "Da-an Banwa," meaning "old town".

In 1894, by order of Governor General Claveria, through Negros Island Governor Manuel Valdevieso Morquecho, Bacolod was made the capital of the Province of Negros. Bernardino de los Santos became the first gobernadorcillo and Fray Julian Gonzaga the first parish priest.

The success of the revolution in Bacolod was attributed to the low morale of the local Spanish detachment, due to its defeat in Panay and Luzon and to the psychological warfare waged by Generals Aniceto Lacson and Juan Araneta. In 1897, a battle in Bacolod was fought at Matab-ang River. A year later, on November 5, 1898, the Negrense "Revolucionarios," armed with knives, bolos, spears, and rifle-like "nipa" stems, and pieces of "sawali" or "amakan" mounted on carts, captured the convento where Coronel de Castro y Cisneros, well-armed "cazadores" and platoons of civil guards, surrendered. Two days later, on the 7th, most of the revolutionary army gathered together to establish a Provisional Junta and to confirm the elections of Aniceto Lacson as president, Juan Araneta as war-delegate, as well as the other officials. (See Negros Revolution.)

On March 1899, the American forces led by Colonel James G. Smith occupied Bacolod, the revolutionary capital of the Provisional Republic of Negros.

By virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 326, enacted by the National Assembly, Bacolod was made a chartered city on June 18, 1938.

In World War II, Bacolod City was occupied by the Japanese forces on May 21, 1942. It was liberated by the American forces on May 29, 1945.

[edit] Contemporary events

Bacolod was one of the host cities of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games from November 20 to December 4, 2005. Sports held in the city included boxing, indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, weightlifting, and men's football.

The current mayor of Bacolod City is Evelio Leonardia and the vice mayor is Renecito Novero. Rep. Monico Puentebella is also the current representative of the lone district of Bacolod in the Philippine House of Representatives.

With Evelio Leonardia as Mayor of Bacolod City, four call centers were established in the city in 2005. These call center facilities are being managed by international companies such as Teleperformance, TeleTech and local call center companies - IO Asia and Focus Pacific.

[edit] Geography and climate

Bacolod City has a land area of 156.1 kilometers. It is bordered by Talisay City to the north, the municipality of Murcia to the east, Bago City to the southwest, and by the Guimaras Strait to the west. The coordinates of Bacolod are 10°40′16″N, 122°56′28″E.

Bacolod City is politically subdivided into 61 barangays.

Dry season is from December to May while the rainy season, like in other parts of the Philippines, is from June to November. Average temperature is 26 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit).

[edit] Gallery

Robinsons Place Bacolod, along Lacson Street in Barangay Mandalagan.

The world-famous Masskara Festival

[edit] External links

• Bacolod City's Online Portal
• Official Website of the City Government of Bacolod
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Bacolod - Wikitravel
• Philipine Headlines - Bacolod

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