The Provincial Capitol

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2014/June/03/starlife2.htm
BY MODESTO SA-ONOY
The original seat of the government of the Province of Occidental Negros was
the house donated by Jose Ruiz de Luzuriaga, who at the time, was one of
the three members of the Philippine Commission es tablished by the
Americans in 1901.
This house, which was demolished in 1962, was located at the corner of
Luzuriaga and Araneta streets in Bacolod City.
In 1926, Governor Jose Locsin decided to construct a Capitol worthy of the
growing wealth of the province after the introduction of centrifugal milling
boosted the local income never experienced before.
The Provincial Board appropriated P255,000 for this project and, on June 2,
1927, the Bureau of Public Works, that has the authority to approve all public
works in the country, authorized the construction.
The land that was chosen for the Capitol site, however, was owned by the
Gonzaga family and they refused to sell. The province was forced to file
expropriation proceedings against them.
Represented by the counsel, Manuel Fernandez Yanson, formerly a capitan
municipal of Bacolod, the heirs Jose Gonzaga and the Gonzaga children
(Gertrudes, Aurelia, Adela, Mamerta, Juan, Francisco and Villardo) finally
agreed to sell but refused to accept the expropriation price of P1,200 per
hectare. They asked for a higher price but the provincial government did not
want to pay a bit more because the expropriation proceeding was already in
the court. The Gonzagas relented.
With the approval of the BPW, construction began in 1927. However, work
was slow that the provincial government sued the contractor, Manuel
Concepcion, and ordered the confiscation of his bond.
Though work speeded up thereafter, the Capitol structure took form only in
1932 and finally completed on October 21, 1934. On January 11, 1935, the
Capitol was formally accepted by Governor Emilio Gaston.
From conception to completion, the Capitol of Occidental Negros spanned the
terms of Governors Locsin, Isaac Lacson and Gaston.
However, eight months after it was turned over to the provincial government,
the Court of First Instance ordered the governor to pay the other landowners,
who were not party to the expropriations case but whose lands were included
in the Capitol site. The government paid Magdalena, Carmen and Vicente
Gonzaga P1,552.40 plus six percent interest from April 20, 1933 when their
lands were occupied by the Capitol.
Although the Capitol followed the design of other capitols in the country, that
of Occidental Negros was larger, grander and more imposing because of the
wide open space in front that allows a panoramic view of the building.*

All for one 2

Tuesday, November 18, 2014
http://www.visayandailystar.com/2014/November/18/starlife.htm
I have left out other moments in Negros history where
History Notes
the island and its people were united in a common
WITH MODESTO
endeavor. The first is that the island was under one
SAONOY
diocese when it was created in 1932, until the Diocese
of Dumaguete was created in 1955. The shining star of
the Diocese of Bacolod was from Oriental Negros, Bishop Antonio Y. Fortich,
and the only native of this island to head its diocese.
The second was that, in 1935, we had one army, the 71st Division with two
regiments in Oriental Negros and three in Occidental Negros. Army reservists
from the two provinces were inducted in the 71st Infantry Regiment that was
sent to augment the forces in Luzon and finally fought in Bataan and suffered
in the Death March.
When the communist rebellion was at its peak, the Armed Forces of the
Philippines created the Negros Island Command, or NICOM, for a unified
approach against the insurgency. The government was then having difficulty
with separate commands as rebels moved in and out of each province. After
NICOM broke the backbone of the insurgency, the Army reduced the number
of its troops in the island to two brigades, but they continue to operate in
close coordination under one command.
Ironically, the present New Peoples Army in Negros has also a unified island
command. This suggests that taking Negros as a unified whole rather than its
provinces treated as separate entities has its merits.
Even the claim that it would cost over P50 billion to create the Negros Island
Region pales in comparison to the benefits. In fact, by separating the two
provinces from their respective regions means Iloilo and Cebu will have also
savings because they will no longer include Negros in their budgets. What
they save will just be transferred to us. So there is practically little lost.
Now, lets get back to the reasons why, in 1890, the island was divided into
two provinces.
As early as 1857, just two years after Negros was elevated into the status of
a politico-military province, the Royal Audiencia conducted an inspection of
the island from August 15 to September 25, 1857. The head of the team,
Jose Manuel Aguirre, recommended that the island be divided into two
provinces due to difficulty in administration to so large an island.
He suggested that a military command be established in the north. The
recommendation was sent to Madrid on September 25, 1858, but this
proposal came at the time when there was a power struggle between the
Ministry of State and Overseas Territories and the Ministry of War. Despite
the opposition of the Ministry of Overseas Territories, the Ministry of War
went ahead and got a Royal Decree on February 12, 1859, establishing a
separate military command with its seat in Escalante.
The military command became a new politico-military district in Escalante
but it was still under the jurisdiction of Bacolod. The original towns
comprising this province were those from Escalante to Ayungon, but in 1863,

Calatrava and Sagay were included while other southern portions were
absorbed by Jimalalaud.
The new Intendant Governor of the Visayas, Remigio Molto, however,
considered the set-up as useless and proposed on August 13, 1864 that the
Escalante district be abolished and instead a new politico-military district be
created with Dumaguete as the capital. It was to comprise the areas in the
east coast, from Calatrava to Guilhungan in Sipalay. Siquijor Island, which
was under Cebu, was detached and annexed to the new district. The western
side was to be reconstituted with Pulupandan as the new capital as it was
more accessible to Iloilo. However, Molto failed to convince Madrid.
On September 2, 1877, the Recollect parish priests in the east coast sent a
letter to the Governor General supporting Molto. However, they went further.
They petitioned that the new government should be not just a district but a
province for the oriental side. Their reasons: difficulty of travel through the
malaria-infested mountains, the personnel in the occidental side, despite
their competence and zeal, could not visit them often and crimes in the area
could be minimized if culprits were tried and punished immediately, instead
of being sent to Bacolod. The suspects had to wait for months before the
guardia civil could escort them to Bacolod. Moreover, during the transfer,
many suspects escaped into the mountains and joined the renegades.
The priests also claimed that an estimated 40,000 people could not be taxed
because these migrants said they were from Iloilo. Due to the distance to
Bacolod, it was extremely difficult to immediately verify their residence. The
migrants had settled in the area from San Carlos to Tanjay. The Recollects
also supported the division, with Dumaguete as the capital, and Siquijor,
which was being administered by the Recollects, be annexed to Negros.
Madrid did not act on the proposal until 25 years later. In June 1888, a new
Governor General, Valeriano Weyler, arrived and forthwith endorsed the plan
to Madrid after coming to Negros to validate the claimed reasons for division.
He saw that progressed had been made and he acted on his own authority.
On January 4, 1889, Weyler issued a decree abolishing the Escalante district
and created a military garrison in Tanjay. All towns from south of Tanjay were
placed under this garrison but still linked to Bacolod.
On October 25 of that year, Madrid issued a Royal Decree which took one
step further. It created two autonomous provinces and their budgets to be
included starting January of the following year. Dumaguete was declared its
capital. On December 21, Weyler set the boundaries of the two provinces,
which was the imaginary line from the house of a certain Alvarez on the road
that joined Bais and Kabankalan in the Tipasi Pass in the barrio of Bagtic.
The official date of the creation of the two provinces, Occidental and
Oriental, was set on January 1, 1890. Eight years later, the two provinces
decided to merge their governance as one Cantonal Republic.
Sum-ag
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
http://www.visayandailystar.com/2014/December/16/starlife.htm

This barangay of Bacolod by the bank of the river that carries

its name was once filled with a shrub that the Malayan
settlers called Sumag.
The name is of Arabic origin, summag, which refers to a
plant with lance-like leaves and cone-shaped cluster of hairy,
red fruit. Its leaves as well as its wood are powdered and
used for tanning and dyeing. The French and Old English called this plant
sumach, indicating that the sumag dye was used in Europe for the leather
and textile industries for centuries.
History
Notes
WITH
MODESTO
SAONOY

The place-name of Sum-ag thus tells us of its early settling by Malays that
possibly were engaged in the craft or work of tanning and dyeing. The
hyphenated spelling insures that the name is pronounced correctly,
distinguishing it from the foreigners emphasis on the second syllable to our
stress on the first syllable.
The earliest record where the name of Sum-ag is mentioned is that in 1803 it
was created as a town but with few inhabitants of Tagalogs, Batangueos
and Bicolanos. The settlers were mainly textile weavers and merchants so
that the choice of the name can be traced to them. Either they named the
place or they chose the place for its abundant sumag plant. However, it was
more of a collection of a few houses with a headman, rather than a town with
a civil government. It was a pueblo in name.
Prior to 1848, it was administered spiritually from Bago by Fr. Balbino
Gonzaga, who also had jurisdiction over Bacolod. It was under the patronage
of Our Lady of the Pilar. Although the jurisdiction of Binalbagan and later
Bago reached all the way to Talisay since the 18th century, there was no
mention of Sum-ag as among the barrios or mission under them.
In 1849, the Alcalde Mayor of Negros, Don Manuel Valdeviezo y Morquecho,
found that Sum-ag already had a sizable population, that is, over one
thousand inhabitants. He then raised the sitio of Sum-ag into a town and
established it as a parish under the patronage of San Juan de Nepomuceno. A
31-year-old Recollect, Fr. Mariano Rodrigo de la Reina de los Angeles, was
appointed interim parish priest. He was followed by Recollect Fr. Juan Jesu,
who served from 1854 to1855 until Recollect Fr. Julian Miguel arrived in
February 1855 to assume the post of parish priest.
Padre Julian did not stay long. He left two years later for Valladolid. By this
time, Sum-ag was already a thriving community of 3,772 inhabitants with a
large number of tribute payers 2,359. When Fr. Miguel left, Sum-ag
reverted to the status of dependency on Bacolod because there was no
available parish priest. It was thus served by the secular from Bacolod. At
this time, Bacolod was under the secular clergy, Fr. Roman Manuel Locsin.
On May 18, 1856, a new priest, Fr. Severino Garijo, took possession of Sumag as its parish priest. Although there was a church in Sum-ag, it was of light
materials but there was no convent, so that Fr. Severino stayed in the house
of Crispino Gozun.
One of the conditions for the creation or continuance of a parish was a
convent, so that on June 16, 1859, Fr. Garijo laid the foundation of a convent
made of tabigue pampango. The convent was communal effort of the
principales, the ordinary folk and the cabezas de barangay.

When the government sold lands in response to the demand for sugar, Juan
Gonzaga and Roque Garbanzos bought 122 hectares each in Sum-ag and this
became the nucleus of the thriving sugar and rice lands in the town. The
onslaught of sugar and imported textiles from England pushed the local
textile and sinamay industries out of business and, finally, to their demise.
Thus, also the industry from sumag powder disappeared and the town turned
to agriculture of sugar and rice production.
Fr. Garijo also began the construction of a church of strong materials of stone
and galvanized iron roof. Later, Fr. Joaquin Usubiaga constructed a small
convent to replace the deteriorated one. Succeeding parish priests continued
the work till almost the end of the Spanish regime.
The Recollects served Sum-ag until the Revolution of 1898. When the forces
of Juan Araneta passed by from Bago to Bacolod, there was no resistance in
Sum-ag and its parish priest, Fr. Francisco Echanojauregui was later arrested
and detained in Bago.
Without a pastor, the Aglipayan and Protestant ministers were able to sway
the people of Sum-ag to their faith. However, in 1902, Recollect Fr. Angel
Fabo returned in the midst of anti-Catholicism. The Church prevailed and
many returned to the faith of their fathers. Fr. Fabo had to fight the town
officials who confiscated Church properties.
Fr. Francisco Azcarate, the Recollect parish priest of Sum-ag since 1958,
relinquished the spiritual administration of the parish to the secular in 1964.
The wealthiest province of the Spanish times, Negros had to bow to the new
realities after the American occupation. The profitable sugar exports ceased
as the Spanish market closed to the Philippine sugar and the Americans
refused to import.
In 1901, Governor Leandro Locsin realized that several towns could not
support their governments and recommended that they be downgraded into
barrios. Act 716 of April 2, 1906 consolidated the towns of Granada and Sumag into barrios of Bacolod, a status that remains to this day.*
Princess of Negros
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
http://www.visayandailystar.com/2014/October/28/starlife1.htm
Princess of Negros
History Notes
WITH MODESTO SAONOY
For the millennial generation, Negros Navigation is more alien than the
Hobbits, but the Negros Navigation Company Inc. and its vessel, the Princess
of Negros, are among the most important factors in the growth and progress
of Bacolod and for that matter, the central part of Occidental Negros.
On request of Ray Ascalon, then one of the officials of Negros Navigation I
wrote the history of this shipping company in 1982 in connection with the
50th anniversary of its foundation. The manuscript was not published,
however. Nevertheless, my research on this company enriched my collection.
I thought of writing about its beginnings because of recent interviews on the
connection of Nenaco and its contribution to the development of Bacolod for

its role during World War II. These interviews indicate interest in the history
of this company. Nenaco is more popularly known as NN.
We have no record of the exact date when several sugarcane planters from
Iloilo and Negros met in July of 1932 who thought of the need for a
convenient means of sea transport between the two provinces. Many of the
wealthy families of Iloilo had sugar plantations in Negros and they had to
take the hazardous and slow lorchas that also carried sugar from Negros for
trans-shipment to Manila and abroad.
The founding members of the board of directors of the new corporation were:
Julio Ledesma (chairman), Vicente Lopez, Januario Jison, Cesar Ledesma, Juan
Ledesma, Manuel Hechanova, Antonio Lizares, Nicolas Lizares, Carlos Lopez,
Placido Mapa and Aurelio Montinola. These names litter the pages of our
history in terms of business and industry. Hechanova was elected general
manager.
The company purchased the semi-concrete Silay Wharf in Barrio Sum-ag as
its base in Negros. Bacolod, at the time, had no pier or wharf. It also
purchased the dredger Morocutuda from Cesar Barrios and Company to
deepen the wharf while the company awaited the delivery of a twin-screw,
550-gross ton steel passenger ship. The ship, ordered earlier from Hong Kong
and Whampoa Dock Company, had a passenger capacity of 718 and a
general speed of 15.5 knots. At this speed the distance between Silay and
Iloilo was traversed in just a little over two hours.
When it arrived in Iloilo in October 1932, it was christened Princess of
Negros and sailed to Silay. Thus began the first twice daily trip between
Negros and Iloilo.
The following year, another ship built at the Taikoo Docks in Hong Kong
arrived and began the Iloilo-San Carlos-Iloilo trip. Another boat named San
Carlos, was also placed in operation.
With foresight of the progress that Bacolod was showing, Nenaco applied for
and got a foreshore lease in Banago where it constructed a concrete wharf.
The Banago Wharf was inaugurated in 1938 just when Bacolod became a
city. The transfer of Nenaco to Bacolod boosted the pace of Bacolods
progress as business concentrated in this new city. Banago Wharf attracted
other shipping companies to use its facilities, not only for its wider space but
also its closeness to the city.
When World War II broke out, the United States Army commandeered the
Princess of Negros for war service. The army was short of vessels to
transport troops from Negros and Panay to reinforce Luzon. The charter or
agreement with NN was for the army to compensate NN its full book value of
P360,000.
The Princess, as the vessel was popularly called, carried troops until Manila
was declared Open City and the Japanese blockaded all shipping from the
Visayas and Mindanao. Some vessels that tried to reinforce the beleaguered
Bataan and Corregidor were sunk. The Princess took shelter in Iloilo until
President Manuel Quezon escaped from Corregidor in March 1942. The
Princess was commissioned as Presidential Yacht and ferried the Presidential
Party to Negros. The Princess docked at Banago on March 23 and the
Presidential Party was secretly brought to Granada. He would lodge in

several places during his stay and conferences with local politicians and
leaders of the sugar industry.
The instruction to the Captain of the Princess, Juan Panopio was to proceed
to San Carlos to wait for President Quezon.
On March 14, 1942, two Japanese planes in search of a downed Zero that
plunged into Taon Strait near Ayuquitan, Oriental Negros, spotted the
Princess docked in Refugio Island, just off the San Carlos port. The pilots
must have radioed its two gunboats, also searching for the downed Zero. The
gunboats fired at San Carlos and shots at the bow of the Princess. No reply.
The Japanese boarded it and found the belongings of the President and his
party of top Commonwealth officials. Then they towed the Princess and it
was never found again.
The news of the discovery of the Presidents presence in Negros alarmed
General Douglas MacArthur, who was in Mindanao on his way to Australia. He
dispatched a message to Maao where Quezon was hosted by his friend
Salvador Benedicto, to leave immediately. Quezon left for Zamboanguita
and then by PT boat to Mindanao and finally reached the United States where
he established the Commonwealth in Exile in Washington, D. C.
The investigation on the Princess by Lt. Ramon Nolan discovered that
Panopio was in San Carlos. He was drunk when the Japanese shelled the
town and towed away his ship.
After the war, the United States Army compensated NN for the loss of the
Princess but instead of the P360,000 as agreed, the War Damage
Commission told NN that the approved amount was only P120,000 on a take
it or leave it basis. As NN was short of cash, NN accepted the amount.
NN resumed operation in 1947 with two PT boats since ship building was not
yet restored. In August 1947, two PC-type steel-hulled ships were purchased
while the boats were sold. The new vessels were converted into passenger
cargo vessels. They were named, Princess of Negros and Princess of Panay.
While the Princess of Panay sailed the Iloilo-Pulupandan route, the Princess of
Negros returned to its former run until Nenaco ceased to exist. The new
owners decommissioned the two Princesses and they receded into history.*
MASSKARA FESTIVAL
The Masskara Festival through the years gives the people of Negros, as well
as local and foreign visitors, a chance to drink and be merry for 20 days.
Originally designed to show the hardships of the people of Negros, the
Masskara Festival has become a tool of escapism and a way to generate
revenues for big business. It has indeed come a long way, and it is clear that
the
path
turn
away
from
the
progressive
goal.
Bacolod City is known for the popular Masskara Festival which takes place
here Oct. 1-20. Local and foreign visitors get a chance to enjoy 20 days of
merry making, beer drinking, dining and street dancing. On the weekend
nearest to 19 October, the biggest party in Bacalod is scheduled to take
place. Bacalod is the capital city of the country's sugar-producing province of
Bocalenos.

The term Masskara is created from two words: mass, meaning crowd, and
the Spanish word cara, for face; thus the double meaning for "mask" and
"many faces". It wascoined by Ely Santiago, a painter, cartoonist, and
cultural artist, who devoted show in his art works the many faces of
Negrenses overwhelmed with various crises.
A smiling mask, which is the symbol of the fiesta was conceived by the
organizers to show the happy spirit of the Negrenses despite experiencing
bad
times
in
the
sugar
industry.
The Masskara festival was first envisioned in 1980 to add color and jollity to
the Bcolod City's celebration of its Charter Day anniversary, on 19 October.
The symbol of the festival - a smiling mask - was adopted by the organizers
to dramatize the Negrenses happy spirit, in spite of periodic economic
downturns in the sugar industry.
Throughout the week, people from all over the Visayas, gather to the town
plaza. They join Bacoleos in the non-stop round of festivities. Even if you
don't feel like dancing and singing, the pig catching and pole climbing
competitions are musts. Some are also trying their luck and testing their
skills in mask-making contests, disco king and queen competitions, coconutmilk drinking to name a few.
Masks are the order of the day at the Masskara parade, as brightly-costumed
men and women dance and strut in the streets. Their beaming faces are bedimpled, smiling and laughing in molded clay or papier-mch. Every group
is represented: civic associations, commercial establishments, schools, even
private and government organizations. They march out in excited crowd
wearing their painted masks and elaborate costumes, all vying for prizes in
judging that will be held in theafternoon. The festival also benefits Bacolod
tourism not only because tourists flock the city during this time to join the
merrymaking but also to buy the orchids and ornate handicrafts on sale.
HISTORY
The festival instills among the people the culture of escapism and
obscurantism, where they have to accept and forget their sufferings caused
by the exploitation and oppression of the landlords.
In this city, people are encouraged by the organizers, mostly big
business and hacenderos (big landlords), to forget the economic hardships
and depression which happen especially during tiempo muerto (dead season,
or off sugar harvest-milling season). Bacolod is the capital city of Negros
Occidental, known as the Sugar Bowl of the Philippines and is part of Western
Visayas in central Philippines.
Originally and ironically, the masks reflected the peoples grief over the loss
of their numerous loved ones when, in 1979, Negros Navigations luxury liner
MS Don Juan crashed with a tanker. Five years before, there was a big drop in
sugar production. The people of Negros suffered from the excess of sugar in
the world market caused by the Caribbean sugar crisis and the introduction
of sugar substitute like the High Fructose Corn Syrup in the United States. All
these led to the holding of the first Masskara Festival in 1980. Santiagos
original proposal to hold annual parade using masks to capture the crisis in
Negros, was changed by the local elite into street dancing and merry-making
festival. This rich imagery of masks was used by the hacenderos and local
politicians to hide the suffering of the Negrenses. From then on, Masskara

Festival became one of the popular attractions in Negros, drawing thousands

of
people
within
and
outside
the
country.
During this festival every October, the citys public plaza is brought alive into
a huge beer garden. There is also Masskara Street-dancing contests
highlighting the whole festival. Masskara Festival was intended as an
encouragement to all to fight back and to keep smiling despite the sugar
problems, and highlighted that hope still existed. Since then, the smiling
masks have become the city's symbol, thus earning its tag as the "City of
Smile." This annual festival, which has become one of Philippines best known
tourist attraction, has been earning raves both from local and foreign
tourists. Masskara Festival has also been judged the most beautiful and
colorful festival among the various contingents from other countries.
http://www.philippinecountry.com/philippine_festivals/masskara_festival.html

PLACES OF INTERESTS
Fountain of Justice
In front of the Bacolod City Hall, the former site
of the old City Hall where the formal signing of the
Spanish surrender to the local forces by Gen.
Aniceto Lacson tool place - Col. Isidro Castro,
Spanish governor of Negros, signed in behalf of the
Spanish forces on November 7, 1898.
The New Government Center
At present a sight to behold, rising from out of the open space of
fresh greenery, catching the attention of passersby who sometimes
call it THE WHITE HOUSE. The building stands proudly along the
eastern part of the Circumferential Road, and can be approached from
all the four direction entrances to the city. The total land area is
50,000 sq. meters. Constructed December 28, 2006 completed on
August 8, 2008.
Pope John Paul II Tower
Located at the Bacolod Reclamation Area. Inaugurated on February
18, 2010 a 7-storey tower with the statue of Pope John Paul II. A
reminder of the historic visit of the Pope to Bacolod City on Feb.20,
1981. It houses the Popes memorabilia. A symbol and reminder of the
peoples love, devotion and loyalty to the church and to the successor
of St. Peter.
Museu Negrense de La Salle
The only school-based museum in Bacolod City that was born out of
a dream to preserve vital documents, photographs, cultural articrafts
and the history of Negros. The museum can accommodate 40 visitors
at one time. Large groups are requested to call the Museum at least
48 hours before the visit.
Dizon-Ramos Museum
Housed in the ancestral home of Raymundo L. Dizon and
Hermelinda V. Ramos. The house which was built in 1950 was

converted into a museum in 2007. It houses the collection of pictorial

reproduction, artworks by famous artists, and personal collections of
the children. The Museum located at Lacson-Burgos Sts. Is open
Tuesday to Sunday from 10AM to 4PM. Entrance fee Php10 for
students with IDs,Php30 for adults. Group of more than 10 persons
should make prior appointment through Tel. #(034) 434-8512.
AID Foundation Techno Park
An ideal place for a group field trip, lakbay aral, or when you are
in search of renewable energy and organic farming systems. The Park
showcases the technologies of Alternative Indigenous Development
Foundation, Inc. (AIDFI). It has a learning center which can
accommodate up to 80 pax, and is equipped with visual and audio
facilities. The center can also be rented for trainings and conferences.
Located along Murcia Road, Mansilingan. Open from Monday to
Saturday. Entrance fee is Php25 for Adults and Php20 for students and
children. Contact Tel.# (034) 446-3629 or Fax (034) 446-2330.
Bells of San Sebastian
The centennial bells of San Sebastian Cathedral were brought down
from their places in the belfry and mounted at the right side of the
churchyard in 1976, the 100th year anniversary of the Cathedral.
San Sebastian Cathedral
Built in 1876 upon the initiative of Fr. Mauricio
Ferrero, a Recollect friar. It became a cathedral in
1933 is one of the century -old churches found in
Negros Occidental.
Negros Museum
The Negros Museum is a unique historical and humanities museum
in that in does not collect antiques but stories about the people of
Negros Occidental. It showcases important historical events which
made Negros as 'The Sugarbowl of the Philippines". Thus, the museum
is sometimes referred to as 'The Sugar Museum'. Open from Tuesday
to Sunday. from 10:00 A. to 6:00 PM. / Tel. No. 433-4764.
Palacio Episcopal
Older than the San Sebastian Cathedral by
approximately 50 years, the Bishop's Palace was
built by Fr. Julian Gonzaga but was eventually finish
only in the 1890's. During and after the revolution
of 1898, the Palacio served as refuge for the
Spanish military and civic officials.
Museum Negrense de La Salle
The only school-based museum in Bacolod City that was born out of
a dream to preserve vital documents, photographs, cultural artifacts
and the history of Negros. The museum can accommodate 40 visitors
at one time. Large groups are requested to call the Museum at least
48 hours before the visit at Tel. No. 435-5998. It is open Monday to
Friday from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM.

Bacolod Plaza Bandstand and Gazebo

Right at the center of Bacolod Public Plaza, the
bandstand was constructed in 1927 to complement
the weekend cultural activities of the early
Bacoleos, Names of world-famous composers like
Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, and Wagner circle the
sides of the roofing, attesting to the early
Bacolodnon's familiarity with European culture.
Yulo's Park
The park is the site of the ancestral home of the prominent Yulo
family. The Yulo's belong to a clan of politician's that helped shaped
the status of Negros Occidental. - a premier province of the south.
The Park used to be the center for social and recreational affairs in
Bacolod at the turn of the century.
Negros Occidental High School Alumni Promenade
Fronting the Negros Occidental High School along Araneta Street.
The promenade used to be a sidewalk renovated and beautified by the
city to honor the school alumni who are now prominent civic and
government leaders.
Barangay sang Virgen Chapel
The Sta. Clara Subdivision chapel features a
unique mural mosaic measuring a 9 ft. x 21 ft. of
the lady of the Barangay Sang Virgen done on a
collage of 95,000 pieces of shells of various sizes,
shades and colors.
San Antonio Abad Church
This crown-shaped church features stations of the cross done by
Bacolod's top artists. It also features an altar sculpture "The Risen
Christ" done by a national Artist, Solomon Saprid.
Rizal Centennial Park
Fronting the Rizal Elementary School along Araneta Street. The
city's contribution to the Centennial Celebration. Inaugurated in
December 30, 1996, the park is the tribute of Bacolod to the national
hero, Dr. Jose Rizal and provides an oasis for many city commutes,
students and professionals during early morning and late afternoons.
Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club, Inc.
Golf is one of the most popular sports
attractions in Bacolod today as local golf course The Negros Occidental golf and Country Club, Inc.
provides challenging 18-hole adventures for
amateur and professional golfers, with panoramic
views of scenic Mounts Marapara and Patag.
Negros Forest Ecological Foundation & Biodiversity Center
A breeding and rescue center for endangered and endemic animals
found in Negros Island as well as other places in the Philippines
Visayan spotted deer, Luzon bleeding heart pigeon, Philippine Visayan

Tarictic hornbill, Philippine hawk-eagle, monitor lizard, Philippine

serpent eagle and the sailfin lizard. Tel. No. (034) 433-9234.
Bacolod Western Visayas Clonal Nursery
The Bacolod Western Visayas Clonal Nursery lies on a one-hectare
flat and gently rolling grassland terrain located 2.5 kms. away from
Barangay Alangilan which is about 17 kms. from the city proper of
Bacolod. The only one of its kind in the Province of Negros Occidental,
this nursery has been put up in order to provide continuous supply of
quality planting stocks for the reforestation and greening program of
the city. It has an orchard of hedge plants for vegetative propagation,
a nursery for seeds and planting stocks; a hardening shed and a
potting area for rooted cuttings to pots. Visits to the nursery is by
appointment through the City Environment Office; the City Mayor's
Office or the City Tourism Office.
The ANP Showroom
Considered as the country's number one trade
house and pasalubong center, the Showroom is an
alternative giftshop that houses arts and crafts that
Negros island had to offer - from furniture to
furnishings, ceramics, scented candles, pottery,
novelties,
ladies/children's
garments,
fashion
accessories, souvenir t-shirts as well as indigenous
foods. Open from 9:30 AM to 7:00 PM. Tel. No. (034)
434-0717 / 434-1000.
Recuerdos de Bacolod
"Recuerdos" (souvenirs) is know for its collection of excavated
items and heirlooms, wooden saints, furniture and pottery pieces as
early as the 7th and 9th century. These antique items were taken
mostly from Bohol and Panay.
Panaad Park and Stadium
Located in Barangay Mansilingan near the
boundary of Barangay Alijis, this 25-hectare sports
complex and park is known to be one of the best in
the country and has already been host to a lot of
national sport events. It has a rubberized oval tract,
an Olympic-size swimming pool and other sports
facilities. Its unique feature is the replica of the
landmarks of the 13 cities and municipalities of
Negros Occidental.
Fort San Juan
Was constructed in 1888 mainly thru the initiative of Don Ramon
Pastor, the governadorcillo at the time and with the cooperation of
Recollect Friar, Fray Mauricio Ferrefo, who designated and constructed
the Fort San Juan, with Fernando Cuenca, also built the San Sebastian
Cathedral. The Fort served as the jail for prisoners during the Spanish
era. After the Negros Revolution in 1898, thirty six (36) Spanish friars
were ordered in incarcerated. Today, the fort serves as the Provincial
Jail.

Provincial Building
An imposing structure of Romanesque
neoclassical architectural design, is the official seat
of the government of the Province of Negros
Occidental. It served as the headquarters of the
Japanese Imperial Army during the World War II.
Paghimud-os Provincial Capitol Park
"Ang paghimud-os " which literally means "The Struggle" is a fine
sculpture erected at the east entrance of the Capitol Lagoon Park. This
magnificent work of art was done by one of the country's noted
sculptor, Eduardo Castrillo.
Provincial Park and Lagoon
It is located In front of the Capitol Building. To
the north and south ends of the rectangular lagoon
stand the statues of a woman and female water
buffalo and a man and a male water buffalo,
respectively. The woman standing beside the
female water buffalo is a massive sculptural work
said to have been done by a Italian artist whose
work was never been duplicated until a Negrense
artist who finished Fine Arts from the University of
the Philippines duplicated the Italian's work of art
by coming out with a man and male water buffalo.
Presently, the lagoon grounds is a favorite jogging
area of Bacolod residents.