Vision and Mission
Vision
“An empowered and healthy Negrense in a globally-competitive, ecologically balanced and peaceful Negros Occidental under a responsive and accountable governance.”Mission
We shall sustain our delivery of services to the fullest of our abilities, harnessing our potentials, and building more meaningful teamwork;We will hold and promote at all times the principles and policies of the Provincial Government; and
Cognizant of our avowed purpose, we commit ourselves to make Negros Occidental a challenge to the adventurous, a haven for the travelers, and a real home for the Negrense.
History
Prior to the coming of the Spaniards in Negros in 1565, there existed a small village near the mouth of the Magsungay river inhabited by Malayans who belong to the “Taga-ilog” group. The early missionaries placed the village of Magsungay under the protection of St. Sebastian in 1700s and was later known as “San Sebastian de Magsungay”. In 1770, Bernardo de los Santos became its first Governadorcillo or Capitan municipal. Its first parish priest was Fr. Leon Pedro, having been appointed as Propitario of Bacolod in 1806.
Due to the rampant attack of Moro pirates, the villagers moved inland and established a new settlement on a hilly terrain they called Buklod, the forerunner of its present name, “Bacolod”. Gradually, the people left the hilly terrain which later became known as Camingawan (loneliness).
In 1849, then Gov. Valdevieso y Morquecho declared Bacolod as the capital of the whole island of Negros. Subsequently, with the splitting of Negros into two provinces, Bacolod was named capital of the province of Negros Occidental in 1884.
On October 19, 1938, Bacolod became the fifth chartered city during the Commonwealth period under President Manuel L. Quezon, with Alfredo Montelibano, Sr. as its appointed chief executive.
From a mere settlement in the hills with only about 5,000 people in 1770, Bacolod has developed into a highly urbanized city in 1984. In 1996, Bacolod was named one of the “Outstanding Cities of the Philippines”. It was also adjudged the “Cleanest and Greenest Highly Urbanized City” in the country in 1997, 1998 and 2000, 2001, respectively.
Due to the rampant attack of Moro pirates, the villagers moved inland and established a new settlement on a hilly terrain they called Buklod, the forerunner of its present name, “Bacolod”. Gradually, the people left the hilly terrain which later became known as Camingawan (loneliness).
In 1849, then Gov. Valdevieso y Morquecho declared Bacolod as the capital of the whole island of Negros. Subsequently, with the splitting of Negros into two provinces, Bacolod was named capital of the province of Negros Occidental in 1884.
On October 19, 1938, Bacolod became the fifth chartered city during the Commonwealth period under President Manuel L. Quezon, with Alfredo Montelibano, Sr. as its appointed chief executive.
From a mere settlement in the hills with only about 5,000 people in 1770, Bacolod has developed into a highly urbanized city in 1984. In 1996, Bacolod was named one of the “Outstanding Cities of the Philippines”. It was also adjudged the “Cleanest and Greenest Highly Urbanized City” in the country in 1997, 1998 and 2000, 2001, respectively.
Be charmed by the endearing qualities of Bacolod City
SIGHTSEEING.
Negros Occidental’s opulent story is reflected in these mansions-turned-tourist attractions.
• The Ruins – Located in Talisay City, The Ruins was the home of Don
Mariano Lacson that was built in the 1900s after the death of his wife,
Maria Braga. The mansion is probably the largest and grandest residence
built during those times. During World War II, the house was burned down
by the US forces to prevent the Japanese from using it as their
headquarters. What is left is a structure that is testament to the
grandiose house. Today, The Ruins serves as a café, a tourist attraction
and an events venue popular for weddings.The Ruins is located at Hacienda Sta. Maria, Talisay City, Negros Occidental. Open daily, from 8:30AM to 8PM. Fee is P25 per person. A mini-golf course at the back garden
is available for P50 per game. For more information, call (34)495 2790, (917)832 6003 or email lacson_mansion@yahoo.com.ph
• Balay Negrense – Literally meaning “Negrense House,” this ancestral home of sugar baron Victor Gaston in Silay City was built in 1897, shortly after he was widowed. This bahay na bato is probably one of the biggest colonial homes in Silay, with a basketball court sized living room and 12 bedrooms. Its sprawling gardens were possibly used as a setting for countless festivities. The house was abandoned in the mid- 1970s, but fortunately, it was repaired and furnished with period furniture and fi xtures that guests will feel they were taken back in time. Balay Negrense is located at Cinco de Noviembre St., Silay City, Negros Occidental.
Smiles in Bacolod
One of the best tourist spots in the Philippines is Bacolod City,
Negros Occidental. It is called the City of Smile because people living
in the city never forget to smile every day. Even though each of them
have problems of their own and trials in life, still they are smiling
and never giving up. Also because the people in Bacolod City have good
heart and kind personality. They are treating everyone very well that
causing people to leave Bacolod with a Smile. Bacolod’s main festival is
the MASSKARA festival that is celebrated every month of October.
MassKara is coined from two words: Mass, which means “many or multitude”
and Kara, a Spanish word for “face” . Thus MassKara is a mass or
multitude of smiling faces and known for people wearing masks during the
celebration. Bacolod City is the best place to travel because of its
many landmarks and the places of interests. Like the Pope John Paul II
Tower, Museu Negrense de La Salle, Negros Museum, San Sebastian
Cathedral, Bacolod Plaza, and many more. One of the newest landmarks of
Bacolod is the New Government Center or what they call The White House.
Provincial Park and Lagoon is also one of the best spot to travel in
Bacolod because of its 2 big statues of a male and female water buffalo
that was done by a Negrense artist. Lagoon is also a place where the
family can enjoy and bond together to have quality time with each other
because the place is wide and there is a playground for the children to
enjoy. Lagoon grounds is a favorite jogging area of Bacolod
residents. There are also a lot of beautiful resorts in Bacolod City
where you can relax for a while with your family and friends. And the
most tourist attraction in Bacolod City is their special and delicious
delicacies especially the Chicken Inasal. Bacolod City is also a place
where you can discover and see other festival in Negros Occidental. This
event is celebrated at the Panaad and called as Panaad Festival a
“Festival of all Festivals”. This event is a celebration of all the
festivals in Negros Occidental.Traveling is one of the best sweet escape from all your problems. People travel to meet new people, discover new things and experience many unforgettable moments that they will treasure forever.
"Hofelina Ancestral House"
Hofilena Ancestral House is a great place to visit for watching the finest and the rarest art collections in Philippines. This is also a great place to visit for antiques that belong to principal families of Silay such as Hofilena. The house appears as an ordinary house at the entrance but visitors will get stunned by observing the skills of Filipinos when entered into the house. Hofilena House houses collections of paintings by renowned artists such as Juan Luna, Felix Hidalgo, Jose Rizal and several others. Now the house is owned by Ramon Hofilena and is considered as one of Silay's Public Museums. It is necessary to take prior appointment of Ramon who will take you to the journey of his historic, cultural arts and crafts collections.
"Balay Negrense"
The Balay Negrense is a museum in Silay City, Negros Occidental in the Philippines, showcasing the lifestyle of a late 19th-century Negrense sugar baron. It is notable for being the first museum to be established in the province of Negros Occidental.
The house is of the type called bahay na Bato, literally "house of stone", however, reflecting American colonial influences, the lower storey is not constructed of stone but of concrete. The foundation posts are made out of trunks of the balayong tree, a local hardwood; the floorboards are of the same material.
"Negros Forest and Ecological Foundation"
"San Sebastian Cathedral"
Cathedral of San Sebastian was founded in April 27, 1876 by Bishop Mariano Cuartero but the cornerstone was laid and it was inaugurated in the January 20 in the year 1882. Now, referred to as the Bacolod Cathedral is located along the Rizal Street across the Bacolod City Public Plaza. The structure of cathedral is made up of coral stones and lime quarried of Guimaras Island and Palawan wood. Visitors of the cathedral will instantly notice the baroque architectural style as the pillar, walls; foundations of the church are coral stones.
The statue of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Bacolod is there on one side of the façade while the resurrected Jesus Christ is there in the mid section of the façade. The statue of San Sabestian is there inside the church on the main altar. Other highlights of the church are the flag stand with the logo of Recoletos and the old Stations of the Cross made up of plaster of Paris.The Ruins at Talisay City
A hacienda built pre 1900’s by a man of Portuguese decent, Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson. The structure was wonderfully crafted and had me constantly imagining how it might have looked in it’s original state a decade ago. With the hacienda’s romantic tale coupled with the intricate stonework and ageless design of the mansion, you get a history lesson at it’s finest.
Lifting the People’s Spirits through the Arts – Bacolod’s Masskara Festival
October
marks the celebration of the Masskara Festival, which occurs from
October 1-20 and celebrates Bacolod’s charter day anniversary, which is
on October 19. The festival name is a morpheme of the word “mass” for
crowd and the Spanish word “cara” for face. “Maskara” is also the
Filipino word for masks, providing then the double meaning of “many
faces” for the festival. This name was conceived by Ely Santiago – a
painter, cartoonist, cultural artist and then President of the Arts
Association of Bacolod.
A
smiling mask is the symbol of the fiesta to reflect the happy spirit
despite difficult times, and the locals’ nature of being strong willed
yet warm hearted. The city is also known as the City of Smiles, so it is
just fitting to hold a festival of smiles. The Masskara Festival was
envisioned in 1980 when the people were suffering from an economic
downturn of the sugar industry, the city’s main revenue. They were also
grieving for hundreds of relatives and friends who perished in 1979 when
a ship sailing from Bacolod collided with a tanker. The city’s leaders
thought that a festival was an optimal way of rallying the people and
lifting them from dejection.
The
festival since then has evolved into a 20-day celebration with food
fairs, mask-making contests, brass band competitions, musical concerts,
beauty and talent pageants, a windsurfing regatta, competitions (pig
catching, pole climbing, drinking, eating), trade fairs and exhibits.
The climax is a mardi gras parade where revelers don elaborate masks and
costumes, and dance in the streets. Everyone in the community
participates – the civic associations, businesses, schools and
government organizations. It has become one of the popular attractions
in Negros, drawing thousands of people within and outside the country.
The
Masskara Festival has also been judged the most beautiful and colorful
festival among various contingents from other countries - notably in the
Chinggay Festival in Singapore in 1988, the Lunar Festival of Hong Kong
in 2001, in the International Tourism Festival of Shanghai in 2004 and
in the Midosuji Festival Parade of Osaka, Japan, emerging as champion in
the foreign category and first runner up in the local category – the
first award to be given to a foreign participant in the 10-year history
of that Japanese festival.
What
was borne from a difficult time has propelled into a force that brings
the community together, draws people from within and outside of the
country, turns the economy around as one of the tourist destinations,
and lifts the spirits of the people. The Masskara Festival is not based
on any historical, religious or cultural premise but is definitely a
creative undertaking. It is a manifestation of the people’s sentiments,
their ingenuity and passion. And most importantly, it is a shining
example of how one instinctively turns to art for expression, for
escape, for hope and for celebration.
A Sculpture in front Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol @ Bacolod Capitol Lagoon
THE POPE JOHN PAUL II TOWER
The John Paul II Tower stands at the Bacolod Real
Estate Development Corp. reclaimed area where the Pope held a Mass in February
20, 1981. It was built to commemorate the event that happened twenty-nine years
ago when the late Pope John Paul II visited Bacolod City. At the entrance of
the tower stands an eight-foot sculpture of John Paul made of synthetic bronze
and fiberglass created by Brother Tagoy Jakosalem. On top of the tower is a
12-foot stainless steel lighted cross. This eight-story glass tower was
inaugurated on February 18, 2010.
The tower stands at the reclamation area in BREDCO the
deck at the 7th floor offers an amazing panoramic view of Bacolod! There is
Bacolod Baywalk on one side, SM city and the busy downtown area on the other. It
is covered in glass panels and houses personal possessions of John Paul. On top
of the tower is a breathtaking view of Bacolod City and the Guimaras Strait. It
is also equipped with a glass enclosed elevator, a water system and a
generating set. The JPII Tower will not just be Bacolod's fine tourist
attraction but a testament on how strong our catholic faith is.
Each floor has photos and memorabilia of the Pope.
There is a store of religious items and souvenirs on the ground floor. We left
the viewing deck as the sun was about to set. We took the stairs from the
summit to the ground floor and saw keepsakes and religious paintings on our way
down. Even the Papal Chair, used as the pontifical throne by Pope John Paul
II during his pastoral visit to Bacolod,
is displayed on one of the floors.
Pope
John Paul II Tower is a must-visit landmark in the city. As the tower's
Vision-Mission states: "The Pope John Paul II Tower is a pilgrimage center
that embodies and perpetuates the ideas, life, advocacies, commitment and
holiness of Pope John Paul II-an ardent Promoter of the culture of life and the
culture of love."
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