History

Tall grasses locally known as buglas grew so abundantly that the natives of the island currently called Negros called it by that name. Spanish explorers renamed the island Negros after the dark skinned natives they first chanced upon. Negros Oriental was sparsely populated when the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines in 1565. The oldest settlement was Managuit or what is presently Dumaguete. The eastern coast of Negros was administered as part of the province of Cebu until 1734, when the entire island of Negros was made into a corregimiento.

During the Spanish period, Negros Oriental suffered from the continued depredations of Moro slave raiders on the coastal towns of the Visayas and Luzon. As a result, watch towers, like the one built in Dumaguete, were built along the coast to protect the small Christian settlements. Towards the mid-19^th century, immigrants from neighboring Cebu began to settle in Negros, considerably increasing its population and extending agriculture into the forested interior.

In January 1890, the island was split into two provinces with Negros Oriental covering the southeastern portion of the island. During the Revolutionary period, the towns of Negros Oriental were united with the towns of the west coast in a Cantonal Republic of Negros. The Americans fused the two Negros provinces into one in 1901 but in 1917, Negros Oriental was created separate from Negros Occidental.

People, Culture and the Arts

Separated from its sister province by the central mountain range, Negros Oriental is culturally oriented towards Cebu. People from this province are mostly Cebuano-speakers and have always considered themselves "Bisaya" (Cebuano) rather than "Ilonggo". Unaffected by modernization, Negros Oriental has managed to maintain its ‘old hometown’ atmosphere, peaceful ambience and meticulously clean and orderly countryside.

The pace in Negros Oriental is unhurried. Its lure has mainly been provided by its pristine surroundings, the forested mountains, the reef-studded coast and the experience of seeing whales and dolphins traversing the narrow Tanon Strait. Most of the people are either farmers or fishermen. There are a few traditional industries in the province that have remained alive like shoemaking, basketry, mat making and sinamay weaving.

The delicacies of Negros Oriental share the same quality of earthy simplicity of its people. The town of Tanjay is famous for its budbod sa Tanjay, a sweetened sticky rice wrapped and cooked in banana leaves. Dumaguete also has its own budbod sa kabog, which uses millet or dawa instead of sticky rice. Another popular delicacy is baye-baye, ground corn kernels and grated coconut meat formed into patties.

Dumaguete is a university town. Silliman University, founded in 1901, is the premier Protestant university in the Philippines that draws scholars and students from across the archipelago. It has been an important institution of learning for the Visayas region and its beautiful 33-hectare campus is a pleasant and conducive center for learning. On campus is the Silliman Anthrolpogy Museum, which has a collection of Ming and Sung dynasty Chinese porcelain ware, as well as occult paraphernalia from Siquijor Island.

The festivals of Negros Oriental reveal not only the richness of the cultural traditions of the Negros Cebuanos but also their irrepressible quest for fun. Every third Sunday of January, Dumaguete and Jimalalud celebrate their versions of the Sinulog, a feast honoring the patron of the Cebuanos, Señor Santo Niño. In July, the Sinulog sa Tanjay, a colorful festival, which began in 1814, is celebrated with street dancing and a re-enactment of the battle between St. James and the Moors in Covadonga. Paaway sa Kabayo, an exciting and thrilling and oftentimes bloody fight among studs for supremacy over a female horse is held during the festival. More than 100 horses are trained solely for this event. Budyas Fluvial celebrations of Amlan invoke good fortune on fishing paraphernalia and boats by carrying images on gaily decorated boats between two chapels.

Trade and Investments

Negros Oriental is the ‘sunrise " province of Central Visayas. Strategically located in the heart of the region, the province has access to markets in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, as well as the vital resources needed for non-traditional farming, agro-processing, manufacturing and eco-tourism. Forming the backbone of its investment offerings, Negros Oriental holds vast tracts or fertile lands, rich marine life and mineral reserves, diverse tourist spots, and a large pool of educated, skilled and trainable manpower.

Access to and from Negros Oriental is very convenient. The province has an airport and commercial seaports, is equipped with modern communication and business facilities. Financial institutions in the province are ready to handle both local and foreign transactions. Added to this, the provincial government has already passed resolutions to establish the right business climate such as offering build-operate-transfer arrangements and providing tax incentives.

The increasing regional demand for processed agricultural products as well as the emerging market for eco-tourism works in Negros Oriental's favor. Agribusiness in the province has every reason to thrive given the vast potential of its agricultural land for high-value crops production and processing as well as for aquaculture and sea-farming. The influx of tourists into the country, the proximity of Negros Oriental to Cebu and the diversity and beauty of its wild life makes the province ideal for eco-tourism types of business.

Partnership Initiatives

The provincial government of Negros Oriental, much like other provinces in the country, seeks to provide basic health services and increase economic opportunities for its people. The provincial government of Negros Oriental is anchoring its development efforts on partnerships with local communities to attain its objectives and sustaining the benefits gained from its programs. This focuses on building community partnerships, and is manifested in strategies to develop community primary hospitals and community-based near shore fisheries.

The provincial community primary hospital program works with local resource institutions like the Silliman University to bring about community participation from the start-up phase to turn-over stage. While the capabilities of barangay health workers are enhanced, income-generating projects are likewise developed to increase local fund support. Two of the four community primary hospitals established service a potential population of 45,500.

At the same time, the Provincial Resource Management Program is being implemented with local community participation to develop the livelihood opportunities of marginal and artisanal fisherfolk while at the same time working to conserve and rehabilitate the dwindling marine resources to sustain these communities. Appropriate fishing technologies are disseminated to local fishers while fund support is provided for alternative livelihood initiatives.

Development Initiative Highlights: