Bago, Negros Occidental

Etymology

The community was named after a large tree called “bágo” (Gnetum gnemon) under which a native prince Mapagic died according to the writings of a Spanish historian, Diego de Povedano. Another version, however, noted that the name came from the shrub, bago-bago that grew abundantly in the riverbanks.

History

Precolonial Times

Bago was already a barangay mentioned in the epic of Maragtas as a Constituent Barangay of the Kedatuan of Madja-as and it was settled during and after the victory against Chola-occupied Srivijaya, after the sack of Odtojan; where the compromised Rajahs and Sultans who accepted higher positions by corrupt means were carted off to become slaves, Maharlika, and Alipin to serve the Datus of the Philippines along with the native Ati recruits and Malays who accompanied the siege and reconquest as well as evacuation of Odtojan, where the victorious army and navy returned to the Kedatuan with their war booty.

Spanish Era

Its history has its beginning on September 6, 1571, when the Spanish Adelantado, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, allotted the community to a Spaniard named Juan Gutiérrez de Cortés as his "encomienda". At that time, the community was still composed of small clusters of settlements along the banks of a big river which later became known as the Bago River. The "encomendero", since then, administered to the spiritual and socio-economic needs of the natives in the settlements until June 1578; however, a year before that, this community was placed under the evangelical visitations of Fr. Gerónimo Marín, OSA, an Augustinian priest who had taken charge of the Christianization of the natives of Binalbagan since the year 1572. Father Marín, upon his arrival in the community, celebrated the feast of St. John the Baptist, who would later be accepted as the patron saint of the place. Following the traditions and practices of the Spanish missionaries and historians in recording the founding of a "pueblo" or town that usually coincides with the feast day of a saint and since the feast day of St. John the Baptist, falls on June 24 of each year, it follows thereof that Bago was founded on June 24, 1575. History only records 1575 as the year when Bago was founded so that the exact month and day can only be deduced from such traditional practices of the Spaniards. Manila, Cebu and Binalbagan also predicted the dates of their founding on the same historical situations; hence, the logical conclusion is that Bago was officially founded on the month, day and year heretofore mentioned.

As regards on how the town acquired its name, according to the manuscript of a Spanish historian, Diego López Povedano, which is available in the library of the University of San Carlos, Cebu City, the town was named after a large tree called "Bago" under which, a prince by the name of Mapagic died.

Another historical version is that the place got its name from a shrub called "bago-bago" which was then growing luxuriantly along the river banks.

17th century

From the year 1575 up to the close of the 16th century, no historical account was written about the community. Bago came into the historical scene again when, at early part of the 17th century, a group of settlers settled along the banks of Bago River. The arrival of these settlers merged into a sizable village capable of self- governance. In later years, the descendants of these settlers petitioned the Spanish authorities to declare their village a "pueblo" or town and to name it "Bago". Among the petitioners were Manuel Sitchon, Gregorio Varela, Paulino Torres, Jacinto Araneta, Clemente Celis, Mariano Gonzaga and Fernando Villanueva. The said petition was finally granted by the Spanish authorities in the year 1800; thus, Bago officially attained the status of a "pueblo" or town in that same year.

19th century

Between the years 1800 and 1898, the inhabitants of Bago are among those who suffered tremendously under the Spanish tyranny, injustice and oppression. This social condition finally led to a great revolt on November 5, 1898, when on this day, General Juan Anacleto Araneta rallied his people in the struggle for freedom. This historic event was chronicled in a historical marker found in the city public plaza of Bago which bears the following inscriptions:

Republica de Negros by the Revolutionary

Forces led by General Juan Anacleto Araneta,

5 of November, 1898. Witnessed by Ananias

Diokno, representative of the Central

Revolutionary Government. This Republic

acknowledged the authority of the First

Philippine Republic under Emilio Aguinaldo.}}

Together with General Aniceto Lacson who led the forces in Talisay, he was able to force the capitulation of the Spanish garrison at Bacolod thus putting an end to the Spanish sovereignty in the province. Forthwith, a revolutionary government was established with General Juan A. Araneta as the acting governor. The Municipality of Bago, an election was held and Ramon del Castillo became the first elected municipal president who served in such capacity from the year 1898 up to the year 1900.

20th century

In April 1901, the Americans came and established a civil government in the province of Negros Occidental which completely abolished the revolutionary government of General Araneta. Bago as one of the towns that were placed under the control of the Americans; however, they allowed the municipality to be governed by Filipino officials.

When the Japanese forces invaded the Philippines, and Manila fell. President Manuel Quezon together with his family and some companions escaped and stayed in Bago City from February 27 to March 18, 1942, making Bago the temporary capital of the Commonwealth of the Philippines.

Later after Quezon left, the Japanese occupation forces arrived and the civil government of Bago was dissolved. They would try to establish a provisional government but the local people refused to cooperate. When the joint American and Filipino forces including recognized guerrillas liberated the town on March 29, 1945, it was completely destroyed but rehabilitation work was immediately started.

Bago was finally granted its cityhood on February 19, 1966, by virtue of Republic Act. No. 4382 with Manuel Y. Torres as the hold-over City Mayor until 1998.

Legal limitations on the number of successive terms disqualified Mayor Manuel Y. Torres in running again as city mayor and in the 1998 local elections, his wife, Janet E. Torres run as candidate for mayor and won. Mayor Janet served Bago as city mayor for three consecutive terms.

21st century

On July 27, 2018, the city of Bago was awarded at Gawad Kalasag 2018 City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management as 1st Placer under Component City Category.

Geography

Located 22 km south of the provincial capital Bacolod and 193 km from Dumaguete, Bago comprises 6.63% of the population of the entire Negros Occidental, making it the third most populous city in the province. It sets a land area of 389 square kilometres, which is 5% of the entire Negros Occidental and 10% of the total land area of component cities.

Bago has a total land area of 38,941 hectares, 3,651 ha. of which belongs to Mt. Kanla-on Natural Park. It is composed of 24 barangays, 16 of which are rural and 8 are urban. Based on NSO 2000 census, urban barangays include Abuanan, Atipuluan, Caridad, Balingasag, Don Jorge Araneta, Ma-ao, Poblacion and Taloc. Barangay Ilijan, however, with a distance of 30.50 km from the city proper is the farthest barangay. Barangay Bacong has the biggest land area with 4,827.0350 hectares while Brgy Poblacion, as the smallest, has 311.5044 hectares. The city has 1,100 has-water area and 15 km coastline. Bago is traversed by the widest river in the province, the Bago River, which starts from the northeast slope of Kanlaon Volcano and drains into Guimaras Strait.

It has moderately sloping to rolling lands. Slopes are raging from 0 to 3% comprises 22.911.42 has. 3 to 8% comprises 5,783.92 has. 8 to 18% comprises 4, 682.22 has, 18.1 to 30% comprises 1,514.84 has, 30 to 50% steep hills and rolling comprises 1,735.18 has. and a very steep and mountainous 50% above comprises 2,313.57 has.

Barangays

Bago is politically subdivided into 24 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

• Abuanan
• Alianza
• Atipuluan
• Bacong-Montilla
• Bagroy
• Balingasag
• Binubuhan
• Busay
• Calumangan
• Caridad
• Don Jorge L. Araneta
• Dulao
• Ilijan
• Lag-Asan
• Ma-ao
• Mailum
• Malingin
• Napoles
• Pacol
• Poblacion
• Sagasa
• Tabunan
• Taloc
• Sampinit

Climate

Normally, the city is wet from May to December and dry from January to April with a temperature level of 24.40 degrees Celsius. Average rainfall recorded is 5.68 mm for 89 rainy days within a year while average humidity level is at 76.17%.

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Demographics

Languages

99.6% of the residents speak Hiligaynon while 0.4% speak other dialects such as Kinaray-a and Cebuano.

Religion

82% are Roman Catholic, 6% are Aglipayan, 3% are Iglesia ni Cristo, 2% are Convention of the Philippines Baptist Church, and the remaining are either Jehovah's Witnesses, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Seventh Day Adventists, Evangelicals, etc.

Here are some notes regarding the city's demographic information:

• Male Population is 72,777 (NSO 2000 census)
• Female Population is 86,944
• Urban Population is 60,557 (NSO census)
• Rural Population is 81,164 (NSO census)
• Barangay Ma-ao has the biggest population of 14,916
• Barangay Bagroy has the lowest population of 1,305

Economy

Government

The current Mayor is Marina Javellana-Yao with Andrew Torres serving as Vice Mayor

List of former chief executives

The following were the succeeding municipal presidents and mayors of Bago until the outbreak of the Second World War on December 7, 1941:

The leadership since World War II:

Notable personalities

Main article: List of people from Negros Occidental

Athletes

• Manuel Araneta Jr. - Member Philippines men’s national basketball team for the 1948 Summer Olympics
• Leopoldo Cantancio - Competitor in Boxing for the Philippines for the 1984 Summer Olympics and 1988 Summer Olympics, Silver Medalist for Boxing 1986 Asian Games
• Rogen Ladon – Asian Games Silver Medalist, Two Time Sea Games Gold Medalist
• Aston Palicte - Professional boxer
• Eduard Sacapaño - Football Player, Goalkeeper Philippine national football team
• Larry Semillano - Competitor in Boxing for the Philippines at the 2000 Summer Olympics
• Raul Soyud - Professional basketball player
• Mansueto Velasco, Jr. - Silver Medalist for Boxing at the 1996 Summer Olympics
• Roel Velasco - Bronze Medalist for Boxing at the 1992 Summer Olympics ,1st Olympic Medalist from the Visayas
• Isidro Vicera - Competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics for the men’s boxing flyweight event
• Arthur Villanueva - World Boxing Council Super Flyweight champion, International Boxing Federation Super Flyweight champion, World Boxing Organization Super Flyweight champion

Business Tycoons

• J. Amado Araneta - Business tycoon , owner and developer of Araneta Coliseum and present day Araneta City.
• Jorge L. Araneta - Chairman and CEO of The Araneta Group, ranked as the 47th richest person in the Philippines by Forbes Magazine on 2021 with a net worth of $215 million
• Roberto Benedicto -Philippine Ambassador to Japan, Chairman of the Philippine National Bank, Business Tycoon. In 1983 it was estimated that he had a net worth of $800 million or $2.5 billion equivalent amount in 2025

Entertainers

• Migo Adecer - Actor in television
• Chuckie Dreyfuss - Actor in film and television
• Vangie Labalan - Film and television actress
• Bamboo Mañalac - Musician,singer, songwriter

Government Officials

• Liza Araneta Marcos - First Lady of the Philippines as the wife of Bongbong Marcos the 17th President of the Philippines
• Esteban de la Rama - Senator of the Philippines, Founder Panay Electric Company , Owner De La Rama Steamship Company, Inc.
• Sandro Marcos - Congressman, 35th Majority Floor Leader of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
• Ruperto Montinola - 4th and 8th Governor of Iloilo, Senator of the Philippines
• Sergio Osmeña III - Senator of the Philippines
• Tomas Osmeña - 24th Mayor of Cebu City, Member of the Philippine House of Representatives
• Mar Roxas - 30th Secretary of Trade and Industry (Philippines), Senator of the Philippines, 38th Secretary of Transportation and Communication, 37th Secretary of the Interior and Local Government
• Ramon Torres - 1st Secretary of Labor of the Philippines, Senator of the Philippines ,16th Governor of Negros Occidental
• Jorge B. Vargas - de facto Head of the Philippine Government (Unofficial President of the Philippines) as the Chairman of the Philippine Executive Commission ,1st Executive Secretary of the Philippines, 1st Mayor of the City of Greater Manila, Member World Scout Committee
• José Yulo -2nd Speaker of the National Assembly of the Philippines (Senate was abolished from 1935-1941, thus the Speaker is the third highest ranking official in the Philippines after the President and Vice President at this period of time) ,6th Chief Justice of the Philippines, 13th and 34th Secretary of Justice of the Philippines, Senator of the Philippines

Heroes and Historical Figures

• Juan Araneta - Revolutionary, National Hero, 1st Secretary of War of the Republic of Negros
• Vicente Araneta y Sta. Ana - Patriarch of the Negros Occidental branch of the Araneta family

International Organization Officials

• Rafael M. Salas - United Nations Under-Secretary General, 1st and longest serving Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, 16th Executive Secretary of the Philippines
• Joel Sarsiban Garcia - Chairperson of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP), Admiral, 28th Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard

Religious

• Jesus Varela - 1st Roman Catholic Bishop of Ozamis, longest serving Roman Catholic Bishop of Sorsogon, Chairman of the CBCP Commission on Family and Life

Restaurateurs

• Amado Fores - Owner and founder of Steak and Frice which was selected in the Philippines’ inaugural edition of the Michelin Guide
• Margarita Fores - Celebrity Chef, restaurant chain owner, Asia's Best Female Chef 2016, her restaurant Lusso was selected in the Philippines’ inaugural edition of the Michelin Guide

References

Sources

References

1. {{DILG detail
2. "Rare dolphins make Negros coastal waters their home". GMA News.
3. (1989). "Philippine history: reassessed / Isidro Escare Abeto.". Metro Manila :: Integrated Publishing House Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Library.
4. "The Birth of a City… {{!}} City of Bago".
5. "Geographical Features {{!}} City of Bago".