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Sipalay

Coordinates: 9°45′N 122°24′E / 9.75°N 122.4°E / 9.75; 122.4
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Sipalay
Component city
City of Sipalay
Sipalay Beach
Sipalay Beach
Flag of Sipalay
Flag
Official seal of Sipalay
Seal
Nickname: 
"The Jewel of the Sugar Island"
Motto: 
"Ugyon Sipalaynon"
Map of Negros Occidental with Sipalay highlighted
Map of Negros Occidental with Sipalay highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Map
Sipalay is located in Philippines
Sipalay
Sipalay
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 9°45′N 122°24′E / 9.75°N 122.4°E / 9.75; 122.4
CountryPhilippines
RegionNegros Island Region
ProvinceNegros Occidental
District 6th district
FoundedDecember 20, 1948
CityhoodMarch 31, 2001
Barangays17 (see Barangays)
Government
 [1]
 • TypeSangguniang Panlungsod
 • MayorMaria Gina M. Lizares
 • Vice MayorOscar C. Montilla Jr.
 • RepresentativeMercedes K. Alvarez
 • City Council
Members
 • Electorate54,400 voters (2022)
Area
[2]
 • Total379.78 km2 (146.63 sq mi)
Elevation
74 m (243 ft)
Highest elevation
549 m (1,801 ft)
Lowest elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (2020 census)[3]
 • Total72,448
 • Density190/km2 (490/sq mi)
 • Households
16,858
Economy
 • Income class4th city income class
 • Poverty incidence
30.74
% (2021)[4]
 • Revenue₱ 787.2 million (2020)
 • Assets₱ 2,214 million (2020)
 • Expenditure₱ 644.6 million (2020)
 • Liabilities₱ 566 million (2020)
Service provider
 • ElectricityNegros Occidental Electric Cooperative (NOCECO)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
6113
PSGC
064527000
IDD : area code +63 (0)034
Native languagesHiligaynon
Tagalog
Cebuano
Websitewww.sipalaycity.gov.ph

Sipalay, officially the City of Sipalay (Hiligaynon: Dakbanwa/Syudad sang Sipalay; Filipino: Lungsod ng Sipalay; Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Sipalay), is a 4th class component city in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 72,448 people.[3] It is the top tourist destination in the province of Negros Occidental.[5]

History

[edit]

Sipalay's history can be traced back to the undated time of early settlements of the native Tumandok who discovered the lowland plains very fertile, arable and fully vegetated by trees. The areas was well dissected by river tributaries, which accounted for the fertility of the lowland.

During the Spanish era, the area was further discovered and developed by sailing adventurers from the neighboring island of Panay, being the group who resented the Kintos System enacted by the ruling Spaniards by then.

Growth and development flourished as Chinese merchants came to barter their wares with staple food, particularly rice, which was commonly called by the settlers as paray and by the Chinese, due to the difficulty of pronouncing r, as palay which was the word to have been popularly associated with the place. Thus the area came to be known as Sipalay.

At the advent of the American regime, Sipalay was a full pledge barrio of the Municipality of Cauayan. In the early 1920s the political structure was already in place.

During the World War II, Sipalay was made an emergency town and after the war. On November 20, 1948, then President Elpidio Quirino signed Executive Order No. 185 proclaiming Sipalay as a town. The official inauguration of the town was on December 20, 1948.

On November 8, 1963, Mayor Genaro Alvarez Sr. was about to run for a third term in the 1963 election when he was stabbed to death by an assailant, with his vice mayor Jesus Alejano Sr. briefly succeeding him. Alvarez's wife Mercedes, a former beauty queen, ran for mayor in his stead, winning the election by a wide margin.[6][7]

On January 3, 1988, former mayor Rodrigo Chua was running once again in the 1988 mayoral election when he was assassinated during a political rally in Barangay Mambaroto, being fatally shot in the chest by a lone gunman suspected to be from the New People's Army.[8][9][10] His sister, Soledad Chua Montilla, ran in his stead and won.[10]

Cityhood

[edit]
Main article: Cities of the Philippines

The conversion of Sipalay into a component city of the Province of Negros Occidental followed in 2001 after the ratification of Republic Act No. 9027.[11]

In October 2019, Vice Mayor Oscar Montilla was found guilty of corruption by the Fourth Division of the Sandiganbayan for neglecting to implement a suspension order against five city officials in 2005 while he was mayor.[12] The Sandiganbayan later upheld its decision in January 2020, and Montilla was thus imprisoned and perpetually disqualified from holding public office.[13]

Geography

[edit]

Sipalay's distance from Bacolod is 170 kilometres (110 mi) and 171 kilometres (106 mi) from Dumaguete, the capital of Negros Oriental. Public utility vehicles plying the southern Negros route pass by this city. Those coming from Negros Oriental can either exit through Kabankalan City via Mabinay or through Dumaguete via Hinoba-an.

Barangays

[edit]

Sipalay City is politically subdivided into 17 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Climate

[edit]
Climate data for Sipalay
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 29
(84) 		30
(86) 		31
(88) 		32
(90) 		30
(86) 		29
(84) 		28
(82) 		28
(82) 		28
(82) 		28
(82) 		29
(84) 		29
(84) 		29
(85)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 21
(70) 		21
(70) 		22
(72) 		23
(73) 		24
(75) 		24
(75) 		24
(75) 		24
(75) 		24
(75) 		24
(75) 		23
(73) 		22
(72) 		23
(73)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 45
(1.8) 		37
(1.5) 		62
(2.4) 		93
(3.7) 		190
(7.5) 		259
(10.2) 		284
(11.2) 		236
(9.3) 		244
(9.6) 		247
(9.7) 		162
(6.4) 		86
(3.4) 		1,945
(76.7)
Average rainy days 10.8 8.4 12.7 16.3 26.7 28.5 29.1 28.0 27.4 28.5 23.4 15.5 255.3
Source: Meteoblue[14]

Demographics

[edit]
Population census of Sipalay
YearPop.±% p.a.
1960 20,325—    
1970 34,771+5.51%
1975 45,773+5.67%
1980 51,264+2.29%
1990 61,892+1.90%
1995 63,960+0.62%
2000 62,063−0.64%
2007 67,211+1.11%
2010 67,403+0.10%
2015 70,070+0.74%
2020 72,448+0.66%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[15][16][17][18]

Major languages are Hiligaynon, followed by Cebuano with English and Tagalog being used as second languages.

Government

[edit]

List of mayors

[edit]
  • Agripino Alvarez (1948–1955)[6]
  • Genaro P. Alvarez Sr. (1955–1963)[19][7]
  • Jesus P. Alejano Sr. (1963)[6]
  • Mercedes M. Alvarez (1963–1976)[7][6]
  • Rodrigo G. Chua (1976–1986)[6]
  • Soledad C. Montilla (1988–1998; 2007–2009)[20][21][22][10]
  • Oscar C. Montilla (1998–2007; 2009–2019)[21][10]
  • Maria Gina M. Lizares (2019–present)[23]

Economy

[edit]

Poverty incidence of Sipalay

10
20
30
40
50
2006
39.40
2009
45.92
2012
29.14
2015
24.13
2018
23.53
2021
30.74

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31]

Infrastructure

[edit]

Transportation

[edit]
Pump boat in Sipalay as viewed from Perth Paradise Resort

Airline company Air Juan offers services from Cebu, Iloilo and Puerto Princesa via the Sipalay Airport.

Tourism

[edit]
Top view image of Sipalay resorts

The city is known for its tourist destinations. An example of it is the now-defunct Maricalum Mining Corporation which happens to be one of the largest mining companies in the country. It now has a park dedicated for viewing the whole mine from atop.

It also boasts beautiful pristine beaches being a seaside city. Widely dubbed as the uncommercialized New Boracay of Negros, foreign and local tourists flock its beaches the whole year round not only for swimming but for diving as well.

Notable personalities

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^  City of Sipalay | (DILG)
  2. ^ "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN 0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Census of Population (2020). "Region VI (Western Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  4. ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  5. ^ Sipalay City allows resorts, hotels to operate at 100% capacity. Philippine News Agency. 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e History of the Municipality of Sipalay (PDF). Negros Occidental Historical Council. 1981. pp. 8–9. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Nuyda, Doris G. (1980). The Beauty Book. Mr. & Ms. Publishing Company. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  8. ^ Soriano, Antero F. (January 6, 1988). "3 more bets slain; 2 others abducted". Manila Standard. Standard Publications, Inc. pp. 1, 7. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  9. ^ Abbugao, Martin (January 3, 1988). "New Year violence claims 26 lives in Philippines". Manila, Philippines: United Press International, Inc. UPI. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d Tordesillas, Ellen (March 27, 2010). "Sipalay candidates sign peace pact; acting mayor a no-show". Vera Files. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  11. ^ Sipalay City Tourism Pamphlet
  12. ^ Marcelo, Elizabeth (November 2, 2019). "Negros Occidental vice mayor gets 8 years for graft". Philstar.com. Manila, Philippines: Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  13. ^ Lalu, Gabriel Pabico (January 15, 2020). "Sandiganbayan upholds guilty verdict vs ex-city mayor in Negros Occidental". Inquirer News. Manila, Philippines: INQUIRER.net. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  14. ^ "Sipalay: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
  15. ^ Census of Population (2015). "Region VI (Western Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  16. ^ Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VI (Western Visayas)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  17. ^ Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region VI (Western Visayas)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
  18. ^ "Province of". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  19. ^ "Padilla NP_DP candidate for mayor of Sipalay". The Manila Times. The Manila Times Publishing Company, Inc. October 28, 1955. [Ramonieto] Padilla is the official candidate of the Nacionalista-Democratic Coalition and is facing Acting Mayor Genaro Alvarez, LP.
  20. ^ PNA (June 15, 1989). "... while Negros operations end and evacuees return home". Manila Standard. Bacolod City: Kagitingan Publications, Inc. p. 8. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  21. ^ a b Gomez, Carla P. (March 27, 2007). "It's a family affair in Negros Occidental". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Bacolod City: The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A19. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  22. ^ Espina, Rolly (November 24, 2009). "Pinoy CNN Hero of the Year". The Visayan Daily Star. Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc. Retrieved November 4, 2024. The reason – Mayor Soledad Montilla, the charismatic and motherly mayor of the city, was reported undergoing dialysis at the Bacolod residence since two weeks ago.
  23. ^ Canet, Carla N. (December 5, 2019). "Exemplifying Sipalay's sustainable urban development". SunStar. SunStar Publishing Inc. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  24. ^ "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  25. ^ "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. November 29, 2005.
  26. ^ "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. March 23, 2009.
  27. ^ "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. August 3, 2012.
  28. ^ "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. May 31, 2016.
  29. ^ "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. July 10, 2019.
  30. ^ "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. December 15, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  31. ^ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  32. ^ Fonbuena, Carmela (March 16, 2017). "Gary Alejano, mutineer and ex-Marine, leads impeach bid vs Duterte". Rappler. Manila, Philippines: Rappler Inc. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
[edit]
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Sipalay.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sipalay.
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