Negros Oriental facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Negros Oriental Sidlakang Negros
Province
Province of Negros Oriental
(from top: left to right) Negros Oriental Provincial Capitol in Dumaguete, Silliman University, Lake Balinsasayao, Apo Island, and Mojon Chapel in Bais
Flag Seal
Motto(s):  Veritas Via Vitae ("The truth is the way of life")
Anthem: Sidlakang Negros, Lalawigan Kong Mahal (literally: Eastern Negros, the Province I love)
Location in the Philippines
OpenStreetMap
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Visayas (Region VII)
Founded	January 1, 1890
Capital and largest city	Dumaguete
Government
• Type	Sangguniang Panlalawigan
Area
• Total	5,385.53 km2 (2,079.36 sq mi)
Area rank	17th out of 81
Highest elevation (Mount Kanlaon)	2,465 m (8,087 ft)
Population  (2020 census)
• Total	1,432,990
• Rank	19th out of 81
• Density	266.0815/km2 (689.1480/sq mi)
• Density rank	35th out of 81
Divisions
• Independent cities	0
• Component cities	6 Bais Bayawan Canlaon Dumaguete Guihulngan Tanjay
• Municipalities	19 Amlan Ayungon Bacong Basay Bindoy Dauin Jimalalud La Libertad Mabinay Manjuyod Pamplona San Jose Santa Catalina Siaton Sibulan Tayasan Valencia Vallehermoso Zamboanguita
• Barangays	557
• Districts	Legislative districts of Negros Oriental
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	6200–6224
IDD : area code	+63 (0)35
ISO 3166 code	PH-NER
Spoken languages	Cebuano Hiligaynon Tagalog English
Highway routes
Income classification	1st class
Website	www.negor.gov.ph

Negros Oriental (Cebuano: Sidlakang Negros), also called Oriental Negros, is a province in the Philippines. It is located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital city is Dumaguete.

Negros Oriental covers the southeastern part of the large island of Negros. It shares the island with Negros Occidental to the northwest. The province also includes Apo Island, which is a very popular place for diving. To the east, Negros Oriental faces Cebu across the Tañon Strait. To the southeast, it faces Siquijor.

Most people in Negros Oriental speak Cebuano. The main religion is Roman Catholicism. Dumaguete is the biggest city and the center of government for the province. About 1.4 million people live here, making it one of the most populated provinces in the Visayas.

History of Negros Oriental

The Dumaguete Church with its belfry, built to warn people about pirate attacks (around 1891).

Negros Oriental on a map of the Philippines.

The island of Negros was once part of a bigger landmass. It got separated when water levels rose after the last ice age. Early people like the Negritos and Austronesians lived here. Later, Han Chinese traders also visited. They called the island "Buglas," meaning "cut off."

Spanish explorers, led by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, arrived in 1565. They saw many dark-skinned people and named the island "Negros," which means "black" in Spanish. Augustinian priests started spreading Christianity in 1572.

For a long time, Negros was one big province. But because of attacks from Moro raiders and its distance from the capital, Bacolod, people wanted to divide the island. So, on January 1, 1890, Negros was split into two provinces: Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental. Dumaguete became the first capital of Negros Oriental. In 1892, Siquijor became part of Negros Oriental.

Recent History of Negros Oriental

Silliman University in Dumaguete.

In 1901, the United States took control, and a civil government was set up. Siquijor became a "sub-province" of Negros Oriental.

During World War II, Japanese forces invaded Negros. Many people hid in the mountains. Philippine and American soldiers, along with local fighters, freed the island on August 6, 1945.

On September 17, 1971, Siquijor became its own independent province.

In 2015, Negros Oriental was briefly part of a new region called the Negros Island Region. But this region was later dissolved in 2017 due to a lack of funds. So, Negros Oriental returned to the Central Visayas region. Some local leaders still hope that the two Negros provinces might reunite into one region in the future. There's also a suggestion to rename the island "Buglas" to avoid the negative meaning of "Negros."

Geography of Negros Oriental

Rock formations at Apo Island.

Negros Oriental covers about 5,385 square kilometers. A range of mountains separates it from Negros Occidental. The province has a tropical climate.

Mountains and Landforms

Mount Talinis, also known as Cuernos de Negros, is a dormant volcano.

The province has low mountains, some of which are near the coast. In the south, you'll find Mount Talinis, also called Cuernos de Negros ("Horns of Negros"). This is a dormant complex volcano that rises to 2,000 meters. In the north, there's the active Kanlaon Volcano, which is the highest point on the island at 2,465 meters. There are also some flat areas and plateaus, like the Tablas Plateau.

The Dumaguete Bell Tower is a famous landmark in Dumaguete. It used to warn the city when pirates were coming.

Cities and Towns of Negros Oriental

Political divisions of Negros Oriental

Negros Oriental has 19 municipalities and 6 cities. These are divided into 557 smaller areas called barangays.

Dumaguete is the capital city. It is also the most populated city in the province, even though it has the smallest land area.

Legislative map of Negros Oriental

The cities and municipalities are grouped into three congressional districts. Each district elects a congressman to the House of Representatives of the Philippines.

People and Languages of Negros Oriental

In 2020, Negros Oriental had about 1,354,995 people. About 34.5% of the population lives in the six biggest cities: Dumaguete, Bayawan, Guihulngan, Tanjay, Bais, and Canlaon.

Most people in Negros are called "Negrenses." They are mostly of Austronesian heritage. Some also have Chinese or Spanish ancestors.

The main language spoken is Cebuano, used by 72% of residents. This is because the province is close to Cebu. Hiligaynon is spoken by 28% of the people, especially near the border with Negros Occidental. Filipino and English are also understood and used for official and educational purposes.

Religion in Negros Oriental

Christianity is the main religion in Negros Oriental. About 77% of people are Roman Catholic. There is also a growing number of Protestant Christians, making up about 12% of the population. Other groups like Iglesia ni Cristo, Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Aglipayan Church also have followers. A small number of people practice Islam and Buddhism.

Economy of Negros Oriental

A geothermal power station in Valencia.

Negros Oriental has rich, fertile land, so agriculture is a major industry. The main crops grown are sugarcane, sweetcorn, coconut, and rice. Along the coast, fishing is a key source of income. People also raise cattle and grow rubber, especially in Bayawan. The province also has mineral deposits like gold, silver, and copper in its inner areas.

The province is becoming a technology hub in the Visayas. It has a growing business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. Vehicle assembly is also growing in Amlan. New homes and subdivisions are being built around Dumaguete.

Other industries include water bottling, warehousing, and cold storage. Supermarkets and shopping malls are opening in cities like Bayawan, Tanjay, and Bais. The town of Bacong has many industrial plants that produce goods for local use and for export. Negros Oriental is also a popular place for tourists to visit in the Visayas.

Transportation in Negros Oriental

"Pedicab," a motorized tricycle in Dumaguete.

Negros Oriental has a network of roads, including a national road that goes around the entire Negros Island. There are over 900 kilometers of national and provincial roads.

Many residents do not own cars and rely on public transport. Buses and jeepneys connect the cities and towns. For short trips within a town, motorized tricycles, called "pedicabs," are available. In rural areas, motorcycles for hire, known as habal-habal, are common.

Dumaguete Airport, located in Sibulan, is the province's only commercial airport. It has daily flights to and from Manila, Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro. The airport is being upgraded with pavement reconstruction and terminal expansion.

The main seaport of the province is in Dumaguete. There are also five other smaller seaports.

Education in Negros Oriental

Negros Oriental State University.

Most colleges and universities are in Dumaguete. This makes Dumaguete a well-known university city in the South. Here are some of the universities and colleges in Negros Oriental:

Culture and Festivals in Negros Oriental

Every town in Negros Oriental celebrates an annual town fiesta. These festivals are usually dedicated to the patron saint of that town or city. Some larger towns also have fiestas for specific neighborhoods.

• Jimalalud: January 15 - Sr. Sto. Niño
• Canlaon: March 19 - Sr. San Jose
• Sibulan: June 13 - St. Anthony of Padua
• Tayasan: June 13 - St. Anthony of Padua
• Tanjay City: July 25 - St. James the Greater
• Bacong: August 28 - St. Augustine of Hippo
• Bais: September 10 - St. Nicholas of Tolentino
• Dauin: September 10 - St. Nicholas of Tolentino
• Manjuyod: October 4 - St. Francis of Assisi
• Dumaguete: November 25 - St. Catherine of Alexandria
• Amlan: November 30 - St. Andrew

The Buglasan Festival is also celebrated every October in Dumaguete. It's known as Negros Oriental's "festival of festivals." During this week-long event, each town and city in the province sets up booths to show off their local products and tourist spots. The main events are the float parade and street dancing competition.

The province is also home to the last speakers of the Inata language. The Sebwano language is spoken everywhere, while the native Minagahat language is spoken in the south.

Media in Negros Oriental

There are several local newspapers in Negros Oriental, including Dumaguete MetroPost, The Negros Chronicle, and Island News. Sun.Star Dumaguete publishes news online.

Major network providers like PLDT and Globe Telecom offer internet and phone services. For TV and radio, main providers include ABS-CBN, GMA, TV5, and CNN Philippines. Cable TV also provides access to international channels. The province is served by one regional newscast, TV Patrol Central Visayas.

See also

In Spanish: Negros Oriental para niños

• Negros Oriental State University
• Silliman University
• Dumaguete
• Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park

Images for kids

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  Shoreline of a beach in Dauin town.

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  Landscape of a beach resort in Dauin, the province's resort capital. Tourism is one of the major industries in the province of Negros Oriental.

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  A view taken from Kanlaon Volcano's slope near the town of Canlaon.

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  Buglasan Festival at the Ninoy Aquino Memorial Freedom Park in Dumaguete.

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  Dumaguete–Sibulan Airport.