San Carlos City, Negros Occidental
Encyclopedia
San Carlos City is a 2nd class component city in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

. The settlement was elevated to city status on July 1, 1960 per Republic Act
Republic Acts of the Philippines
This article contains a partial list of Philippine laws. Philippine laws have had various nomenclature designations at different periods in the history of the Philippines, as shown in the following table:...

 2643. According to the August 1, 2007 census, it has a population of 129,809 people.

Geography

Located along the coast of Tañon Strait
Tañon Strait
Tañon Strait lies between the islands of Negros and Cebu in the Philippines. The strait connects the Visayan Sea to the Bohol Sea.The Tañon Strait is known for whale and dolphin watching, with tour boats operating from a wharf in Bais City.- Controversy :...

, the city is located at the crossroads of four major cities in the Visayas
Visayas
The Visayas or Visayan Islands and locally known as Kabisay-an gid, is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Mindanao and Luzon. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are considered the northeast...

: Cebu City
Cebu City
The City of Cebu is the capital city of Cebu and is the second largest city in the Philippines, the second most significant metropolitan centre in the Philippines and known as the oldest settlement established by the Spaniards in the country.The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu and was...

, Bacolod City
Bacolod City
The City of Bacolod , is a highly urbanized midsize Philippine city. It is the capital of the Negros Occidental province. Having a total of 499,497 inhabitants as of August 1, 2007, it is the most populous city in the Western Visayas Region. It is currently ranked as the 17th most populous city in...

, Iloilo City
Iloilo City
The City of Iloilo is a highly urbanized city in the Philippines and the capital city of Iloilo province. It is the regional center of the Western Visayas, as well as the center of the Iloilo-Guimaras Metropolitan Area...

 and Dumaguete City
Dumaguete City
The City of Dumaguete is a city in the Philippine province of Negros Oriental. It is the capital, principal seaport, and largest city of the province. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 133,470 people. A person from Dumaguete is called a "Dumagueteño"...

. It has a 40 km coastline of which some parts are covered with mangroves. The city has a deep natural harbor protected from inclement weather by Refugio Island (a.k.a.Sipaway Island). Due to these aspects, the Philippine Ports Authority
Philippine Ports Authority
The Philippine Ports Authority is a government-owned corporation under the Department of Transportation and Communications as an attached agency...

 has chosen the San Carlos City port from among other ports in the province for its expansion program in 1998 which include the reclamation of four hectares of sea to accommodate various port buildings, facilities and container vans, an extension on the east side for two RO-RO vessels
RORO
Roll-on/roll-off ships are vessels designed to carry wheeled cargo such as automobiles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, trailers or railroad cars that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels...

 and the extension of the length of the port to 242.5 meters.

Climate

San Carlos City has two pronounced seasons, wet and dry. The rainy season is from May to January with heavy rains occurring during the months of August and September. Dry season lasts from February to April. December and January are the coldest months while April is the hottest.

Pre-Spanish and Spanish colonization

San Carlos City was formerly named Nabingkalan, deriving its name from Nabingka, a beautiful daughter of a chieftain of the Negrito
Aeta
The Aeta , Agta or Ayta are an indigenous people who live in scattered, isolated mountainous parts of Luzon, Philippines. They are considered to be Negritos, who are dark to very dark brown-skinned and tend to have features such as a small stature, small frame, curly to kinky afro-like textured...

 settlement in the area, who ruled the barrio
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...

 during the early part in the 17th century. She was famous for her loveliness and mental and physical prowess. After her death, the people mourned for two years, and to perpetuate her memory, named the barrio Nabingkalan. The settlement was later bought by Carlos Apurado from Badian
Badian, Cebu
Badian is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 35,876 people. The Municipality of Badian is located 97.6 km southwest of Cebu City...

, Cebu
Cebu
Cebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands...

, who, with the help of fellow pioneers, developed the settlement into a thriving Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...

 village. Fragments of written history show that in 1856, the Island of Buglas (Negros), as a politico-military province under Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

, was divided into two provinces, West Negros under Iloilo
Iloilo
Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of Panay Island and is bordered by Antique Province to the west and Capiz Province and the Jintotolo Channel to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is Guimaras Province,...

 and East Negros under Cebu
Cebu
Cebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands...

. The barrio of Nabingkalan under Calatrava, was under the jurisdiction of Iloilo. Señor Don Emilio Saravia, the first political-military governor in the island during the Spanish era, renamed the place and established it as a pueblo.

San Carlos prospered through the years, however, the village lost its pueblo category, and in 1890, when Negros Island was divided into Negros Occidental
Negros Occidental
Negros Occidental is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is Bacolod City and it occupies the northwestern half of Negros Island; Negros Oriental is at the southeastern half...

 and Negros Oriental
Negros Oriental
Negros Oriental is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. It occupies the south-eastern half of the island of Negros, with Negros Occidental comprising the north-western half. It also includes Apo Island — a popular dive site for both local and foreign tourists...

, San Carlos was recorded as an arrabal or barrio of Calatrava (Hilub-ang). On October 16, 1898, a parish priest of Calatrava
Calatrava, Negros Occidental
Calatrava is a 1st class municipality in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 74,623 people in 15,151 households. The current mayor is Araceli Somosa.-Barangays:...

, then the township under which jurisdiction Nabingkalan, was a barrio, visited the place. He found it more prosperous than the town proper. So he assembled the cabezas de barangay and after a short conference, decided to name the new town San Carlos, in honor of the Patron Saint of the barrio, Saint Carlos Borromeo
Charles Borromeo
Charles Borromeo was the cardinal archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Milan from 1564 to 1584. He was a leading figure during the Counter-Reformation and was responsible for significant reforms in the Catholic Church, including the founding of seminaries for the education of priests...

, whose feast day was November 4, and on that same day, the seat of the town was transferred to San Carlos.

American colonization

During the first years of the American occupation of the Philippines, the economic and social pace of the activities of the people were gauged on the movements of the big landholders and Spaniards in the lowlands. In 1903, the political arena was a hot place, it being the first taste of the Filipinos to elect their own leaders. In 1912, when a sugar central was constructed, the economic life of the people was greatly enhanced. The political activities, however, was closely woven with that of Calatrava, until 1925, when Calatrava was organized into a municipality.

From 1899 to the last days of the administration of the municipality of San Carlos, the following persons have served as presidentes and mayors, and have contributed in one way or another to the progress of the town:

1899-1941

  • Agustin Ylagan (4 terms)
  • Bernardino Lazanas
  • Domingo Medina (2 terms)
  • Eugenio Antonio, Jr.
  • Fausto Caballero
  • Jose Cervantes
  • Juan P. Broce (2 terms)
  • Pelagio Carbajosa
  • Vicente Atienza
  • Vicente Flores

1942-1945

  • Antonio Azcona (in the occupied area)
  • Anacleto Factoran (in the free area)
  • Juan P. Broce

After 1945

  • Constancio Rabacal (2 Terms)
  • Constancio Rabacal (Appointed)
  • Dominador Zaragoza (Appointed)
  • Eugenio Antonio, Jr. (Appointed)
  • Gregorio R. Reonisto (OIC-1987)
  • Sofronio C. Carmona


The First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 encouraged the people of San Carlos to produce more sugar-producing crops. After the armistice
Armistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...

 in 1917, the planters who produced more sugar had their wealth greatly increased because of the new price of sugar never before enjoyed by the planters. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

, many sons of San Carlos volunteered to fight for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, but a few months later, were sent back home because of the armistice.

World War II

San Carlos was actively involved on the war efforts against Imperial Japan during The Second World War (World War II). Presumably, a month after the surrender of Negros to the Japanese Imperial Forces
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...

, the Guerrilla Movement began in San Carlos and Calatrava. As early as June 15, 1942, Guerilla Units under the leadership of Capt. Eugenio Antonio,Jr., Lt. Leonardo Marane and Lt. Alfredo Valdivia assisted by the Philippine Commonwealth Military Troops began operations against the enemy. Pitch battles were fought within the environs of the "poblacion". Despite the presence of the U.S. forces under Maj. Edward McClenahan, separate Guerrilla Units were scattered in the area under different Commanders as they were not able to establish a formal chain-of-command among the different Guerilla Factions effectively.

The return of some local USAFFE officers to San Carlos, the guerrilla movement was formally organized into fighting units under USAFFE Capts. Catalino D. Rivera, Eugenio Antonio, Jr. and Loreto Y. Apuhin, together with Lts. Florencio C. Yap and Andres L. Arrogante, the bands of roving guerrillas in San Carlos were consolidated under one command. Young men in their early teens (just barely enough to carry rifles) joined the ranks and fought bravely face-to-face against the Japanese.

In March 1945, the Philippine Commonwealth forces under the 7th, 71st and 72nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, 7th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary and local guerrilla units under the command of Col. Ernesto S. Mata, attacked the Japanese garrison in the compound of San Carlos Milling Company and succeeded in driving away the Japanese Army, at the cost of the life of Lt. Alfredo Valdivia.

The first post-war election found the town a Liberal. In 1953, the Nacionalista wrested the power from the Liberals. The consensus of opinions has it that for the present, it is yet difficult to dethrone the local party in power. By Virtue of R.A. No. 2643, the Municipality of San Carlos was converted into the City of San Carlos on July 1, 1960. The City inherited from the Municipality numerous improvements hitherto unprecedented in the history of the town. The improvements were introduced by the last municipal administration under Mayor Sofronio Carmona. The usual experience of a new city during the transition period was fraught with crisis. The new City of San Carlos excepted from this rule. The effort exerted by Mayor Carmona in meeting the obligations of the city in the form of salaries of newly created offices and the implementation of WAPCO increases of the intermediate school teachers were overcome.

Festival

The Pintaflores Festival was born out of the city's search for a cultural identity and tradition. In 1992. After successfully holding two activities, the Nabingkalan Tattoo Festival and the Dances of Flowers as highlights of the city fiesta, the idea of blending the two concepts to come up with a presentation that could be considered the city's very own started what today is one of the most popular street dancing festivals in the region, the Pintaflores Festival.

Pintaflores is coined from the words pintados ("painted ones"), the concept behind the Nabingkalan Tattoo Festival, and flores, the Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...

 word for "flowers" that dominated the theme of the Dances of Flowers. The Pintaflores street dancing and ritual competition highlights the annual Pintaflores Festival every November 3-5.

It features rhythmic dances and dance dramas of life and death and the triumph of good against evil that depict the people's thanksgiving and merriment, abundant blessings and success. As part of the Pintados tradition, the faces, arms, bodies and legs of the dancers are painted with flowers to express gratitude to man and his environment.

The street dancing is culminated by a dance ritual performed at the City auditorium. Different dance steps and musical accompaniment add to the thrill of the competition. The human flower formation is another impressive part of the dance ritual which are products of the ingenuity and skill of the choreographers and dancers.

Colegio de Sto. Tomas - Recoletos high school students, bested seasoned contestants to land third place in the free interpretation category in the heavily-competed Sinulog festival in Cebu City in January 1993. In April of the same year, the group bagged the championship in Panaad Sa Negros '93, to province-wide cultural festival in Negros Occidental.

Represented by Barangays II and Quezon, the Pintaflores street dancing contingent emerged first prize in Panaad Sa Negros in 1996. The same group with the participation of Barangay Ermita bagged again the championship in Panaad Sa Negros 1997 and the fifth prize in Sinulog festival '98.

In Panaad Sa Negros '98, the Pintaflores group composed of dancers from Barangays Punao and Palampas and the City Hospital graced the fiesta presentation as guest performers. In Panaad '99. the Pintaflores represented this time by elementary school children, once again proved its unbeatable streak by emerging champions, consequently reaping the Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...

 award for topping the fiesta presentation event in four consecutive years.

Having established a name in street dancing, Pintaflores danced performers in such places as Iloilo City
Iloilo City
The City of Iloilo is a highly urbanized city in the Philippines and the capital city of Iloilo province. It is the regional center of the Western Visayas, as well as the center of the Iloilo-Guimaras Metropolitan Area...

 (1996) and the Roxas City (1997) as among the best of the best in the region, and in Canlaon City
Canlaon City
Canlaon City is a 4th class city in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 46,548 people in 9,302 households. Canlaon is located 168 km from the provincial capital Dumaguete...

 and Victorias in 1999 as the best in the province.

Pintaflores has evolved as a new breed of dancers emerged with the launching of Pintaflores Bata or Pinta Bata in 1996. A street dancing and ritual competition among elementary school children. Pinta Bata thrills one with the children's pleasing gracefulness and versatility that promises a crop of excellent dancers in the years to come.

After five years and many awards, including the Hall of Fame awards in street dancing in the Panaad Sa Negros, the word Pintaflores, like "Daan Sa Kaunlaran" and Homelot program, now has become another byword of the creativity of San Carloseños.

Languages and transportation

Cebuano
Cebuano language
Cebuano, referred to by most of its speakers as Bisaya , is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines by about 20 million people mostly in the Central Visayas. It is the most widely spoken of the languages within the so-named Bisayan subgroup and is closely related to other Filipino...

 is the major language of San Carlos City. English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

, Hiligaynon
Hiligaynon language
Hiligaynon, often referred to as Ilonggo, is an Austronesian language spoken in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines.Hiligaynon is concentrated in the provinces of Iloilo, Negros Occidental and Capiz but is also spoken in the other provinces of the Panay Island group, including Antique,...

, and Tagalog
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...

 are also widely spoken and understood, especially in the urban areas.

Pedicabs are common mode of transport. Buses and jeepney
Jeepney
Jeepneys are the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They were originally made from US military jeeps left over from World War II and are known for their flamboyant decoration and crowded seating...

s provide service for inter-town travel.

Education

  • Julio Ledesma National High School
  • Colegio de Santa Rita
  • Colegio de Santo Tomas – Recoletos
  • Central Negros College
  • Tañon College

Notable people and events

Another historical milestone in the life of the city is the cabinet meeting of President Fidel V. Ramos
Fidel V. Ramos
Fidel "Eddie" Valdez Ramos , popularly known as FVR, was the 12th President of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. During his six years in office, Ramos was widely credited and admired by many for revitalizing and renewing international confidence in the Philippine economy.Prior to his election as...

 in the city on August 27, 1996 making San Carlos the first component city to be made the venue of a Presidential cabinet meeting. Famous icons brought San Carlos City renown in Negros. Sexy starlet turn award-winning actress Assunta De Rossi
Assunta de Rossi
Maria Assunta Tiotangco Schiavone-Ledesma is a Filipina-Italian actress known by her stage name Assunta De Rossi. Her sister Alessandra De Rossi is also an actress, Both sisters have won the Best Actress award at the Metro Manila Film Festival...

 graced the city when she married congressman Jules Ledesma. Gerry Peñalosa
Gerry Peñalosa
Geronimo Peñalosa , more commonly known as Gerry Peñalosa, is a retired Filipino professional boxer....

, a well known boxer comes from the city. Romeo Villalva Tabuena
Romeo Villalva Tabuena
Romeo Villalva Tabuena is a Filipino-born painter and printmaker who was born in Iloilo City on August 22, 1921. He studied architecture at the Mapúa Institute of Technology in Manila and painting at the University of the Philippines...

, internationally well-known artist and included in the "Who's Who" in American arts. Works featured in publications like the “American Artists”, “Diplomat”, “Literary Review” and the “Reporter”. Elizabeth Ramsey, a well known comedienne and the mother of singer Jaya,Dr. Gerry H. Tan, Chairman, Division of Endocrinology, Cebu Doctors’ College of Medicine- Cebu Doctors University Hospital, 1999 to present, also hails from the city.

City officials

  • Mayor: Gerardo P. Valmayor, Jr.
  • Vice-Mayor: Edgardo S. Quisumbing
  • Councilors
    • Rommel T. Debulgado
    • Christopher Paul S. Carmona
    • Filped A. Maisog
    • Hernan V. Antonio
    • Victoriana C. Cabili
    • Fleur de Lis V. Mascuñana
    • Gregorio A. Santillan
    • Eddie L. Apuhin
    • Dickson N. Yu
    • Jonie S. Uy
    • ABC President: Mark E. Cui
    • SK Federation President: Lady Lehi P. Lambayong

Barangays

San Carlos City is politically subdivided into 18 barangays.


  • Bagonbon
  • Buluangan
  • Codcod
  • Ermita
  • Guadalupe
  • Nataban
  • Palampas
  • Barangay I (Pob.)
  • Barangay II (Pob.)

  • Barangay III (Pob.)
  • Barangay IV (Pob.)
  • Barangay V (Pob.)
  • Barangay VI (Pob.)
  • Prosperidad
  • Punao
  • Quezon
  • Rizal
  • San Juan


External links

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