Guihulngan

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Guihulngan City
Dakbayan sa Guihulngan
Component City

Seal
Negros Oriental map locating Guihulngan City
Guihulngan City
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 10°07′N 123°16′E / 10.117°N 123.267°E / 10.117; 123.267Coordinates: 10°07′N 123°16′E / 10.117°N 123.267°E / 10.117; 123.267
Country Philippines
Region Central Visayas (Region VII)
Province Negros Oriental
Legis. district 1st district of Negros Oriental
Barangays 33
Government[1]
 • Mayor Carlo Jorge Joan L. Reyes
 • Vice Mayor Ernesto A. Reyes
 • City Council
Area[2]
 • Total 388.56 km2 (150.02 sq mi)
Population (2010)[3]
 • Total 93,675
 • Density 240/km2 (620/sq mi)
Time zone PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code 6214
Dialing code 35

Guihulngan is a city in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 93,675 people.[3]

Barangays

Guihulngan is politically subdivided into 33 barangays.[2]

  • Bakid
  • Balogo
  • Banwague
  • Basak
  • Binobohan
  • Buenavista
  • Bulado
  • Calamba
  • Calupa-an
  • Hibaiyo
  • Hilaitan
  • Hinakpan
  • Humayhumay
  • Imelda
  • Kagawasan
  • Linantuyan
  • Luz
  • Mabunga
  • McKinley
  • Nagsaha
  • Magsaysay
  • Malusay
  • Mani-ak
  • Padre Zamora
  • Plagatasanon
  • Planas
  • Poblacion
  • Sandayao
  • Tacpao
  • Tinayunan Beach
  • Tinayunan Hill
  • Trinidad
  • Villegas

History

There are several versions how the city derived its name. The first, according to old tales, was attributed to a river flowing directly to the town proper from the main spring in sitio Anahaw, Barangay Nagsaha, hence the name "GUIPADULNGAN" which means the point where the river flows to an end.

The second is associated with the gruesome incident in the 19th Century when the Philippines was a colony of Spain; men, women and children were said to be captured, beheaded and thrown into the sea, now known as Tañon Strait, by the Moros. Other accounts claim that the Moros dropped a bell into the sea when they found out that was used by the lookout warn the townsfolk of the coming. Since that time, the place has been called "GUIHULUGAN" which means, "Place where a thing was dropped". But in the Spanish writing, "U" and "N" are similar, which is why it became commonly written and known as GUIHULNGAN.

Whether it originated as "GUIPADULNGAN" or "GUIHULNGAN", the name is indeed symbolic, as the town is “dropped” with abundant blessings from the Almighty for a significant "end".[4]

Cityhood

Guihulngan was already the largest municipality in Negros Oriental when, in July 2007, a popular referendum was passed declaring it a city.[5]

15 months later, however, Guihulngan lost its cityhood, along with 15 other cities. The Supreme Court of the Philippines had granted a petition filed by the League of Cities of the Philippines, declaring the cityhood law (RA 9409), which had allowed the town to acquire its city status, unconstitutional. The said cities, the court ruled, had not meet the requirements for cityhood.[6]

More than a year later, on December 22, 2009, acting on the appeal of the so-called "League of 16 Cities" (of which Guihulngan is a part of), the Supreme Court reversed its earlier ruling as it ruled that "at the end of the day, the passage of the amendatory law (regarding the criteria for cityhood as set by Congress) is no different from the enactment of a law, i.e., the cityhood laws specifically exempting a particular political subdivision from the criteria earlier mentioned. Congress, in enacting the exempting law/s, effectively decreased the already codified indicators."[7] As such, the cityhood status of Guihulngan is effectively restored.

But on August 24, 2010, in a 16-page resolution, the Supreme Court reinstated its November 18, 2008 decision striking down the Cityhood laws[8] making Guihulngan a municipality again.

Voting 7-6, with two justices not taking part, the SC reinstated its Nov. 18, 2008 decision declaring as unconstitutional the Republic Acts (RAs) converting 16 municipalities into cities.

On February 15, 2011, the Supreme Court upheld its decision for the 3rd time making Guihulngan a city again.[9]

Demographics

Population census of Guihulngan
Year Pop.  ±% p.a.  
1990 74,493—    
1995 80,660+1.60%
2000 84,607+0.96%
2007 91,358+1.10%
2010 93,675+0.84%
Source: National Statistics Office[3]

College and University

Negros Oriental State University - Guihulngan Campus is a state university in the province of Negros Oriental.

St. Francis College Guihulngan (SFC-G) is a private institution located in Bateria, Guihulngan Negros Oriental. Inspired by the Charism of St. Francis of Asissi, three Franciscan friars including Brother Norbert Binder.

Landmarks

A huge bell with a Carabao was served as the main attraction of the city located at the side of Justice Hall along the National Highway.

Festival

Cara-Bell Festival (Every 24th of May) - Legend has it that marauding pirates used to slaughter natives of the town and drop their corpses into the sea. When a bell was installed as warning device this, too, was taken down and flung offshore. The site where something dropped (guihulugan) forms the backdrop for spectacular revelry to highlight the town fiesta.

Transportation

Mactan-Cebu International Airport is the closest major airport to Guihulngan, although it lies on Cebu Island just to the east. Fast ferries serve Guihulngan from Cebu. Alternatively, flights go from Cebu Airport and Manila to Dumaguete Airport, from where buses run from Dumaguete City to Guihulngan, 120 kilometres (75 mi) north.

References

  1. ↑ "Municipalities". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government. Retrieved 11 March 2013. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Province: Negros Oriental". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 11 March 2013. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay: as of May 1, 2010". 2010 Census of Population and Housing. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 11 March 2013. 
  4. ↑ Guihulngan - Inside Negros
  5. ↑ Gallarde, Juancho (July 17, 2007). "Guihulgnan becomes sixth city of NegOr". Visayan Daily Star . Retrieved July 28, 2009. 
  6. ↑ Rempillo, Jay B. (November 18, 2008). "SC Voids 16 Cityhood Laws".
    SC Public Information Office . Retrieved July 28, 2009.     
  7. ↑ SC reverses self, upholds creation of 16 cities
  8. ↑ SC Reinstates 2008 Decision Voiding 16 Cityhood Laws
  9. ↑

External links

La Castellana, Negros Occidental Canlaon / Vallehermoso
Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental
Isabela, Negros Occidental		 Tañon Strait
   Guihulngan  
Binalbagan, Negros Occidental La Libertad
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