Valencia, Negros Oriental

Valencia
Municipality
Map of Negros Oriental showing the location of Valencia
Valencia Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 09°17′N 123°15′E / 9.283°N 123.250°E / 9.283; 123.250Coordinates: 09°17′N 123°15′E / 9.283°N 123.250°E / 9.283; 123.250
Country	Philippines
Region	Central Visayas (Region VII)
Province	Negros Oriental
District	3rd district of Negros Oriental
Barangays	24
Government[1]
• Mayor	Edgar Teves
Area[2]
• Total	147.49 km2 (56.95 sq mi)
Population (2010)[3]
• Total	31,477
• Density	210/km2 (550/sq mi)
Time zone	PST (UTC+8)
ZIP code	6215
Dialing code	035
Income class	1st class municipality,partially urban

Valencia is a first class municipality in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. It is located 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) west of Dumaguete City, the largest city and capital of the province. According to the national 2010 census, Valencia has a population of 31,477 people.^[3] The municipality was voted as "the greenest and cleanest" town of Negros Oriental in 2007.^[4] The mayor of Valencia is Edgar Teves, who was elected in 2013.

Our Lady of the Abandoned is the patroness of Valencia, and her feast day is celebrated annually every October 12 with the town fiesta. The fiesta is an official non-working holiday for the town.

Geography

Valencia occupies an area of 14,749 hectares (36,450 acres),^[2] 35% of which are classified as plains. The town is 65% mountainous, with elevation averaging from 200 to 500 metres (660 to 1,640 ft) above sea level, with the top of Mount Talinis at an elevation of 1,903 metres (6,243 ft) along the municipal southern boundary. The climate in the municipality is relatively cool, especially at higher elevations.

The region is also the most critical watershed area of Negros Oriental, providing abundant drinking water to Valencia and its neighboring municipalities.

Barangays

The town is politically subdivided into 24 barangays.

History

Valencia was originally named Ermita, which means "a secluded place", due to its being a refuge from marauding Muslim pirates. In 1856 it was renamed to Nueva Valencia by Spanish colonizers, in honor of its parish priest Fr. Matias Villamayor from Valencia, Spain.

In 1920 it was renamed Luzuriaga (also spelled Luzurriaga) in honour of Don Carlos Luzuriaga, a delegate from Negros island to the Philippine Legislature who promised town officials he would work hard to help improve the town. The town was renamed Valencia in 1948, by virtue of Republic Act No. 252.^[5]

In 2007, its Municipal Police Station (under the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (NOPPO) headed by Senior Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe) was adjudged the “Municipal Police Station of 2007” in the best unit awards category, and the best town police station in the Central Visayas (General order no. 110 dated January 22, 2008).^[6]

Demographics

The Cebuano language is the common vernacular in Valencia. English is also widely spoken.

Economy

Geothermal power station in Barangay Puhagan

Lanzones fruits grown in Valencia are exported to other towns.

The economy of Valencia is largely based on agriculture. Major products include abaca, copra, corn, flowers, vegetables, root crops, and exotic fruits such as lanzones and rambutan.

The municipality is also the site of a geothermal power station operated by the Energy Development Corporation (EDC). It generates electricity that supplies the needs of Negros, Panay, and part of Cebu. The municipal government receives royalties from the power station which are used to subsidize electricity costs of local residents. Each household receives a monthly rebate of P800 on their electricity bill.

Valencia, specifically, has a 20-megawatt Palinpinon 2 Geothermal Optimization Project in Sitio Nasuji, Barangay Puhagan, 35 kilometers from Dumaguete City. The P 1.74-billion geothermal optimization (expansion) project, funded the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) is part of EDC's 192-MW Southern Negros Geothermal Production Field that supplies the power needs of 8 provinces in Negros, Panay, Guimaras and Cebu Islands. Valencia's 192-MW Palinpinon I and II geothermal field ranks 4th in installed capacity nationwide. The Palinpinon field contributed $457.8 million in 2004 foreign exchange savings for 2004, and also generated $ 267 million savings from January to July, 2008.

Because Palinpinon is such a big source of geothermal energy, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said it received P 250 million in royalties, applied for livelihood, education, related projects, and also for the 50% subsidy on Valencia electric bills consumers.^[7] Many residents also work in the nearby city of Dumaguete.

Attractions

The Filipino-Japanese Amity Memorial Shrine is located in Valencia. It stands at the foot of Mount Talinis and marks the spot where the combined Filipino and American troops including the Negrosanon guerrilla units fought the Japanese Imperial Army toward the end of World War II.

Casaroro Falls

Eco-tourism sites include:

• Casaroro Waterfalls - as the province’s most photographed body of water, it is relatively enclosed by lush greenery and natural rock formations. The falls' cool water gushes down to a swimming hole.
• Forest Camp - was first opened in 1990, as a 6,000 square meter property, today its 2.2 hectares of land is a vast camping ground, with 2 large nipa hut houses, 4 cottages, a tree house, a 250-people capacity conference/reception hall, a backpacker’s den and a dormitory that can hold up to 20 students.
• The Spanish Fountain - a relic of the town’s colorful historical past at the heart of the municipal plaza, has a unique sunken design, and was once the town’s major source of water supply (invented by an Augustinian friar to channel water from an upland spring).
• Cata-al War Memorabilia - a private collection by an 84 year old World War II survivor Porforio Cata-al, at his residence cum museum. It includes bombs, grenades, Japanese and American bills, coins, medals, charred pieces of an authentic military uniform, and a Japanese soldier mummy
• Filipino-American-Japanese Amity Shrine - on a hilltop, this is a 3-sided pillar representing the 3 countries (Philippines, America and Japan), unveiled in 1977.
• Banica Swimming Lagoon - known as Tejeros resort, it has 2 man made pools fed by Banica River.
• Malabo /Pulangbato Falls - is swimming and diving hole with many reddish rocks.^[8]
• Mt. Talinis a 1903 meter peak in the Cuernos de Negros. It has many volcanic lakes, breathtaking views and remarkable biodiversity.

List of former mayors

• Mariano Imbo (Captain)
• Gerardo Imbo (1916 - 1919)
• Eustaquio Vincoy (1919 - 1927)
• Guillermo Albina (1928 - 1931)
• Quiterio Mariño (1931 - 1939)
• Jose Villamil (1940 - 1946)
• Rodolfo Gonzalez, Sr. (1946 - 1967)
• Elpidio Unto (1968 - 1971)
• Rodolfo Gonzalez, Sr. (1972 - 1980)
• Saludario Sonjaco (1981 - 1986)
• Victor Naces (1986 - 1987)
• Jose Villamil (OIC) (1987 - 1988)
• Edgar Teves (1988 - 1998)
• Humberto Sy (1998 - 2001)
• Rodolfo Gonzalez, Jr. (2001 – 2010)
• Enrique Gonzalez (2010 - 2013)
• Edgar Teves (2013 - present)

References

External links

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Philippine Census Information
• Local Governance Performance Management System

		Sibulan
	Santa Catalina		Dumaguete Bacong
	Valencia
		Dauin

v t e Province of Negros Oriental Municipalities Amlan Ayungon Bacong Basay Bindoy Dauin Jimalalud La Libertad Mabinay Manjuyod Pamplona San Jose Santa Catalina Siaton Sibulan Tayasan Valencia Vallehermoso Zamboanguita Component cities Bais Bayawan Canlaon Dumaguete Guihulngan Tanjay