My First Time in Negros Occidental

It was in 1987 when I first set foot in the island of Negros Occidental. My father was assigned as Superintendent of then Negros Occidental School of Fisheries, Binalbagan, Negros Occidental. My wife also had an opportunity to teach at the said school. In August of 1987, I was transferred as COA Unit Auditor of Negros Occidental Agricultural College, Kabankalan, Negros Occidental. Since 1987, because my wife was already working here at Binalbagan and I at Kabankalan, we decided to settle down here at the Negros Occidental, which I found out later on to be a beautiful island, full of natural resources and wonders…

Negros Occidental is located in the western side of NegrosIsland, the fourth largest island in the Philippines with a total land area of 972,607 hectares or 9,726.06 sq. kms.

The province is approximately 375 kilometers long from north to south. It is bounded by the Visayan Sea in the north, Panay Gulf on the west, Tanon Strait and Negros Oriental province on the east and Sulu Sea on the south. Negros is basically volcanic, making its soil ideal for agriculture. Eighty percent of all arable land is cultivated.

Mount Kanlaon is one of the mountain ranges found in the heart of Negros Island. One of the country's 13 most active volcanoes, Kanlaon is the highest peak in Central Philippines. At an elevation of 2,465 meters above sea level, the most dominant and attractive feature of which is its active summit-crater. Mt. Kanlaon has a land area of 24,577.6 hectares, with rainforest and verdant vegetation sliced from the cities of Bago, La Carlota, San Carlos and Canlaon (in Negros Oriental) and the towns of Murcia and La Castellana.

The trek trough ridges and deep gorges for 14.5 kilometers shows a panorama of lowlands and carved mountains. An 8.5 kilometer ascent along sights of refreshing waterfalls and treacherous trails best capture the moods of this unpredictable volcano. Rare endemic species such as the Bleeding Heart Pigeon and the Negros Fruit Dove are protected in this park, which makes bird watchnig a prime attraction. Other birds include woodpeckers, bulbuls, babblers, warblers and flycatchers. The Guintubdan Nature Camp in La Carlota City is one of the best take-off points in climbing Mt. Kanlaon.

Negros Occidental can be reached through its capital, Bacolod City, which is 55 minutes from Manila and 30 minutes from Cebu by air.

By sea, it is an 18-hour cruise frmo Manila and one hour from Iloilo. By land and sea travel, it is 7 hours from Cebu. From Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental, Bacolod is 5 hours away via Mabinay in the south.

Negros Occidental's climate is generally pleasant with a dry season from December to May and rainy season from June to November.

The warmest months are April and May and the coolest are from December to February. The average temperature is 26°C/80°F.