Sipalay

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Component city in Negros Occidental, Philippines

title: "Sipalay" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["cities-in-negros-occidental", "component-cities-in-the-philippines", "political-divisions-established-by-philippine-executive-order"] description: "Component city in Negros Occidental, Philippines" topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sipalay" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Component city in Negros Occidental, Philippines ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
name
image_captionPump boat in Sipalay
image_flagFlag_of_Sipalay,_Negros_Occidental.png
flag_size120x80px
image_sealSipalay city seal.jpg
seal_size100x80px
image_map
map_caption
mapframeyes
pushpin_mapPhilippines
pushpin_label_positionleft
pushpin_map_captionLocation within the
coordinates
settlement_type
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_namePhilippines
subdivision_type1Region
subdivision_name1
subdivision_type2Province
subdivision_name2
official_name
nickname"The Jewel of the Sugar Island"
motto"Ugyon Sipalaynon"
subdivision_type3District
subdivision_name3
established_titleFounded
established_dateDecember 20, 1948
established_title1Cityhood
established_date1March 31, 2001
parts_typeBarangays
parts_stylepara
p1(see Barangays)
leader_titleMayor
leader_nameMaria Gina Montilla-Lizares (NPC)
leader_title1Vice Mayor
leader_name1Oscar C. Montilla, Jr. (NPC)
leader_title2Representative
leader_name2Mercedes Alvarez (NPC)
leader_title3City Council
leader_name3{{PH Town Council
1Dennis V. Galvan
2Angelica G. Alvarez
3Leslie C. Alejano
4James Anthony M. Garrucho
5Ulysses C. Hisona
6Janewill L. Selga
7Praem L. Mediodia
8Rome A. Vargas
9Claudio P. Bacatan
10Annabelle C. Nobleza
abcElir D. Borres
skPearl Ann C. Bloron
leader_title4Electorate
leader_name4voters ([electorate_point_in_time}}
government_type
government_footnotes
elevation_m
elevation_max_m549
elevation_min_m0
elevation_footnotes
area_footnotes
area_total_km2
population_footnotes
population_total
population_as_of
population_density_km2auto
population_blank1_titleHouseholds
population_blank1
timezonePST
utc_offset+8
postal_code_typeZIP code
postal_code
postal2_code_type
postal2_code
area_code_type
area_code
website
demographics_type1Economy
demographics1_title1
demographics1_info1
demographics1_title2Poverty incidence
demographics1_info2% ()
demographics1_title3Revenue
demographics1_info3
demographics1_title4Revenue rank
demographics1_title5Assets
demographics1_info5
demographics1_title6Assets rank
demographics1_title7IRA
demographics1_title8IRA rank
demographics1_title9Expenditure
demographics1_info9
demographics1_title10Liabilities
demographics1_info10
demographics_type2Service provider
demographics2_title1Electricity
demographics2_info1
demographics2_title2Water
demographics2_title3Telecommunications
demographics2_title4Cable TV
blank_name_sec1
blank_info_sec1
blank1_name_sec1Native languages
blank1_info_sec1
blank2_name_sec1Crime index
blank1_name_sec2Major religions
blank2_name_sec2Feast date
blank3_name_sec2Catholic diocese
blank4_name_sec2Patron saint
::

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| demographics1_title4 = Revenue rank | demographics1_info4 = | demographics1_title5 = Assets | demographics1_info5 =
| demographics1_title6 = Assets rank | demographics1_info6 = | demographics1_title7 = IRA | demographics1_info7 = | demographics1_title8 = IRA rank | demographics1_info8 = | demographics1_title9 = Expenditure | demographics1_info9 =
| demographics1_title10 = Liabilities | demographics1_info10 =
| demographics_type2 = Service provider | demographics2_title1 = Electricity | demographics2_info1 = | demographics2_title2 = Water | demographics2_info2 = | demographics2_title3 = Telecommunications | demographics2_info3 = | demographics2_title4 = Cable TV | demographics2_info4 = | demographics2_title5 = | demographics2_info5 = | demographics2_title6 = | demographics2_info6 = | demographics2_title7 = | demographics2_info7 = | demographics2_title8 = | demographics2_info8 = | demographics2_title9 = | demographics2_info9 = | demographics2_title10 = | demographics2_info10 = | blank_name_sec1 = | blank_info_sec1 = | blank1_name_sec1 = Native languages | blank1_info_sec1 = | blank2_name_sec1 = Crime index | blank2_info_sec1 = | blank3_name_sec1 = | blank3_info_sec1 = | blank4_name_sec1 = | blank4_info_sec1 = | blank5_name_sec1 = | blank5_info_sec1 = | blank6_name_sec1 = | blank6_info_sec1 = | blank7_name_sec1 = | blank7_info_sec1 = | blank1_name_sec2 = Major religions | blank1_info_sec2 = | blank2_name_sec2 = Feast date | blank2_info_sec2 = | blank3_name_sec2 = Catholic diocese | blank3_info_sec2 = | blank4_name_sec2 = Patron saint | blank4_info_sec2 = | blank5_name_sec2 = | blank5_info_sec2 = | blank6_name_sec2 = | blank6_info_sec2 = | blank7_name_sec2 = | blank7_info_sec2 = | short_description = | footnotes =

Sipalay, officially the City of Sipalay (; ; ), is a component city in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. According to the , it has a population of people.

It is the top tourist destination in the province of Negros Occidental.

History

Sipalay's history can be traced back to the undated time of early settlements of the native Tumandok who discovered the lowland plains very fertile, arable and fully vegetated by trees. The areas was well dissected by river tributaries, which accounted for the fertility of the lowland.

Records from the Spanish era suggest that the town had existed as early as 1618. During the Spanish era, the area was further discovered and developed by sailing adventurers from the neighboring island of Panay, being the group who resented the Kintos System enacted by the ruling Spaniards by then.

Growth and development flourished as Chinese merchants came to barter their wares with staple food, particularly rice, which was commonly called by the settlers as paray and by the Chinese, due to the difficulty of pronouncing r, as palay which was the word to have been popularly associated with the place. Thus the area came to be known as Sipalay.

At the advent of the American regime, Sipalay was a full pledge barrio of the Municipality of Cauayan. In the early 1920s the political structure was already in place.

During the World War II, Sipalay was made an emergency town and after the war. On November 20, 1948, then President Elpidio Quirino signed Executive Order No. 185 proclaiming Sipalay as a town. The official inauguration of the town was on December 20, 1948.

On November 8, 1963, Mayor Genaro Alvarez Sr. was about to run for a third term in the 1963 election when he was stabbed to death by an assailant, with his vice mayor Jesus Alejano Sr. briefly succeeding him. Police named Pedro Malbajor, a member of the Nacionalista team of the opponent to mayor Alvarez, as the prime suspect. Alvarez's wife Mercedes, a former beauty queen, ran for mayor in his stead, winning the election by a wide margin.

On January 3, 1988, former mayor Rodrigo Chua was running once again in the 1988 mayoral election when he was assassinated during a political rally in Barangay Mambaroto, being fatally shot in the chest by a lone gunman suspected to be from the New People's Army. His sister, Soledad Chua Montilla, ran in his stead and won.

Cityhood

Main article: Cities of the Philippines

The conversion of Sipalay into a component city of the Province of Negros Occidental followed in 2001 after the ratification of Republic Act No. 9027.

In October 2019, Vice Mayor Oscar Montilla was found guilty of corruption by the Fourth Division of the Sandiganbayan for neglecting to implement a suspension order against five city officials in 2005 while he was mayor. The Sandiganbayan later upheld its decision in January 2020, and Montilla was thus imprisoned and perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

Geography

Sipalay's distance from Bacolod is 170 km and 171 km from Dumaguete, the capital of Negros Oriental. Public utility vehicles plying the southern Negros route pass by this city. Those coming from Negros Oriental can either exit through Kabankalan City via Mabinay or through Dumaguete via Hinoba-an.

Barangays

Sipalay City is politically subdivided into 17 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Climate

| location = Sipalay | width = auto | metric first = Yes | single line = Yes | Jan high C = 29 | Jan low C = 21 | Feb high C = 30 | Feb low C = 21 | Mar high C = 31 | Mar low C = 22 | Apr high C = 32 | Apr low C = 23 | May high C = 30 | May low C = 24 | Jun high C = 29 | Jun low C = 24 | Jul high C = 28 | Jul low C = 24 | Aug high C = 28 | Aug low C = 24 | Sep high C = 28 | Sep low C = 24 | Oct high C = 28 | Oct low C = 24 | Nov high C = 29 | Nov low C = 23 | Dec high C = 29 | Dec low C = 22 | Jan precipitation mm = 45 | Feb precipitation mm = 37 | Mar precipitation mm = 62 | Apr precipitation mm = 93 | May precipitation mm = 190 | Jun precipitation mm = 259 | Jul precipitation mm = 284 | Aug precipitation mm = 236 | Sep precipitation mm = 244 | Oct precipitation mm = 247 | Nov precipitation mm = 162 | Dec precipitation mm = 86 | Jan rain days = 10.8 | Feb rain days = 8.4 | Mar rain days = 12.7 | Apr rain days = 16.3 | May rain days = 26.7 | Jun rain days = 28.5 | Jul rain days = 29.1 | Aug rain days = 28.0 | Sep rain days = 27.4 | Oct rain days = 28.5 | Nov rain days = 23.4 | Dec rain days = 15.5 | source 1 = Meteoblue | url = https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/historyclimate/climatemodelled/sipalay_philippines_1686102 | title = Sipalay: Average Temperatures and Rainfall | publisher = Meteoblue | access-date = May 7, 2020}} | date = May 7, 2020

Demographics

| align= left | title= Population census of | 1903 = | 1918 = | 1939 = | 1948 = | 1960 = | 1970 = | 1975 = | 1980 = | 1990 = | 1995 = | 2000 = | 2007 = | 2010 = | 2015 = | 2020 = | 2024 = | 2030 = | footnote= Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Languages

Major dialects are Hiligaynon and Cebuano. English and Tagalog are also understood.

Government

List of mayors

  • Agripino Alvarez (1948–1955)
  • Genaro P. Alvarez Sr. (1955–1963)
  • Jesus P. Alejano Sr. (1963)
  • Mercedes M. Alvarez (1963–1976)
  • Rodrigo G. Chua (1976–1986)
  • Soledad C. Montilla (1988–1998; 2007–2009)
  • Oscar C. Montilla (1998–2007; 2009–2019)
  • Maria Gina M. Lizares (2019–present)

Economy

Infrastructure

Transportation

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Sipalay_Beach_(Negros_Occidental,_Philippines).jpg" caption="A Sipalay beach seashore"] ::

Airline company Air Juan offers services from Cebu, Iloilo and Puerto Princesa via the Sipalay Airport.

Tourism

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Sipalay_Resorts.jpg" caption="Top view image of Sipalay resorts"] ::

The city is known for its tourist destinations. An example of it is the now-defunct Maricalum Mining Corporation which happens to be one of the largest mining companies in the country. It now has a park dedicated for viewing the whole mine from atop.

It also boasts beautiful pristine beaches being a seaside city. Widely dubbed as the uncommercialized New Boracay of Negros, foreign and local tourists flock its beaches the whole year round not only for swimming but for diving as well.

Notable personalities

Main article: List of people from Negros Occidental

References

References

  1. {{DILG detail
  2. [https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1132518 Sipalay City allows resorts, hotels to operate at 100% capacity]. ''[[Philippine News Agency]]''. 2021.
  3. Delilan, Ambo. (August 5, 2025). "Spanish archive find may reshape Sipalay’s colonial history". [[Rappler]].
  4. (November 9, 1963). "Poll death toll now 30". The Manila Times Publishing Company, Inc..
  5. (1981). "History of the Municipality of Sipalay". Negros Occidental Historical Council.
  6. Nuyda, Doris G.. (1980). "The Beauty Book". Mr. & Ms. Publishing Company.
  7. Soriano, Antero F.. (January 6, 1988). "3 more bets slain; 2 others abducted". Standard Publications, Inc..
  8. Abbugao, Martin. (January 3, 1988). "New Year violence claims 26 lives in Philippines". [[United Press International.
  9. Tordesillas, Ellen. (March 27, 2010). "Sipalay candidates sign peace pact; acting mayor a no-show". [[Vera Files]].
  10. Sipalay City Tourism Pamphlet
  11. Marcelo, Elizabeth. (November 2, 2019). "Negros Occidental vice mayor gets 8 years for graft". Philstar Global Corp..
  12. Lalu, Gabriel Pabico. (January 15, 2020). "Sandiganbayan upholds guilty verdict vs ex-city mayor in Negros Occidental". INQUIRER.net.
  13. (October 28, 1955). "Padilla NP_DP candidate for mayor of Sipalay". The Manila Times Publishing Company, Inc..
  14. [[Philippine News Agency. (June 15, 1989). "... while Negros operations end and evacuees return home". Kagitingan Publications, Inc..
  15. Gomez, Carla P.. (March 27, 2007). "It's a family affair in Negros Occidental". The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc..
  16. Espina, Rolly. (November 24, 2009). "Pinoy CNN Hero of the Year". Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc..
  17. Canet, Carla N.. (December 5, 2019). "Exemplifying Sipalay's sustainable urban development". SunStar Publishing Inc..

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cities-in-negros-occidentalcomponent-cities-in-the-philippinespolitical-divisions-established-by-philippine-executive-order