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Sipalay, officially known as the City of Sipalay (Hiligaynon: Dakbanwa/Syudad sang Sipalay; Tagalog: Lungsod ng Sipalay; Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Sipalay), is a 4th class component city in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 72,448 people. [3] It is the top tourist destination in the province of Negros Occidental.[5]

Sipalay
Component city
City of Sipalay
Sipalay Beach
Flag Seal
Nickname:  "The Jewel of the Sugar Island"
Motto:  "Ugyon Sipalaynon"
Map of Negros Occidental with Sipalay highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Sipalay Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 9°45′N 122°24′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Western Visayas
Province	Negros Occidental
District	6th district
Founded	December 20, 1948
Cityhood	March 31, 2001
Barangays	17 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Panlungsod
• Mayor	Maria Gina M. Lizares
• Vice Mayor	Oscar C. Montilla Jr.
• Representative	Mercedes K. Alvarez
• City Council	Members Genaro G. Alvarez IV Dennis V. Galvan Leslie C. Alejano Ulysses C. Hisona Jonathan G. Eran Rome A. Vargas Ellaine Pearl M. Garinganao Janewill L. Selga Claudio P. Bacatan Crisostomo C. Campillanos Jr.
• Electorate	49,287 voters (2019)
Area [2]
• Total	379.78 km2 (146.63 sq mi)
Elevation	74 m (243 ft)
Highest elevation	549 m (1,801 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2020 census) [3]
• Total	72,448
• Density	190/km2 (490/sq mi)
• Households	28,348
Economy
• Income class	4th city income class
• Poverty incidence	23.53% (2018)[4]
• Revenue	₱787,179,675.24 (2020)
• Assets	₱2,213,879,465.59 (2020)
• Expenditure	₱644,582,229.40 (2020)
• Liabilities	₱565,993,151.16 (2020)
Service provider
• Electricity	Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (NOCECO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	6113
PSGC	064527000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)034
Native languages	Hiligaynon Tagalog Cebuano
Website	www.sipalaycity.gov.ph

History

Sipalay 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.

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.

Cityhood

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.[6]

Geography

Sipalay's distance from Bacolod is 170 kilometres (110 mi), almost a four-hour drive by public utility vehicle and over three hours by private car. 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 City via Hinoba-an.

Barangays

Sipalay City is politically subdivided into 17 barangays.

Climate

Demographics

Population census of Sipalay

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1960	20,325	—
1970	34,771	+5.51%
1975	45,773	+5.67%
1980	51,264	+2.29%
1990	61,892	+1.90%
1995	63,960	+0.62%
2000	62,063	−0.64%
2007	67,211	+1.11%
2010	67,403	+0.10%
2015	70,070	+0.74%
2020	72,448	+0.66%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [8] [9] [10][11]

Major languages are Hiligaynon, followed by Cebuano with English and Tagalog being used as second languages.

Economy

Infrastructure

Transportation

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

Tourism

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.

References

External links

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

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