It is the fourth-largest island in the country, with a land area of 12,706 km² (4,905 square mi.). Negros is divided into two provinces: Negros oriental in the Central Visayas region and Negros Occidental, part of the Western Visayas region. This division of the island, which roughly follows the mountain range in the center of the island, corresponds to the two ethnoliguistic groups in this part o
f the country. The western part (Occidental) is where the Illongo or Hiligaynon peaking Negrenses are located, and the eastern portion (Oriental) is home to the Cebuano speaking population. Historically, Negros Oriental has a rich history of the bourgeois and the élite, as well as those descended/related to Spanish nobility. The landed hacenderos of the island, which includes Negros Occidental, often keep track of each other, attend each other's parties, and intermarry. They may have different "kingdoms"—the Bais-Tanjay-Dumaguete-Pamplona families, the Victorias-Cadiz-Sagay families, the Bayawan-Santa Catalina-Basay-Sipalay families, the Kabankalan-Ilog-Himamaylan families, the Canlaon-Guihulngan-Vallehermoso-San Carlos families, the Bacolod-La Carlota-Silay-Talisay families—but most are sugar barons welded together by common crop, a shared fortune, as well as accidents of history. People in Manila may not recognize that the "true-blue high society" they know there actually spring from four very interconnected points of the Visayas—Iloilo, Bacolod, Bais-Tanjay, and Cebú.The famous family in the Sugar Industry of Negros are the Álvarez, Montilla, de López*****, Lopez, L'huiller***, Villanueva, Preysler****, del Prado*, Arroyo, Abellò*, Larena*, Lizares, Ledesma, Teves**, de Villegas*****, Montenegro*, Osmeña, de Vicente*, Romero*, de García*, Garcia, and Araneta.
* of Spanish descent
o used to hold Latifúndias or be Latifunderos
+ French descent
# German descent, Spanish intermarriage
* related to/descended from members of Spanish nobility
Dumaguete, Negros Oriental is unusual in its strong American influence that has produced an upper/upper middle class of mostly non-Spanish stock (including those with Chinese roots) who hold great sway in local things political, social, economic, and cultural development .The Spanish traditionally contributed to local high society was their sense of fabulous fiesta, especially during "Sipong", their annual celebration of harvest, a fête that ran from Vallehermoso, Bais to Tanjay to the seaside houses along Rizal Ave in the famous Boulevard. What the Americans brought with them was a sense of high culture, and that was when Negros learned to appreciate Shakespearean plays, operas, dances,party and concerts
How to travel to Negros island
How to get there
The gateway to Negros Occidental, Bacolod City is 55 minutes from Manila by air, with Philippine Airlines, Air Philippines and Cebu Pacific Air providing daily flights. Bacolod is 30 minutes from Cebu City by air, with daily flights provided by Philippine Airlines on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday and Cebu Pacific Air on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. t is an 18-hour cruise from Manila aboard world class vessels of Negros Navigation Company and SuperFerry. Aboard fast sea crafts, Bacolod is one-hour from Iloilo City. By land-and-sea travel, it is 7-hour from Cebu City. Terminals for buses plying northern and southern Negros Occidental are located within Bacolod City.
