Experience a happy blending of cosmopolitan and rustic lifestyle in Negros Island, the sugar capital island of the Philippines. The natural beauty of the island is its main attraction, with an active volcano dramatizing the skyline. Still comparatively unknown, Negros island is a great destination for those who wish to travel off the usual tourist track and is a nice island to live in. It's affordable and many places still to discover, has still the green and quiet places everywhere.
* Awards and Citations
BACOLOD CITY:
= 2008 Most Livable City of the Philippines.
= 2007 Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit in the Philippines.
= 2007 Outstanding City in Region 6 - 'Green Banner Award' Effective maintenance of clean and green surroundings.
= 2007 Outstanding Bacolod Business-support Organization.
= 2006 Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit, Visayas.
= 2006 Most Child-Friendly City - Regional Level.
= (INSUMIX) Feeding Program - finalist for Best Public Sector Projects 2005-2006.
= Awards of Excellence-One-Stop-Shop Operations, Permits & Licensing Division.
= 2005 AIM Awardee for Most Competitive City in the Country (Mid-Size Category).
= 2005 Apolinario Mabini Award for Most Disabled Friendly City.
= MassKara Festival as the Major Tourism Festival.
= 2nd Best Peace and Order Councils in the country, 2005.
SIPALAY CITY:
Awards received by the City Government of Sipalay Conferred by the Civil Service Commission, Regional Office No. 6, Iloilo City. Source: www.sipalaycity.gov.ph
= 2006 – Best Tourism Destination (Emerging) given by the Department of Tourism Region VI during the Western Visayas Tourism Excellence Awards.
= 2006 - 2 nd Place , Excellence in Governance (LGU Category). Acknowledging the city's tourism development project in its 1 st Regional Development Council VI Best Public Sector Projects 2005-2006.
= 2006 – GRAND WINNER in the Hiyas Ng Turismo, a nationwide search for new and undiscovered tourist destinations, conducted by the Women in Travel Manila in cooperation with the Department of Tourism.
= 2005 – TOP TAX PAYER of Revenue District Office No. 78, Binalbagan for taxable year 2004 given by BIR, Revenue Region 12.
= 2004 - OUTSTANDING ACHIEVER in the implementation of the Pabasa sa Nutrition2003 given by the Philippine Association of Nutrition, Inc.
= 2004 – ACTIVE PARTICIPANT , Philippines-Canada Local Government Support Program (LGSP) and for support on programs on poverty reduction and participatory governance in building sustainable communities given by the DILG, LGSP, & CIDA-ACDI.
= 2002 – FIRST RUNNER-UP , Search for Excellence in Disaster Management evaluated by the RDCC VI Regional Selection Committee given by the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council VI. (Regional Category).
= 1999 – MOST OUTSTANDING LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT in Western Visayas for exemplary performance in the fields of personnel records management and public personnel administration.
= 1998 - 2nd Place, Search for Healthy Market conducted in relation to the Philippine Health Promotion Program of Negros Occidental and 2005 - Active Supporter, Regional Sandugo of the DOH-CHD Western Visayas National Voluntary Blood Services Program given by DOH-Center for Health Development-WV.
= 1997 – EXCELLENCE AWARD in recognition of its exemplary performance and accomplishment in the fields of personnel records management and public personnel administration having adjudged as the Most Outstanding Municipal Government in Western Visayas from 1991-1993 & 1995.
=1991 to 1993 & 1995 – MOST OUTSTANDING MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT in Western Visayas in recognition and appreciation to the exemplary performance and accomplishment in the fields of personnel records management and public personnel administration. (Regional Category).
= 1995 – PAG-ASA AWARDEE – given by the Civil Service Commission, Manila to the Municipal Agriculture Office on September 16, 1995 at the Manila Hotel for spearheading environmental and livelihood projects such as Municipal Nursery, a seed production and tree park, and other agro-based projects. Such endeavors solved insufficiency or certified seeds and planting materials, promoted environmental awareness, significantly reduced unemployment and encouraged self-reliance among residents of Sipalay.
= 1990 & 1994 - MOST OUTSTANDING GOVERNMENT in the Province of Negros Occidental in recognition and appreciation to the exemplary performance and accomplishment in the fields of personnel records management and public personnel administration. (Municipal Category).
= 1982 to 1983 – 1 st PLACE, NUTRITION GREEN BANNER AWARD for efficiently implementing the 1981 and 1982 Municipal Nutrition Plans given by the Ministry of Agriculture, National Nutrition Council. (Provincial Category).
* Other Trivia
= Bacolod City - 2007-present billionaire's club in the Philippines.
= Sipalay City - Copper and Gold belt of Negros Island.
SO THIS IS the fabled Sugarlandia. This is where Negrenses had once lived as though in a dream, like Jay Gatsby, the lavish-liv¬ing, high-rolling protagonist from The Great Gatsby. Of course, the Negros Island that welcomed us had none of these excesses. Traces of gentility remain, though. The Negrenses welcome each guest like a friend. A singsong lilt in their voices hinted at their affectionate nature.
That Negrenses can easily mix business with leisure is a direct result of the province's major industry since the 19th century—sugarcane farming. Sugarcane (Saccharum Officinarum) is a cash crop that is easy to plant and over¬see. Farmhands work for only six to ten months a year. They harvest sugarcane stalks, load them onto a truck, and ship them out to mills for processing. They spend the lean months tending to other cottage industries.
Negrenses are regarded as affectionate, generous, fun loving people who enjoy the finer things in life and who definitely celebrate in style. Nights here come alive with the rows of clubs, videoke bars and restaurants which major line up at Lacson Street. La Salle Avenue, BS Aquino Drive, East Complex, and Goldenfields Commercial and Entertainment Complex. Whether one is hankering for chicken gizzard, feet, ass, leg or leeg, Manokan Country is the place to be. Eating chicken Negros-style means settling down in one of those formica tables,sprinkling your hot rice with salt and achuete oil, and dipping your favorite chicken part in a sawsawan of soy sauce, vinegar, siling labuyo or what-have-you.
