Brief History
Kabankalan was inhabited by numerous hill tribes scattered along the banks of the Hilabangan River, which stretches from the mountain ranges toward the lowlands in Ilog. The hill tribes belonged to the Aeta and the Indones groups who came earlier than the Malays of Ilog. Apart from this, however, little is known of the people living in the area of what is known today as Kabankalan.
The first settlers of the town were people who migrated from nearby towns and nearby provinces across the sea.
A small settlement was founded by Leocadio Tayum from Tigbauan, Iloilo who discovered a place thickly populated with “Bangkal” trees, hence, the name Kabankalan.
- 1565 – The Spaniards arrived in Negros Island in 1565 and started bringing the Christian message to hill tribes.
- 1566 – The Christianization of Negros Island began with the foundation of the missions of Binalbagan
- 1566 – The Christianization of Negros Island began with the foundation of the missions of Binalbagan (1575), Tanjay (1580), and Ilog (1584) by the Augustinian missionaries. At about this time, the Spaniards organized the barangays into political units and only Christian tribes joined the original three barangays.
- 1622 – At the request of Bishop Pedro de Arce of Cebu, the Augustinian Recollects came to evangelize Negros. The spiritual administration of Binalbagan including that of Kabankalan was ceded to them.
- 1630 – When the mission of Ilog was turned over to the Jesuits, it had four towns with Ilog being the chief town. The next town as Kabankalan, which was recorded in a document in 1630 as the center of the encomienda of Admiral Cristobal de Lugo y Montalvo. The third town was either Jima or Sima, and the fourth was probably Su-ay (in Himamaylan). One of the Jesuits who served Kabankalan was Father Esteban Jayme.
- 1638 – The Recollects left Negros for Romblon and the convent of Binalbagan was entrusted to the Jesuits.
- 1769 – After the expulsion of the Jesuits from the Philippines in 1767, the Dominican missionaries came to continue the spiritual administration of Negros with Father Manuel Diez assigned in Kabankalan.
- 1830– The Capitanes of the three barangays, Polito Moreno, Vicente Rojas, and Mariana Vingal, petitioned the government to transfer their barangays located at the Hilabangan River area to the area of Orong, where they established a small town. They elected Señor Leocadio Tayum y Gregorio, as their new head.
- 1838 – To bring other tribes to live in the town around the church and convent, the government continued a pacification campaign from 1838 to 1855.
- 1848 – The Recollects took over the spiritual administration of Negros. The parishes of Amian, Siaton, Kabankalan, and Himamaylan were the first four parishes in Negros to be turned over to the Recollects.
- 1856 – Five hundred commissaries and policemen of Governor Emilio Saravia who were stationed at the town’s poblacion attacked Manyabog’s stronghold “made of tree trunk” at Carol-an. Manyabog and his men held ground and endured the Spanish artillery for a long time until a stray bullet claimed the life of Manyabog. Seeing their leader killed, Manyabog’s men set themselves and their houses on fire, committing mass-suicide, as they preferred death over subjugation by Spanish forces. The “Carol-an Tragedy”, as it is known today, is considered one of the most unfortunate and saddest tragedies in the annals of Kabankalan’s history. Three hundred of Manyabog’s men were killed while only seven were killed on the opposite side.
- 1890 – Two years after Negros was made a politico (military province) in 1855, the idea of dividing the island came up due to the concentration of decision making in Bacolod, which made communication and movement more difficult. The island was politically divided on January 1, 1890.
- 1898 – Prior to the actual revolt in 1898, clandestine activities had already been in the offing as leaders of the revolution such as Aniceto Lacson joined the Katipunan and others arming themselves. By mid-1896, arms were unloaded in Binicuil for the hacienderos of Kabankalan, Ilog, Su-ay, and Cauayan, but they refrained from joining the revolt knowing that they were not prepared and had little chance of victory. It was not until November 7, 1898 that Kabankalan took up arms after Bacolod was taken over from the Spanish authorities. The Cantonal Republic of Negros was declared on November 5, 1898.
- 1903 – On April 2, 1903, the Philippine Commission passed Act No. 716, which reduced the thirty-four (34) municipalities of the Province of Negros Occidental to twenty-one (21) whereby the municipality of Kabankalan was annexed to Ilog.
- 1907 – On February 13, 1907, the Pulahanes burned several houses and haciendas. Despite these acts, Kabankalan became strong and prosperous enough to earn recognition from the Insular Government.
- 1907 – On March 14, 1907, the Philippine Commission passed Act No. 1612, which increased the number of municipalities of the Province of Negros Occidental from twenty-one (21) to twenty-two (22), separating Kabankalan from Ilog.
- 1908 – Lorenzo D. Zayco was elected Municipal President in a special election and took his oath of office, along with other elected officials on January 2, 1908. Bonifacio Grande was elected Vice President, while elected council members included Alejo Coloso, Marshal Garcia, Manuel Garanchon, Leoncio Entierro, Sabas Gariando, Lino Garde, Lope Manlapao, Peralta Hervacio Torre, and Gualberto Monteclaro.
- Pre-War – Pre-war Kabankalan saw the emergence of the sugar industry. Sugar mills (muscovado) were put up in Hacienda Bearin and Hacienda San Isidro.
- World War II – Kabankalan was made a garrison town by Japanese Imperial Forces who destroyed sugar mills, demolished school buildings, razed houses to the ground, and wreaked havoc to local livelihood.
- Post Liberation Era – Post-war era efforts concentrated on rehabilitation, which were purely self-help.
- One of these efforts was the founding of the Negros Occidental National Agricultural School (NONAS) in 1948 at Barangay Camingawan, which spurred agricultural activities in the eastern section of the town and with the establishment of the National Agricultural Resettlement and Rehabilitation Administration (NARRA), in the 1950’s at Barangay Tabugon, which assisted farmers in the western section of the town.
- This era also saw the establishment of new sugar mills as the so-called “sugar-rush” in Negros Occidental prompted capitalists to put up the Southern Negros Development Corporation (SONEDCO) in the late 60’s and the Dacongcogon Rice and Sugar Mill, Inc. (DRSMI) in the early 70’s, which provided milling factories to sugar farmers within the town and motivated these farmers to expand their land dedicated to sugar production. This positioned Kabankalan at the crossroads of agro-industrial development and making it a hub of business and trade in Southern Negros.
- At about this time, other religious groups and denominations had already established churches around the town and, in some instances, to far-flung barrios.
- 1997 – On August 2, 1997, Kabankalan was made the 8th city of Negros Occidental and 69th in the Philippines by virtue of Republic Act 8297, which was signed into law by President Fidel V. Ramos on June 6, 1997. Isidro P. Zayco was elected as the first city mayor.
- Today – Since its townhood in 1907 and cityhood in 1997, Kabankalan has made dramatic leaps towards becoming the most progressive and fastest-growing city in the province of Negros Occidental.
- It has also become one of the most competitive, most bankable, cleanest, and most livable cities in the island through good, transparent governance, and sound fiscal management.
- The City’s growth and development are also fueled by the continuous creation of MSMEs, the branch location of big businesses such as Jollibee, McDonalds, and Mercury Drug, and the establishment of shopping centers such as Lopue’s Department Store, Gaisano Mall, CityMall, and the upcoming Robinsons Mall.
- At the same time, more and more banks put up shop in the city. With only a rural bank serving the credit and savings needs of the town in the 60’s, Kabankalan now boasts of numerous banks and other financial institutions such as Philippine National Bank (PNB), Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), and Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).
- The SONEDCO sugar mill is also presently upgrading its milling capacity from 4,000 tons of sugarcanes per day to 9,000 tons, in addition to the establishment of a sugar refinery and an ethanol plant.
- Finally, to further boost its potential for growth, the city aims to complete its airport in Barangay Hilamonan. With this airport, more investments are expected to flow into the city through the location of manufacturing industries, IT-BPO industries, and tourism-related industries.
Municipal Capitanes, Presidents, and Mayors of Kabankalan
Kabankalan has been led by numerous leaders throughout the years. It had 33 Municipal Capitanes from 1830 to 1893 and 23 Municipal Presidents or Mayors from 1894 to 2018, including those who were appointed, who became mayors by succession, and who served as OIC.
Table. Municipal Capitanes
| Year(s) | Name |
| 1830 | Don Leocadio Tayum |
| 1831 | Don Geronimo Repique |
| 1932-1833 | Don Leocadio Tayum |
| 1834 | Don Felipe Rojas |
| 1835 | Don Leocadio Tayum |
| 1836 | Don Francisco Sumael |
| 1837 | Don Leocadio Tayum |
| 1838 | Don Pedro Limaco |
| 1839 | Don Leocadio Tayum |
| 1840 | Don Juan Carbonel |
| 1841 | Don Leocadio Tayum |
| 1842 | Don Antonio Tejada |
| 1843 | Don Baltazar Moreño |
| 1844 | Don Manuel Muleta |
| 1845 | Don Mariano Lazaro |
| 1846 | Don Leocadio Tayum |
| 1847 | Don Clemente Ramos |
| 1848 | Don Esteban Reyes |
| 1849 | Don Leocadio Tayum |
| 1850 | Don Antonio Apla-on |
| 1851 | Don Frnacisco Seron |
| 1852-1853 | Don Leocadio Tayum |
| 1854 | Don Simeon Muleta |
| 1855 | Don Gabriel Reyes |
| 1856 | Don Juan Cordero |
| 1857 | Don Pantaleon Moreño |
| 1858 | Don Gabriel Moreño |
| 1859 | Don Felipe Apla-on |
| 1860 | Don Andres Tolog |
| 1861 | Don Florentino Barile |
| 1862 | Don Guillermo Ramos |
| 1863-1864 | Don Bernaldo Rojas |
| 1864-1866 | Don Santiago Ababao |
| 1867-1868 | Don Miguel Moreño |
| 1869-1870 | Don Carlos Roa |
| 1871-1872 | Don Aquilino Lirazan |
| 1873-1874 | Don Rafael Fernandez |
| 1875-1878 | Don Aquilino Lirazan |
| 1879-1880 | Don Maximiano Guanzon |
| 1881-1882 | Don Alejo Coloso |
| 1883-1886 | Don Maximiano Guanzon |
| 1887-1888 | Don Mateo Seron |
| 1889-1890 | Don Aquilino Lirazan |
| 1891 | Don Hilario Cordova |
| 1892-1893 | Don Maximiano Guanzon |
| 1894 | -1897 | Don Alejo Coloso |
| 1898 | Don Maximiano Guanzon | |
| 1899 | -1900 | Don Alejo Coloso |
| 1901 | -1904 | Capitan Lorenzo Zayco (Appointed) |
| 1904 | -1905 | Don Andres Paglomutan |
| 1905 | -1907 | Hon. Valentin Inventor (Appointed) |
| 1906 | -1907 | Don Severo Alejano |
| 1908 | -1912 | Capitan Lorenzo Zayco (Elected) |
| 1913 | -1916 | Hon. Felix Rubin |
| 1916 | -1918 | Capitan Lorenzo Zayco |
| 1919 | -1921 | Hon. Ricardo Rubin |
| 1922 | -1925 | Hon. Gerardo Rivera |
| 1925 | -1931 | Hon. Norberto Cordova |
| 1931 | -1935 | Hon. Federico Guanzon |
| 1935 | -1937 | Hon. Ricardo Bañares |
| 1938 | – May 1946 | Hon. Norberto Cordova |
| Jun 1946 – 1947 | ||
| 1947 -1953 | Hon. Ricardo Bañares |
| 1953 -1955 | Hon. Celestino Garcia (Succession) |
| 1956 -1959 | Hon. Celestino Garcia |
| 1960 -1963 | Hon. Sofronio Cordova |
| 1964 -1965 | Hon. Celestino Garcia |
| 1966 -1967 | Hon. Estaquio Daclan (Succession) |
| 1968 -1971 | Hon. Pablo G. Sola |
| 1971 – Mar 10, 1982 | Hon. Pablo G. Sola |
| Mar 11, 1982 – Apr 1986 | Hon. Edwin G. Perez (Succession) |
| Apr 8, 1986 – Dec 1, 1987 | Hon. Ernesto J. Tingson (OIC) |
| Dec 1987-Jan 17, 1988 | Hon. Jose G. Martir, Municipal Administrator (Appointed) |
| Jan 18, 1988 – May 1992 | Hon. Julieta C. Salgado |
| Jun 1992 – Jun 1995 | Hon. Isidro P. Zayco |
| Jun 1995 – Jun 1998 | Hon. Isidro P. Zayco |
| Jun 1998 – Jun 2001 | Hon. Isidro P. Zayco |
| July 2001-June 2004 | Hon. Pedro P. Zayco, Jr. |
| July 2004 – June 2007 | Hon. Pedro P. Zayco, Jr. |
| July 2007 – June 2010 | Hon. Pedro P. Zayco, Jr. |
| July 2010 –June 2013 | Hon. Isidro P. Zayco |
| July 2013 – June 2016 | Hon. Isidro P. Zayco |
| July 2016 – June 2019 | Hon. Isidro P. Zayco |
| June 2019 – 2022 | Hon. Pedro P. Zayco, Jr. |
| July 2022 – to date | Hon. Benjie M. Miranda |