Tanjay City

Infobox Philippine city
infoboxtitle = Tanjay City
sealfile =
locatormapfile = Ph_locator_negros oriental_tanjay.png caption = Map of Negros Oriental showing the location of Tanjay.
region = Central Visayas (Region VII)
province = Negros Oriental
barangays = 24
class = 5th class
mayor = Hon. Lawrence Teves y Solis
cityhood = April 1, 2001
areakm2 = 478.30
pop2000 = 70,169
popden2000 = 147
coordinates =

Tanjay City is a 5th class city in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 70,169 people in 14,156 households. It has a land area of 478.30 km².

Barangays

Tanjay City is politically subdivided into 24 barangays.

* Azagra * Bahi-an * Luca * Manipis * Novallas * Obogon * Pal-ew * Poblacion I (Barangay 1) * Poblacion II (Barangay 2) * Poblacion III (Barangay 3) * Poblacion IV (Barangay 4) * Poblacion V (Barangay 5)

* Poblacion VI (Barangay 6) * Poblacion VII (Barangay 7) * Poblacion VIII (Barangay 8) * Poblacion IX (Barangay 9) * Polo * San Isidro * San Jose * San Miguel * Santa Cruz Nuevo * Santa Cruz Viejo * Santo Niño * Tugas

History

eñor Santiago and Tanjay

The first map of the island, dated 1572 and chartered by Diego Lopez de Povedano identified it as Buglas, the native reference derived from the tall cane-like grass which ranged thick and persistent over the island. Here, in much earlier times, lived men whose relics and artifacts, dating back to 200-500 A.D. and the 12th century Sung Dynasty have turned up in recent excavations were said to have ventured perhaps in the area we now know as Tampi in Amlan. Here, in 1565, Esteban Rodriguez of the Legaspi expedition, caught by storm on his way back to Cebu from Bohol, sought refuge in the eastern shore of the island and came upon squat negroid inhabitants called ata, agta, or ati.

His report upon returning to Cebu prompted Fray Andres de Urdaneta to visit the island, landing in what is now Escalante in Negros Occidental. In the same year, Capitan Mateo de Cadiz led a small expedition which reached an area near Tanjay. Capitan Manuel de Loarca followed with a bigger expedition and force and proceeded to lay claim to what the Spaniards now call Negros. Both Diego Lopez de Povedano and Capitan Manuel de Loarca pointed to the Tanjay – Dumaguete area as the most densely-populated in the eastern half of the island. Tanjay, considered the more important settlement, was made the Administrative Capital of Oriental Negros. It however, remained under the jurisdiction of the province of Cebu. It was the first archdeacon of Cebu, Don Ferreira, who sent Fray Gabriel Sanchez and other Augustinian priests to the new territory. Thus in June 11, 1580, the mission of Tanjay was founded. It became the center of religious supervision for Dumaguete, Marabago (Bacong), Siaton and Manalongon.

From these few parishes along the coast, the priests administered the sacraments to the people in the hinterlands and served as mission to the wandering Malays, converting them to Christianity. Evangelization began very slowly because of the great distance over hills from one hut to another.

By 1587, the Augustinians had almost abandoned all mission in Oriental Negros due to lack of manpower. Evidence, however, points to a secular priest in-charge of the Parish of Tanjay before 1602. It was in 1600 that these missions regained pastoral attention when the Jesuits were assigned in Negros. The first priest of Tanjay, Fr. Diego Ferriera, was appointed in 1589. Tanjay parish, under the patronage of St. James the greater is the oldest in the Oriental coasts.

Parish of Tanjay

The Christian faith was brought to this part of Oriental Negros by the Augustinian Fathers. In the Definitorium dated June 11, 1580, it made mention of the foundation of the Parish of Tanjay, with the communities of Dumaguete, Siaton, Marabago (now Bacong) and Manalongon. Due to the lack of personnel on the part of the Augustinian Fathers, the spiritual care of this new foundation was entrusted to the care of the Diocesan Clergy of Cebu. This is why the reason Tanjay Parish became part of the Diocese of Cebu.

Later in the year 1851, at the request of the Bishop of Cebu, the Augustinian Recollect Fathers took over the spiritual care of the Parish and up to the time the diocesan clergy again took over. Then when the Diocese of Jaro was erected in 1865, Tanjay as part of Negros became part of the Diocese (since the whole Negros was made part of the new Diocese). And then, when the Diocese of Bacolod was erected in 1933, again, Tanjay became part of this new Diocese (since Oriental Negros and Siquijor were made part of the new Diocese). And in the year 1955, Tanjay became part of the Diocese of Dumaguete. Up to the present, it is still part of the Diocese of Dumaguete.

From the Parish of Tanjay, came later the following parishes: Dumaguete was separated in the year 1620; Amlan, in the year 1848; Siaton, in the year 1848; Bacong (Marabago), in the year 1849; San Jose (Ayuquitan), in the year 1895. And when Dumaguete became a Diocese, again two more parishes were taken from Tanjay: Pamplona, in the year 1960 and Sta. Cruz, in the year 1969.

World War 2

In 1942, Japanese Imperial forces landed in Tanjay.

In 1945, Filipino guerrillas fought the Japanese troops to liberate Tanjay.

External links

* [http://www.nscb.gov.ph/activestats/psgc/default.asp Philippine Standard Geographic Code]
* [http://www.t-macs.com/kiso/local/ 2000 Philippine Census Information]