Cauayan, Negros Occidental

cauayanNO
name = Cauayan
sealfile = Cauayan.jpg
pop2000rank = 88,610
landarea = 51,994
barangays = 25
mayor = John Rey M. Tabujara
vicemayor = Jerry M. Tabujara
locatormapfile = Ph_locator_negros occidental_cauayan.png festival = Lubay-lubay (January 25)
townhall = Cauayanfront.jpg
frombacolod = 113
region = Western Visayas (Reg. VI)
province = Negros Occidental
district = 6th District
class = 1st class municipality
rurur = Partially Urban
voters = 42,459
congressman = Genaro M. Alvarez Jr.
kagawad1 = Annaliza T. Soriano
kagawad2 = Henry S. Gregas
kagawad3 = Wilfredo A. Tortosa
kagawad4 = Ernie R. Magbanua
kagawad5 = Hernane M. Tabujara
kagawad6 = Virte M. Abad
kagawad7 = Macdoting L. Zafra
kagawad8 = Romulo L. Moncatar

Cauayan is a first class municipality in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. Located on the southern portion of the province, it is bounded on the east by the Municipality of Ilog; on the south by the Municipality of Candoni; on the west by the progressive mining City of Sipalay and on the north by the Panay Gulf with its bountiful fishing grounds.

It is within the latitudes nine (9) degrees 50 seconds to 10 degrees 00 seconds north and longitudes of 122 degrees to 43 seconds east.

History

Long before the Spaniards came to Negros, this town was a wilderness and primitive people depend on hunting and fishing for a living. The town was covered with bamboo thickets called "Kawayan" in the local dialect hence, the name Cauayan.

In 1822, Cauayan was formally founded by Don Vicente Paulo Decena, believed to have come from Cebu. He was enticed into Cauayan by the legendary beauty of a native girl who subsequently became his wife.

During the Spanish era, a seat for the municipal government was sought. Guiljungan, Cauayan and Isio were candidates but Isio prevailed as it was more populated. It got the honor of being the center of government although gobernadorcillos were accorded Cauayan and Guiljungan.

Not much progress happened to the town at that time since the Spanish rulers were reluctant to educate their subjects. Even if they built schools, only a few privileged were admitted to them. There were no roads and most people were required to render forced labor.

All these changed when the Americans came in 1904. The tribunal in Isio was shifted to Cauayan and this fostered development. The natives were taught modern ways to raise crops while schoolhouses, roads and bridges were constructed. Not even the Japanese occupation could disrupt the development of the town since then.

Today, Cauayan is known for its fine beaches, limestone and dried fish products.

Tourism

Tourism has recently picked up in the Cauayan Municipality, with its fine white sand beaches and diverse marine and wildlife.

Punta Bulata White Beach Resort, the most developed resort in the area, with an AA accreditation from the Department of Tourism, has seen tourists from all parts of the world who come to relax, bask in the tropical atmosphere and enjoy the marine life that is one of the best in the country.

Danjugan Island Marine Reserve, a wildlife sanctuary in Brgy. Bulata is also one of the most recognized dive spots in the region. Once featured on the cover of Mabuhay Magazine, this island has one of the most diverse and highly dense coral life in the world, comparable to the Great Barrier Reef. Visitors may go for day-trips to the island with pre-arranged visits by contacting Danjugan Island or through Punta Bulata Resort.

Topography

The Municipality of Cauayan has a rugged topography. Mt. Malipantao, considered the highest peak in the province separates the municipality from the town of Candoni and the City of Sipalay. Portion of the ranges are the remaining thick forest that needs protection where the watershed is located. The remaining portions of the municipality are slightly rolling to moderate large areas of flat lands center on the different barrios, which is much suited to agriculture.

The municipality consists mainly of the following slope distribution:

From gently sloping at 0-3 percent or equivalent to 5,369.42 hectares to moderately sloping at 3-8 percent or a total of 1,059.40 hectares to rolling lands with slopes ranging from 8-18 percent which covers to about 1,716.94 hectares. Bigger portion is moderately steep with a slope distribution ranging from 18 to 30 percent having a total area of 19,419.42 hectares. However, large areas are steep and mountains with a slope 30 - 50 percent which accounts to 21,181.92 hectares and to very steep hills and mountains with a slope of over 50 percent which covers to about 3,246.90 hectares, Moderately large areas of flat land center on the different barrios. However, the southern part of the municipality is hilly. The Poblacion and the 12 barangays along the seashore are approximately 0 - 3 degrees above sea level.

Barangays

The Municipality of Cauayan is made up of 25 barangays and is categorized into two (2), the Coastal and the Upland Barangays.

Community Services

Health

The main concern of the Local Government Unit of Cauayan is the provision of adequate health facilities and services to its constituents. The Rural Health Unit (RHU) in the Poblacion is supported by 24 Barangay Health Stations and 22 sub-stations located in the different barangays. Complementing the health needs is the newly operated Cauayan District Hospital manage by the Local Government Unit located in Barangay "Isio". Services offered are as follows: medical consultation, maternal and child care, immunization, control of diarrheal diaseases, control of acute respiratory infection, family planning, nutrition, tuberculosis control, leprosy control, dental health, rabies control, malaria control, sexually transmitted diseases control, AIDS prevention, cancer control, dengue control, cardiovascular diseases prevention and control, prevention of blindness, environmental sanitation and care of the elderly.

ocial Welfare

The Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) is charged with the function of accelerating delivery of social services in the municipality. The target outreach for welfare services is generally classified as follows: "family heads", "children", "out-of-school youths", "disabled", "special groups", "distressed families" and "rebel returnees".

Services being implemented are as follows: Family Heads and Other Needy Adults (FHONA), Needy Chidren, Youth, Disabled/Elderly, Women, Distressed, Self-Employment Assistance Program, Day Care and Supplemental Feeding in the different Day Care Centers, Emergency Assistance (EA), Self-Employment Assistance (SEA), Relief Assistance, Responsible Parenthood/Pre-Marriage Counseling and the Specific Social Services like "Child Abuse", "Youthful Offender", "Peer Group Services", "Organization of Elderly Group", "Organization of Barangay Council for Protection of Children" and "Organization of Barangay Disaster Coordinating Council".

Peace and Order

The municipality police force has a total strength of 28 members that maintain the peace and order and in times of emergency cases. It is being complemented by the 4th Mobile Coy PNP or Provincial Mobile Group (PMG) in maintaining peace and order especially in the campaign against subversives and lawless elements in the town and nearby municipalities. This is further augmented by the 61st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army based in Barangay Tiling.

Infrastructure

The municipality could be reached through public utility buses and jeeps plying the route Bacolod-Cauayan-Sipalay-Hinoba-an with terminals in Bacolod City and sub-terminals in Kabankalan City on a scheduled basis. Transportation facilities plying the route from the City of Kabankalan to the different barangays and vice versa are public utility jeeps with terminals in other growth centers aside from Poblacion. There are about 525 unit of public tricycles being utilized for short distance travel.

The municipality has a total road length 298 kilometers. Of this, barangay roads constitute 70.57 percent or an aggregate of 210.29 kilometers. Most of the barangay roads are still unpaved with a total of 192.98 kilometers categorized under the gravel road surface. Only 2.31 kilometers and three (3) kilometers are of concrete and asphalt, respectively. Ranked next is the national road with a total of 64 kilometers or about 21.5 percent. Of the total, 62 kilometers are concrete asphalt and the remaining two (2) kilometers as concrete road surface. The provincial roads, on the other hand, comprise 20.5 kilometers or equivalent to only 6.9 percent of the total road length where 17 kilometers are still classified under the gravel road surface. The municipal roads represent about 1.1 percent or a total of 3.21 kilometers are all of concrete surface and basically servicing the urban center with a total projected population of 7,096.

As to telephone services, the municipality has no land line connections. The only available facilities are the two (2) telephone franchise holders or public calling offices namely: Philippine Long Distance Telephone Office - (PLDT-PCO) and Bayan Telephone Services.

Mailing services is mainly handled by the Bureau of Posts which is headed by a Postmaster and two (2) postmen. Other telecommunication services are the Municipal Radio Station and the PC/PNP Radio Station with their citizens band radio operated by the Office of the Mayor and the PC/PNP, respectively. The former is engaged in communication services to and from the provincial offices and other municipal offices while the latter specializes in communication services directly related to peace and order radio messages.

One of the major source of power is the Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (NOCECO), which started providing electric power in September 1982. It only covers six (6) barangays however, with the increasing number of population, the demand for electric power is also increasing. As a result, out of 25 barangays, 23 are already energized. The remaining two (2) barangays settled down to kerosene, which is still widely used by the remaining 73 percent of the total number of potential consumers who are not served by the electric cooperative.

There are two (2) levels of water supply in the municipality namely: a) Level I - refers to point sources of water such as wells, springs and rain collector and b) Level II - refers to communal faucet systems. The municipality is deficient in the point of piped potable water available for residential and commercial purposes.

There are 18 existing waterworks system under Level II water system found in 18 barangays where one (1) faucet in every clustered of houses or a total of 386 faucets. Except for Barangay Inayawan that is being operated by the cooperative, the rest are being managed by the Barangay Council. Since the municipality is still generally rural, the local waterworks system uses communal faucets where houses are densely clustered enough to justify a piped distribution system providing a number of households with faucets. In other barangays, household consumers paid a flat rate bill at a minimum of P10.00 per month while others operated their water system for free.

Education

The municipality is divided into two (2) school districts, Cauayan I and Cauayan II which offer complete elementary and secondary education. Coupled with this, it also offers non-formal education to out-of-school youths. There are in the municipality 62 elementary schools, 31 schools have complete elementary education and the remaining 30 schools only catered to primary education. From these 62 elementary schools, 21 are located along the highway and some are near the seacoast while the rest are widely scattered in the mountainous area of the municipality.

For secondary education, there are three (3) barangay high schools and three (3) private secondary schools.

To further provide the educational and/or tertiary needs of the Cauayanons, the municipal government through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), the Negros Occidental Agriculture College (NOAC) now Negros Occidental State College of Agriculture (NESCA) - Cauayan Campus was officially opened last June 8, 1999.

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]
* [http://elgu.ncc.gov.ph/ Local Government Unit]