Provincial Profile
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NEGROS ORIENTAL is mostly about nature and people. Occupying a modest southeast fraction of Negros Island, its 5,402.30 square kilometers nonetheless constitute the largest land area of the Central Visayas provinces and provide 60% of Region VII's total forest cover. Its coastline is a tropical fringe, in most places just a short walk up into green mountain.NEGROS ORIENTAL has five component cities: CANLAON, BAIS, BAYAWAN, TANJAY, and the capital, DUMAGUETE. There are seventeen coastal towns: BACONG, DAUIN, ZAMBOANGUITA, SIATON, STA. CATALINA, and BASAY south of the capital; SIBULAN, SAN JOSE, AMLAN, MANJUYOD, BINDOY, AYUNGON, TAYASAN, JIMALALUD, LA LIBERTAD, GUIHULNGAN, and VALLEHERMOSO in the north; and thre interior towns, VALENCIA, PAMPLONA, and MABINAY.
There is at least one town or city fiesta every month, and just as many festival. Given 1,126,061 gentle and welcoming people who have a penchant for celebrating their heritage of faith, fun and fellowship with enthusiam, NEGROS ORIENTAL is a refreshing destination with a great variety of delightful charms, in nature and people.
WEATHER. The province bask outside the typhoon belt. Weather is generally fair most of the year.
TRANSPORTATION. Daily Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific flights about an hour from Manila. Major passenger ships and fast ferries call regularly at the Dumaguete port. Nine smaller seaports accommodate more light crafts. Buses link the towns and cities, with exits north and south to neighboring Negros Occidental. Pedicab, taxicabs, and multicabs ply short distance routes.
LANGUAGE. Bisaya is the most common vernacular. Tagalog and Hiligaynon prevalent. English is widely spoken.
ELECTRICAL POWER 220 volts. The Province's geothermal plant in Palimpinon, Valencia, also energizes provinces in the Visayas.
ECONOMY. Agriculture predominates, with sugar as top grosser. Also copra, rice, corn, vegetables and fruits, abaca and tobacco. Many varieties of fish, quantities of mussels and prawns. Livestock and poultry, food processing, pottery and brick making, culture of ornamentals and cut flowers, furniture and stone craft are major enterprises. Important cottage industries such as basketry, sinamay-weaving, buricraft, and decorative items. Some manufacturing and marked growth in merchandising.
DELICACIES. Popular items include the glutinous rice BUDBOD SA TANJAY, Dumaguete's millet BUDBUD KABUG and crackling pork CHICHARON, Bayawan's rice and coconut BAYE-BAYE, Sibulan's DRIED FRUITS, BAIS CITY's sun-crisped DANGGIT fish, Manjuyod's BISCOCHO DE CANA and luscious mangoes.