Bayawan City

Bayawan used to be known as New Tolong, and only had its modern name starting 1952.Bayawan City has two distinct climate seasons: the dry season, well pronounced in the months of January to May; and the wet season, in the months of June to December.Bayawan became a chartered city in December 2000. It boasts its distinction as a “Character City” (International Association of Character Cities) and a pioneer “Healthy City” (DOH certified) in the Philippines. Recently, the Asian Institute of Management recognized the city as “one of the Top 10 Best Cities to Live In in the Philippines (Small Cities Category)” under its Competitive Cities Survey 2007.The town is home to the Minagahat language, the indigenous language of Southern Negros as listed by Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino. The language is vital to the culture and arts of the people of southern Negros.

festival

Bayawon City is very well known for their Tawo-tawo Festival, also known as the Scarecrow Festival,which the people of Bayawan annually celebrate on the 18th of February. They give honor and praise to their city patron saint Santo Tomas Villanueva as they celebrate this festival. The Tawo-tawo Festival focuses on the great difference the tawo-tawo has brought the city after driving the crows away. During the days,The crows were the worst enemy of farmers especially in the city of Bayawan. These crows or Maya bird destroy crops and steal the harvest of the farmers, causing shortage of food supplies. Not long the crows caused a great famine that wiped away a great number of people.When all hope was almost lost, a sign appeared in the skies and gave hope and faith to the town’s people. With deep determination and high intelligence, the religious town folks took the sign and thought of a way to drive the crows away.After successfully defeating the crows the people of Bayawan honored a dance or festival to celebrate the new change the tawo-tawo caused the city. This dance later on became part of a great culture portraying the rich history of the Tawo-Tawo to Bayawan City.After successfully defeating the crows the people of Bayawan honored a dance or festival to celebrate the new change the tawo-tawo caused the city. This dance later on became part of a great culture portraying the rich history of the Tawo-Tawo to Bayawan City.Due to the tawo-tawo the people of Bayawan resumed their abundant harvest every year making them rich in resources and supplies. To show the rise of economy and their resources the dancers use props of basket with supplementary vegetables and crops to add a more appealing view to the festival.

population

Bayawan, officially the City of Bayawan, or simply Bayawan City, is a 2nd class city in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 117,900 people.

Bayawan is located about 100 kilometres (62 mi) from the Dumaguete City, the provincial capital and near the provincial border with Negros Occidental. It is a coastal city with a land area of 69,908 hectares (172,750 acres), the largest in the province. Mabinay bounds it to the north, Tanjay City and Bais City to the east, Sta. Catalina to the southeast and Basay to the west and it also shares a boundary with Kabankalan City of Negros Occidental on the northwest.

Barangays:

• Ali-is
• Banaybanay
• Banga
• Villasol (Bato)
• Boyco
• Bugay
• Cansumalig
• Dawis
• Kalamtukan
• Kalumboyan
• Malabugas
• Mandu-ao
• Maninihon
• Minaba
• Nangka
• Narra
• Pagatban
• Poblacion
• San Jose
• San Miguel
• San Roque
• Suba (poblacion)
• Tabuan
• Tayawan
• Tinago (poblacion)
• Ubos (poblacion)
• Villareal
• San Isidro