BAGO CITY

The Home of Historical and Natural

Treasures

Presented By: Aguisanda, Shiela Mae G.

Tubongbanua, John Mark
BEED-3A
 The History of the Name
“Bago City”
How did Bago City got its name ?
According to the Spanish historian Diego Lope de Povedano’s manuscript
which is found in the library of the University of San Carlos, Cebu City, the
community was named after a large tree called Bago under which, a
native prince by the name of Mapagic died.

 Another historical version, the place got its name from a shrub called
bago-bago which was then growing luxuriantly along the river banks.
 At the early part of 17 century, a group of settlers came from Panay
crossed the Guimaras Strait and migrated to Negros. They settled along
the banks of Bago River. Their arrival resulted into a sizable village
capable of self-governance.

 In later years, the settlers decided to petitioned to the Spanish authorities to

declare their village a pueblo or town and to name it “ Bago”. The petitioners
namely as Manuel Sitchon, Grenorio Varela, Paulino Torres, Jacinto Araneta,
Clemente Celis, Mariano Gonzaga, and Fernando Villanueva.
 The conversion of the town to a city

 In the year 1800, a group of settlers came from Panay petitioned to

Spanis Authority. The Spanish authorities granted it thus Bago officially
attained the status of a pueblo or town and called it Bago in the year
1800 as well.

 In February 19, 1966
Bago City was finally granted its cityhood  by virtue of Republic Act No. 4382 written by Senator Ramon T
orres a Bago native with his nephew Hon. Manuel Y. Torres as the hold-over City Mayor until 1998.
 Their petition was granted by the Spanish authorities in the year 1800;
thus Bago officially attained the status of a pueblo or town and called it
Bago in the year 1800 as well.

 After many years, Bago was officially called Bago City on February 19,
1966.
 Significant Events that Took Place
in the Bago City

1. Negros Revolution against the Spanish colonizers on November

5, 1898. It is popularly known as the Cinco de noviembre
or Negros Day.
 Chronicle of Revolution

November 3, 1898

 Negrense revolutionaries in Iloilo agreed that the revolt would begin on November 3, 1898. It was to be led
by Aniceto Lacson with Nicolás Gólez of Silay City as deputy commander. South of Bacolod, the revolt
was to be led by Juan Araneta of Bago with Rafael Ramos of Himamaylan City as deputy commander. A
committee headed by Lacson and acting for the province included Gólez, Leandro Locsin and Melecio
Severino assembled and decided to begin the revolt on November 5. They then advised Juan Araneta of
their decision to begin their revolution on the said day.
 November 4, 1898

Juan Araneta, from one of his haciendas in Ma-ao, advised all the southern mayors to begin
the revolt the following day. In the afternoon, a woman from Kabankalan Norte (the
present-day barrio of Eustaquio López) in Silay told priest Tomás Cornago of the impending
revolt, even though the planning for the same was held secretly. He inquired of his friend,
Doroteo Quillama, cabeza of the barrio, seeking to verify the report. The cabeza claimed no
knowledge of the revolt. That same afternoon, groups of armed men passed
the haciendas of Silay, and proceeded towards the town. The guardia civil in Silay were,
however, unable to report this to Bacolod; the rebels had cut the telegraph lines in Talisay
the day before.
November 5, 1898

The revolt began in central and northern Negros in the morning and by the afternoon had
spread to other towns such as San Miguel and Cadiz. In Silay, Lt. Maximiano Correa,
commanding the Spanish garrison, had ten Spanish cazadores (light infantry) and seven
Filipino civil guards. They were entrenched inside the municipal building, but surrendered
without a fight when they realized that the townspeople were determined to burn the
building to the ground should there be resistance. The Silay parish priest, Eulogio Sáez, a
businessman named Juan Viaplana, and José Ledesma persuaded the Spanish forces to lay
down their arms, but in order to save face, the lieutenant had it appear in the official
records that the capitulation was the result of a bloody battle with "dead and wounded
littered all over the field of battle". Ten Mauser and seven Remington rifles were
surrendered by the garrison. Later, a flag similar to the design of the Filipino flag
 embroidered by Olympia Severino, Perpetua Severino and Eutropia Yorac was hoisted by
the victorious townspeople.
In Bacolod, the governor of the province, Isidro de Castro, sent a force of
25 cazadores and 16 civil guards to engage a swarm of rebels seen camping near the
Matab-ang River. After a brief skirmish, they withdrew, leaving two of their number dead.
The governor decided to make a stand in the Bacolod Convent (presently the Bishop's
Palace, the rectory of the San Sebastian Cathedral), where hundreds of Spanish families
had taken refuge. They waited for the attack, but it did not come.
 November 6, 1898

In the morning, the rebels advanced upon Bacolod. Lacson and Gólez approached from the north, crossing the
Mandalagan River. Araneta with a thousand bolo-men took positions at the Lupit River in the south-east of
Bacolod. The wily revolutionaries augmented their lightly armed forces with "cannon" made of bamboo and
rolled amakan, and "rifles" carved out of wood and coconut fronds. The bluff worked; de Castro was persuaded
that it was useless to defend the capital.
José Ruiz de Luzuriaga, a rich businessman who was deemed acceptable to both rebels and Spanish authorities
was sent to mediate. At noon, a delegation from each of the major belligerents met at the house of Luzuriaga. The
rebel delegation included Lacson, Araneta, Gólez, Locsín, Simeón Lizares, Julio Díaz, and José Montilla. In an hour,
it was agreed by both sides that "Spanish troops both European and native surrendered the town and its defenses
unconditionally, turning over arms and communication" and that "public funds would be turned over to the new
government".
November 6, 1898, therefore, is the day that the revolution in Negros concluded. : 476 
The Spanish signatories of the surrender document included Isidro de Castro, Braulio Sanz, Manuel Abenza,
Ramón Armada, Emilio Monasterio and Domingo Ureta. Those who signed for the Negros revolutionary forces
were Aniceto Lacson, Juan Araneta, Leandro Locsin, Simeón Lizares, Julio Díaz, and José Montilla.
Forty-seven eminent Negrenses formulated and ratified a constitution to create a new republic. Signatories
included among others Aniceto Lacson, Juan Araneta, Simeón Lizares, Antonio L. Jayme, Eusebio Luzuriaga,
Nicolas Gólez, Agustín Amenabar, Rafael Ramos and Rosendo Lacson.
 Significant Experiences

Spanish Period

 Bago had its beginning on September 6, 1571 when the Spanish Adelantado, Miguel Lopez de
Legaspi, granted the place as encomienda to a Spaniard named Juan Gutierrez Cortes. The
encomiendero of that time administered to the spiritual and socio-economic needs of the natives
in the settlements.

 In 1575, the community was placed under the evangelical visitations of Father Geronimo Marin, an
Augustinian priest, who had been taking charge of the Christianization of the natives in Binalbagan
since 1572. Father Marin, upon his arrival in the community, celebrated the feast of St. John the
Baptist, who would later become the patron saint of the place.
 Between the years 1800 and 1898, the inhabitants of Bago were among those who suffered tremendously
under the Spanish tyranny, injustice and oppression. This social condition finally led to a great revolt on
November 5, 1898.
 American Period

 On April 1901, the Americans came and established a civil government in the province of Negros
Occidental which completely abolished the revolutionary government of General Araneta. Bago was one of
the towns that were placed under the control of the Americans; however, Filipino officials were allowed to
govern the municipality. 
Japanese Period

 When the Japanese Forces invaded the Philippines, the Civil Government of
Bago was dissolved. The Japanese occupation forces tried to establish a
provisional government but the local people refused to cooperate. When the
Americans liberated the town on March 29, 1945, it was completely destroyed
but rehabilitation work was immediately started and the town underwent
development efforts under the leadership of the succeeding town mayors
Martial Law Years

 Bago was inaugurated as a chartered City on February 19, 1966 by virtue of Republic
Act. No. 4382. 

 Several Bagonhons were appointed as Officer-in- Charge of the City

 Historical and Other Places

Balay ni Tan Juan

St. John the Baptist Church
1898 Revolution Marker
Old Bago Bridge
The Javellana Mansion
The Ruins of Ma-ao Sugar Central