VICTORIAS CITY: THE ECONOMIC TRIANGLE OF AJUY, BANATE AND VICTORIAS

VICTORIAS CITY: THE ECONOMIC TRIANGLE OF AJUY, BANATE & VICTORIAS. 

By: Henry Libo-on 

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One of the indicators of the Most Livable City and Most Business-Friendly City that I know is the presence of Manila Based Business Companies or Corporations in a particular Local Government Unit or LGU.  

Corporations like The City Mall, Mang Inasal, Jollibee, Chowking, and many others can help project a progressive town or city once they are doing business in the area. 

The Opening of the City Mall at Victorias City is an indication of the growing importance of Victorias as an urban center.  

As far as Shipping is concerned, Victorias is considered a Service Center of the shipping industry in this part of the Island of Negros. Victorias Port is an important factor in the distribution of goods and services in the province.  Victorias City is slowly concretizing its niche as far as commerce and trade, tourism, shipping, and industry are concerned.  

Victorias is the home of the world-famous Victorias Milling Company, the producer of refined sugar, an important export industry of the Philippines. 

Even if the city's effort to develop Gawahon as a tourist destination did not attract more tourists to the mountain resort, there are still people who are curious about Gawahon and are curious how they can get there.  I am one of those who wants to visit it, but that plan remained on my wish list. 

Update: I visited Gawahon Eco-Park and the Falls, and you can check this here: 

GAWAHON: UNDERRATED TOURISM DESTINATION? - Touristang Pobre

GAWAHON FALLS - Touristang Pobre

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By the way, Victorias was founded on October 2, 1906 (Wikipedia), during the American Period that started on December 10, 1898. After the defeat of the Spanish in the Spanish-American War, Spain ceded the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico, their former colonies, to America by virtue of the Treaty of Paris.  So, Victorias became a town during the American Period which saw the development of the sugar industry in the town around the start of the second quarter of the century when Victorias Milling Company was considered as the biggest sugar central at that time.  

Victorias became a component city of Negros Occidental on March 21, 1998.  By operation of Law, PD 465, May 20, 1974, the city is considered as a 4th Class City. It means, it has at least an annual income of P500,000.00 but not exceeding P1 Million annually. Here's a quote from PD 465: 

"SECTION 1. Classification of Provinces and Cities. — Provinces and cities, except Manila and Quezon City, are divided into five main classes according to their average annual income during the last four fiscal years, as follows:

1. First Class. —The provinces and cities that have obtained an average total revenue of three million pesos or more per annum.
2. Second Class. —The provinces and cities that have obtained an average total revenue of one million five hundred thousand pesos or more but less than three million pesos per annum.
3. Third Class. —The provinces and cities that have obtained an average total revenue of one million pesos or more but less than one million five hundred thousand pesos per annum.
4. Fourth Class. —The provinces and cities that have obtained an average total revenue of five hundred thousand pesos or more but less than one million pesos per annum; and
5. Fifth Class. —The provinces and cities that have obtained an average total revenue of less than five hundred thousand pesos per annum."

It is, however, nice to mention here that before Victorias became a town, it faced so many problems that the prominent residents at that time, tried to solve. Victorias was just a Barrio of Saravia but later became a new town separate from Saravia or the influence of Manapla. I wish to skip the details of the history of the town because it needs several pages to write. But this one that I mentioned is, maybe, enough backgrounder. Thanks. 

                 

Victorias shared the limelight as the American Hub of Business in Negros, with Fabrica where the biggest lumber company in the world, ILCO or Insular Lumber Company, was located.

                                  

While Fabrica lost the lumber industry, Victorias survived the global crisis affecting the Sugar Industry.  Thanks to the great business leaders of the town for their business acumen.  

                                  

But the town experienced difficulty with the slow departure of the Ossorios from the management and control of the Victorias Sugar Milling Company.  The town was greatly affected because the sugar central is one of its biggest revenue generators.  But in the early years of 2000, VICMICO was revitalized and once again contributed much to the economic activity of Victorias City. 

                           

The economic vibrancy of the town continued as more business establishments were opened that created a dynamic economic activity for the city.  

Victorias became a fourth-class city on March 21, 1998 (Wikipedia). 

On the other hand, most people are not aware that another contributor to the revenue collection of the city could be the Port of Daan Banwa. 

Perhaps some people are not aware that in the City of Victorias there is a place called Daan Banwa or Old Town.  This is where the Port of Victorias is located.  There are vessels that service the Daan Banwa, Victorias to Ajuy Port, Iloilo routes.  Sugar and other agricultural products, goods, and passengers pass through this Port. There is an active exchange of goods and people between the two Ports.  Goods that are coming from "Tabuc" of Iloilo are delivered not only in Victorias City but in other parts of the Island of Negros. I posted some photos of Daan Banwa and the Port here for your appreciation. 

Ay, abi ko na hulog ang Drone, haha...indi gali. 

The photo above shows the Passengers Terminal at the Port at Daan Banwa. 

 I visited the port to find out how it is as a port.  If it is like the Port of Liloan, Sibulan, or Escalante.  My observation? It has potentials. Travelers and Tourists may use the Port if some amenities could be improved. It would be nice to travel through the Port of Daan Banwa Victorias to Ajuy or Banate because it is nearer to Estancia and Carles where I can go to the Gigantes Islands.  

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The Economic Triangle among Victorias, Ajuy, and Banate

I wish the Economic Triangle among Victorias-Ajuy-Banate LGUs will bring more progress to these local government units. When I talk of progress, I am referring to a productive exchange of goods, movement of people, and providing jobs to the people of the three (3) municipalities in this Economic Triangle. 

Victorias City's Daan Banwa Port is linked to the port of Ajuy Town in Iloilo Province, the Culasi Port. Don't be confused because Culasi is a Barangay in Ajuy where the port is located. The port services the immediate town of Banate and Ajuy town itself. Produce from these towns as well as the neighboring towns in Iloilo Province are transported to Negros through the Culasi Port. In like manner that the produce from Negros are also transported to Iloilo Province and the neighboring towns and cities through the Port of Culasi, Ajuy.

Photo is sourced from Google Earth or maplandia.com. 

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By the way, many years ago during the administration of Mayor Remedios Palanca Bantug, I was invited by the city government to deliver a lecture on the Formulation of the Solid Waste Management Plan.  It was a Strategic Planning Workshop for the City Employees and other Sectoral Representatives.  It was held in the "Punong".  I hope the training output of the participants which is the Action Plan has been implemented up to now. 

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With the opening of Lopue's Victorias many years ago, the conversion of some agricultural lands to Subdivisions and Memorial Parks, Schools, and Business Establishments like the City Mall, among others, have added to the vibrancy of the City.  The development of a Bus Terminal is another factor that can contribute to the presence of people to explore the city because of the available Bus Terminal. 

The flow of visitors is influenced by the things that they can do while in the city.  Are they going to Victorias because of the Triathlon, the Boulevard along the Malugo River, the Floating Restaurant, Golf, a tour of VICMICO Compound and the Churches, the Gawahon, among others?  These things and many others will make the visitors go to Victorias.  The way things are going, the City is preparing for that.  Tourism is one of the biggest revenue generators for any LGU, right? 

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Victorias City is also the home of the following Tourist Spots: 

The Unfinished Cathedral of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception.  It was not finished since the Benefactors experienced financial difficulties too. 

Photo by Henry Libo-on.

The Church of the Angry Christ 

The mural of the church was painted by an International Artist and scion of the Founder of VICMICO, Victorias Milling Company, Alfonso Ossorio.   


Alfonso Ossorio was a resident of VICMICO Compound every time he was in Victorias.  He lived in his New York Mansion until he died.   Photo Credit - likesuccess.com @ images.search.yahoo.com 

The Gawahon Mountain Resort  

Photo Credit:  www.flickr.com   at images.images.yahoo.com

The Victorias Golf and Country Club at VICMICO.

Photo Credit: www.golfph.com


Daan Banwa or the Old Town and Victorias Port. 

 The Old Town is where the Victorias Port is located.  If this port is developed and beautify, many Negrenses will use the port as a point of departure for their destinations to Iloilo.  
All Photos in this section are by Henry Libo-on.

Boat Passengers Terminal

This Carinderia has been here for more than 3 decades.

My Comments: 

Actually, I consider Victorias City my hometown. Why? Because this is where my mother was born and raised.  Her father used to be the "Capitan del Barrio" during Peace Time. That means, during the American Period. In the '60s, we used to spend our summer vacation at my grandfather's house in Barrio Estado. If not, we spend our weekend with my mother's sisters, Mama Inac and Nanay Valing.  Sometimes, we spend the holidays at my uncle Papa Imoc at Caticlan, VICMICO.  So, I have been to almost all nooks and cranny of the town, so to speak. 

Now, there are three Festivals that are celebrated in the City of Victorias.  These are The Kadalag-an Festival or Charter Day Celebration every March 21, The Malihaw Festival every April 26, and the Kalamayan Festival in December. 

What the City of Victorias has become is due to the hard work of her local leaders, the Mayors, the Councilors and the Barrio Captains of the different communities in the town, now City.  

Yes, Labaw Pa Sa Golf Kag Refined Sugar.  Victorias City is more than golf and refined sugar because there is so much to see and discover in the city for you as a visitor to the city.

As one of the growing cities in Negros, Victorias City will continue to move forward because of its local leaders and residents whose goals are geared towards the progress of Victorias - The Sweet and Green City of Negros Island.  

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***From Victorias City, this is Henry, the Touristang Pobre, with my cousin, Gloria, a retired public-school teacher.

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BEFORE YOU GO, please check these links hereunder for more "read" about Victorias City: 

1. GAWAHON: UNDERRATED TOURISM DESTINATION? - Touristang Pobre

2. THE PHILIPPINES ANGRY CHRIST: IS HE REALLY ANGRY? - Touristang Pobre

3. VICTORIAS CITY: MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS CHURCH - Touristang Pobre

4. PHILIPPINES STATE UNIVERSITY, VICTORIAS CITY, PHILIPPINES - Touristang Pobre

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I almost forgot.  No matter what happens to him, Noven Belleza, the Tawag Ng Tanghalan Champion that made Victorias City famous around the world through ABS-CBN's The Filipino Channel (TFC) is worth mentioning here. I wish him luck wherever he is. 


Photo Credit:  news.abs-cbn.com @ images.search.yahoo.com

Source:  Youtube uploaded by ABS-CBN Star Music.

Opppps, did you forget something?  Yes.  If you like this story, please LIKE my Facebook Page Touristang Pobre, and SHARE this story with your friends.  Thank you.

*Victorias City:  Labaw Pa Sa (More Than) Golf  Kag (And) Refined Sugar.

Updated on February 26, 2019.
Updated April 14, 2019 - Palm Sunday.

Reviewed on May 27, 2021. 

Reviewed on March 4, 2022.

Reviewed on January 2, 2023. 

Reviewed on September 11, 2024, ...ay, 911.