Toboso | |
|---|---|
| Municipality of Toboso | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Motto(s): Asenso pa, Toboso! | |
 Map of Negros Occidental with Toboso highlighted | |
OpenStreetMap  | |
.svg)  Toboso Location within thePhilippines | |
| Coordinates:10°43′N123°31′E / 10.72°N 123.52°E /10.72; 123.52 | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Negros Island Region |
| Province | Negros Occidental |
| District | 1st district |
| Named after | El Toboso, Spain |
| Barangays | 9 (seeBarangays) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Sangguniang Bayan |
| • Mayor | Madonnah M. Jaojoco |
| • Vice Mayor | Maria Luisa B. dela Cruz |
| • Representative | Gerardo P. Valmayor Jr. |
| • Municipal Council | Members
|
| • Electorate | 32,623 voters (2025) |
| Area | |
• Total | 117.33 km2 (45.30 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 110 m (360 ft) |
| Highest elevation | 928 m (3,045 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | −1 m (−3 ft) |
| Population (2020 census)[3] | |
• Total | 43,445 |
| • Density | 370/km2 (960/sq mi) |
| • Households | 10,968 |
| Economy | |
| • Income class | 3rd municipal income class |
| • Poverty incidence | 28.68 |
| • Revenue | ₱ 214.8 million (2022) |
| • Assets | ₱ 651.5 million (2022) |
| • Expenditure | ₱ 162.3 million (2022) |
| • Liabilities | ₱ 201.5 million (2022) |
| Service provider | |
| • Electricity | Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (NONECO) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| ZIP code | 6125 |
| PSGC | |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)34 |
| Native languages | Hiligaynon Tagalog Cebuano |
| Website | municipalityoftoboso |
Toboso, officially theMunicipality of Toboso (Cebuano:Lungsod sa Toboso;Hiligaynon:Banwa sang Toboso;Tagalog:Bayan ng Toboso), is a second-class (upgraded from being 3rd class)municipality in theprovince ofNegros Occidental,Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 43,445 people.[3]
The site of what would become Toboso dated back to theprecolonial period. The center of the original settlement was first known asSag-ahan, an archaic word which means in theCebuano language "to take out or catch fish by the hands" because fish were abundant in the coast and rivers, and eventually lent its name to the contemporary barangay Sagahan.
UponSpanish colonization, the community was namedToboso in honor of a similar settlement in Spain,El Toboso, famous for appearing in thenovelDon Quixote by the Spanish writerMiguel de Cervantes, as the town in which the fictional characterDulcinea del Toboso lives. Toboso was then a barrio ofMunicipality of Escalante. Like many other settlements on the eastern coast ofNegros, the community of Toboso had expanded with the coming of immigrants from the island ofCebu and developed extensively in fishing, agriculture and commerce.
During early period ofAmerican colonization of the Philippines, more impetus was dedicated to asugarcane mill called the Central Azucarera del Danao at Labilabi, 6 kilometers from Toboso. The development of thesugar industry was started and gave livelihood to members of the community of Toboso.
AfterPhilippine Independence, Toboso continued to thrive as a part of Escalante until Executive Order No. 141 was signed by presidentElpidio Quirino "Organizing CertainBarrios of theMunicipality of Escalante, Province of Negros Occidental, into an Independent Municipality Under the Name "Toboso". The chartering executive order states:[5]
Starting from the month of Salamanca River, upstream following the course of this river to its intersection with Tinobaga Creek; thence following the course of this creek to B.B.M. No. 6; thence running in a straight line to B.B.M. No. 5; thence following the course of the Aglolomot Creek until it intersects latitude 10° 45′; thence in a straight east-to-west line which coincides with latitude 10° 45′ to its intersection with the present Escalante-Sagay boundary line; thence southwestward following the said Escalante-Sagay boundary line to the point where it intersects the present Escalante-Calatrava boundary line; thence southeastward following the Escalante-Calatrava boundary line, then the Escalante-San Carlos boundary line as shown in the boundary and index map of Escalante cadastre, B.L. case No. 2, surveyed July, 1917, to October, 1918, by survey party No. 19 of the Bureau of Lands, passing through M.B.M. No. 2, to M.B.M. No. 1, on the shore of Tañon Strait.
The organization herein made shall take effect on July 1, 1948.
Toboso is located on the northeastern side of the province ofNegros Occidental and is facing the island ofCebu. It is bounded on the southwest by the municipality ofCalatrava; northwest by the city ofSagay; north by the city ofEscalante and east byTañon Strait. The shoreline runs along the Tañon Strait from Calatrava boundary to the Escalante boundary facing east.
Toboso is 114 kilometres (71 mi) fromBacolod and 198 kilometres (123 mi) fromDumaguete, the capital ofNegros Oriental.
Toboso is politically subdivided into 9barangays. Each barangay consists ofpuroks and some havesitios.
| Climate data for Toboso, Negros Occidental | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28 (82) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 32 (90) | 31 (88) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 29 (84) | 28 (82) | 30 (85) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 23 (73) | 24 (75) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) | 24 (75) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 120 (4.7) | 87 (3.4) | 95 (3.7) | 97 (3.8) | 187 (7.4) | 263 (10.4) | 251 (9.9) | 220 (8.7) | 227 (8.9) | 268 (10.6) | 220 (8.7) | 158 (6.2) | 2,193 (86.4) |
| Average rainy days | 16.1 | 12.6 | 15.4 | 16.8 | 25.8 | 28.4 | 29.1 | 27.9 | 27.7 | 28.5 | 23.9 | 18.4 | 270.6 |
| Source: Meteoblue[7] | |||||||||||||
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 29,278 | — |
| 1960 | 36,378 | +1.83% |
| 1970 | 28,358 | −2.46% |
| 1975 | 35,737 | +4.75% |
| 1980 | 36,415 | +0.38% |
| 1990 | 34,621 | −0.50% |
| 1995 | 38,623 | +2.07% |
| 2000 | 40,712 | +1.14% |
| 2007 | 41,358 | +0.22% |
| 2010 | 41,658 | +0.26% |
| 2015 | 42,114 | +0.21% |
| 2020 | 43,445 | +0.61% |
| Source:Philippine Statistics Authority[8][9][10][11] | ||
The inhabitants speakCebuano (95.34%), followed byHiligaynon (4.27%). Tagalog and English are widely used in schools, businesses, and government offices.
Throughout the years, economic progress in Toboso has been sluggish due to the limited number of business establishments. It is commonly tagged as "one of the municipalities with high number of poverty incidence in Negros Occidental". Since its municipality recognition on July 1, 1948, the town struggled to be at par with its neighboring cities likeEscalante,Sagay,San Carlos and thetown of Calatrava.[12]
Economy primarily depends on sugarcane production, the plantations of which constitute largest land use, 4,746 hectares and produced 237,300 metric tons of sugarcane on 2019. Coconut production harvested 4,100 metric tons on the same year. Corn, livestock raising, poultry, game fowl and fishing are also major contributors to local economy. Inhabitants often find work in neighboring provinces (engage in shipbuilding). Others work asOverseas Filipino Workers, others engage in handicraft business. Some choose food preparations and forming of local, small businesses.
The Mainit Hot Springs are located in the area of the Barangay San Isidro, twelve kilometers from the town center. Kampanoy Cave, located on the territory of Barangay General Luna, has a spacious interior which resembles a dome cathedral, next to the coast and is inhabited byEdible-nest swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus) which in recent years has been damaged because of phosphate mining. Trangkalan Cave is located in Brgy. Magticol, until recently it was used for native folk religious acts. The magnificent 250 meter high cascades of the Dalisun Waterfalls are located near Sitio Vergara, Brgy. Bug-ang. Offshore Toboso is the 200-acre/80 hectare Kevin's Reef, a 10-minute boat ride away.
 Province ofNegros Occidental | |
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Bacolod (capital and largest city) | |
| Municipalities | |
| Component cities | |
| Highly urbanized city |
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