Jimalalud

Jimalalud is a municipality in Negros Oriental province on the island of Negros in the Philippines. It faces the Tañon Strait and lies approximately 97 kilometres from Dumaguete, the provincial capital. The municipality covers about 139.50 square kilometres and is bounded by La Libertad to the north and Tayasan to the south. Its eastern side includes coastal areas and mountainous terrain, while the broader northern Negros landscape is associated with extensive sugar-cane cultivation. The settlement was founded in 1797 as part of Tayasan. During the Spanish period, its name was also recorded as Gimalalud. In the late nineteenth century, Recollect clergy built a large hardwood convent in the town. The structure was regarded for many years as one of the most imposing convents in Negros Oriental, but the upheaval of the Philippine Revolution led to the departure of the friars and the building subsequently deteriorated. Jimalalud became an independent municipality in 1910 after being separated from Tayasan. The town experienced severe wartime destruction during the Second World War. In 1944, guerrillas burned the entire town, eliminating its remaining historic landmarks. Barrio Bankal served as the seat of the Seventh District Government during the war. In more recent history, Jimalalud was identified as the epicenter of the 2012 Negros earthquake, an event that forms part of the municipality's modern civic memory. Jimalalud is administered through 28 barangays, with North Poblacion and South Poblacion functioning as the main centers of local government, trade, and commerce. Its economy and landscape are strongly associated with agriculture, particularly sugar cane, while reports have also identified deposits of coal, copper, iron, magnetite, pyrites, and marcasite. The reported mineral resources have remained largely undeveloped. The municipality's public character is also expressed through its plaza, local schools, annual fiesta, and cultural celebrations. The annual Hambabalud Festival and the January fiesta, held around 13–15 January, provide a setting for religious and civic observances. A revived Sinulog de Jimalalud is presented as a central feature, while the Paaway sa Kabayo horse spectacle is associated with fiesta and other special occasions. Education is provided through public elementary and secondary schools administered by two school districts under the Schools Division of Negros Oriental, alongside several private learning institutions. According to the 2024 census, Jimalalud had a population of 32,996.

Jimalalud's recorded history begins in 1797, when the settlement was established as part of Tayasan in what is now Negros Oriental. During Spanish rule, the place-name was sometimes written as Gimalalud. The settlement developed within a region whose northern landscape was marked by agricultural land and sugar-cane cultivation. Its coastal position on the Tañon Strait and its inland mountainous areas helped give the municipality a mixed geographic character. In the late nineteenth century, Recollect religious authorities constructed a substantial hardwood convent in Jimalalud. The building was reputed to have been the largest convent in the province for more than twenty-five years. Political and military upheaval during the Philippine Revolution caused the friars to leave, after which the convent declined and eventually fell into disrepair. This religious-era structure did not survive the later destruction that affected the town. Jimalalud was separated from Tayasan and established as an independent municipality in 1910. The change marked the formal creation of the local government unit in its modern administrative form. During the Second World War, the town suffered extensive devastation. In 1944, guerrillas burned the entire settlement, destroying the historic structures that remained. Barrio Bankal temporarily served as the seat of the Seventh District Government during the wartime period. Postwar Jimalalud developed as a rural municipality with agricultural, coastal, and mountainous areas. North Poblacion and South Poblacion became the principal centers for government, commerce, and community life. The town's public plaza remains associated with its pastoral and civic character. The local economy has been linked particularly to sugar-cane fields, while geological reports have noted deposits of coal, copper, iron, magnetite, pyrites, and marcasite. These mineral occurrences have not resulted in substantial reported extraction and remain largely untouched. The municipality's contemporary identity is also shaped by community celebrations. Its annual fiesta in January includes the revived Sinulog de Jimalalud, which connects religious observance with local cultural expression. Horse-related festivities, including the Paaway sa Kabayo, are held during fiesta periods and other special occasions. The Hambabalud Festival serves as another expression of local heritage and civic participation. Jimalalud was the epicenter of the 2012 Negros earthquake, an event that affected the municipality and surrounding areas. Despite its historical losses and exposure to natural hazards, it continues to operate as an active municipality of Negros Oriental. It is divided into 28 barangays and maintains public elementary and secondary education through two school districts under the Schools Division of Negros Oriental, as well as private learning centers and academies. The 2024 census reported a population of 32,996.

• 2024

  Population recorded at 32,996

  [1]Jimalaluden.wikipedia.org

  The 2024 census recorded 32,996 inhabitants in Jimalalud.

• 2012

  Negros earthquake

  [1]Jimalaluden.wikipedia.org

  Jimalalud served as the epicenter of the 2012 Negros earthquake.

• 1944

  Town destroyed during the Second World War

  [1]Jimalaluden.wikipedia.org

  Guerrillas burned the entire town, leaving Jimalalud without surviving historic landmarks from the earlier settlement.

• 1910

  Jimalalud becomes an independent municipality

  [1]Jimalaluden.wikipedia.org

  The settlement was separated from Tayasan and constituted as an independent municipality.

• 1797

  Settlement founded as part of Tayasan

  [1]Jimalaluden.wikipedia.org

  Jimalalud was founded as a settlement within Tayasan during the Spanish colonial period.

A rural coastal municipality of Negros Oriental characterized by agricultural land, local government services, community festivals, and a historical connection to Tayasan and the Spanish-era religious presence in northern Negros.

• Agriculture

  Sugar cane

  Sugar cane is a prominent agricultural crop associated with Jimalalud's landscape and the wider northern Negros region. The municipality is described as having broad sugar-cane fields that contribute to its rural economic character.

• Public administration · 1910

  Municipal services

  As a Philippine municipality, Jimalalud provides local government administration and public services through its municipal government and 28 barangays. North Poblacion and South Poblacion serve as the principal centers of governance, trade, and commerce.

• Education

  Education services

  Jimalalud hosts public elementary and high schools administered through two school districts under the Schools Division of Negros Oriental. The municipality also has private learning centers and academies.

• Hambabalud Festival

  Jimalalud · Negros Oriental · Philippines

  The Hambabalud Festival is an annual local cultural celebration associated with Jimalalud's civic, religious, and community identity.

  Outcome. The festival continues to provide a recurring public platform for local heritage and community participation.

  Source
• Sinulog de Jimalalud

  Jimalalud · Negros Oriental · Philippines

  The revived Sinulog de Jimalalud is presented as a highlight of the town's January fiesta, combining religious observance with colorful local pageantry.

  Outcome. The celebration helps maintain Jimalalud's religious and cultural heritage.

  Source

1. 1Jimalaluden.wikipedia.org