GENERAL

Historical Background

History reveals that some roving merchants found a settlement by a riverbank, now called “Hitalon”, of which said roving merchants (believed to be Spaniards) perceived suited for trade and commerce named the settlement: CADIZ, named after a Seaport in Seville, Spain (1861).

 

It was in the year 1878 when Cadiz became a municipality independent from Saravia (now, E. B. Magalona). Its first appointed gobernadorcillo was Antonio Cabahug who was married to Capitana Francisca Vito. The gobernadorcillo, together with the tribunal, was the governing power of the municipality during that time. Only the Spanish Parish Priest (Cura Fraile) dominated this. The tribunal was composed of the Teniente Mayor, Teniente de Cementeras, Teniente de Ganados, Alquaciles, Cuadrillos, Comisarios, Cabezas de Barangay, Directorcillo and Juez de Paz.

 

During all these years, improvements made in the different streets and public places were done through the “Dagyao System”. The construction of the road leading to Daga including the bridge that spanned the Talaba-an Diotay River was realized through this system.

 

The first Cadiz Municipal Tribunal was established in 1894. Elected to this governing body were Gil Lopez Villanueva as Captain Municipal, Mateo Lazaro as Teniente Municipal with Jose Lopez Vito, Fermin Belmonte and eight (8) others as Delegados Municipales.

 

The breakout of the Spanish-American war in 1878 saw Cadiz taking part in the insurrection. Her sons and daughters headed by Francisco Abelarde took up arms against their Spanish masters. During the short-lived government of the cantonal state of Federal Republic de Negros, Jose Lopez Vito was elected president. Fermin Belmonte was elected Vice-President at the same time holding the office of Juez de Paz.

 

These two, together with the Delegado de Policia and Delegado Local de Hacienda, comprised the Municipal Council.

 

At the onset of the American rule, Cadiz was on its way to prosperity with the coming of two lumber companies in the area. Unluckily, one burned down in 1921, while the jurisdiction of the other lumber company was transferred to Sagay.

 

During the Japanese occupation from 1941 to 1945, Cadiz had been placed lamentably under the heel of the Japanese Imperial Forces, which brought much suffering to the people of Cadiz.

 

The resistance movement put up a civil government in the mountains to deal with civilian affairs.  In the first post-war election in 1952, Hon. Joaquin Ledesma was elected Mayor. He held the reins of the local Government until Hon. Heracleo Villacin took over when he won in the 1955 local election.

 

On May 5, 1967 an event took place in the shores of Cadiz. Three whales landed in the shores of Barangay Banquerohan. Each, measuring forty feet long and eight feet in height, these mammals were said to have lost its course and found themselves in Cadiz shores. On May 10 of the same year, another group of nine of these creatures was seen on the bay. Due to this incident Cadiz is identified today as the City of Whales.

 

On July 4, 1967, Cadiz was inaugurated as a City with the approval of Republic Act 4898 in June 17, 1967 in Congress. The said Act was authored by then Congressman Armando C. Gustilo. Honorable Heracleo Villacin continued to serve as City Mayor of Cadiz until his death on May 27, 1975. He was the last Municipal Mayor and the first City Mayor of Cadiz City.

 

After the death of Mayor Villacin, Hon. Vice-Mayor Pedro E. Ramos, Sr. took over the helm of the City Government until his retirement in September 30, 1984 after which the Hon. Vice-Mayor Prudencio D. Olvido became the new mayor.

 

The People Power Revolution on February 26, 1986 toppled the government of Ferdinand Marcos and installed Corazon C. Aquino as President. After the said uprising, a local election on January 18, 1988 took place.  Rowena V. Guanzon, a young practicing lawyer, was elected mayor of Cadiz until she resigned in March 1992 to run for Congress.

 

In the joint national/local election on May 11, 1992, Hon. Vicente C. Tabanao, the number one city councilor, was elected Mayor of Cadiz. A development-oriented official, Mayor Tabanao continued to lead this bustling city towards progress and development.

 

The aspirations and dreams of Mayor Tabanao for the people of Cadiz were not fully realized because of his untimely death on January 9, 1994, with one and a half-year left of his term. After his death the helm of the city government was under the hands of the Vice Mayor Eduardo G. Varela as City Mayor. Mayor Varela continued the visions and goals of the late Mayor Vicente C. Tabanao.

 

The local elections in May 1995 confirmed the people’s wish for Mayor Varela to remain as Mayor when he was elected to this position. His incumbency paves the way for the implementation of more development programs and establishment of more development projects. One of these is the negotiation with the Local Government Infrastructure Fund Agency and the United States Agency on International Development (USAID), which made possible for the construction of new and modernized public market in 1995, replacing the 1981 old public market. Another project is the construction of the Banquerohan Bridge, which links Barangay Banquerohan to the poblacion. This bridge is expected to spillover the growth of the city proper into the adjacent barangays, thus shall hasten the growth and progress of communities in these areas.

 

With the helm of the City Government under Mayor Eduardo G. Varela, it is hoped that a pro-people administration can be realized and significant changes that can provide sustained development and progress to Cadiz City can be achieved.

 

On May 14, 2001 local election, Hon. Salvador G. Escalante, Jr. was elected as the new city mayor. An energetic, tireless and development oriented person who got the nod of his constituents for his second and third terms during the May 2004 and 2007 election respectively. His administration is focused on the people’s hopes and aspirations from, “Vision to Reality”.

 

Under his helm, on March 2005, a new port, the Cadiz City Commercial Port at Brgy. Banquerohan was constructed and on July 4, 2006 the ground-breaking for the Cadiz City Commercial Center at Brgy. Tinampa-an took place.

 

In May 2010 election, Doctor Patrick G. Escalante was elected as the new Cadiz City Mayor. He continued significant changes for the progress and development of the city and the people’s hopes and aspirations from: “Vision to Reality”, then, “Bilis Cadiz-Ugyon Cadiznon” saw more Economic, Social, Financial and Infrastructure development: the construction of more roads, establishment of more Socialized Housing Projects, Health, Education Facilities and Power Providers.

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NAME OF MAYORS BY PERIOD AND YEAR

 

Cadiz City, 2004

 

 SPANISH ERA:

Name                                                            Year

 

(1) Antonio Cabahug                             1878 – 1879

(2) Mamerto Vito                                   1879 – 1880

(3) Luis Vito                                             1880 – 1882

(4) Pedro de los Santos                        1882 – 1884

(5) Ceferino de los Santos                   1884 – 1885

(6) Procopio Abelarde                          1885 – 1886

(7) Quintin Barilea                                 1887 – 1888

(8) Carlos Lazaro                                   1889 – 1890

(9) Gil Javier                                            1890 – 1892

(10) Tomas Belmonte                           1892 – 1894

(11) Gil Lopez Villanueva                    1894 – 1895

(12) Mateo Lazaro                                  1896 – 1897

(13) Jose Lopez Vito                              1898 – 1900

(14) Miguel Araullo                               1900 – 1901

(15) Francisco Abelarde                      1902 – 1903

AMERICAN ERA:

 

1.  Amado Panes                                      1904 – 1905

2.  Fermin Belmonte                             1906 – 1907

3.  Ildefonso Monfort                            1908 – 1911

4.  Catalino de los Santos                     1912 – 1915

5.  Fermin Belmonte                              1916 – 1918

6.  Emilio Rodriguez                              1919 – 1921

7.  Carlos Magalona                                1922 – 1931

8.   Agustin Javier                                   1932 – 1935

 

COMMONWEALTH:

 

1.   Pedro Villena,                                   1935 – 1942

2.   Manuel Escalante                           1942 – 1945

3.  Pedro Villena                                    1945 – 1946

 

REPUBLIC:

 

1. Joaquin Ledesma                            1947 – 1955

2. Heracleo Villacin, Sr.                     1955 – 1975

3.  Pedro Ramos, Sr.                           1975 – 1983

4. Prudencio Olvido                            1983 – 1986

5. Rowena Guanzon                            1986 – 1992

6. Vicente Tabanao                             1992 – 1994

7. Eduardo Varela                                1994 – 2001

8. Salvador Escalante, Jr.                2001 −  2010

9. Patrick Escalante                            2010 − present

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Geography

 

1. Location/Boundaries/Accessibility

The City of Cadiz is located at the northern part of the Province of Negros Occidental, 65 kms. away from Bacolod City, the Provincial Capital. The city is bounded to the North by the Visayan Sea, to the South by Silay City, to the South West by the City of Victorias, to the East by the City of Sagay and to the West by the Municipality of Manapla. It is located within the geographical coordinates of 10⁰50’latitude NE and 125⁰ 09’ longitude E.

 

It is a 45-minute drive by a private car from Bacolod City and an hour ride by a passenger bus. Cadiz City is also accessible to Cebu via San Carlos City and the Municipality of Escalante by land transport as well as via Bantayan Island by motor launch, while the length of its shoreline is 24.7 kms. as measured from boundary to boundary and of which distance from Cadiz City Port to Lakawon Island is 4.1 kms.

 

2. Political Subdivisions

 

            The City is composed of twenty-two (22) barangays. Ten (10) of which are urban barangays namely: Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3, Zone 4, Zone 5, and Zone 6, Banquerohan, Daga, Tiglawigan and Tinampa-an. The remaining twelve (12) are rural barangays namely: Andres Bonifacio, Burgos, Cabahug, Cadiz Viejo, Caduha-an, Celestino S. Villacin, Jerusalem, Luna, Mabini, Magsaysay, Sicaba, and Dr. Vicente F. Gustilo.

3. Total Land Area

 

Total land area of the city is 52,457.04 hectares or 524.5704 sq. kms.; Urban land area is 7,354.59 hectares and Rural Land Area shares 45,102.45 hectares.

Out of the total land area, it has a reclaimed area of 38 hectares, 500 meters SE of the City Hall and on the other side of Hitalon River, which is suitable for light industry and commercial uses.

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Topography

The topography is generally plain.  The predominant terrain of the city even those of the upland and coastal barangays are rolling and suitable for agriculture. The only wide plain area will be found within three or five kilometers from the shoreline. Hereafter, the land gradually rises in rolling mode.

Some areas in the city are below sea level with slopes ranging from 0 to 3 degrees.

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Climate

The City of Cadiz has adopted a Pedro P. Hernandez system of Philippine Atmospheric Geographical and Astronomical Services Administration or PAG-ASA in which the analysis of climate is based on a ratio of the number of dry and wet months. The dry season lasts from January to May and the wet season from June to late December.

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Soil   

The soil structure of Cadiz City comprise of five soil types, namely: Fine Loam, Sandy Loam, Clay, Fine Clay Loam, and Mountain Soil.

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Settlements

Settlements in the private housing subdivisions are moderately dispersed. The same holds true with the government subdivisions, eg: the BLISS Housing Project the Socialized Housing Project of the City, and other nationally funded Housing Projects. Concentration exists mainly in the poblacion (City Proper), along the shoreline of Hitalon River and city’s coastline. The two rural barangays (Brgy. Daga and Brgy. Banquerohan), which are separated by the Talaba-an and Hitalon River respectively, have moderately concentrated settlements.  The rural barangays are scattered and separated by not fully develop tracts of land. Of all rural barangays, V.F Gustilo is highly dispersed, then at the onset of typhoon Yolanda more housing projects took place and effected significant migration and immigration thus causing a decrease and increase in the respective barangay: (find urban to rural barangay) eg; Barangay Luna, Barangay Tiglawigan, Barangay Daga, Barangay Jerusalem and among others.

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Land Use

1. CENRO

Of the total land area of 51,650 hectares for Cadiz City, the alienable and disposal (A & D) areas cover 38, 030 hectares or 73.6% while classified forestland covers 13,620 hectares or 26%. Under the A & D areas, agricultural land constitutes 37,576 hectares. Fishponds cover’s an area of 12 hectares and private plantation cover’s an area of 442. The adoption of zoning land use plan regulates the development of a community in a rational manner. Allocation of land for various activities is properly done such that it is not in incompatible use.

 

 Table No. 1

LAND USE

Cadiz City, 2016

 

Total Land Area (has.) 51,650	A & D Lands Area (has.)				Forest Land Area (has)
	Agri	Fishpond	Private Plantation	Total A & D	13,620
	37,576	12	442	38,030

Source:   CENRO, Cadiz City (Brgy. Tinampa-an)

1. Zoning

 

The City of Cadiz adopts a Zoning Ordinance, which serves as a legal tool for the implementation of its Comprehensive Development Plan.

 

With the implementation of the Zoning Ordinance, it has become mandatory that before any construction, renovation and repair of all building structures, it should first secure the necessary location clearances and building permit. With the existence of an ordinance, still majority of the building structures constructed in the city doesn’t have the necessary building permits, especially those in squatter’s area where the structures are made of light materials (nipa and bamboo).

 

Table No. 2

EXISTING GENERAL LAND USE

City of Cadiz, 2015

LAND USE	AREA (Ha.)	% TOTAL
Built – Up Area	3,374.1628	6.43
Aqua – Cultural Area	839.0615	1.60
Agricultural	35,955.1728	68.54
Open Grassland	429.4880	0.82
Forest	11,621.000	22.15
Industrial	238.1549	0.46
Total	52,457.0400	100.00

 

 Table No. 3

APPROVED URBAN LAND USE BY CLASSIFICATION

City of Cadiz, 2010

CLASSIFICATION URBAN LAND USE	AREA (HA.)	PERCENT (%)
Socialized Housing	59.3100	0.14
Residential	468.6003	7.77
Commercial	137.4060	2.28
Institutional	72.4283	1.20
Industrial	176.5340	2.93
Parks/Recreational	552.9594	9.17
Aqua-Culture	513.2394	8.51
Agricultural	4,019.2598	66.66
Infra-Utilities/Dumpsite	8.3000	0.14
Cemetery	21.6400	0.36
T O T A L	6,029.6772	100

Source:  CPDO

Table No. 4

APPROVED URBAN LAND USE BY CLASSIFICATION

(Barangay Cabahug)

2004

LANDUSE CLASSIFICATION	AREA (HA.)	PERCENT (%)
Socialized Housing	24.9494	1.88
Residential	102.0031	7.68
Commercial	3.9040	0.29
Institutional	13.5817	1.02
Industrial	3.5840	0.27
Park & Recreation	14.5232	1.09
Aqua-Culture
Agricultural	1144.6284	86.16
Infra-Utilities/Dump-site	21.3793	1.61
Cemetery/Memorial Parks
T O T A L	1, 328.5531	100%

Source: CPDO

Table No. 5

APPROVED URBAN LAND USE BY CLASSIFICATION

(Barangay Caduha-an)

2004

LANDUSE CLASSIFICATION	AREA (HA.)	PERCENT (%)
Socialized Housing
Residential	155.7550	2.420
Commercial	30.6374	0.476
Institutional	1.6833	0.026
Industrial	251.5875	3.910
Parks & Recreation
Aqua-Culture
Agricultural	5,993.9143	93.150
Infra Utilities/Dump-site	0.1363	0.002
Cemetery/Memorial Parks	1.0000	0.016
T O T A L	6, 434.7138	100%

Source:  CPDO

Table No. 6

APPROVED LAND USE OF RECLAMATION AREA

(BRGY. TINAMPA-AN AREA)

2015

LANDUSE CLASSIFICATION	AREA (HA.)	PERCENT (%)
Residential
Commercial	20.3630	55.84
Industrial	2.1538	5.90
Parks/Recreational	1.7889	4.91
Open-Space (Road-Lot/Alleys)	10.7123	29.37
Institutional	1.4455	3.96
T O T A L	36.4635	99.97
Less: Submerged Area = 1.6644 M Easement = 5.00 m. = 0.3894

Source:  CPDO, Cadiz City, 2015

 

 Solid Waste Management

Since 1998, the City has embarked on a comprehensive Clean and Green Program. Because of enthusiasm, strong determination and desire of the local officials and the masses to indeed move the City into the pedestal as one of the cleanest component cities in Western Visayas, a Clean and Green Committee was formed and further institutionalize the program as per “Re-organization”, last January 1, 2012, the Office of the City Mayor created the City Environment and Natural Resources Office which primary function is to spearhead the continuous implementation of planned Clean and Green Project unto proper Solid Waste Management, including street cleaning, garbage collection and disposal and dumpsite management.

Figure No.1 Waste Disposal Cadiz City (Urban), 2016

Daily Garbage Disposal: 7.10 tons per day Collected Waste Per Year: 6,242.5 tons Biodegradable: 61% Non-Biodegradable: 37% Residual: 2%

Source: City ENRO, Cadiz City

Garbage Dump Site

In the implementation of RA 9003 known as “ Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 “  the city has permanent sanitary landfill with an area of 5 hectares at Brgy. Cabahug, this city.

 

Manpowered by: First, an Advocacy Team composed of 2  regular employees, 7 job-orders, 3 Metro-Aides,  15 garbage collectors, and 2 checkers ; then, on Sanitary Landfill: composed of 1 regular employee, 1 contractual, 23 job-orders and 1 heavy equipment operator with the use of 6 dump trucks,  2 pay-loaders, a backhoe and shredders 1 for plastic and 1 for wood.

Garbage and Waste Disposal

In 2016, the average daily garbage disposed is 7.10 tons per day.  This covers ten (10) areas in urban barangays including the public market and three (3) areas in rural barangay. (Figure No. 1)

Table No. 7

Daily Garbage Disposal

2016

Type	Number
A.    Biodegradable	61%
B.     Non-Biodegradable	37%
C.     Residual	2%

Source: City ENRO, Cadiz City