Governor of Negros Occidental explained

Post:Governor
Body:Negros Occidental
Native Name:Gobernador sang Probinsya sang Negros Occidental
Incumbent:Eugenio Jose Lacson
Incumbentsince:June 30, 2019
Style:The Honorable
His Excellency (formerly, Spanish era)
Seat:Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol, Bacolod
Termlength:3 years
Formation:1901
Inaugural:Pedro de Alcaraz (de facto, as Corregidor of Negros Island)
Melecio Severino (de jure, as elected Governor of Negros Island)
Deputy:Vice Governor

The governor of Negros Occidental is the local chief executive and head of the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental. Along with the governor of Negros Oriental and the mayor of the highly urbanized city of Bacolod, he serves as one of the chief executives of Negros Island in the Philippines.

Formation

Before independence, the position had been occupied by appointed Spanish military commanders that also serve the role of governor since the transfer of the capital to Bacolod in 1849. Previously, the local chief executive post was vested on the "Corregidor," or the commander of the military outpost, in the two previous capitals of Ilog, Negros Occidental and Himamaylan.

After the Negros Revolution, all provincial authority divested on the Office of the President and Vice President, representing Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental. Americans occupied the fledgling republic and requested the provisional government to conduct an island-wide election for the gubernatorial post. Melecio Severino of Silay emerged as the first elected governor.

Line of succession

As with the president of the Philippines, the role of governor is passed on to the vice governor of Negros Occidental in case of incapacity, resignation or death. But unlike the national line of succession, the board member designated as the first in line for garnering the highest number of votes succeeds as vice governor, also the same should only the vice governor be incapacitated. Should both the governor and vice governor be incapacitated, the same would succeed as governor and the Board Member with the second highest number of votes would succeed as vice governor.

Duties and related offices

By the convention set for the newly created Negros Island Region, the governor of Negros Occidental sits as chairperson of one of the two regional councils, namely the Regional Development Council and the Regional Peace and Order Council. Currently, the governor of Negros Occidental is Eugenio Jose "Bong" Lacson.

A spouse of the governor of Negros Occidental is accorded the title of "First Lady,"[1] [2] but alternatively called "Gubernatorial First Lady" or "Provincial First Lady," as not to confuse with the office of the First Lady of the Philippines. Unlike the First Lady of the Philippines, the Provincial First Lady is not accorded a formal ceremonial role, but rather conventionally represents the governor in the social activities of the province.

List of governors

Spanish governors of Negros province

From the formal establishment of the military outpost in the pueblo of Ilog until the promulgation of a royal decree dividing the island into Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental on October 25, 1889, Negros Island was governed as a single province starting from being under the jurisdiction of Oton, Iloilo until it established its capitals in Ilog (1734), Himamaylan (1795) and Bacolod (1849).[3]

width=5% Orderwidth=20%Namewidth=15%Year in officewidth=20%Titlewidth=20%Capitalwidth=40%Governor-general
1 Pedro de Alcaraz 1625-1627 Corregidor Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Fernándo de Silva
2 Jeronimo Benegas 1627-1629 Corregidor Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Juan Niño de Tabora
3 Juan de Leon 1629-1631 Corregidor Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Juan Niño de Tabora
-- -- 1631-1652 Direct administration by the Alcalde Mayor of Iloilo Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Juan Niño de Tabora
Lorenzo de Olaza
Juan Cerezo de Salamanca
Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera
Diego Fajardo Chacón
4 Juan Ferrer 1652-1666 Corregidor Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Diego Fajardo Chacón
Sabiniano Manrique de Lara
Diego de Salcedo
5 Pedro de Tortosa 1666-1668 Corregidor Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Diego de Salcedo
6 Jacinto Rivera 1668-1669 Corregidor Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Juan Manuel de la Peña Bonifaz
7 Nicolas Jurado 1669-1671 Corregidor Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Manuel de León
8 Agustin Martinez 1671-1673 Corregidor Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Manuel de León
-- -- 1673-1699 Direct administration by the Alcalde Mayor of Iloilo Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Manuel de León
Francisco Coloma
Francisco Sotomayor y Mansilla
Juan de Vargas y Hurtado
Gabriel de Curuzealegui y Arriola
Alonso de Avila Fuertes
Fausto Cruzat y Gongora
9 Francisco Tabares 1699-1701 Corregidor Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Fausto Cruzat y Gongora
10 Ramon Diaz Ruizbobo 1701-1703 Corregidor Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Domingo Zabálburu de Echevarri
11 Felix de Cabrera 1703-1705 Corregidor Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Domingo Zabálburu de Echevarri
-- -- 1705-1709 Direct administration by the Alcalde Mayor of Iloilo Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Domingo Zabálburu de Echevarri
12 Francisco de Figueroa 1709-1711 Corregidor Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Martín de Urzúa y Arizmendi
13 Bartolome Gallardo 1711-1714 Corregidor Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Martín de Urzúa y Arizmendi
14 Ricardo Ricarte 1714- 1716 Corregidor Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Martín de Urzúa y Arizmendi
José Torralba
15 Juan Bautista de Sameta 1716-1718 Corregidor Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Fernando Manuel de Bustillo Bustamante y Rueda
-- -- 1718-1719 Direct administration by the Alcalde Mayor of Iloilo Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Fernando Manuel de Bustillo Bustamante y Rueda
16 Fernando de Rojas 1719-1721 Corregidor Ilog (de facto)
Administered from Arevalo
Francisco de la Cuesta
17 -- 1721-1779 Direct administration by the Alcalde Mayor of Iloilo Ilog (de jure)
Administered from Arevalo
Francisco de la Cuesta
Toribio José Cosio y Campo
Fernándo Valdés y Tamon
Gaspar de la Torre
Juan Arrechederra
Francisco José de Ovando
Pedro Manuel de Arandía Santisteban
Miguel Lino de Ezpeleta
Manuel Rojo del Río y Vieyra
Simón de Anda y Salazar(first)
Dawsonne Drake (British Occupation)
Francisco Javier de la Torre
José Antonio Raón y Gutiérrez
Simón de Anda y Salazar(second)
Pedro de Sarrio
José Basco y Vargas
18 Felipe de Zuñiga 1779-1785 (first)
1789-1790 (second)
Corregidor José Basco y Vargas
19 Mariano Escote 1785-1787 Corregidor José Basco y Vargas
20 Vicente Escote 1787-1789 Corregidor Pedro de Sarrio
Félix Berenguer de Marquina
22 Jose de Arriola 1790- 1793 Corregidor Félix Berenguer de Marquina
23 Ramon de Zuñiga 1793-1799 Corregidor Rafael María de Aguilar y Ponce de León
24 Jose Casteu 1799-1803 Corregidor Rafael María de Aguilar y Ponce de León
25 Simon Matias de Rojas 1803-1806 Corregidor Rafael María de Aguilar y Ponce de León
26 Carlos Casares 1806-1810 Corregidor Mariano Fernández de Folgueras
27 Ciriaco Lladoc 1810-1814 (first)
1818-1821 (second)
Corregidor Manuel Gonzalez de Aguilar(first)
Mariano Fernández de Folgueras(second)
28 Jose Maria de Torres 1814-1818 Corregidor José Gardoqui Jaraveitia
30 Fernando Cuervo 1821-1824 Corregidor Mariano Fernández de Folgueras
Juan Antonio Martínez
31 Camilo Peña 1824-1827 Corregidor Juan Antonio Martínez
Mariano Ricafort Palacín y Abarca
-- -- 1827-1829 Direct administration by the Spanish governor of Iloilo Mariano Ricafort Palacín y Abarca
32 Juan de Cordova 1829-1833 Corregidor Mariano Ricafort Palacín y Abarca
Pasqual Enrile y Alcedo
33 Luis Villasis 1833-1839 Corregidor Pasqual Enrile y Alcedo
Gabriel de Torres
Joaquín de Crámer
Pedro Antonio Salazar Castillo y Varona
Andrés García Camba
Luis Lardizábal
34 Mariano Valero y Soto 1839- 1842 Alcalde Mayor Luis Lardizábal
Marcelino de Oraá Lecumberri
35 Jose Saenz de Vizmanos 1842- 1848 Alcalde Mayor Marcelino de Oraá Lecumberri
Francisco de Paula Alcalá de la Torre
Narciso Clavería
36 Manuel Valdivieso Morquecho 1848-1855 Alcalde Mayor Narciso Clavería
Antonio María Blanco
Antonio de Urbistondo y Eguía
Ramón Montero y Blandino
Manuel Pavía
Ramón Montero y Blandino
Manuel Crespo y Cebrían
37 Emilio Saravia 1855-1857 Gobernador Politico-Militar Manuel Crespo y Cebrían
Ramón Montero y Blandino
38 Pedro de Beaumont 1857-1860 Gobernador Politico-Militar Fernándo Norzagaray y Escudero
39 Beremundo Aranda 1860-1864 Gobernador Politico-Militar Ramón María Solano y Llanderal
Juan Herrera Dávila
José Lemery e Ibarrola Ney y González
Salvador Valdés
Rafaél de Echagüe y Bermingham
40 Jose de Crame 1864-1865 Gobernador Politico-Militar Rafaél de Echagüe y Bermingham
41 Joaquin Vidal 1865- 1866 Gobernador Politico-Militar Joaquín del Solar e Ibáñez (first)
Juan de Lara e Irigoyen
42 Juan Gil y Montes 1866-1867 Gobernador Politico-Militar José Laureano de Sanz y Posse
Juan Antonio Osorio
Joaquín del Solar e Ibáñez(second)
José de la Gándara y Navarro
43 Antonio Vasquez Cuenca 1867 Gobernador Politico-Militar (Interim) José de la Gándara y Navarro
44 Eugenio Serrano 1867-1868 Gobernador Politico-Militar José de la Gándara y Navarro
45 Enrique Fajardo 1868-1869 Gobernador Politico-Militar José de la Gándara y Navarro
46 Francisco Jaudenes 1869- 1871 Gobernador Politico-Militar Manuel Maldonado
(Republican governor general)
Carlos María de la Torre y Navacerrada
(Republican governor general)
47 Domingo Garcia 1871-1873 Gobernador Politico-Militar Rafael de Izquierdo y Gutíerrez
48 Miguel Masgrao 1873 Gobernador Politico-Militar (Interim) Rafael de Izquierdo y Gutíerrez
49 Federico Lemeyer 1873-1875 Gobernador Politico-Militar Juan Alaminos y Vivar
Manuel Blanco Valderrama
José Malcampo y Monje
51 Roman Pastor 1875-1877 Gobernador Politico-Militar José Malcampo y Monje
52 Juan Blake 1877-1878 Gobernador Politico-Militar Domingo Moriones y Murillo
53 Ramon Estevanez 1878-1883 Gobernador Politico-Militar Domingo Moriones y Murillo
Rafael Rodríguez Arias
Fernando Primo de Rivera
54 Eduardo Subinza 1883-1885 Gobernador Politico-Militar Emilio Molíns
Joaquín Jovellar
55 Antonio Tovar 1885-1889 Gobernador Politico-Militar Emilio Terrero y Perinat
56 Fernando Giralt 1889-1890 Gobernador Politico-Militar Emilio Terrero y Perinat
Antonio Moltó
Federico Lobatón
Valeriano Wéyler

Spanish governors of Negros Occidental

Governor General Valeriano Wéyler promulgated a royal decree in October 25, 1889, which divided the island into two provinces, namely Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, upon the request of the 13 Augustinian Recollect friars administering the towns east of the island. Bacolod was retained as the capital of Negros Occidental.

width=5% Orderwidth=20%Namewidth=15%Year in officewidth=20%Titlewidth=20%Capitalwidth=40%Governor-general
1 Camilo Lasala 1890-1894 Gobernador Politico-Militar Valeriano Wéyler
Eulogio Despujol
Federico Ochando
Ramón Blanco, 1st Marquis of Peña Plata
2 Manuel Valdeviseo Morquecho 1894-1898 Gobernador Politico-Militar Ramón Blanco, 1st Marquis of Peña Plata
Camilo de Polavieja
José de Lachambre
Fernando Primo de Rivera
3 Isidro Castro y Cinceros 1898 Gobernador Politico-Militar Fernando Primo de Rivera
Basilio Augustín
Fermín Jáudenes
Francisco Rizzo
Diego de los Ríos

Revolutionary government

width=5% Orderwidth=20%Namewidth=15%Year in officewidth=20%Titlewidth=20%Capitalwidth=40%President
1 November 6, 1898 – November 27, 1898 Gobernador Militar (Acting, as Secretary of War) General Aniceto Lacson
2 Simon Lizares November 27, 1898 – December 1, 1899 Gobernador Civil (Acting, as Secretary of the Interior) General Aniceto Lacson

Filipino governors

This list includes governors appointed or elected since the end of Spanish rule, the recognized start of the institutional office.

width=5% Orderwidth=20%Namewidth=15%Place of originwidth=20%Year in officewidth=20%Erawidth=40%Vice governor
1 Melecio Severino December 1, 1899 – April 30, 1901 Republic of Negros (as Governor-General of Negros Island)Antonio Jayme
2 May 1, 1901 – August 15, 1901 Leandro de la Rama Locsin
3 Leandro de la Rama Locsin August 16, 1901 – March 6, 1904 (first)
September 26, 1907 – March 7, 1908 (second)
4 March 7, 1904 – May 8, 1906
5 May 9, 1906 – September 25, 1907
6 March 8, 1908 – October 15, 1912
8 Matias Hilado October 16, 1912 – October 15, 1922
9 October 16, 1922 – October 15, 1925
10 October 16, 1925 – October 15, 1928
11 Agustin Ramos October 16, 1928 – October 15, 1931
12 October 16, 1931 – July 12, 1934
13 Ramon Severino July 12, 1934 – October 13, 1934
14 October 16, 1934 – June 13, 1937
15 Valeriano Gatuslao June 15, 1937 – October 15, 1940 (first)
February 3, 1954 – January 16, 1965 (second)
Gloria Esteban (second)
16 October 16, 1940 – December 30, 1941 (first)
June 8, 1953 – September 12, 1953 (second)
17 Antonio Lizares January 1, 1942 – July 31, 1942
18 Vicente Gustilo August 1, 1942-April 1943
19 December 16, 1942 – August 16, 1945 Commonwealth Government (In Exile)
(as military governor of Negros and Siquijor Islands)
Post delegated to 7 deputy governors:[4] [5]
Roberto Llantada
Traquilino Valderrama
Salvador Benedicto
Miguel Gatuslao
Aurelio Locsin
Margarito P. Teves
Crispimano Limbaga
20 Gregorio Pura September 27, 1945 – October 19, 1945 Commonwealth Government
(as military governor)
21 Ildefonso Coscolluela October 20, 1945 – February 14, 1946 Commonwealth Government
(as military governor)
22 Miguel Gatuslao February 15, 1946 – June 6, 1946 Commonwealth Government
(as military governor)
23 Rafael Lacson June 7, 1946 – November 22, 1951 Felix Amante
24 Leon Miraflores November 23, 1951 – July 9, 1952 (first)
September 1, 1952 – June 7, 1953 (second)
January 7, 1954 – January 9, 1954 (third)
25 Fernando Fuentes July 10, 1952 – August 31, 1952
29 Felix Amante September 16, 1953 – January 6, 1954
31 Deogracias Estrella January 9, 1954 – February 2, 1954
33 Benjamin Gomez January 17, 1965 – December 31, 1967
34 Alfredo Montelibano, Jr. January 1, 1968 – April 4, 1986
-- Armin Gustilo[6] January 3, 1986 – April 4, 1986 Fourth Republic
(as Governor of Negros del Norte)
Pacifico Aranas[7]
-- Jose Puey, Jr.[8] April 5, 1986 – August 18, 1986 Fourth Republic
(as Governor of Negros del Norte, office dissolved)
Romeo Gamboa, Jr.
35 Daniel Lacson, Jr. April 5, 1986 – December 4, 1987 (first)
January 24, 1988 – June 25, 1992 (second)
Eduardo Ledesma (first)
Rafael Coscolluela (second)
36 Eduardo Ledesma December 5, 1987 – February 1, 1988 Lorendo Dilag
38 Rafael Coscolluela June 30, 1992 – June 30, 2001 Romeo Gamboa, Jr.
39 Joseph Marañon June 30, 2001 – May 14, 2008 Isidro Zayco
40 Isidro Zayco May 14, 2008 – June 30, 2010 Emilio Yulo III
41 Alfredo Marañon[9] June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2019 Genaro Alvarez (first)
Eugenio Lacson (second)
42Eugenio Jose Lacson[10] San CarlosJune 30, 2019-incumbentFifth RepublicJeffrey Ferrer

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Provincial First Lady Marañon Crowns Blessed Virgin Mary on Her Birthday - Negros Occidental Provincial Government . May 17, 2016 . June 10, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160610035244/http://www.negros-occ.gov.ph/current-events/press-release/photo-release/provincial-first-lady-maranon-crowns-blessed-virgin-mary-on-her-birthday.html . dead .
  2. Web site: Provincial Library Opens Children's Corner - Negros Occidental Provincial Government . May 17, 2016 . June 10, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160610012915/http://www.negros-occ.gov.ph/current-events/press-release/capitol-news/provincial-library-opens-childrens-corner.html . dead .
  3. Web site: Archived copy . May 17, 2016 . October 16, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161016204532/http://www.negroschronicle.com/web-archives/faith/Historia%20de%20la%20Isla%20de%20Negros%20(Fr.%20Sagun).html . dead .
  4. Web site: Hofileña: Negros Occidental under Japanese occupation (Part 3) . . July 20, 2021 .
  5. Life in the Occupied Zone: One Negros Planter's Experience of War . 10.1017/S0022463400010699 . Journal of Southeast Asian Studies . March 1996 . 27 . 1 . 82–94 . Hofileña . Josefina Dalupan . 154758369 .
  6. Web site: Archives - Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times. July 5, 1986.
  7. Web site: DAILY STAR: Top Stories . July 15, 2016 . July 15, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160715142231/http://visayandailystar.com/2016/July/15/topstory4.htm . dead .
  8. Web site: Khaos takes Negros by storm. .
  9. Web site: Government Officials of Negros Occidental - Negros Occidental Provincial Government . May 13, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161113233259/http://www.negros-occ.gov.ph/government-officials-of-negros-occidental . November 13, 2016 . dead .
  10. Web site: Lacson proclaimed next governor of Negros Occidental. Guadalquiver. Nanette . www.pna.gov.ph. May 22, 2019.