| Flag Size: | 120x80px | ||
| Seal Size: | 100x80px | ||
| Image Map1: |
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| Pushpin Map: | Philippines | ||
| Pushpin Label Position: | left | ||
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the | ||
| Subdivision Type: | Country | ||
| Subdivision Name: | Philippines | ||
| Subdivision Type1: | Region | ||
| Subdivision Type2: | Province | ||
| Nickname: | The Caves Capital of the Philippines | ||
| Subdivision Type3: | District | ||
| Established Title: | Founded | ||
| Established Date: | June 21, 1959 | ||
| Parts Type: | Barangays | ||
| Parts Style: | para | ||
| P1: | (see Barangays) | ||
| Leader Name: | Ernie T. Uy (NPC) | ||
| Leader Title1: | Vice Mayor | ||
| Leader Name1: | Joeterry A. Uy (NPC) | ||
| Leader Name2: | Manuel T. Sagarbarria | ||
| Leader Title3: | Municipal Council | ||
| Leader Title4: | Electorate | ||
| Leader Name4: | voters (electorate_point_in_time}}|) | ||
| Elevation Max M: | 426 | ||
| Elevation Min M: | 68 | ||
| Population Density Km2: | auto | ||
| Population Blank1 Title: | Households | ||
| Timezone: | PST | ||
| Utc Offset: | +8 | ||
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code | ||
| Demographics Type1: | Economy | ||
| Demographics1 Title2: | Poverty incidence | ||
| Demographics1 Info2: | % | ||
| Demographics1 Title3: | Revenue | ||
| Demographics1 Title4: | Revenue rank | ||
| Demographics1 Title5: | Assets | ||
| Demographics1 Title6: | Assets rank | ||
| Demographics1 Title7: | IRA | ||
| Demographics1 Title8: | IRA rank | ||
| Demographics1 Title9: | Expenditure | ||
| Demographics1 Title10: | Liabilities | ||
| Demographics Type2: | Service provider | ||
| Demographics2 Title1: | Electricity | ||
| Demographics2 Title2: | Water | ||
| Demographics2 Title3: | Telecommunications | ||
| Demographics2 Title4: | Cable TV | ||
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | Native languages | ||
| Blank2 Name Sec1: | Crime index | ||
| Blank1 Name Sec2: | Major religions | ||
| Blank2 Name Sec2: | Feast date | ||
| Blank3 Name Sec2: | Catholic diocese | ||
| Blank4 Name Sec2: | Patron saint | ||
Mabinay, officially the Municipality of Mabinay, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 82,953 people, making it the most-populous municipality in Negros Oriental.
Folklore has it that a woman named Binay fell in love with the son of her father's rival chieftain. Her father ended the affair by having her lover killed. Binay grieved. Mother Nature took the weeping maiden into her bosom. Where Binay was laid to rest, a spring broke forth. According to the legend, she weeps to this day, feeding Mabinay Spring, one of the town's many alluring attractions.
It had over 100 known caves, including the popular Pandalihan, Panligawan and Gasidlak, each one with its own distinctive features ranging from fascinating to awesome. A team of Belgian and Dutch cavers determined Odloman Cave to be the second longest in the Philippines.
Under Republic Act No. 2469, which was signed by President Carlos P. Garcia in 1959, Mabinay was formally created from the fourteen sitios that seceded from the then-municipality of Bais.[1] In 1966, under Republic Act No. 4818, the municipality's territory was enlarged, with four more sitios added from Manjuyod and eight from Bais.[2]
Mabinay produces rice and corn, copra, soybeans and peanuts. Its principal crop, sugar cane, makes it an important member of the north's sugar district. It is a border town: the provincial highway runs through it and links Negros Oriental with its sister province.
Travel from Dumaguete is about two hours.[3]
Mabinay is situated roughly in the central part of the island of Negros abutting the western side of the provincial boundary. The municipality of Ayungon bounds it in the north, the City of Bais in the south, the municipalities of Bindoy and Manjuyod and a portion of Bais in the east, and the city of Kabankalan in the province of Negros Occidental in the west. It is north-west of the provincial capital, Dumaguete.
Mabinay is politically subdivided into 32 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Under the Köppen climate classification, Mabinay has a tropical monsoon climate. Unlike other municipalities and cities in Negros Oriental, Mabinay is situated further inland, making its mean temperatures slightly cooler compared to municipalities and cities that are on the coastline.
Mabinay is known for its caves. The Odloman Cave is one of the largest caves in the Philippines, with long and Cayaso Cave, the ninth longest cave in the country measuring long.[4]
Aside from the caves, Mabinay also has rivers and natural springs. One of its known natural spring is located at the heart of the municipality, the Mabinay spring. Ideal for family outing, swimming, kayaking, it also serves as the main water resource of the main town. It is about a 3 to 5 minute ride with tricycle, jeepney or a bus from the town center.
Mabinay itself has a small government-run hospital. Mabinay Medicare Community Hospital provides both in emergency outpatients services and inpatient services. It is located directly behind the Municipal Hall.
Mabinay Health Center is one of the three health centers that serve the town.
Motorcycles (also locally known as habal-habal), tricycles, jeepneys, and buses are the major modes of transportation in the municipality. Mabinay has a bus terminal that serves Ceres buses in transit from either Bacolod or Dumaguete.
The municipality is easily accessible through the Bais–Kabankalan road which cuts through the entire town. It is also directly connected to Ayungon through the Ayungon-Tambo road and to the city of Bayawan through the Bayawan-Mabinay road.
On June 16, 1997, the Sangguniang Bayan (Municipal Council) Resolution No. 94 established the Mabinay Institute of Technology (MIT), a technical college operated with the approval of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports. On June 25, 2004, MIT was integrated into the newly converted university,[5] Negros Oriental State University by virtue of the university charter, Republic Act No. 9299 signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. It became known as Mabinay Campus (NORSU-M).
The public schools in the town of Mabinay are administered by four school districts under the Schools Division of Negros Oriental.