| Flag Size: | 120x80px | ||
| Seal Size: | 100x80px | ||
| Image Map1: |
| ||
| 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 | ||
| Named For: | Vice Governor Salvador V. Benedicto | ||
| Other Name: | Salvador Benedicto | ||
| Nickname: | Summer Capital of Negros Occidental | ||
| Subdivision Type3: | District | ||
| Established Title: | Founded | ||
| Established Date: | February 9, 1983 | ||
| Parts Type: | Barangays | ||
| Parts Style: | para | ||
| P1: | (see Barangays) | ||
| Leader Name: | Laurence Marxlen J. dela Cruz | ||
| Leader Title1: | Vice Mayor | ||
| Leader Name1: | Nehemiah Joe J. dela Cruz | ||
| Leader Name2: | Gerardo P. Valmayor Jr. | ||
| Leader Title3: | Municipal Council | ||
| Leader Name4: | voters (electorate_point_in_time}}|) | ||
| Elevation Max M: | 1535 | ||
| Elevation Min M: | 260 | ||
| 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 | ||
Don Salvador Benedicto, officially the Municipality of Don Salvador Benedicto (Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Don Salvador Benedicto; Tagalog: Bayan ng Don Salvador Benedicto) or simply Salvador Benedicto and abbreviated as DSB, is a 4th class municipality in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 26,922 people.
The municipality is a post-colonial provincial hill station, designated the Summer Capital of Negros Occidental, and is a popular tourist site.[1]
The idea for the creation of the municipality originated from Nehemias “Nene” de la Cruz, a political dissident who was imprisoned during the Martial law era. While in prison, he began dreaming of creating a town out of the “cradle of insurgency/rebellion”, and after his release, gained the support of his friend Mike Coronel, who was also the provincial commander of the Philippine Constabulary in Negros Occidental, in establishing the upcoming municipality based in Barangay Igmaya-an, which was then part of Murcia, in 1976. Located at the center of the mountains of northern Negros Occidental, Don Salvador Benedicto was chartered in 1983 through Batas Pambansa Bilang 336 by then President Ferdinand Marcos. It consolidated all the remote barangays of San Carlos City and the towns of Calatrava and Murcia.[2] which were apparently neglected due to inaccessibility.
The town is named after the former Vice Governor Salvador Valois Benedicto (March 31, 1889 - November 28, 1956) who played an important role in the setting up of a Revolutionary Government in Negros Island particularly in Barangay Igmaya-an, when the country was occupied by the Japanese during World War II.[2] He was also the main guerrilla coordinator in both Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental during the said war. Salvador Benedicto is a relative of Roberto Benedicto, a crony of Marcos.
Don Salvador Benedicto is 47km (29miles) east of Bacolod, via Negros Occidental Eco-Tourism Highway (N69).
Don Salvador Benedicto is politically subdivided into 7 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.
Major languages are Hiligaynon, followed by Cebuano with English and Filipino being used as second languages.
Although a small town, the town of Don Salvador Benedicto has seen a rise in its municipal economy thanks to tourism and local agriculture. Due to its high altitude like Baguio, the town can support crops that grow in temperate areas, making it ideal for a multitude of farming businesses. Tourism is on the rise for the town especially when travellers head out into the heart of the province. Also located in the municipality are the Choco Hills, similar to Bohol's Chocolate Hills, with shared boundary of Barangay Prosperidad, San Carlos City.[3]