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%	Order	width=20%	Name	width=15%	Year in office	width=20%	Title	width=20%	Capital	width=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%	Order	width=20%	Name	width=15%	Year in office	width=20%	Title	width=20%	Capital	width=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%	Order	width=20%	Name	width=15%	Year in office	width=20%	Title	width=20%	Capital	width=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%	Order	width=20%	Name	width=15%	Place of origin	width=20%	Year in office	width=20%	Era	width=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)
42	Eugenio Jose Lacson^[10]	San Carlos	June 30, 2019-incumbent	Fifth Republic	Jeffrey Ferrer

Notes and References

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 .
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 .
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 .
Web site: Hofileña: Negros Occidental under Japanese occupation (Part 3) . . July 20, 2021 .
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 .
Web site: Archives - Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times. July 5, 1986.
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 .
Web site: Khaos takes Negros by storm. .
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 .
Web site: Lacson proclaimed next governor of Negros Occidental. Guadalquiver. Nanette . www.pna.gov.ph. May 22, 2019.