Basay, Negros Oriental

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Basay
Municipality
Municipality of Basay
Basay Municipal Hall.jpg
Municipal Hall
Flag of Basay, Negros Oriental.png
Flag
Ph locator negros oriental basay.png
Map of Negros Oriental with Basay highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Basay, Negros Oriental
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Red pog.svg
Basay
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 9°25′N122°38′E / 9.42°N 122.63°E / 9.42; 122.63
Country Philippines
Region Negros Island Region
Province Negros Oriental
District 3rd district
Founded June 15, 1968
Named after Visayan term "busay", meaning "spring"
Barangays 10 (see Barangays)
Government
  [1]
 • Type Sangguniang Bayan
 •  Mayor Jonny A. Wagas (Lakas)
 •  Vice Mayor Nelie M. Gabas (Ind)
 •  Representative Janice Degamo (Lakas)
 •  Municipal Council
Members
  • Mikle Vito M. Abing
  • Darren Philip J. Nipshagen
  • Pristine Joy Kharlysel Y. Abrio
  • Venrol John V. Bendijo
  • Beda Brent E. Cañamaque
  • Jose Manuel U. Montebon
  • Charita A. Tangon
  • Marl Felred A. Actub
  • Reymond June Rey Babor ◌
  • ◌ ex officio SK chairman
 •  Electorate 22,235 voters (2025)
Area
[2]
 • Total
162.00 km2 (62.55 sq mi)
Elevation
74 m (243 ft)
Highest elevation
686 m (2,251 ft)
Lowest elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (2024 census) [3]
 • Total
30,018
 • Density190/km2 (480/sq mi)
 •  Households
6,984
Economy
 •  Income class 4th municipal income class
 •  Poverty incidence
40.12
% (2021) [4]
 •  Revenue ₱ 201.5 million (2022)
 •  Assets ₱ 439 million (2022)
 •  Expenditure ₱ 152.4 million (2022)
 •  Liabilities ₱ 131.1 million (2022)
Service provider
 • ElectricityNegros Oriental 2 Electric Cooperative (NORECO 2)
Time zone UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
6222
PSGC
074605000
IDD  :  area code  +63 (0)35
Native languages Cebuano
Tagalog
Hiligaynon

Basay, officially the Municipality of Basay, is a municipality in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 28,531 people. [5]

Contents

Etymology

The name stems from the abundance of natural springs in the area, which are locally called "busay." The name was later changed from "Busay" to "Basay" during the Spanish era for unknown reasons. [6]

History

Man-made twin lagoons in Barangay Maglinao Twin man made lago galleryfull.jpg
Man-made twin lagoons in Barangay Maglinao

Basay was created under the Republic Act No. 5491, which was signed in 1968. [7] Upon its separation from Bayawan in 1971, Basay became Oriental Negros’ westernmost town, with Negros Occidental at its rear. Diocesan chronicles reveal that it was already a far-flung outpost in the nineteenth century. It perked up in the 70s when CDCP and INKO arrived to mine its copper and iron magnetite.

Basay is agricultural, with sugar cane, rice, corn and copra as major crops. Fringing its shoreline is the Mindanao Sea, considered the richest fishing waters in the country.

Three major rivers running parallel from north to south traverse the town. Balatong Point, also known as Punta Tambongon, was the landing site of a submarine bearing the biggest shipment of WWII ammunition for Negros Oriental. The party was headed by Col Jesus Villamor, acting on the personal direction of Gen Douglas MacArthur who was then in Australia.

The coves and shallow caves on the shoreline of Nagbo-alao are said to be enchanted. The Negros cave frog is endemic to Basay. Its Pagatban River is home to the alligator. Bal-os and Cabcaban springs are important sources of potable water as well as sunny picnic sites. Yardahan is a fishing village with fine swimming areas and game-fishing activities.

Geography

Basay is located in the south of Negros Island on the coast of the Sulu Sea. Basay is 122 kilometres (76 mi) from Dumaguete and 219 kilometres (136 mi) from Bacolod. It is approximately a two-hour-and-a-half drive from Dumaguete. [8]

Barangays

Basay is politically subdivided into 10 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

PSGC Barangay Population ±% p.a.
2024 [9] 2010 [10]
074605001 Actin 8.0% 2,407 2,391▴ 0.05%
074605002 Bal-os 13.9% 4,172 3,225▴ 1.83%
074605003 Bongalonan 13.9% 4,185 3,742▴ 0.79%
074605004 Cabalayongan 2.9% 878 1,110▾ −1.64%
074605005 Cabatuanan 3.2% 967 741▴ 1.89%
074605006 Linantayan 2.8% 834 1,250▾ −2.81%
074605007 Maglinao 10.7% 3,216 2,807▴ 0.96%
074605008 Nagbo-alao 18.5% 5,546 4,050▴ 2.24%
074605009 Olandao 3.7% 1,119 1,094▴ 0.16%
074605010 Poblacion 17.3% 5,207 4,503▴ 1.03%
Total30,01824,913▴1.32%

Climate

Climate data for Basay, Negros Oriental
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)31
(88)		31
(88)		32
(90)		33
(91)		31
(88)		30
(86)		29
(84)		29
(84)		29
(84)		29
(84)		30
(86)		30
(86)		30
(87)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)22
(72)		22
(72)		22
(72)		24
(75)		25
(77)		25
(77)		25
(77)		25
(77)		25
(77)		25
(77)		24
(75)		23
(73)		24
(75)
Average precipitation mm (inches)46
(1.8)		45
(1.8)		56
(2.2)		83
(3.3)		163
(6.4)		203
(8.0)		236
(9.3)		204
(8.0)		210
(8.3)		211
(8.3)		143
(5.6)		77
(3.0)		1,677
(66)
Average rainy days12.19.814.317.526.027.828.426.926.727.923.317.2257.9
Source: Meteoblue (Use with caution: this is modeled/calculated data, not measured locally.) [11]

Demographics

Population census of Basay
YearPop.±% p.a.
1970 8,235—    
1975 13,974+11.19%
1980 21,637+9.13%
1990 17,736−1.97%
1995 18,500+0.79%
2000 21,366+3.14%
2007 22,713+0.85%
2010 24,913+3.42%
2015 26,566+1.23%
2020 28,531+1.51%
2024 30,018+1.23%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [12] [13] [10] [14] [15]

Languages

Cebuano is the dominant dialect of Basay, followed by Hiligaynon.

The town is home to the highly significant Magahat language , the indigenous language of Southern Negros as listed by the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino. The language is vital to the culture and arts of the people.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Basay

10
20
30
40
50
60
70
2000
60.62
2003
63.45
2006
50.90
2009
45.79
2012
46.43
2015
53.31
2018
29.10
2021
40.12

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23]

Education

The public schools in the town of Basay are administered by one school district under the Schools Division of Bayawan City.

Elementary schools:

High schools:

References

  1. ↑   Municipality of Basay | (DILG)
  2. ↑ "2015 Census of Population, Report No. 3 – Population, Land Area, and Population Density" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Quezon City, Philippines. August 2016. ISSN   0117-1453. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  3. ↑ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  4. ↑ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  5. ↑ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  6. ↑ "Basay - History" . Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  7. ↑ "REPUBLIC ACT No. 5421 - An Act Creating the Municipality of Basay in the Province of Negros Oriental" . Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  8. ↑ "About | Cities & Towns Archived 2014-02-19 at the Wayback Machine ", Negros Oriental Tourism Office. Retrieved 2013-05-28.
  9. ↑ Census of Population (2020). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  10. 1 2 Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VII (Central Visayas)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office . Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  11. ↑ "Basay: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  12. ↑ "2024 Census of Population (POPCEN) Population Counts Declared Official by the President". Philippine Statistics Authority. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  13. ↑ Census of Population (2015). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority . Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  14. ↑ Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. National Statistics Office.
  15. ↑ "Province of". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  16. ↑ "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 29 November 2005.
  18. ↑ "2003 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 23 March 2009.
  19. ↑ "City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates; 2006 and 2009" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 3 August 2012.
  20. ↑ "2012 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. 31 May 2016.
  21. ↑ "Municipal and City Level Small Area Poverty Estimates; 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. 10 July 2019.
  22. ↑ "PSA Releases the 2018 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  23. ↑ "PSA Releases the 2021 City and Municipal Level Poverty Estimates". Philippine Statistics Authority. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
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