“Some go down there for what it is famous for the delicious “Talaba” or the pyrotechnics.
During the Yuletide season and in summer, the town of Hinigaran is one of the busiest municipalities in the province.
This is home to the finest of pyrotechnics makers. “Talaba” which become more palatable during summer are in bounty. And so for talaba eaters and pyrotechnics enthusiast all roads lead to Hinigaran. For those who love the sun, Hinigaran can still boast of beautiful and clean beaches fringed by graceful coconut trees.
Located in the southwestern coast of Negros and just 54 kilometers south of Bacolod, it is bounded in the northeast by the towns of Pontevedra and La Castellana, in the east by Isabela, in the south of Binalbagan and Tanulo river, and in the west by the Guimaras Strait.
Hinigaran is the second class municipality with the population of 74,997 (2000 census) distributed in its 24 barangays and with it total area of 15,492 hectares.
Just like any town in Negros Occidental, Hinigaran is basically agricultural, though fishing is still the source of income of many, especially those living along coastal barangays.
Based on available records, the town of Hinigaran was first settled by the Mondos and the Ambaks, semi-premitive people. When the Malay traders from Panay came, they drove the Mondos to the Interior and these Malay settlers occupied the area beside the sea. The Mondos and the Ambaks, then called the new settlers “Taga-Higad “, meaning those living beside the sea. When the Spaniards arrived, the town was called “Ginigaran” derived from the Latin word “Higad”.
Legend however, says that the Hinigaran derived it name from the Bisayan word “Linigaran”, meaning was “bypassed”, or “skirted”. The accounts say that when Canla-on Volcano erupted, a big snake retreated to the sea taking the route of what is now Binalbagan River. As the big snake move into the sea, it skirted or bypassed Hinigaran (Linigaran) and got stranded at the mouth of the river and blocked the “Binalabagan” from which the present municipality of Binalbagan, derived it name. Among the first family that settled in Hinigaran were families of Mongcal, Danao-og, Curio, Sarrosa, David, Pido, Pabalinas, Luntayao, and Grijaldo. They came from Miag-ao and Guimbal. The migration from Panay increased the population, and in 1768 the Spaniards officials made Hinigaran a Pueblo. It was only in 1806 in the presence of Augustinian priest, that Basilio Mongcal was elected by the Principalis as the first Gobernadorcillo.
The demand for sugar by foreign firms stirred the interest of the people of Panay to acquire more land for cultivation of sugar. The elite of Molo chose Hinigaran as the place for their haciendas. Two prominent families, the Siguenza and the Guanco constructed the Magdalena sugar factory in the 1912, one of the first sugar centrals in Negros Occidental.
When the Philippine revolution broke out, Bibiano Gelvosa and his followers fought bravely against the Spaniards. Among the active leaders of the Revolution in Hinigaran, were Antipaz Vasquez and Severino Rivas, who treated the friars with cruelty. The rest like Joaquin Villadelgado, who took notice of the anti clerical tendencies of local revolutionary leaders decided to have nothing to do with it. The Spaniards left Negros on the first week of January 1899.
Hinigaran was occupied by the American under Captain Forbes. Few days of their stay at the convent, they attacked by the Filipino revolutionaries led by the man name “Felipin”. The resistance to the American occupation ended with the caption of Filipin and his several followers at Cabirad. After putting down the resistance, the America organized the local government with Bibiano Gelvosa as the municipal president and Leon Cuison as the chief of Police. Capitan Bibiano Gelvosa was the last Capitan municipal and the first municipal President. Among the Capitanes Municipales were Baldomero Grijaldo, Esteban Vasquez, Joaquin Villadelgado, Juan Vasquez, and Victoriano Siguenza.
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