Travel in Silay City

History Of Silay City 

         According to the http://www.negros-occ.gov.ph/about-negros-occidental/cities-and-municipalities/cities/silay-city the Silay Ctiy Founded in 1760, Silay evolved from being an old Spanish settlement. Migrant families from Iloilo gave vigor to Silay, making it an important commercial and agricultural settlement during the Spanish era. In 1846, cultivation of sugarcane led by Yves Leopold Germain Gaston made the town prosperous. November 5, 1898 played a significant role in Silay’s history. Sugarcane workers attacked the Spanish garrison and made the Spaniards surrender peacefully. It was a bloodless revolution. The Philippine flag was raised for the first time at the public plaza. Silay, famous for its artists and cultural shows, became the “Paris of Negros”. Kahirup Theater was the center of these activities. Jose “Pitong” Ledesma, a Silaynon pianist, conductor and philanthropist was one of those responsible for inviting operatta and zarzuela performers from Europe. Silay is the second town in Negros Occidental to become a city on June 12, 1957.

The Heritage Houses In Silay City

Victor Fernandez Ancestral House ( Balay Negrense)

Soledad and Maria Montelibano Ancestral House

Lino Lopez Severino and Maria Golez Ancestral House

Jose Ledesma Ancestral Houses

House of Rene and Jisseca Velez Dimacali

Generos Gamboa Ancestral Twin House 

The Christmass in Silay City

   Their are so many houses in Silay City but I acknowledge you to visit your place and you will be enjoy the venue because the houses located close to each other.

  According to https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/411044 Every December the City of Silay was celebrating Yuletide holidays for the whole month of December with its Christmas Village 2018 at the public plaza as the centerpiece of its merrymaking.

Following the switch-on ceremony on December 3, the plaza has become an enchanting sight spruced up with the “belen” (nativity scene) and “arko” (welcome arch) installations mounted by the villages.

    Silay, being the heritage capital of the province, traces back the concept of transforming the plaza into a Christmas village even before the “Cinco de Noviembre Revolution” (November 5 Revolution) in 1898.

     Ver Pacete, former city tourism officer and now consultant on sociology, said the Silay Christmas Village began as early as 1840 when families from Iloilo City came to Silay and other places in Negros to start the hacienda system.

    Silay, being the heritage capital of the province, traces back the concept of transforming the plaza into a Christmas village even before the “Cinco de Noviembre Revolution” (November 5 Revolution) in 1898.
     Ver Pacete, former city tourism officer and now consultant on sociology, said the Silay Christmas Village began as early as 1840 when families from Iloilo City came to Silay and other places in Negros to start the hacienda system.

     He added that the different mayors of Silay then continued to improve the plaza lights and eventually converted the whole area into a Christmas Village.

     Since 2016, Mayor Mark Golez has spearheaded the activities with the various sectors.
     Golez said the annual Christmas Village in Silay City has become a Silaynon pride.

    Every year, the lights-on ceremony is a most awaited event for Silaynons and the plaza then becomes a sight to behold, he added.

    “Over the years, this has become a Silaynon tradition which I plan to continue,” Golez said, adding that the Christmas Village has helped develop the Silaynon skill, artistry, teamwork, and creativity among the barangays and the public schools.

   “Everybody wants to win hence solidarity and teamwork prevails. The Christmas Village makes the Christmas spirit alive in Silay,” the mayor said.

    Golez said that for him and the people of Silay, a stroll in the public plaza gives one a spirit of peace and tranquility, a quiet calmness of soul, and joy and peace.

   “Families take the time to go for a walk and enjoy the lights at night. This is what Christmas is all about – the gathering of families. And more importantly, it is free,” he added.

    Pacete said “the Christmas Village in Silay is not just for commercial or tourist attraction, it is deeply rooted in the culture and tradition of the Silaynons.”
  “At the center of the Christmas Village, we have the giant ‘Belen’ and the Christmas tree symbolizing the birth of Jesus Christ in the manger and the hope of the Silaynons for a more progressive future. The ‘Christmas arko’ is a Silaynon symbol for ‘welcome’,” he added.
   This year’s theme is “Sa Ti-on sang Paskwa, Paghigugma, Pag-ambit anay kag Pagbinuligay Maga Asenso ang Silay, Maga Asenso ang tagsa ka Panimalay.”
 

 

    For the Arko and Belen competition, Barangay Uno was declared first place, Barangay Hawaiian, second; and Barangay Lantad, third.Among the highlights of the month-long activities are Christmas Carol Competition for elementary and high school students, and villages as well as the Daigon 2018

   The Philippine Ballet Theater’s The Nutcracker show was held at Kansilayan Gym last December 16 while the “Pamaskwa ni Mayor Mark,” at the Covered Court on December 21.During the closing day on December 30, activities will include a thanksgiving mass, Rizal Day re-enactment and wreath-laying, and year-end fireworks display and celebrity night.

SILAY CITY CHARTER ANNIVERSARY

   The Silay City is celebrating its annual Charter Anniversary every month of June. This festive celebration usually peaks in the first to second week of the month and f course; the local government units are giving their best to provide the locals and the tourists alike a grand celebration. The main event of the festival is the presentation of the well-known legend in the place, the Legend of Kansilay. A total of 16 Barangays are working together to produce a high dance and drama combo presentation. This zarzuela presentation aims to portray the goodness, love, and the heroism of the legend protagonist, Princess Kansilay.

    The legend is about how Silay was built, basing it from the fact that the society here evolved in the concepts of culture, traditions, and old practices which they inherited from their ancestors. It shows the founding of the place called as “Carobcoc,” which happens to be the first ever shoreline settlement of the community in Silay.

   The unique and at the same time interesting feature of this festivity is that it follows an organized storyline. This involves the characters, setting, plot, sub-plots, conflict, climax, resolution, and the end of the story. You will surely enjoy watching the presentation because appropriate and well-composed music and rhythms were also produced to accompany the entire performance. The characters would be the village princess, Kansilay. The lover of Kansilay, Lawaan. The chieftain and at the same time the father of Kansilay, Bubog. The villain and leader of the bandits, Lunok. The fairy of the flowers, Diwata. The Babaylan in the village, Kamangyan. Ultimately, the presentation also shows the ways of living of the early people of Silay which includes commerce, farming, fishing, and trade and cottage industry. Of course, to add the love in the air vibe, the story also focuses on the love story of Kansilay and Lawaan. The heroism part of the story happened when Kansilay started to defend their land heroically with the help of the other community members against Lunok. With the help of the Diwata, they were able to defeat him triumphantly.

   The phrase “Hugyaw kay Kansilay” continuously echoes until now for the main reason that people of Silay are very thankful for their cultural and historical heritage. They continue to honor Kansilay through their actions, by doing what is right and what is good. They also do their best to pass the same virtues and values to the next and younger generations.Overall, the celebration of the Hugyaw Kansilay Festival is a fun celebration to witness. Just try to imagine an old legend becoming a grand reality in front of your eyes, this is something that makes the place famous. Not only they do it to attract visitors, but most importantly, they do it because of utmost gratitude for their early ancestors.

SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES FOR KANSILAY FESTIVAL 2019

We will update soon the schedule of Kansilay Festival