Central Visayas

Coordinates: 10°0′N 123°30′E / 10.000°N 123.500°E / 10.000; 123.500
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Central Visayas
Tunga-tungang Kabisay-an
Gitnang Kabisayaan
Clockwise from the top: Magellan's Cross, Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape, Panglao Island, St. Francis of Assisi Church (Siquijor), Chocolate Hills, Niludhan Falls, Moalboal Reef
Nickname(s): 
Center of Christianity
Rehiyon sa mga Sugboanon (Region of the Cebuanos)
Location in the Philippines
Location in the Philippines
OpenStreetMap
Map
Coordinates: 10°0′N 123°30′E / 10.000°N 123.500°E / 10.000; 123.500
Country Philippines
Island groupVisayas
Regional center
and largest city
Cebu City
Area
 • Total15,895.66 km2 (6,137.35 sq mi)
Highest elevation2,465 m (8,087 ft)
Population
 (2020 census)[1]
 • Total8,081,988
 • Density510/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ISO 3166 codePH-07
Provinces
Cities
Municipalities116
Barangays3,003
Cong. districts11
Languages
GDP (2021)1.2 trillion
$25 billion[2]
Growth rateIncrease (5.4%)[2]
HDIIncrease 0.704 (High)
HDI rank4th in the Philippines (2019)

Central Visayas (Cebuano: Tunga-tungang Kabisay-an; Tagalog: Gitnang Kabisayaan or Gitnang Visayas) is an administrative region in the Philippines, numerically designated as Region VII. It consists of four provinces: Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor. The region also has three highly urbanized cities: Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu, and Mandaue.

The regional center and largest city is Cebu City. The Cebuano language is the region's lingua franca. The region is also dominated by the native speakers of four Visayan languages: Bantayanon, Boholano, Hiligaynon, and Porohanon. With a population of 8,081,988 inhabitants, it is the most populous region in the Visayas.

In 2015, Central Visayas was redefined when it lost the province of Negros Oriental to the newly formed Negros Island Region. However, the Negros Island Region was dissolved in 2017, returning Negros Oriental to Central Visayas.

Etymology

The name of the region, Central Visayas, was mostly chosen by American colonists to denote the centrality of the islands within the bigger Visayas area.

There have been proposals to rename the current Central Visayas region, which is dominated by the Cebuano (Sugbuanon) ethnic group, to Sugbu, the former name of the region prior to Spanish colonization in the 16th century. The name refers to the former kingdom of the region, the Rajahnate of Cebu, or Sugbu in Cebuano.[3][4]

History

Regions first came into existence on September 24, 1972, when the provinces of the Philippines were organized into 11 regions by Presidential Decree No. 1 as part of the Integrated Reorganization Plan by President Ferdinand Marcos. The provinces of Cebu, Bohol, and Negros Oriental (including its then-subprovince of Siquijor) were grouped together to form the Central Visayas region.

By virtue of Executive Order No. 183, s. 2015, issued on May 29, 2015, by President Benigno Aquino III, Central Visayas lost the province of Negros Oriental to the newly formed Negros Island Region.[5]

On August 9, 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte dissolved the Negros Island Region, revoking Executive Order No. 183, s. 2015 through the signing of Executive Order No. 38, citing a lack of funds to fully establish the region according to Benjamin Diokno, the Secretary of Budget and Management.[6] This returned Negros Oriental to Central Visayas.

Geography

Political map of Central Visayas

Central Visayas consists of the island provinces of Cebu and Bohol, the province of Negros Oriental which comprises the eastern half of the island of Negros, and the island province of Siquijor. The region also includes the straits of Cebu and Tañon. Its land area is 15,895.66 km2 (6,137.35 sq mi), 5.3% of the country's total land area.

Central Visayas is bounded on the north by the Visayan Sea, west by the province of Negros Occidental in Western Visayas, south by the Bohol Sea, and east by the Camotes Sea and the island of Leyte in Eastern Visayas.

Administrative divisions

Provinces

Central Visayas consists of 4 provinces, 3 highly urbanized cities, 13 component cities, 116 municipalities, and 3,005 barangays.

Province or HUC Capital Population (2020)[7] Area[8] Density Cities Muni. Barangay
km2 sq mi /km2 /sq mi
Bohol Tagbilaran City 17.3% 1,394,329 4,772.52 1,842.68 290 750 1 47 1,109
Cebu Cebu City 41.1% 3,325,385 4,943.72 1,908.78 670 1,700 6 44 1,066
Negros Oriental Dumaguete 17.7% 1,432,990 5,420.57 2,092.89 260 670 6 19 557
Siquijor Siquijor 1.3% 103,395 337.49 130.31 310 800 0 6 134
Cebu City 11.9% 964,169 315.00 121.62 3,100 8,000 80
Lapu-Lapu 6.2% 497,604 58.10 22.43 8,600 22,000 30
Mandaue 4.5% 364,116 25.18 9.72 14,500 38,000 27
Total 8,081,988 15,872.58 6,128.44 510 1,300 16 116 3,003

 †  Cebu City, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu are highly urbanized cities; figures are excluded from Cebu province.

Governors and vice governors

Province Image Governor Political Party Vice Governor
Erico Aristotle Aumentado NPC Dionisio Victor Balite
Gwendolyn Garcia 1-Cebu Hilario Davide III
Manuel Sagarbarria NPC Jaime Reyes
Jake Vincent Villa NPC Mei Ling Quezon-Brown

Cities

  •  †  Regional center
City Population (2020)[7] Area Density City class Income class Province
km2 sq mi /km2 /sq mi
Bais 84,317 319.64 123.41 260 670 Component 3rd Negros Oriental
Bayawan 122,747 699.08 269.92 180 470 Component 1st Negros Oriental
Bogo 88,867 103.52 39.97 860 2,200 Component 6th Cebu
Carcar 136,453 116.78 45.09 1,200 3,100 Component 5th Cebu
Cebu City 964,169 315.00 121.62 3,100 8,000 Highly urbanized 1st Cebu
Canlaon 58,822 170.93 66.00 340 880 Component 4th Negros Oriental
Danao 156,321 107.30 41.43 1,500 3,900 Component 3rd Cebu
Dumaguete 134,103 33.62 12.98 4,000 10,000 Component 2nd Negros Oriental
Guihulngan 102,656 388.56 150.02 260 670 Component 5th Negros Oriental
Lapu-Lapu 497,604 58.10 22.43 8,600 22,000 Highly urbanized 1st Cebu
Mandaue 364,116 25.18 9.72 14,000 36,000 Highly urbanized 1st Cebu
Naga 133,184 101.97 39.37 1,300 3,400 Component 3rd Cebu
Tagbilaran 104,976 36.50 14.09 2,900 7,500 Component 3rd Bohol
Talisay 263,048 39.87 15.39 6,800 18,000 Component 3rd Cebu
Tanjay 82,642 276.05 106.58 300 780 Component 4th Negros Oriental
Toledo 207,314 216.28 83.51 960 2,500 Component 3rd Cebu

Demographics

Population census of Central Visayas
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 1,124,444—    
1918 1,485,976+1.88%
1939 1,954,366+1.31%
1948 2,119,975+0.91%
1960 2,522,802+1.46%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1970 3,032,719+1.86%
1975 3,387,274+2.24%
1980 3,787,374+2.26%
1990 4,594,124+1.95%
1995 5,014,588+1.65%
YearPop.±% p.a.
2000 5,706,953+2.81%
2007 6,400,698+1.59%
2010 6,800,180+2.23%
2015 7,396,898+1.61%
2020 8,081,988+1.76%
Data in 2015 includes Negros Oriental. Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[1][9][10][11]

According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 8,081,988. The population density was 510/km2 (1,300/sq mi). The 2015 census showed an average annual population growth rate of 1.76% from 2010 to 2015, slightly higher than the national average of 1.72%.[1]

Languages

The native languages of Central Visayas are:

Economy

A skyline view of Cebu City.


Central Visayas has the fourth-largest economy in the Philippines.[19] Cebu City serves as the region's economic hub.

Transportation

Ports

Fastcraft terminal for ferrying passengers from Cebu to Negros Island.

The Port of Cebu is the region's main gateway by sea. Other seaports in the region include the Liloan Port in Santander, Cebu, the Port of Tagbilaran in Bohol, the Ports of Larena and Siquijor in Siquijor, and two seaports in Negros Oriental: the Sibulan Port and the Port of Dumaguete. Inter-island shipping is served by numerous shipping lines, including ro-ro companies Montenegro Lines and Lite Ferries and fastcraft companies OceanJet and Supercat.

Airports

Mactan–Cebu International Airport.

Mactan–Cebu International Airport, located on Mactan Island in Metro Cebu, is the country's second-busiest airport and a gateway to the region by air. It is the secondary hub of Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines (and their subsidiaries), with flights to locations throughout the country. It also serves international flights to other Asian and intercontinental destinations.[20]

There are two other airports in the region. Bohol–Panglao International Airport serves Bohol and is the region's newest airport. Sibulan Airport is a domestic airport which serves Dumaguete and the rest of Negros Oriental.

Mass media

Cebu City is the main media hub for the region. Large media networks – ABS-CBN, GMA Network, TV5, People's Television Network, CNN Philippines, and IBC 13 – maintain their respective local stations and branches for viewership, commercial and news coverage purposes. Most of these stations broadcast local news and public affairs as well as entertainment and dramas to cater to the local viewers.

Aside from the 24 national daily newspapers available, Cebu City also has 20 local newspapers. Among the widely read are SunStar Cebu, Cebu Daily News, and The Freeman.

References

  1. ^ a b c Census of Population (2015). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Gross Regional Domestic Product". openstat.psa.gov.ph. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  3. ^ "Change in name will be good for Philippines". Inquirer Opinion. July 15, 2016.
  4. ^ "Should the Philippines be renamed? Historian weighs in".
  5. ^ "Executive Order No. 183, s. 2015". Official Gazette (Philippines). May 29, 2015. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  6. ^ "Duterte dissolves Negros Island Region". Rappler. August 9, 2017. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  7. ^ a b Census of Population (2020). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  8. ^ "Population, Land Area, Population Density, and Percent Change in Population Density of the Philippines by Region, Province/Highly Urbanized City, and City/Municipality: 2010, 2015, and 2020" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  9. ^ Census of Population and Housing (2010). Population and Annual Growth Rates for The Philippines and Its Regions, Provinces, and Highly Urbanized Cities (PDF). National Statistics Office. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  10. ^ Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VII (Central Visayas)" (PDF). Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. National Statistics Office. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  11. ^ 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.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ "Poverty incidence (PI):". Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  13. ^ "Estimation of Local Poverty in the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. November 29, 2005.
  14. ^ "2009 Official Poverty Statistics of the Philippines" (PDF). Philippine Statistics Authority. February 8, 2011.
  15. ^ "Annual Per Capita Poverty Threshold, Poverty Incidence and Magnitude of Poor Population, by Region and Province: 1991, 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. August 27, 2016.
  16. ^ "Annual Per Capita Poverty Threshold, Poverty Incidence and Magnitude of Poor Population, by Region and Province: 1991, 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. August 27, 2016.
  17. ^ "Annual Per Capita Poverty Threshold, Poverty Incidence and Magnitude of Poor Population, by Region and Province: 1991, 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2015". Philippine Statistics Authority. August 27, 2016.
  18. ^ "Updated Annual Per Capita Poverty Threshold, Poverty Incidence and Magnitude of Poor Population with Measures of Precision, by Region and Province: 2015 and 2018". Philippine Statistics Authority. June 4, 2020.
  19. ^ Palaubsanon, Mitchelle L. "Central Visayas remains Philippine's 4th largest economy". Philstar.com. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  20. ^ "Mactan Cebu International Airport - Cebu Pacific - Philippines". mactan–cebuairport.com.ph. Archived from the original on August 6, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2013.

External links