Valencia
is a town west of Dumaguete City. It is nestled on the slopes of
Mt. Talinis.
BRIEF PROFILE
|
Land Area: |
147.49 km² |
Population: |
31,477 (2010) |
Barangays: |
24 |
A Brief History___________________________
Valencia is used to be called Ermita, a Spanish word for a place
of refuge, because this was where natives retreated to during
moro raids. It was later renamed Nueva Valencia by a priest who
was reminded by his hometown in Spain. It was again renamed to
Luzurriaga, after a prominent local politician.
In 1948, it became Valencia, one of Negros Oriental's three interior
towns.
The People______________________________
Majority of the population speak the Cebuano dialect.
Commerce and Industry_____________________
Valencia is known for its cutflowers and ornamentals. Lanzones
and rambutan gardens are gaining ground as pasalubong items in
their season.
Getting There and Away_____________________
Jeepneys ply the Dumaguete-Valencia route many times daily.
Other Information__________________________
Two prominent structures commemorate its Hispanic past: the Church
of Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados; and a fountain in
its sunken plaza, which is fed by water from the mountain.
Camp Lookout offers panoramic views of Dumaguete and islands to
the east.
On the Sagbang promontory, the tri-sidal Filipino-American-Japanese
Amity Shrine rises 30 feet on the last and fiercest encounter of
World War II in Negros Oriental. Relics from that battle can be
found in the privately-owned Cataal Memorabilia Museum in the poblacion.
Casaroro and Pulangbato Falls are the most popular falls, being
the most accessible, in the province.
Mountaineers from various parts of the country regularly trek to
Mt. Talinis.
Valencia sits on a rich geothermal reserve from which the Philippine
National Oil Corporation (PNOC) generates power for Negros Oriental
and neighboring islands.