Isabela, Negros Occidental

Isabela, officially the Municipality of Isabela, is a municipality in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 64,516 people.^[5]

Isabela
Municipality
Municipality of Isabela
Barangay Camangcamang with Mabinay Mountains seen in the distance
Flag
Nickname:  The Sweet Heart of Negros
Map of Negros Occidental with Isabela highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Isabela Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 10°12′N 122°59′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Negros Island Region
Province	Negros Occidental
District	5th district
Named after	Isabella II of Spain
Barangays	30 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Miguel Angelo G. Yulo (Lakas)
• Vice Mayor	Renato M. Malabor, Jr. (Lakas)
• Representative	Emilio Bernardino L. Yulo III (Lakas)
• Municipal Council	Members Nico Adrian K. Vasquez Ryan G. Uy Francis Y. Malabor Arjay D. Ansag Wilfredo D. Flores Dadilos T. Española, Jr. Randy T. Candelario Eduardo T. Española Alyssa Therese T. Celo ◌ ◌ ex officio SK chairman
• Electorate	42,760 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	178.76 km2 (69.02 sq mi)
Elevation	52 m (171 ft)
Highest elevation	651 m (2,136 ft)
Lowest elevation	12 m (39 ft)
Population  (2024 census)[3]
• Total	65,399
• Density	370/km2 (950/sq mi)
• Households	15,685
Economy
• Income class	2nd municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	23.96 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 285.9 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 473.8 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 228 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 86.09 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (NOCECO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	6128
PSGC	064514000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)34
Native languages	Hiligaynon Ati Tagalog
Website	www.isabela.gov.ph

Isabela is known for BISCOM (Binalbagan Isabela Sugar Company) located in nearby Binalbagan town.

History

In 1951, the barrios of Magallon, Odiong, and Guinpanaan were separated from Isabela and formed into the town of Magallon (now Moises Padilla).^[6]

Geography

Isabela is 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Bacolod (via La Castellana) or 71 kilometres (44 mi) (via Hinigaran), 35 kilometres (22 mi) from Guihulngan, 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) from Binalbagan, and 19 kilometres (12 mi) from Hinigaran.

Barangays

Isabela is politically subdivided into 30 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

• Amin
• Banogbanog
• Bulad
• Bungahin
• Cabcab
• Camangcamang
• Camp Clark
• Cansalongon
• Guintubhan
• Libas
• Limalima
• Makilignit
• Mansablay
• Maytubig
• Panaquiao
• Barangay 1 (Poblacion)
• Barangay 2 (Poblacion)
• Barangay 3 (Poblacion)
• Barangay 4 (Poblacion)
• Barangay 5 (Poblacion)
• Barangay 6 (Poblacion)
• Barangay 7 (Poblacion)
• Barangay 8 (Poblacion)
• Barangay 9 (Poblacion)
• Riverside
• Rumirang
• San Agustin
• Sebucawan
• Sikatuna
• Tinongan

Climate

Climate data for Isabela, Negros Occidental
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	30 (86)	31 (88)	32 (90)	33 (91)	32 (90)	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)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	23 (73)	24 (74)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	38 (1.5)	29 (1.1)	55 (2.2)	65 (2.6)	141 (5.6)	210 (8.3)	212 (8.3)	176 (6.9)	180 (7.1)	180 (7.1)	130 (5.1)	70 (2.8)	1,486 (58.6)
Average rainy days	9.0	7.2	11.1	13.5	25.6	28.4	28.9	27.3	26.9	27.7	21.8	13.8	241.2
Source: Meteoblue (modeled/calculated data, not measured locally)[7]

Demographics

Population census of Isabela

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1903 12,836 —     1918 19,653 +2.88% 1939 43,509 +3.86% 1948 33,743 −2.78% 1960 29,769 −1.04% 1970 33,636 +1.23% 1975 37,400 +2.15% 1980 39,704 +1.20%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1990 47,010 +1.70% 1995 49,019 +0.79% 2000 48,719 −0.13% 2007 58,819 +2.63% 2010 59,523 +0.43% 2015 62,146 +0.82% 2020 64,516 +0.79% 2024 65,399 +0.33%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[8][9][10][11][12]

Economy

Poverty incidence of Isabela

10 20 30 40 50 60 2000 59.48 2003 43.56 2006 36.10 2009 33.84 2012 27.30 2015 26.84 2018 28.00 2021 23.96 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]

Festival

"Tigkalagkalag" is celebrated on the evening of Nov. 2 every year in the town of Isabela.^[21] The Pana-ad victory of Tigkalagkalag (Kalag-Kalag) festival is expected to boost the attraction of this unique festival that began in Purok Manacup beside the public cemetery in Isabela town where people would have fun during the night of All Souls Day that was capped with a beauty pageant called Search for the White Lady, this is the same of San Juan Balete Drive {Lost Soul}. It spun off into the municipal festival under former Mayor Renato Malabor, when the town was searching for a festival that was going to be its tourism plank.

Tigkalalag festival of Isabela turned what otherwise are morbid concepts of coffins, candelabras and crashing tombs into a whimsical, tightly designed, skillfully-choreographed presentation that sent it howling to success in yearly competition of all the festivals of Negros Occidental. Tigkalalag is Hiligaynon for All Souls' Day.

Notable personalities

• Lt. Cesar Basa, World War II pilot and hero. First Filipino aviator killed during aerial combat.
• Allan K., actor-comedian/TV host/entrepreneur