Pulupandan

Pulupandan, officially the Municipality of Pulupandan (Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Pulupandan; Tagalog: Bayan ng Pulupandan), is a municipality in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 30,117 people.^[5]

Pulupandan
Municipality
Municipality of Pulupandan
Flag Seal
Map of Negros Occidental with Pulupandan highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Pulupandan Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 10°31′N 122°48′E
Country	Philippines
Region	Negros Island Region
Province	Negros Occidental
District	4th district
Founded	January 1917
Named after	Puntod Island, formerly called Pulo sang Pandan
Barangays	20 (see Barangays)
Government  [1]
• Type	Sangguniang Bayan
• Mayor	Miguel Antonio C. Peña (NPC)
• Vice Mayor	Anthony Gerard A. Suatengco (PFP)
• Representative	Jeffrey P. Ferrer (NUP)
• Municipal Council	Members Marie Grace P. Cepida Rona Mae T. Galimba Jose Gabriel C. Suatengco Lorenzo Eduardo P. Suantengco Federico O. Montilla Federico F. Infante, Jr. Ryan Stephen M. Paloa Yves Rodin A. Valenzuela
• Electorate	18,028 voters (2025)
Area [2]
• Total	23.00 km2 (8.88 sq mi)
Elevation	2.0 m (6.6 ft)
Highest elevation	22 m (72 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population  (2024 census)[3]
• Total	31,942
• Density	1,400/km2 (3,600/sq mi)
• Households	7,701
Economy
• Income class	3rd municipal income class
• Poverty incidence	13.43 % (2021)[4]
• Revenue	₱ 155.4 million (2022)
• Assets	₱ 313 million (2022)
• Expenditure	₱ 139.4 million (2022)
• Liabilities	₱ 219.7 million (2022)
Service provider
• Electricity	Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (NOCECO)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code	6102
PSGC	064522000
IDD : area code	+63 (0)34
Native languages	Hiligaynon Tagalog

The town is known for their annual "Salapan Festival".

Etymology

The town's name is derived from the vernacular phrase Pulo sang Pandan, meaning the "Isle of Pandan". Pandan itself is a Malayo-Polynesian vocabulary for a plant with the scientific name Pandanus amaryllifolius.

Saint Philomena is the patron saint of Pulupandan. February 15 is the feast day. The main street is named after St. Philomena, the Wonderworker.

History

The town was once a barrio of Valladolid before it became a separate municipality in 1917. It was in the beaches of Pulupandan in the early dawn of March 29, 1945 that the historical event of the landing of American liberation forces without any opposition, who together with the Filipino guerillas, drive the Japanese forces away from the island of Negros during the Battle of the Visayas.

Geography

With an area of 23 square kilometers, Pulupandan is the smallest town in terms of area in Negros Occidental. It is 29 kilometres (18 mi) from Bacolod.

Barangays

Pulupandan is politically subdivided into 20 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

• Barangay Zone 1-A (Pob. / Paco beach)-Punong Barangay Rodolfo A. Verde
• Barangay Zone 4-A (Poblacion)
• Barangay Zone 1 (Pob. / Green beach)
• Barangay Zone 2 (Poblacion)
• Barangay Zone 3 (Poblacion)
• Barangay Zone 4 (Poblacion)
• Barangay Zone 5 (Poblacion)
• Barangay Zone 6 (Poblacion)
• Barangay Zone 7 (Poblacion)
• Canjusa- Punong Barangay Cecilia J. Yuro
• Crossing Pulupandan
• Culo
• Mabini
• Pag-ayon
• Palaka Norte
• Palaka Sur
• Patic (Sitio Calubihan)
• Tapong
• Ubay
• Utod

Climate

Climate data for Pulupandan, Negros Occidental
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	28 (82)	29 (84)	30 (86)	32 (90)	32 (90)	31 (88)	30 (86)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	29 (84)	28 (82)	30 (85)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	23 (73)	23 (73)	23 (73)	24 (75)	25 (77)	25 (77)	25 (77)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	24 (75)	23 (73)	24 (75)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	57 (2.2)	37 (1.5)	41 (1.6)	42 (1.7)	98 (3.9)	155 (6.1)	187 (7.4)	162 (6.4)	179 (7.0)	188 (7.4)	114 (4.5)	78 (3.1)	1,338 (52.8)
Average rainy days	12.0	7.7	9.2	10.2	19.5	24.6	26.9	25.1	25.5	25.2	18.0	13.0	216.9
Source: Meteoblue[6]

Demographics

Population census of Pulupandan

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1903	6,167	—
1918	5,268	−1.04%
1939	10,751	+3.46%
1948	11,726	+0.97%
1960	14,844	+1.98%
1970	19,476	+2.75%
1975	23,665	+3.98%
1980	24,824	+0.96%
1990	22,983	−0.77%
1995	24,932	+1.54%
2000	25,849	+0.78%
2007	27,072	+0.64%
2010	25,350	−2.36%
2015	27,735	+1.73%
2020	30,117	+1.75%
2024	31,942	+1.42%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[7][8][9][10][11]

Languages

The people in the municipality speak Hiligaynon. Tagalog and English are generally understood.

Religion

Majority of the town are adherents of the Philippine Independent Church, followed secondly by the Roman Catholic Church.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Pulupandan

10 20 30 40 2000 30.87 2003 17.97 2006 17.80 2009 24.58 2012 10.28 2015 12.64 2018 7.70 2021 13.43 Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]

Politics

The current mayor of Pulupandan is Miguel C. Peña, son of its former mayor Magdaleno "Magsie" Peña who, until recently, was mayor of Moises Padilla town.

Known for being a bailiwick of the Liberal Party, the town is notable for being the only municipality in Negros Occidental where Rodrigo Duterte won during the 2016 presidential election.

President Bongbong Marcos won by a landslide with a delivery vote of 89% (12,544 votes) in the 2022 Presidential election.

Transportation

Pulupandan currently has a sea port with RORO vessels traveling straight to the island province of Guimaras.

Notable personalities

• none